Course detail

Digital Broadcasting

FEKT-MPA-DVVAcad. year: 2025/2026

Students become familiar with fundamentals of sampling, quantization and coding of video and audio, then with compression and creation of transport stream and multiplexation in the digital video and audio broadcasting standards. Emphasis is put on explanation of the principle of source codecs and their practical application. The course continues by explanation of transmission principles in the individual transmission channels in satellite, cable and terrestrial digital video and audio broadcasting. Students acquire knowledge of the methods applicable to measurement of video quality and measurement of individual standards for video and audio broadcasting.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Tomáš Kratochvíl, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Radio Electronics (UREL)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Entry knowledge

Students registering for the course should be able to explain the basic principles of digital signal processing and data communication. Generally, the knowledge of the Bachelor's degree level is required.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

During the semester, students can obtain up to 30 points for their active work in laboratory. The final exam is awarded by up to 70 points.
The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course annually.

Aims

The aim of the course is become familiar with principles in digital television and radio systems and in video and multimedia technology. Partial aims are explanation of the principle of source codecs for image and sound signals, methods to measurement of video quality and methods to measurement individual standards for video and audio broadcasting.
The graduate is able to: (a) describe the properties and the generation of video signal; (b) explain principles of sampling, quantization and coding of the video and audio signals; (c) explain and apply the tools of image, video and audio source codecs; (d) describe creation of transmission multiplex of video and audio for digital television and radio; (e) use the appropriate interfaces and signal formats for interconnecting multimedia devices; (f) analyze properties of a given multimedia system; (g) explain principles of channel coding and modulation for digital television and radio; (h) compare individual standards for satellite, cable and terrestrial transmission of the digital television and radio; (i) characterize individual transmission channels for satellite, cable and terrestrial transmission of the digital television and radio; (j) measure and analyze transmission parameters, transmission errors and quality of digital television and radio services.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Fischer, W.: Digital Video and Audio Broadcasting Technology. A practical Engineering Guide (Fourth Edition). Springer, 2020. ISBN 978-3-030-32185-7. (EN)
Hoeg, W., Lauterbach, T.: Digital Audio Broadcasting. Principles and Applications of DAB, DAB+ and DMB (Third Edition). Willey, 2009. ISBN 978-0470510377. (EN)
Reimers, U.: DVB The Family of International Standards for Digital Video Broadcasting (Second Edition). Springer, 2005. ISBN 978-3540435457. (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MPAD-CAN Master's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
  • Programme MPA-MEL Master's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
  • Programme MPAD-CAN Master's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
  • Programme MPAD-MEL Master's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Tomáš Kratochvíl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Digital television and audio broadcasting fundamentals according to DVB and DMB.
2. Digitization of the video image and sound in LDTV, SDTV, HDTV applications.
3. Video image and sound source coding and MPEG based compressions.
4. Forward error correction against transmission errors in digital television DVB.
5. Digital modulation in DVB transmission (M-PSK, M-QAM, multiplex OFDM).
6. Digital television and broadcasting standards - DVB-S/S2, DVB-C/C2.
7. Digital television and broadcasting standards - DVB-T/T2.
8. Digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasting for handhelds - DVB-H/SH.
9. Digital audio broadcasting with multimedia and services - DAB, DAB+, DMB.
10. Television receivers (set-top boxes) with digital processing of DVB-T/T2.
11. DVB-T/T2 television transmitters, SFN networks and MPEG-2 TS multiplexes.
12. Transmission channels and links influence on video image quality of DVB services.
13. Datacasting - Electronic Program Guide, interactivity, MHP, DVB-IPDC, IPTV.

Laboratory exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Tomáš Kratochvíl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Image coding and compression of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC.
2. Forward error correction influence on video image quality.
3. DVB-T terrestrial digital television and signal measurements.
4. Receiver and set-top box measurements in DVB-T.
5. Transport stream MPEG-2 TS analyzer and decoder.
6. DVB-S to DVB-C converter and digital cable television measurements.
7. DVB-S/S2 digital TV signal measurements from Astra satellite (including HDTV).
8. Transmission errors evaluation and digital video quality measurements in DVB-T.