RadioInspector: DVB-T Digital Signal Analysis

RadioInspector has added the DVB-T digital video broadcasting standard to the digital testing (DTest) program. Despite the similarity in the names, DVB-T is a completely different data encoding standard compared to the DVB-T2 standard. DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards are an example of maximum flexibility and efficiency of data transmission in a limited frequency range using OFDM modulation.

The analysis of the radio signal allows you to identify the DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards and analyze their main characteristics. The built-in demodulation tools in the RadioInspector RT and RC programs allow demodulation of audio and video content for a limited time (5-10 seconds), whereas the IQ Process Pro program allows  demodulated video and audio content for an unlimited time (time is determined by the duration of the recorded file with signal quadratures).

DVB-T and DVB-T2 signals can contain not only audio and video data, but also any binary data stream. If the signal contains audio and video data that use the codecs defined in their specifications, the software demodulators identify these signals as transmitting audio and video information. If codecs other than those defined in their specifications are used in the signal, the program identifies that data is being transmitted.

The demodulators form files with the extension *.ts, which contain a data stream that is transmitted using a radio signal. A file with the *.ts extension is a standard file that contains a “transport stream” of data. This file can be opened by various software tools, and RadioInspector makes it possible to play audio and video content from these files using a VLC Player separately installed by the user. However, this does not limit the ability to analyze the data contained in the *.ts files.

For convenience and ease of operation, the DVB-T signal analysis and demodulation interface is designed similar to the DVB-T2 signal analysis interface.