RTÉ Free-to-Air DTT Receiver Specification

Two new documents have recently appeared on the RTENL Broadcast Transmission webpage relating to the specification for RTÉ Free-to-Air DTT Receivers.



Notes / Quotes:
To conform to the minimum receiver specification the IRD shall be compliant with the following
standards:
1) NorDig 2.0 Basic Profile @ High Definition Level
2) MHEG-5 UK Profile, version 1.06
3) Additions and clarifications as set out in this document
The only difference in mandatory requirements between a pure FTA IRD and an IRD that can facilitate CA services is the CA System (see chapter 3).


HD reception seems to be mandatory!
All IRDs shall be able to receive and decode MPEG4 AVC (H.264) based SDTV and HDTV services, MHEG5 data services, and DVB subtitling services.

Also:
5.2. Video
The IRD shall support video decoding for;

* MPEG2 video decoding up to Main Profile at Main Level (MP@ML)
* MPEG4 AVC (H.264) video decoding up to High Profile at Level 3 (SDTV).
* MPEG4 AVC (H.264) video decoding up to High Profile at Level 4 (HDTV).

Observe specifically that this means that all IRD shall support MPEG4 SDTV services using High
Profile video encoding tools, MPEG4 AVC (H.264) HP@L3. (This HP@L3 is the common usage for
MPEG4 AVC video encoding of SDTV services within the Swedish DTT network).
The IRD shall support still picture for all MPEG4 AVC profiles.
The viewer shall be able to choose between at least one the following storable display mode preferences:
1. display 16:9 material as full width 16:9 active picture aspect ratio in a 4:3 raster (letterbox).
2. display full height 4:3 aspect ratio picture as a centre cut-out on the transmitted 16:9 aspect ratio
picture.
3. display full height 4:3 aspect ratio picture without centre cut-out (i.e. full frame)
Note: Down-converted HD video shall factory default be displayed as 16:9 letterbox on 4:3 displays, and shall be user-selectable thereafter. (Typically HD production will use less safe area within the video, using 4:3 centre cut-out for the down-converted HD video within the IRD could result in the
viewer missing essential part of the video).


A data port is an option. But HDMI with HDCP and SCART appear to be standard.

Component Video is an option and is limited to SD only (576i), a copy of SCART signal. Only HDMI gives HD signal.
(Page 17)

Over the Air upgrades of Firmware must be supported.
For each new version of system software over-the-air download, the manufacturer shall provide all necessary description documents to the network operator required for the transmission of the new software.

I would hope the Irish will be using DVB-T2 ?

Nope - it appears they are using DVB-T...

Specs - are pretty similar to New Zealand and Norway aren't they (DVB-T only but H264 for SD)

Interesting that it is suggested that Sweden's DVB-T UHF H264 HD mux (which also carries Finnish language TV) may be switched to a VHF SFN using DVB-T2 to allow for more HD? However this will render all current Swedish HD set top boxes and IDTVs (are there any?) obsolete.

It seems there are quite a few DVB terrestrial profiles :

1. DVB-T with MPEG2 SD only (UK current - and many other places - Germany, Spain, Netherlands etc.)

2. DVB-T and MPEG2 SD and HD (Australia - because they launched HD terrestrial earlier than everywhere else in DVB-land)

3. DVB-T and MPEG2 SD, H264 SD and H264 HD (Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, France) - though some countries use a lot of MPEG2 SD and no H264 SD and vice versa. France uses MPEG2 for SD FTA but H264 for SD Pay TV and HD FTA, Sweden uses MPEG2 for SD FTA and SD Pay TV, but H264 for HD etc. This allows France and Sweden to use SD MPEG2 FTA IDTVs etc.)

4. DVB-T2 and H264 SD/HD (and MPEG2 SD) Proposed for the UK HD Mux (PSB3 formerly Mux B)

This ignores issues like MHEG profile, MHEG vs MHP, AAC vs AC3 vs MP2 audio etc., and DVB subtitles vs WST.

They are essentially using the Scandinavian specs (no real surprise, since Boxer, the company which has won the commercial DTT multiplexes here, is ultimately owned by the Swedish Government). The major difference is that we are using the UK system for digital teletext which is sensible in the circumstances.

Yep - the only difference is that Sweden runs SD MPEG2 and only uses H264 for HD, because they launched their SD platform before H264 was widely available.

Strikes me that the Irish system is closest to the NZ platform?

Boxer are also about to launch - or may just have launched - in Denmark as well. (Boxer operate pay-TV via DVB-T in Sweden and Denmark as well as Ireland - though I don't think they operate the Swedish network, which is provided through Teracom - though they may have been owned, or own a bit of, Teracom?)

Boxer are a wholly owned subsidary of Terracom, who are 100% owned by the Swedish Government.

That makes a whole lot of sense.

(Very sad anorak point. I think Teracom or one of the people on their platform in Sweden has bought some teletext inserters in the UK. When I was in Stockholm in Jan 2008 I did a scan with my DVB-T stick - and got all the major muxes including SVT-HD in 720p H264. Looking at the mux analysis - one of the text inserters was labelled "BBC Two Scotland"... Hmm - some kit going spare after St Margarets closed?)

Queen Margaret you saucebottle.

Oops... North of the border stuff has never been my strong point...