China’s decision on DTMB as the DTV standard for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was all the urgency needed for solution providers to come out with rich pickings of compatible systems fast.

It is all systems go this month for the live ­coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with broadcasters no doubt at the ready for transmission in digi­tal terrestrial multi­media broadcast (DTMB).

The unveiling of the newly-approved DTV stan­dard last year had spurred manufactu­rers to quickly develop compatible solutions — and with all the more ­urgency when Chinese officials desig­nated DTMB the country’s DTV standard of choice for the Games.

Used to be known as digital multimedia broadcast-terrestrial/handheld (DMB-T/H), DTMB was the result of combined standards developed by China’s Jiaotong University in Shanghai and Tsinghua University in Beijing. The former had developed ADTB-T (advanced digital television broadcasting-terrestrial), a set of standards similar to ATSC, which co-exists with DVB-T (digital video broadcasting-terrestrial), while the latter developed DMB-T.

One of the companies that responded to the call for new DTMB solutions was France-based TeamCast, which offers original equipment manufacturers (OEM) high-performance modulators dedicated to Chinese DTV for DTMB transmitters, integrated test systems and R&D. The TeamCast MCN-1000/MCN-2000 modules consist of a compact unit specifically designed for fast integration. The company says system designers can choose to manage the TeamCast module by using the open and easy-to-use serial protocol, or develop their own GUI for control as required.

Another TeamCast product for DTMB is the MIP-1000, an OEM mega-frame initialisation packet (MIP) inserter dedicated to single-frequency networks (SFN) — not only for the ­Chinese DTV standard but for the Europe-deve­loped DVB-T/H as well. Again, due to its OEM orientation, the product provides flexibi­lity for system integrators to launch their own MIP inser­ters. The MIP-1000 performs bit-rate adaptation, PCR re-stamping and generates the mega-frame stream structure mandatory for SFN network synchronisation. Other TeamCast offerings for DTMB are signal generators, gap-fillers, demodulators and syn­thesisers.

Early this year, TeamCast and its Chinese partner ­Digital Horizon launched one of the first CMMB (China multimedia mobile broadcasting) exciters, which met State Admi­nistration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) requirements for mobile-TV trials in the UHF band.

Based on a recognised Chinese technology, combined with the high RF performances of the TeamCast modulator, the Cello CMMB exciter from Digital Horizon is an easily-integrated solution for transmitter manufacturers seeking to access the CMMB market and participate in Chinese technology-based mobile-TV ­trials.

TeamCast says the new exciter integrates ­digital pre-correction features similar to those available in the company’s range of digital and mobile-TV modulators.

Eric Pinson, broadcast-product line manager for TeamCast, says many transmitter manufacturers have ­already adopted the Cello in the months following the exciter’s launch. “As part of the preparations for the ­Olympics, the first batch of modulators have been in ­operation since October 2007 for the pilot project covering six Olympic cities with this new service,” he says. “[Since] February 2008, up to 30 new modulators have been provided for both international and domestic transmitter manufacturers to ensure comprehensive coverage in these cities and to provide a reliable solution.”

Another French company, Enensys Techno­logies, has also come out with solutions for the new DTV standard in China. Its latest offering is the DiviCatch RF-DTMB, a pocket analyser for live DTMB streams. The compact device is self-powered through USB interface, and is marketed as a cost-effective analyser for broadcasters, R&D labs or set-top-box manufacturers working with DTMB.

The DiviCatch is capable of tuning a DTMB-modulated signal and performing analysis at RF, modulation and transport levels. The software bundled with the device provides full real-time analysis for critical RF measurements and MPEG2-TS validation, including ETR290.

A GPS (global positioning system) option also enables end-users to perform advanced coverage testing, by recording all key RF parameters synchronised with GPS coordinates, time and speed. Exporting the log output to a cartographic application such as Google Earth achieves a complete map of the network coverage.

RF analysis provides real-time information on all critical transmission parameters. Moreover, MPEG2-TS analysis outputs useful real-time information on bit rates and PSI/SI signalling. ETR290 validation scheme is also implemented to provide users with stream-compliance elements. Specific to the DTMB standard, SIP packets used to synchronise SFN transmitters are also decoded for in-depth testing.

Enensys says that with the expected boom of DTMB ser­vices in China before and during the 2008 Olympics, the company’s DiviCatch RF-DTMB, a two-in-one pro­duct featuring both RF and DVB-ASI inputs, will be the most useful and cost-effective tool to perform testing in labs as well as ensure optimal qua­lity of service on delivered streams and networks.

Source:apb-news