Dr. Nikos Desypris
ndessipris@yahoo.com
nikolaos.desypris@bronet.gr
Feb. 2011
Postgraduate course
University of Athens
th
6th
Lecture on Digital TV
 DTV Transmission and Reception System
 DTV Reception Systems
 Emerging Technologies and Standards
 Digital Terrestrial Television & the Communications
markets in Europe
 Executive Summary
 Introduction
 Comparison of DTV Platforms
 DTV Development in Europe
 Regulatory content for DTV
 Community Law and DTV development
 Conclusions
th
6th
Lecture on Digital TV
 DTV Transmission and Reception System
 DTV Reception Systems
 Emerging Technologies and Standards
 Digital Terrestrial Television & the Communications
markets in Europe
 Executive Summary
 Introduction
 Comparison of DTV Platforms
 DTV Development in Europe
 Regulatory content for DTV
 Community Law and DTV development
 Conclusions
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
The sequence is reversed
 Reception:
 Signal capture,
 demodulation and
 recovery of data packets
from the transmission channel
 Transport Demultiplex:
 extraction of audio,
 video and data packets and
 assembly instructions
 Decoding:
 Expansion of compressed audio and video data
 Presentation:
 audio and video are synchronised and
 the complete program is ready for viewing
Layered approach to system design
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
 Reception
 Transport Demultiplex
 Decoding
 Presentation
DTV Receiver System 1:
Reception & Demodulation
 Reception:
 Signal capture,
 demodulation and
 recovery of data packets
from the transmission channel
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
 Reception
 Transport Demultiplex
 Decoding
 Presentation
DTV Receiver System 2:
Transport Stream Demultiplexing
 Transport demultiplex:
 extraction of audio,
 video and data packets and
 assembly instructions
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
 Reception
 Transport Demultiplex
 Decoding
 Presentation
DTV Receiver System 3: Decoding
 Decoding:
 Expansion of compressed audio and video data
The DTV Receiver: 4 sub-systems
 Reception
 Transport Demultiplex
 Decoding
 Presentation
DTV Receiver System 4:
Program Assembly & Presentation
 Presentation:
 audio and video are synchronised and
 the complete program is ready for viewing
DTV Receiver Issues
 Reception and Error Correction:
 The Cliff Effect
 Multipath Reception
 Audio/Video Synchronization
 Presentation Concerns




Display Native Resolution
Scanning and Frame Rate Conversion
Aspect Ratio Interoperability
Display Colour Primaries
DTV Receiver Issues
Emerging Technologies and Standards
 Presentation
 Beyond 1080 60p
 Compression




MPEG-4
VC-1
MPEG-7
MPEG-21
Emerging Technologies and Standards
Presentation : Beyond 1080 60p
Work on 2K by 2K display (or even larger displays),
allowing true theatrical performance at home when
combined with audio
Emerging Technologies and Standards
 Compression




MPEG-4
VC-1
MPEG-7
MPEG-21
Emerging Technologies and Standards
 Compression: MPEG-4
MPEG-4 also:
 has the ability to break the scene into background and
foreground objects, a technique known as ‘texture coding’;
 an MPEG decoder may work like a rendering engine
 can also interface to proprietary DRM systems and other
Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP)
systems
MPEG-4 Part 10 is reknown due to its improved video
compression efficiency which reaches half of those of MPEG-2.
MPEG-4 Part 10 is also known as Advanced Video Coding (AVC)
based on ITU H.264.
Emerging Technologies and Standards
Compression: MPEG-4
Implemented an object oriented paradigm to the
compression toolkit based on four ‘objects’:
 Video Object
 Still Object
 Mesh Object
 Face and Body Animation Object
Emerging Technologies and Standards
Compression: VC-1
VC-1: Microsoft Windows Media Video Compression
(Video Codec 1) has been submitted for consideration
as standard.
Emerging Technologies and Standards
Compression:MPEG-7
MPEG-7 is a standard for content description. It describes:
 signal features
 content structure
Works complementary to MPEG-4
MPEG-7 facilitates interoperable:
 search of content
 retrieval of content
 management of content
defining only the format of content descriptions (implementation of coding,
encoding and use of techniques is left to the user of MPEG-7 tools)
Categories of metadata definitions:
 Description definition Language (DDL)
 Multimedia Description Language (MDL)
Audio and Visual Metadata Definitions
Content Management systems based on MPEG-7 are offered by CMS
vendors and are used in broadcast operation centers
Emerging Technologies and Standards
Compression: MPEG-21
MPEG-21 Multimedia Framework aims at establishing
interoperability between devices without the limitations of
incompatible media formats, codecs and metadata.
Users interact with:
 The content and
 The description
XML is used to uniquely identify content and a way to locate
rights, specifying:
 Digital Item Declaration
 Digital Item Identification
 Digital Item Description
Digital Terrestrial Television & the
Communications markets
 Executive Summary
 Introduction
 Comparison of DTV Platforms
 DTV Development in Europe
 Regulatory content for DTV
 Community Law and DTV development
 Conclusions
Executive Summary
 Digital Television platforms and their suitability for
providing widespread coverage
 DTT Development: Business models, key success
factors and regulatory environment
 Legal context for DTV
 Contribution of new digital technologies
Executive Summary
It is the final report on a study carried out by
Analysys on the public policy treatment of
digital terrestrial television (DTT) in
communications markets for DG Information
Society and Media, European Commission.
Its target audience includes the broadcasting
industry and broadcasting policymakers
(governments and regulators) in Europe.
Executive Summary
The report:
 places DTT in the context of other digital television
platforms and
 draws upon experience to date to identify DTT success
factors.
 public policy towards DTT is explored, highlighting the
objectives of Member States.
 the extent to which public institutions may legitimately
support DTT is explored, as is the contribution of new
digital technologies
This study is the result of a joint effort by Analysys, Hogan &
Hartson and Aleph. Analysys has taken the lead role, with
Hogan & Hartson focusing on the legal context of digital
television, and Aleph contributing from a technical perspective.
Executive Summary
The report:
 places DTT in the context of other digital television
platforms and
 draws upon experience to date to identify DTT success
factors.
 public policy towards DTT is explored, highlighting the
objectives of Member States.
 the extent to which public institutions may legitimately
support DTT is explored, as is the contribution of new
digital technologies
This study is the result of a joint effort by Analysys, Hogan &
Hartson and Aleph. Analysys has taken the lead role, with
Hogan & Hartson focusing on the legal context of digital
television, and Aleph contributing from a technical perspective.
Executive Summary
 Digital Television platforms and their suitability
for providing widespread coverage
 DTT Development: Business models, key success
factors and regulatory environment
 Legal context for DTV
 Contribution of new digital technologies
Digital Television Platforms
Digital Terrestrial TV (DVB-T) complements DVB-S
and IPTV.
In terrestrial television there are two main players:
 Commercial Broadcasters CBC and
 Public Service Broadcasters (PSBC) .
Digital Television Platforms
PSBC are obliged to provide television coverage to the
majority of the population, a service similar to that of the
Universal Service Obligations (USO), imposed on dominant
telecom operators.
Telecom operators are allowed to chose the technology for
providing USO (as far as it can provide the required level of
service.
In principle TV broadcasters could do the same, i.e. to select
the transmission network.
The telecom USO principle cannot be easily implemented in
the broadcast field, due to the fact the it is not only the
offering of service but also the content suitable for public
service that is important in broadcast TV.
Digital Television Platforms
Any regulatory policy should be consistent with the
principle of technology neutrality, a concept widely
accepted in Europe and beyond.
In dynamic markets with rapidly evolving
technologies any focus of policymakers/government
on specific technologies has often not be very
successful.
(Example: in Finland a focus on the Multimedia
Home Platform MHP standard, contributed to the
early failure of DVB-T.)
Digital Television Platforms
Having left to the broadcasters to select the most
appropriate technology/transmission platform, the
analogue switch off places some constraints:
 Availability of coverage of digital television
 High penetration
As a result the incumbent transmission platform is
placed in a special position:
If a large part of the population depends on a given
transmission platform, a rapid migration from
analogue to digital TV may only be achieved with a
significant contribution from such a platform
Digital Television Platforms
In countries with high dependence on specific
platform (for instance terrestrial), a rapid shift
towards alternative platforms may be considered
difficult and risky to sell. In this case, there might
be a conflict between:
 The principle of technology neutrality and
 The objective of the rapid analogues switch-off.
European law allows neutrality to be sidelines only
under specific circumstances and member states are
required to take utmost account of this principle in
their law.
Digital Television Platforms
In Member States where no single transmission
platform dominated, a multiplatform approach
may be adopted.
The platforms differ qualitatively and in terms of cost,
impacting the choice of broadcasters including Public
broadcasters with obligation for near-universal
coverage
Digital Television Platforms
Given network costs wireline platforms are unsuitable
as platforms to replace free-to-air (FTA) analogue
terrestrial channels and provide nationwide public
service broadcasts, except where the networks have
already widespread coverage (often in densely
populated areas).
In other countries such platforms may contribute to the
digital migration by serving customers that are willing to
pay toward the high cost of rolling out such networks.
Wireline platforms have high transmission capacities
and advanced interactivity
Digital Television Platforms
Satellite TV is the only real alternative to terrestrial TV.
Coverage of non-urban areas, ensuring nationwide
public service coverage.
For medium to large countries this coverage is both
easier and cheaper per household
DVB-S has capacity for more content that DVB-T.
May not be a viable alternative for small countries over
DVB-T
Digital Television Platforms
Comparison of DVB-T and DVB-S
Terrestrial platform benefits from:
 using an established low-cost end user
technology,
 allows local content to be broadcast,
 has proven to be broadly robust
Terrestrial platform suffers from:
 limited capacity of scarce spectrum resources
 difficult coverage of certain terrains (i.e.
mountains)
 limited potential for interactive services
Digital Television Platforms
Comparison of DVB-T and DVB-S
The satellite platform:
 enables wide coverage in most location
 is done by a single satellite
 may provide a large number of channels (depending on
transpoders)
The satellite platform however:
 can have much higher costs due to in-house wiring and
antennas
 may not enable for local content to be easily broadcast
 has a risk of catastrophic satellite failure
 delivery of FTA content via satellite may result in content right
issues (can be solved through encryption)
 reception of satellite signal can be problematic in some areas
(high buildings create shadow areas, at steep cliffs etc).
Digital Television Platforms
Furthermore other factors may also impact the choices made
by Member States:
 Having multiple transmission platforms may help
encouraging competition
 ICT development using television with wireline
platforms may be easier for countries with low PC
penetration.
Digital Television Platforms
Furthermore other factors may also impact the choices made
by Member States:
 Having multiple transmission platforms may help
encouraging competition
 ICT development using television with wireline
platforms may be easier for countries with low PC
penetration.
Executive Summary
 Digital Television platforms and their suitability for
providing widespread coverage
 DTT Development: Business models, key
success factors and regulatory environment
 Legal context for DTV
 Contribution of new digital technologies
DTT Development: Business models
Three business models currently exist:
 Pay TV platform
 FTA platform
 Hybrid platform
DTT Development: Business models
Pay-TV platform
Digital terrestrial multiplexes are used to provide a premium
content offering in direct competition with cable and satellite
and are primarily financed by subscription revenues.
Original model in the UK, Spain and Sweden.
A DTT pay-TV platform exists in the Netherlands, but it does
not provide premium content.
Premium content refers to coverage of key sporting events
and recent movies from major US producers. Instead of
competing with premium cable and DTH offerings, DTT in the
Netherlands is priced close to cable charges such that most
households in the Netherlands consider it as a normal utilitylike expense
DTT Development: Business models
FTA platform
Digital terrestrial multiplexes are used to offer a variety of FTA
channels, financed either by public funds (in the case of
PSBC) and/or advertising revenues.
This was the original business model in Italy, Finland and
Germany, and has been the business model in the UK since
May 2002
DTT Development: Business models
Hybrid Digital:
an offering combining a number of FTA channels supported
by public funds or advertising revenues, together with a
limited pay offering.
Migration to a hybrid DTT model has taken place in the UK,
Sweden and Finland.
DTT Development: Business models
Most pure pay-TV models have not succeeded. A review of
DTT evolution across the countries where DTT has been
launched shows that an FTA offering has been crucial to the
take-up of the platform.
Following the success of FTA DTT, a trend towards a hybrid
model is emerging, combining FTA with some form of pay-TV
DTT Development: Business models
The arrival of a hybrid model has also brought some
innovation to the pay-TV market: in some countries such as
Italy (PPV events) and Sweden (subscription), pay-TV is sold
using prepaid cards.
As in the case of mobile telephony, the lack of a contract
may help take-up.
Furthermore, such a revenue collection mechanism is more
suitable for customers generating low-medium monthly
revenues (EUR15-20 per month), as is likely to be the case
with pay-TV offerings not containing premium content, and
PPV events.
DTT Development: Key Success Factors
A review of DBV-T developments to date highlights that four
key factors are required for the market take-up of DBV-T
services.
1. Firstly, an attractive offering is required that delivers
tangible benefits at an affordable cost.
2. Secondly, a further requirement for DBV-T success is low
cost and widely available set top boxes (STBs).
3. Thirdly, all successful implementations of DBV-T have
required a strong campaign of market communication.
4. Finally, DBV-T development requires that a range of
stakeholders need to be brought together and incentivised
to drive DBV-T.
DTT Development: Key Success Factors
Firstly, an attractive offering is required that delivers
tangible benefits at an affordable cost.
What may be considered ‘attractive’ depends on market
conditions and varies between countries.
Where penetration of multi-channel television is low, FTA
multi-channel has been the key attraction.
However, in markets where multi-channel is already
ubiquitous, DBV-T has differentiated itself via other means
including technology improvements (better sound and picture
quality than analogue television, portable indoor reception,
etc.).
DTT Development: Key Success Factors
Secondly, a further requirement for DBV-T success is low
cost and widely available set top boxes (STBs).
Recent price falls mean that in many countries the
requirement of cheap Set-Top_Boxes has been met.
DTT Development: Key Success Factors
Thirdly, all successful implementations of DBV-T have
required a strong campaign of market communication.
Consumers are largely unaware of the value of DBV-T, and
need information on presence and contents of the offering,
benefits to them, technical issues (coverage, STBs, etc.) and
precise switchover dates (where this is imminent).
However, clear market communication is only possible where
a clear and stable regulatory regime exists.
DTT Development: Key Success Factors
Finally, DBV-T development requires that a range of
stakeholders need to be brought together and
incentivised to drive DBV-T.
This includes policymakers, content owners, broadcasters as
well as network owners.
Another analogy with mobile telephony may be appropriate:
whereas in mobile telephony the incumbent service providers
willingly migrated to digital technology driven by clear
economic benefits, this is not the case with the migration
away from analogue terrestrial television (ATTV).
DTT Development: Risks
Risks for incumbent operators
Risk for incumbent operator: Implied consumer switching
costs increase the risk that viewers may migrate to other (non
DVB-T) platforms.
Also:
 Increase of competition (due to entry of new players)
 Extra expenses due to simulcast (Digital and analogue
broadcasting)
Therefore the interest of stakeholders need to be taken into
account and a framework compatible to EU law should be
implemented
DTT Development: First Ventures
First digital TV ventures in Europe
Initial steps accepted for the first digital TV ventures in
Europe:
 in most countries, either the choice of business model
has been left to industry or an FTA business model has
been chosen by policymakers
 coverage obligations for commercial broadcasters have
typically been softened or lifted altogether
 furthermore, despite strong continuing interest in
developing interactive services and the MHP standard,
with a few exceptions, policymakers do not plan to
impose specific services or standards on the market
DTT Development: First Ventures
In spite of falling STB prices, the difficult regulatory challenge
remains of how to ensure take-up of STBs and full penetration
of digital television.
This may require regulatory measures in Member States with
high dependence on terrestrial broadcasting as the primary
means of receiving television programming.
Executive Summary
 Digital Television platforms and their suitability for
providing widespread coverage
 DTT Development: Business models, key success
factors and regulatory environment
 Legal context for DTV
 Contribution of new digital technologies
Legal Context
Legal context for digital terrestrial TV
 specific media legislation
 various directives in electronic communications
 competition law (limit of subsidies and / or State aid,
although some degree of policy intervention may be
permitted)
Legal Context
Some of the questions that need to be answered:
 how much content is in the general interest
 if the terrestrial platform is required to achieve generalinterest objectives such as analogue switch-off
 if the terrestrial platform is required, how much aid is
appropriate for DTT and what steps are required to
ensure that aid does not discriminate amongst
distribution platforms.
Executive Summary
 Digital Television platforms and their suitability for
providing widespread coverage
 DTT Development: Business models, key success
factors and regulatory environment
 Legal context for DTV
 Contribution of new digital technologies
Contribution of New Technologies
Enabling technological developments, supporting towards
HDTV:
 rapid sales of flat-screen televisions
 imminent launch of high-definition DVDs
 competition between multi-channel television platforms
leading the search for the next innovation in
broadcasting
 consumers are also being accustomed to paying for
high-definition-like innovations, such as home cinema
and wide-screen television.
Contribution of New Technologies
Possible drawbacks (DVB-H):
 incompatibility with GSM900 terminals may prevent the
use of the upper UHF band (the band in which DVB-T
services are implemented in many countries). This may
restrict DVB-H deployments prior to analogue switch-off
unless equipment manufacturers develop a solution
 DVB-H services may use the broadcasting UHF band or
the mobile telecom bands. However, such spectrum in
the UHF band is unlikely to be widely available before
analogue switch-off, limiting DVB-H deployment.
 finding a viable business model. DVB-H service rollout
will require significant network investments; at present, it
is not clear how the deployment of DVB-H networks will
be funded.
Role of EC
Role of the EC
 1993-1997: 206 MEUR towards widescreen television
services
 Early existence of HDTV via satellite in Europe (since
2004)
 Possible scope for public intervention
Role of EC
EC focused and still focuses on the following issues:
 ensuring that changes to Community media law avoid
gaps or inconsistencies between regulation of
broadcasting versus information society services
 specific guidance on the determination of broadcast
transmission markets eligible for ex-ante regulation to
complement that already in place
 guidance and exchange of ‘best practice’ concerning’
must-carry’ rules
 continued information sharing and possible Community
harmonisation of spectrum management issues relevant to
DTT.
 for public intervention