New DVB Spec Approved for Hybrid Satellite/Terrestrial Mobile Multimedia

The DVB Steering Board has approved the DVB-SH (Satellite services to Handhelds) specification. This approval includes a waveform specification and a description of the system.



DVB-SH is defined as a system which is able to deliver IP based media content and data to handheld terminals like mobile phones and PDAs via satellite. Whenever a line of sight between terminal and satellite does not exist terrestrial gap fillers are employed to provide the missing coverage.



The DVB-SH system has been designed for frequencies below 3 GHz, typically in the S-band. It complements the existing DVB-H physical layer standard and like its sister specification (DVB-H) uses the DVB IP Datacast (IPDC) set of content delivery, electronic service guide and service purchase and protection standards.



DVB-SH includes features such as turbo coding for forward error correction and a highly flexible interleaver in an advanced system designed to cope with the hybrid satellite/terrestrial network topology. Satellite transmission ensures wide area coverage, with a terrestrial component assuring coverage where the satellite signal cannot be received, as may be the case in built-up areas.



"DVB-SH enhances the range of DVB standards in the area of mobile digital television. At a time when frequency availability is at a premium, it's important to ensure that those wishing to deploy mobile TV in the S-Band can benefit from DVB's proven record in producing successful open standards," said Peter MacAvock, Executive Director of
The DVB Project.

http://www.dvb.org