trombo
02-07-2009, 02:40 AM
Smart Antennas for DTV on the horizon??
One of the benefits of terrestial DTV (ATSC) vs. analogue TV (NTSC), is the fact a DTV receiver can deal with multi-path interference scenarios far better than their analogue counterparts. Each generation of digital receivers have progressively gotten better at counteracting multi-path interference.
For those unfamiliar with the issue, very basically multi-path interference occurs when signals are arriving from multiple paths (directions other that directly from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna) are slightly out of phase (delayed). This is due to the fact the signal arriving from indirect path has taken a slightly longer path before arriving at the receiving antenna. In the analogue (NTSC) TV realm, multi-path interference results in "ghosting" on the screen.
Now along comes "Smart Antennas". These are nothing new, well at least to those familiar with MIMO. Essentially multiple antennas (in this case at the receiving end), and added circuitry in the receiver to get more efficient reception.
See this take on how smart antenna technology might be useful to fight multi-path in the realm of DTV:
http://broadcastengineering.com/hdtv...nnas/?cid=top5
In the case of the subject of this author's article however what he is describing is actually a SIMO or diversity antenna.
Please note the disclaimer at the bottom about the author:
Aldo Cugnini is a consultant in the digital television industry.
Disclosure: The author is a consultant to a company that manufactures smart antennas.
So there might be a conflict of interest.
One of the benefits of terrestial DTV (ATSC) vs. analogue TV (NTSC), is the fact a DTV receiver can deal with multi-path interference scenarios far better than their analogue counterparts. Each generation of digital receivers have progressively gotten better at counteracting multi-path interference.
For those unfamiliar with the issue, very basically multi-path interference occurs when signals are arriving from multiple paths (directions other that directly from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna) are slightly out of phase (delayed). This is due to the fact the signal arriving from indirect path has taken a slightly longer path before arriving at the receiving antenna. In the analogue (NTSC) TV realm, multi-path interference results in "ghosting" on the screen.
Now along comes "Smart Antennas". These are nothing new, well at least to those familiar with MIMO. Essentially multiple antennas (in this case at the receiving end), and added circuitry in the receiver to get more efficient reception.
See this take on how smart antenna technology might be useful to fight multi-path in the realm of DTV:
http://broadcastengineering.com/hdtv...nnas/?cid=top5
In the case of the subject of this author's article however what he is describing is actually a SIMO or diversity antenna.
Please note the disclaimer at the bottom about the author:
Aldo Cugnini is a consultant in the digital television industry.
Disclosure: The author is a consultant to a company that manufactures smart antennas.
So there might be a conflict of interest.