DVB-T2

Digital Video Broadcasting — Second Generation Terrestrial (DVB-T2) is an extension of DVB-T which allows for significantly higher data rates. The following settings are available if you select DVB-T2.

Table 1. DVB-T2 settings
Setting Description
Bandwidth Specifies the bandwidth of operation. DVB-T2 provides additional bandwidths compared to DVB-T.
Carriers Choose the mode of operation. DVB-T2 includes longer modes (16K and 32K) which increase the data rate.
Constellation

DVB-T2 offers four different modulation schemes: QPSK, 16-QAM, 64‑QAM, and 256-QAM.

Lower order modulation formats like QPSK do not transmit data as fast as the higher modulation formats such as 64‑QAM, but they can be received when signal strengths are lower.

Note that as the QAM order increases, there is a higher possibility of introducing data errors since these schemes are less resilient to noise and interference.

Code Rate

Match the code rate to the requirements of the broadcast network. The higher the level of error correction that is applied, the greater the level of supporting error correction data that needs to be transmitted, which reduces the data rate of the transmission.

For example, if you select 2/3, for every 2 bits of data, you are sending out 3 bits, one of which is for error correction.

Guard Interval

Choose the appropriate guard interval so that distinct transmissions do not interfere with each other.

In DVB-T2, five guard intervals are available: 1/128 provides the lowest protection and the highest data rate, 1/4 results in the best protection but the lowest data rate.

Pilot Pattern

Pilots are needed to adapt transmissions to current channel conditions. DVB-T2 has eight different patterns. Choose the appropriate pattern depending on network type and reception conditions or select ‘Auto’.

If you choose a specific pattern, you can also set the frame duration and forward error correction (FEC) block size.

Frame duration Frame duration ranges between 10 and 43ms and allows you to trade modulation delay, bit rate efficiency and interleaving performance.
FEC Block Size

This is a trade-off parameter, with shorter FEC blocks giving finer control over achievable bit rate but requiring more overhead and thus not as efficient as long frames.

Choose between short FEC frame (16,200 bits) and long FEC frame (64,800 bits).