TOKYO — Pioneer Corp. has developed an 8-VSB (vestigial sideband) demodulation algorithm that could resolve the indoor reception problem that terrestrial digital TV broadcasting has faced in the United States.
Digital TV's susceptibility to multipath deterioration makes the signal difficult to receive with indoor antennas, posing an obstacle for the penetration of digital TV in the United States. The problem stimulated some groups to propose new DTV formats. "The new algorithm would realize indoor reception at a similar level as analog TV sets," a Pioneer spokesman said.
Indoor reception is deteriorated by short-delay multipath as it reflects off nearby objects such as walls and ceilings, and by dynamic multipath caused by remote, moving objects such as cars. The new algorithm uses an adaptive equalizer to suppress both types of multipath effects.
Details of the new algorithm will be presented at the 50th annual Broadcast Symposium held by IEEE Broadcast Technology Society in Virginia starting Sept. 27.
"Pioneer itself has not made any business plan with this technology. Rather, Pioneer is looking for partners to commercialize this technology," the company spokesman said.
