Evaluating existing set-top boxes versus transmit diversity schemes

Transmit diversity is a technique that exploits the nature of fading due to multipaths and that potentially incurs delay and pre- and post-echoes into the received signals. There is some concern that early set-top boxes would not be compliant in this respect. Also, introduction of such techniques that would degrade reception for in-service equipments would have an important impact, which should be evaluated. This paper presents a measurement campaign to establish whether the in-service DVB-T receivers are compatible with transmit diversity schemes and also to evaluate the possible diversity loss in the line-of-sight fixed receptions.