Efficient interactive multicast over DVB-T2 - Utilizing dynamic SFNs and PARPS

Abstract

In the terrestrial digital TV systems DVB-T/H/T2, broadcasting is employed, meaning that all TV programs are sent over all transmitters, also where there are no viewers. This is inefficient utilization of spectrum and transmitter equipment. Applying interactive multicasting over DVB-T2 is a novel approach that would substantially reduce the spectrum required to deliver a certain amount of TV programs. Further gain would be achieved by Dynamic single-frequency network (DSFN) formations, which can be implemented using the concept of PARPS (Packet and Resource Plan Scheduling). A Zipf-law heterogeneous program selection model is suggested. For a system of four coordinated transmitters, and certain assumptions, IP multicasting over non-continuous transmission DSFN gives 1740% increase in multiuser system spectral efficiency (MSSE) in (users·bit/s)/Hz/site as compared to broadcasting over SFN.