The  Universal  DVB-­‐T2  Calculator  
 

The DVB-T2 European Norme (ETSI EN 302 755 v131 (2012-04) is on-air since four years and it will become
soon the worldwide preferred Digital Terrestrial Broadcast system.

DVB-T2 exhibits a “close-to-Shannon” spectral efficiency sustained by an extreme flexibility that provides an
optimum response to the various requirements of broadcasters around the world. As a consequence, DVB-T2
offers thousands of possible configurations which involve multi-PLP and flexible framing (FEF), etc.

In order to help network implementers, TeamCast has design the "Universal DVB-T2 Calculator" which
provides an easy way to adjust step-by-step the various set of parameters and to weight the obtained results.

The "Universal DVB-T2 Calculator" is using three folders, which are commented in the following:

Ä Waveform Shaper,
Ä Payload Allocator,
Ä Coverage estimator.

Two additional folders, “T2 vs T1” and “T2 Pilot Patterns”, highlights respectively the capacity available and the
pilot organisation resulting from the waveform settings.

References  

TeamCast declines all responsibilities for the usage of this evaluation tool. The accuracy of all data supplied by
the evaluator tool is in accordance with the system implementation guidelines having the following references:
For DVB-T
è ETSI TR 101 190 V1.3.1 (2008-10) for DVB-T.
For DVB-T2
è ETSI TS 102 831 v1.1.1 (2010-10) for DVB-T2
è EBU - TECH 3348 - Frequency & Network Planning aspects of DVB-T2 (2012 05)
è ITU-R BT 2254 - Frequency & Network Planning aspects of DVB-T2 (2012 09)

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  TEAMCAST’S  UNIVERSAL  T2  CALCULATOR   1  

 
  
 
   

The  T2’s  Waveform  Shaper    

This folder allows to define the parameters of the T2 waveform (channel bandwidth, FFT size, GI size, Pilot
Pattern and T2 frame duration), which govern the maximum transmission capacity.

TeamCast (TeamCast) DVB-T2 Coverage Estimator.xls

55 Mbps
Elementary Period (T) 7/64 us Channel Bandwidth 8 MHz
50 Mbps
5/6
Carrier spacing 1/TU (Hz) 279 Hz FFT size 32K (ext) 4/5
45 Mbps
GI Duration (kms) 8,4 kms GI size 32K
1/128
(ext) 3/4

Signal Bandwidth (MHz) 7,77 MHz Pilot Pattern PP7

32K (ext) 40 Mbps 5/6
4/5 2/3
3/4
Frame Duration (µs) 249 452 us Frame Duration Target 250 ms 35 Mbps 3/5
2/3
7/8
30 Mbps 3/5 5/6
1/2
Usefull Symbol Duration (µs) 3 584 us OFDM Symbol (per frame) 69 3/4
25 Mbps 1/2
7/8
GI Duration (µs) 28 us Sub-carriers (per symbol) 27 841 4/5
5/6 5/6 2/3

3/4 3/4
Full Symbol Duration (µs) 3 612 us 20 Mbps 2/3
2/3
1/2
3/5
Preamble P1 Overhead 0,09 % 15 Mbps 1/2
1/2
Available Sub-Carriers 1 921 029 Guard Interval Overhead 0,77 % 10 Mbps 4/55/6
3/4
2/3 5/6 7/8
Scattered Pilots 19 993 Pilots Overhead 1,16 % 1/2
3/5
2/3
3/4

5 Mbps 1/2
Continual Pilots 2 415 Waveform Overhead 2,03 %
Edge Pilots 104 Frame Overhead 0,89 %
-3 dB 0 dB 3 dB 6 dB 9 dB 12 dB 15 dB 18 dB 21 dB 24 dB 27 dB
Sub-Carriers for Payload 1 898 517 Total Overhead 2,92 %

55 Mbps 55 Mbps
5/6

50 Mbps
4/5 50 Mbps
5/6
3/4
4/5
45 Mbps 45 Mbps
3/4
2/3

40 Mbps 40 Mbps 5/6

3/5 4/5 2/3
3/4
5/6
35 Mbps 4/5
7/8 35 Mbps 3/5
5/6
1/2 2/3
3/4 7/8
30 Mbps 3/5
3/4 30 Mbps 3/5 5/6
2/3 1/2
2/3
3/4
25 Mbps 1/2 25 Mbps 1/2
7/8
5/6 5/6 5/6 2/3
4/5 4/5
1/2 3/4 3/4
20 Mbps 3/4
7/8 20 Mbps 2/3
5/6 2/3
2/3
3/4 1/2
3/5 3/5
15 Mbps 2/3 15 Mbps 1/2
1/2 1/2

10 Mbps 4/5 5/6 1/2 10 Mbps 4/55/6

3/4 3/4
5/6 7/8
2/3 5/67/8
2/3 3/4
3/5 3/4 3/5
2/3 2/3
1/2
5 Mbps 1/2
1/2
5 Mbps 1/2

 
0 dB 3 dB 6 dB 9 dB 12 dB 15 dB 18 dB 21 dB 24 dB 27 dB 30 dB -3 dB 0 dB 3 dB 6 dB 9 dB 12 dB 15 dB 18 dB 21 dB 24 dB 27 dB

Gerard FARIA (gerard.faria@teamcast.com) 1/1 09/10/12

The “waveform overhead” coming from the Preamble P1, the Guard Interval and the Pilots, which consumes
some waveform capacity, is computed & displayed.

In addition to the technical parameters, the reachable T2’s transmission performance (i.e. bitrate versus
robustness) is presented for three propagation channels (i.e. AWGN, FIXED (Line-Of-Sight) and PORTABLE
(Non-Line-Of-Sight)) and can be compared with the DVB-T’s ones.

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  TEAMCAST’S  UNIVERSAL  T2  CALCULATOR   2  

 
  
 
   

The  T2’s  Multiple  PLP  Allocator    

This folder aims at distributing the transmission capacity between Physical Layer Pipes (PLP).

Up to 8 categories of PLP can be managed and for each category the following parameters must be defined: the
average input bitrate, the number of PLP (in the category), the code rate & constellation (for this category).

TeamCast (TeamCast) DVB-T2 Coverage Estimator.xls

8 MHz

32K (ext)

1/128
250 ms
PP7

Average Block Size Average Experienced Experienced Experienced Experienced

Capacity Number Allocated Raw C/N
Input Constellation & Output (*) (**) F1 P1 0db echo
Consumers of PLP Capacity AWGN
Bitrate Code Rate Bitrate AWGN (fixed) (portable) (SFN)

Waveform 2,03%

P2 BPSK 6,58 kbps 0,30%

PLPs category I 2 4,00 Mbps 256QAM Long - cr 2/3 8,06 Mbps 20,48% 17,8 dB 19,7 dB 20,0 dB 22,2 dB 23,8 dB

PLPs category II 1 4,00 Mbps 256QAM Short - cr 2/3 4,02 Mbps 10,35% 18,1 dB 19,7 dB 20,0 dB 20,0 dB 23,8 dB

PLPs category III 1 3,00 Mbps 64QAM Long - cr 2/3 3,13 Mbps 10,59% 13,5 dB 15,1 dB 15,4 dB 17,2 dB 18,5 dB

PLPs category IV 1 3,00 Mbps 64QAM Short - cr 2/3 3,01 Mbps 10,31% 13,8 dB 15,3 dB 15,6 dB 15,6 dB 18,7 dB

PLPs category V 1 2,00 Mbps 16QAM Long - cr 3/4 2,04 Mbps 9,20% 10,0 dB 11,4 dB 11,8 dB 13,9 dB 15,2 dB

PLPs category VI 1 2,00 Mbps 16QAM Short - cr 3/4 2,01 Mbps 9,41% 10,3 dB 11,7 dB 12,1 dB 12,1 dB 15,5 dB

PLPs category VII 1 1,50 Mbps QPSK Long - cr 4/5 1,58 Mbps 13,38% 4,7 dB 6,1 dB 6,4 dB 8,5 dB 9,8 dB

PLPs category VIII 1 1,50 Mbps QPSK Short - cr 4/5 1,52 Mbps 13,38% 4,9 dB 6,3 dB 6,6 dB 6,6 dB 10,0 dB

Auxilliary Cells 11 466 Cells 0,59%

GI not defined
97,08 % Capacity for DATA (*) "Raw C/N" is as of ETSI Implementation Guidelines
TOTALS 9 25,00 Mbps
2,92 % Capacity for STRUCTURE
25,38 Mbps 100,00%
(**) "Experienced C/N" is as of EBU Tech 3348, May 2012
PP not defined

Gerard FARIA (gerard.faria@teamcast.com) 1/1 09/10/12

According to these settings, the capacity allocated to each category of PLP is determined as the global capacity
repartition between data & the T2 structure.

Additionally, the C/N threshold (i.e. the robustness) of each PLP’s category is provided for various propagation
channels:

Ä The “Raw AWGN” column corresponds to the C/N values provided in the DVB-T2 Implementation
Guidelines that result from simulations using Additional White Gaussian Noise channel model.
Ä The “Experienced” columns corresponds to the C/N values revised according to EBU Tech 3348 which
takes in account typical receiver’s implementation losses, then provides more realistic C/N threshold
values.

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  TEAMCAST’S  UNIVERSAL  T2  CALCULATOR   3  

 
  
 
   

The  T2’s  Coverage  Estimator    

This folder aims at estimating the expected coverage of each PLP category in relation with the transmitter
characteristics, the receiver characteristics and the propagation environment.

TeamCast (TeamCast) DVB-T2 Coverage Estimator.xls

Channel BW 8 MHz

TX antenna Height 200 m Channel N° 45 UHF-Band V RX antenna Height 5m

TX antenna Gain 3 dBi 666,0 MHz RX antenna Gain 0 dBi

662 MHz 670 MHz

TX Power Output 5,0 KW Propagation Profil Small Cities (wrt HATA model) RX noise figure 4 dB
40 dBW
Radiated Power (EIRP) Channel Profil P1 (portable) Building Penetration Loss 3 dB
70 dBm
30 dB

27 dB

24 dB

PLP I 26,6 kms; 22,2 dB

21 dB
PLP II 31,3 kms; 20,0 dB

18 dB
PLP III 38,8 kms; 17,2 dB

PLP IV 44,3 kms; 15,6 dB

15 dB
PLP V 50,5 kms; 13,9 dB

PLP VI 57,6 kms; 12,1 dB 12 dB

9 dB
PLP VII 76,0 kms; 8,5 dB

PLP VIII 88,0 kms; 6,6 dB

6 dB

3 dB

20 kms 40 kms 60 kms 80 kms 100 kms 120 kms 140 kms 160 kms
 
Gerard FARIA (gerard.faria@teamcast.com) 1/1 09/10/12

The path loss between transmitting & receiving antennas is computed according to the HATA model, this model
being relatively accurate in the UHF band for distance below 30 kms.

The “path loss” curve and the C/N threshold of each category of PLP are displayed giving an indication of the
maximum distance at which such category could be received.

This path loss estimator shall not be considered as a planning tool: it is intended to provide a rough estimation,
not an accurate coverage prediction.

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  TEAMCAST’S  UNIVERSAL  T2  CALCULATOR   4