2010 20th International Conference Radioelektronika

DVB-T and DVB-H Measuring Software for PC Connected with Spectral Analyzer
Karel ULOVEC1, Miroslav VYN2
1

Dept. of Radio Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technick 2, 166 27 Praha, Czech Republic 2 ROHDE & SCHWARZ - Praha, s.r.o., Hadovka Office Park, Evropsk 33c, 160 00 Praha, Czech Republic karel.ulovec@radio.fel.cvut.cz, miroslav.vysin@rohde-schwarz.com

Abstract. This contribution describes Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial and Digital Video BroadcastingHandheld measuring software for personal computer connected with a spectral analyzer. The free of charge software could upgrade a radio measurement laboratory, where a spectral analyzer is assumed as a one of basic devices, to measure some spectral and signal parameters and characteristics of above-mentioned systems. The main aim is to explain the processing of digital signal received samples and compare software features with a test receiver. Measuring software was developed and created during the diploma project.

Fig. 1. PC connected with a spectral analyzer.

2. Measuring Software Description

Measuring software was created using Matlab and LabWindows/CVI. Matlab is used for signal processing and LabWindows/CVI provides an instrument control and a graphical user interface. A brief description of a signal processing and features of measuring software follows. The software is fully described in the diploma thesis [1].

Keywords
Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial, Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, Demodulation, Measurement, Spectral Analysis, Signal Analysis.

2.1 DVB-T and DVB-H Signal Processing

The DVB-T/H signal is processed as follow. Signal tuning An input part of a receiver substitutes input circuits of a spectral analyzer. The Rohde&Schwarz FSV spectral analyzer is supposed, but source code could be adapted to other modern spectral analyzer, which allows signal samples capturing and transmission to PC. Signal sampling The FSV spectral analyzer is used for sampling DVB-T/H signal. The value of the sampling frequency is chosen according to required bandwidth and with respect to a basic DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform) time period. Time synchronization A precise time OFDM symbols synchronization is necessary for successful DFT computing. A guard interval is used for synchronization. Several ending samples of the OFDM symbol is repeated during guard interval. This repeated part of the symbol is detected using auto-correlation function. DFT conversion Sampled signal in time domain is converted by DFT to the frequency domain.

1. Introduction
Digital video broadcasting (DVB) gradually replace analog television transmission. The digital signal quality needs to be monitored at a transmitter. It can be done by a professional test receiver, but it also could be done by a spectral analyzer, which is supplemented with software signal processing of captured signal samples on personal computer (PC). This contribution deals with measuring software DVB-T/H measurement (version 1.0.1) for PC connected with a spectral analyzer (fig. 1), which allows measure some basic spectral and signal parameters and characteristics of the DVB-Terrestrial (DVB-T) and DVB-Handheld (DVB-H) systems. This software was developed and created during the diploma project at the Czech Technical University at the department of Radio engineering. DVB-T/H system uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) as a multi-carrier modulation format.

978-1-4244-6321-3/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

 Pilot carriers searching Pilot carriers (cells) have defined amplitude and phase values. This pattern is known in a receiver. Minimal difference searching between known pattern and the real placement of the carriers is used to find the right pilot carriers positions. Channel transfer function estimation The known pattern of the pilot cells is used for channel transfer estimation. Transfer function at positions between pilot cells is interpolated. Channel transfer function compensation Simple complex multiplying is used in OFDM systems for compensation of channel transfer function on each carrier, see fig. 2. Signal analysis Modulation error ratio (MER), constellation diagram and transfer functions are subjects of the signal analysis.

attenuations. The continual monitoring of the signal parameters is also possible. Signal analysis As a result of the signal analysis MER is computed and a constellation diagram is displayed. Channel transfer functions are depicted as well. Various dependences on subcarrier or symbol positions can be chosen.

3. Evaluation and Comparison

Several measurements are described in this section to evaluate and compare measured parameters and characteristics with professional test receiver Rohde&Schwarz EFA. Test transmitter Rohde&Schwarz FSQ generates DVB-T signal, which is set as follows: data carrier modulation 64-QAM, 8k mod, guard interval 1/4, code rate 2/3 and bandwidth 8 MHz (usually used for a real transmission). The central carrier has the value of frequency 810 MHz. The Rohde&Schwarz FSV spectral analyzer is connected via 1 Gbps LAN with PC (Intel Core2 6600, 2 GB RAM, OS Windows XP), on which measuring software is installed. GPS synchronization isnt used.

3.1 Signal Parameters Measurement

The signal parameters measurement of measuring software is checked in this section.
Fig. 2. Channel transfer function compensation.

2.2 Measuring Software Features

Measuring software offers following features. Connection with a spectral analyzer Spectral analyzer can be connected via LAN or GPIB interface. Spectral analyzer control Following spectral analyzer parameters can be controlled from the software: center frequency, span, reference level, sweep time, resolution bandwidth, video bandwidth, detector type, attenuator disabling and preamplifier enabling. Spectrum displaying Software displays spectrum from the captured signal samples. Automatic signal tuning Software can search for the DVB-T/H signal in the chosen range of frequencies. Automatic recognition of the DVB-T/H mode and guard interval. Signal parameters measurement Following parameters can be measured from the signal spectrum: first, center and last carrier frequency, signal bandwidth, frequency distance between subcarriers, channel power and left and right shoulder

The output power of the signal from FSQ (P_SFQ) is changed from 86 dBm to 6 dBm and the signal power is measured by EFA (P_EFA) and by measuring software (P_SW). The attenuation of the left shoulder (Left sh.) and right shoulder (Right sh.) is also monitored by EFA (sh._EFA) and by measuring software (sh._SW). Further the value of the central carrier fC is measured and the difference (Fr. diff. = fC 810106) is noted down. The results are in tab. 1.
P_SFQ (dBm) P_EFA (dBm) P_SW (dBm) Left sh._EFA (dB) Left sh._SW (dB) Right sh._EFA (dB) Right sh._SW (dB) Fr. diff_EFA (Hz) Fr. diff_SW (Hz) 86 85.4 85.5 39 10.6 41 10.3 183 260 66 66.1 66.8 47.8 24.3 52 27.4 176 232 36 36.2 36.9 52.8 34.5 54.2 37.1 157 217 6 6.8 6.9 53 51.8 54.5 51.9 150 188 6 4.6 5.1 53 48.7 53.5 46.1 141 188

Tab. 1. Signal power, shoulder attenuation and central frequency measurement results.

Measured values of the signal power differ less then 1 dB from values on generator and are very close to these measured by EFA. Measured values of the shoulder attenuation agree with EFA only for optimal signal power (6 dBm). A real channel filter absence could cause error for lower signal power and intermodulation distortion

could decrease measured value for higher signal power. Measured frequency error is high for both EFA and measuring software, but it couldnt be discussed closer, because no GPS synchronization is used. Measuring software can monitor additionally the value of the first and last carriers, bandwidth and frequency distance (Fr. dist.) between subcarriers. Results are in tab. 2 for three cases of the power of test transmitter (P_SFQ). Measured values of first and last carriers, bandwidth and frequency distance are very close to real values in sequence: 806196429 Hz, 813803571 Hz, 7607143 Hz and 1116.071 Hz (central carrier difference is ignored).
P_SFQ (dBm) First carrier (Hz) Last carrier (Hz) Bandwidth (Hz) Fr. dist. (Hz) 66 806196189 813803348 7607159 1116.074 36 806196218 813803348 7607130 1116.070 6 806196247 813803376 7607129 1116.069
MER (dB)

35

30

25

20

15

10

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 C/N (dB) MER_EFA_QPSK (dB) MER_EFA_64-QAM (dB) MER_SW_QPSK (dB) MER_SW_64-QAM (dB)

Fig. 3. Measured dependences of MER on C/N.

Tab. 2. First and last carriers, bandwidth and frequency distance measurement results.

3.2 Signal Analysis

Next signal analysis of measuring software is evaluated and compared with test receiver. The dependence of modulation error ratio (MER) on carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N) is monitored. Values measured by test receiver (EFA) and by measuring software (SW) are in tab. 3; signal power is 36 dBm, the MER values are measured as RMS MER in dB and are averaged over all subcarriers.
C/N (dB) MER_EFA (dB) MER_SW (dB) noise off 38.1 34.1 35 32.2 31.5 30 28 27.1 25 23.2 23.5 20 19.6 19.9 Fig. 4. MER vs. subcarriers position measured by measuring software (the best case, noise switched off).

Tab. 3. Modulation error ratio measurement results (64-QAM).

Measurement is repeated again, but data carrier modulation is changed to QPSK. So that the measurement is done for lower C/N as well thanks to lower number of QPSK modulation states.
C/N (dB) MER_EFA (dB) MER_SW (dB) noise off 35.1 34.8 35 31.2 31.3 30 27.6 27.8 25 23.1 23.5 20 18.8 19.2 15 13.9 13.5 10 9 7.1 Fig. 5. MER vs. subcarriers position measured by EFA (the best case, noise switched off).

Tab. 4. Modulation error ratio measurement results (QPSK).

The MER measurement results are depicted in fig. 3 as dependences on C/N for better expression. Differences between MER values measured by measuring software and EFA are lower than 1 dB for C/N between 35 dB and 15 dB and the values differ about 1.8 dB in case of C/N 10 dB. Values of MER vs. subcarriers position are measured in case of switched off noise (the best case) for signal power 36 dBm. Dependence on subcarrier positions measured by measuring software and EFA is shown in fig. 4 and 5 respectively.

Measured values of MER by measuring software for the best case (noise switched off) is about 3 dB lower than measured by EFA. Constellation diagram is offered as a part of signal analysis. See fig. 6 to compare constellation diagrams from measuring software (left) and EFA (right).

Fig. 6. Constellation diagrams acquired by measuring software (left) and by EFA (right).

3.3 Multipath Propagation

The influence of the multipath propagation is tested with two channel profiles. Delays and relative attenuations of taps for the channel with fixed reception profile (Ricean channel) and with portable reception profile (Rayleigh channel) are in tab. 5, according to [2] (AC106 Validate).
Fixed reception Tap 1 2 3 4 5 6 Delay (s) 0 0.45 0.5 1.95 2.75 3.25 Rel. Att. (dB) 0 20.6 17.8 17.9 20.4 19.1 Portable reception Delay 0.05 0.5 0.6 1.9 2.75 3.2 Rel. Att. (dB) 8.9 0 2.1 4.6 6.3 6.9 Fig. 9. Amplitude and phase transfer functions from EFA. Fig. 8. Phase transfer function from measuring software.

Tab. 5. Delays and relative attenuations of taps for the channel with fixed reception profile (Ricean channel) and portable reception profile (Rayleigh channel).

Fixed reception measurements results bring figs. 7, 8 and 9. The amplitude transfer function measured by measuring software is in fig. 7 and phase transfer function measured by measuring software is in fig. 8. The both amplitude and phase transfer functions measured by EFA are depicted in fig. 9. Amplitude transfer functions measured by both EFA and measuring software correspond as example the ratio between maximal and minimal value 0.654/0.261 correspond with difference of 8 dB. Values of the phase transfer functions are in compliance as well as example maximal value approx. 0.5 rad. corresponds with 28.7 deg.

Measuring software doesnt work in case of portable profile.

4. Conclusion
The DVB-T and DVB-H signal measuring software is an alternative to expensive professional test devices. The software doesnt measure in real time and is a little bit less precise, but is intended to be offered as a free of charge on the web site [3]. It could be used to upgrade radio measurement laboratories, where a modern spectral analyzer is in hand, as example in the school laboratory.

Acknowledgements
Research described in the paper was supported by the research program MSM 6840770014.

References
[1] VYN, M. Automatic measurement of terrestrial digital video broadcasting. Diploma thesis, in Czech language. FEL, CTU in Prague. Prague, 2010, 92 p. [2] ETSI TR 101 290. Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); Measurement guidelines for DVB systems. Sophia Antipolis Cedex, ETSI, 2001, 175 p. Fig. 7. Amplitude transfer function from measuring software. [3] Measurement-software [online]. 2010 [cit. Available at: http://measurement-software.mustr.net/. 2010-02-10],