Slightly more than two years ago, Venezuela selected as its digital TV standard the ISDB-Tb terrestrial DTV system based on the Japanese ISDB-T system, with some enhancements developed by Brazil. It has been more than 10 years since Venezuela formally stated its intention to deploy a nationwide terrestrial DTV network.
That country is making progress in its DTV rollout. More than a year ago, its Centro Nacional de Desarrollo e Investigación en Telecomunicaciones (CENDIT) developed an ISDB-Tb set-top box that will be built in Venezuela.
Last week RapidTVNews.com reported Venezuela in further DTT testing. Juan Palbo Conti wrote that the tests are "designed to optimize the process of spectrum planning for the country's future digital terrestrial television (DTT) system."
That testing should yield some interesting results.
Conti says the first test, which will be conducted in Caracas, will start with a UHF signal with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 30 kW with a 10-db gain antenna. Engineers will take measurements and specify the ERP for other transmitters to be installed around the Capital. Similar tests will be conducted for each main urbanized area in Venezuela.
No addition data was provided on the technical facilities, but the limited description appears to imply that repeaters will not be part of the test. In researching this article I found little technical information on previous terrestrial DTV testing in Venezuela. I hope the engineers working on this project are able to take the time to report details on the testing and the results on the Web, or at NAB or an IEEE Broadcast Technology Society conference.
