23ACMA044 - TV receiver performance testing

1. Background

The ACMA has been allocated funding to perform complementary technical research program through the Television Research and Policy Development Program. One component of the ACMA’s complementary technical research relates to assessing the performance of TV receivers in SFN reception environments, including potential ‘wider area’ SFN operations using DVB-T2, and the ability of receivers to cope with shared multiplex configurations. This work will inform the consideration of potential viewer impacts under different planning scenarios as well as the channel planning parameters that are used for coverage and interference modelling in SFN planning. The ACMA was allocated funds to undertake the testing work in 2022/23 financial year.

2. Required Services

• To assess the technical performance of TV receivers in Australia.

• Select a representative sample of TV receivers currently in use in Australia and to test them against a set of technical criteria. The studies will assess the performance of both Freeview Australia compliant and non-complaint TV sets.

• The studies will test the performance of both DVB-T and DVB-T2 receivers.

• The studies will include bench testing of the performance of the TV units operating

o in SFN environments, and

o multiplex sharing conditions.

A full description of the proposed requirement is included in the Attachment A.

Please note: Requests for research or other services from tertiary or related institutions are a request for the provision of services on a commercial basis. Such requests are not government funding of research. The standard whole of Government Intellectual Property arrangement as specified at clause A.C 1 will form a part of the contract with the successful bidder.

3. Performance Measures or Minimum Capabilities

Minimum capabilities

• Assess the technical performance of TV receivers in Australia as defined in Attachment A.

• The tests should be performed using a representative sample of the TV receivers available to purchase on the Australian market and where possible also older devices that are currently in use by viewers but no longer available to purchase new on the market.

• The project products should include reports regarding TV receiver performance (SFN performance analysis and shared multiplex performance analysis).

• The reports need to outline the test and sampling methodology and receiver test results and would also include correlation analysis of the performance of the receivers with specific chip sets.

Performance Measures

• Meeting the milestones specified in the final contract on the agreed due dates.

• Project planning and management in meeting the milestones specified in the final contract on the agreed due dates.

• Identifying risks and applying appropriate mitigation strategies.

• Meeting the deliverables specified in the final contract on the agreed due dates.