Software Architecture for an Open-Source Tool to Test DVB-T2 Networks Based on Linux TV, Kaffeine, and RTL-SDR

Abstract

Digital terrestrial television of the European DVB-T2 standard is now replacing analog signals in households everywhere. Moreover, such television is usually available in most places where people live due to the developed network of ground stations. However, both in modern cities, due to buildings, and in the countryside, due to the terrain, there are areas with an uncertain signal. At the same time, setting up a household receiver is further complicated by the fact that the orientation of the antenna in the room is necessary. Hence, testing tools for assessing the signal level and quality are relevant for both professionals and consumers. In this paper, we present the architecture of our open-source solution and methods for solving the problem of assessing the signal quality in DVB-T2 networks using open source software running under Linux. We implement our solution based on the Kaffeine tool, which provides the necessary abstractions for working with a DVB card and transponders. We show how to programmatically monitor a signal, build a spectrum diagram, mark the signal level on a map, and analyze its quality in the form of constellation diagrams. To work with a raw signal, in the latter case, we use RTL-SDR. The architectural modeling was done using UML.