Free TV, TX Australia and Broadcast Australia complete DVB-T2 trials powered by Enensys

A pilot evaluates the performance of DVB-T2 transmission modes in the Australian environment, using the UHF band for transmissions in MFN and SFN configurations.

Free TV, TX Australia y Broadcast Australia They have used the modulator T2Gateway y Teamcast Twister II of Enensys for the recent tests of DVB-T2 in Queensland, originating from the TX Australia-managed Gold Coast broadcast site at Mount Tamborine and the TXA Brisbane broadcast center at Mount Coot-tha. Testing is now complete and preliminary results will be presented at the Media Entertainment Technology (SMPTE) conference in Sydney in July.

The pilot evaluated the performance of DVB-T2 transmission modes in the Australian environment, using the UHF band for transmissions in MFN and SFN configurations. DVB-T2, the second generation DTT technology, will replace the current DVB-T standard currently used for the provision of terrestrial television services in Australia. When combined with new technologies video compression (HEVC), DVB-T2 allows broadcasters to offer significant improvements in image quality, such as high dynamic range image quality (HDR).

The Queensland trials followed trials in the Sydney area in 2018 and used an Enensys T2Gateway to feed an existing UHF transmitter that had been upgraded to support DVB-T2 with a Teamcast Twister II modulator.

Colin Prior, APAC commercial director at Enensys, acknowledges that he is very pleased to “continue participating in these tests that will allow Australian broadcasters to confirm the capabilities of DVB-T2 in their environment and ensure interoperability between equipment manufacturers.”

Roger Bunch, director of engineering at Free TV, comments that "we have appreciated the extensive support received from Enensys to achieve our objectives. These trials have allowed us to generate broad technical interest in the establishment of guidelines for the application of the DVB-T2 system and methods for evaluating its quality of service requirements."

For its part, Michael Ryder, GM Engineering of TX Australia, appreciates "the support of Enensys and other suppliers who have partnered with us to carry out DVB-T2 trials. The outcome of these trials will form the basis for future consideration of the adoption of this next generation broadcast standard in Australia."

Finally, Stephen Farrugia, CTO of Broadcast Australia, highlights that “the DVB-T2 trial is an important step in validating that terrestrial television technology is ready for next generation broadcasting, allowing Australian broadcasters to offer the best possible viewing experience with optimal spectrum efficiency.”