Response interlineated: -----Original Message----- From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Richard Hollandsworth Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 9:56 AM To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [opendtv] Re: VHF vs UHF coverage NTSC's Peak-to-Average Ratio (PAR) fluctuates as much as 5.32 dB, depending on whether broadcasting all white (PAR = 7.55) or all black (PAR = 2.23) or in-between. A "standard" test pattern is used when measuring average power (actually there are several). Since NTSC peak power is very constant due to repeating Sync Pulses, all FCC allocations are stipulated as PEAK power: http://www.broadcastpapers.com/whitepapers/HarrisAnalogDigitalTransmit ters.pdf?CFID=35361629&CFTOKEN=bf05eb97e3b664ab-732981B3-C644-F0C4-A7C30554E DFCE82C This is fundamental and a given ATSC allocations are stipulated as AVERAGE power, since PAR is a statistical curve that approaches 8 dB for 100% of peaks and is "typically" about 7 dB for 99.99% of peaks: See pg75: http://www.atsc.org/standards/a_54a_with_corr_1.pdf Hence an ATSC transmitter allocation of 1 MW (average) has the same peak voltage as an NTSC transmitter allocation of 5 MW (peak). [>] The average power of a 5 MW analog transmitter (minus the sync energy) is somewhat comparable to the average power of an 1 MW 8VSB transmitter. The ATSC MPEG stream, when presented to the 8VSB transmitters modulator/exciter , is processed through a Data Randomizer to spread the energy virtually even across the channels spectrum. If you were to examine a DTV transmitters RF output using a Spectrum analyzer, it would appear to be flat except for a very short burst of RF pilot energy. See the following info from Tektronix and Sencor : DATA RANDOMIZER With the exception of the segment and field syncs (to be discussed later), the 8-VSB bit stream must have a completely random, noise-like nature. This is because the transmitted signal frequency response must have a flat noise-like spectrum in order to use the allotted RF channel space with maximum efficiency. If the data contained repetitious patterns, the recurring rhythm of these patterns would cause the RF energy content of the transmitted signal to ?lump? together at certain discrete points in the frequency spectrum, thereby leaving holes at other frequencies. This implies that certain parts of the six MHz channel would be overused, while other parts would be underused. Moreover, the large concentrations of RF energy at certain modulating frequencies would be more likely to create discernible beat patterns in an NTSC television set, if DTV-to- NTSC interference were experienced. In the data randomizer, each byte value is changed according to known pattern of pseudo-random number generation. This process is reversed in the DTV receiver to recover the proper data values. www.crwww.com/PDF/UNDERSTANDING%208VSB.pdf ================================================= User Satisfaction is probably the ultimate acceptance criteria....rather than trying to compare grainy, fuzzy, EMI ridden NTSC fringe reception to glitchy ATSC. But FWIW, my wife is still cursing digital TV every time it glitches---and she mostly watches HGTV on CABLE!!!!!!! [>] holl_ands We engineers often mistakenly identify picture quality as the most important aspect of the television viewers experience when it is actually the program quality. Watching good programming on a less than perfect analog signal still provides viewer satisfaction, given that is all that is available. As we know from years of experience, folks will spend hours in front of that grainy, fuzzy analog TV if the programming is compelling (and the sound is useable). However, a glitchy and freeze prone DTV signal will drive them away. [>] Dale