Rohde and Schwarz EFA83 Data Sheet

Test Receiver ¸EFA

DVB-C – B/G Analog TV – D/K or I Analog TV

Comprehensive analysis/demodulation/monitoring of digital and analog TV signals in a single unit

Version

05.00

February

2005

◆ Standard test receiver

◆ High-end test receiver

◆ High-end demodulator

◆ Multistandard digital and analog

platform for terrestrial and CATV
applications

◆ Application areas: production,

monitoring, coverage, service,
research and development

◆ Comprehensive measurement and

monitoring functions

◆ Modular design — easy retrofitting of

options

◆ MPEG-2 analyzer/decoder

option for SDTV

◆ IEC/IEEE-bus and RS-232-C interface

◆ Simple, user-friendly operation

The ¸EFA Family

The TV Test Receiver and Demodulator Family ¸EFA offers outstanding performance features and excellent transmission char­acteristics. The instruments provide high-precision reception and demodulation of vestigial sideband AM signals (analog TV signals)
as well as quadrature amplitude modulated DVB signals. They measure a comprehensive range of transmission parameters and are
therefore ideal for measurement and monitoring applications in cable networks, TV transmitter stations and development labs.

The complete ¸EFA family at a glance

Standard test receivers

◆ Model 60: digital TV, DVB-C

◆ Model 12: analog TV, standard B/G

Model 78: analog TV, standard D/K or I

◆

High-end test receivers

◆ Model 63 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

digital TV, DVB-C

◆ Model 33 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

analog TV, standard B/G

◆ Model 89 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

analog TV, standard D/K or I

High-end demodulators

◆ Model 63: digital TV, DVB-C

◆ Model 33: analog TV, standard B/G

Model 89: analog TV, standard D/K or I

◆

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Standard test receiver

◆ Model 40: digital TV, DVB-T

High-end test receiver

◆ Model 43 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

digital TV, DVB-T

High-end demodulator

◆ Model 43: digital TV, DVB-T

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Standard test receivers

◆ Model 50: digital TV, ATSC/8VSB

◆ Model 70: digital TV, ITU-T J.83/B

◆ Model 90: analog TV, standard M/N

High-end test receivers

◆ Model 53 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

digital TV, ATSC/8VSB

◆ Model 73 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

digital TV, ITU-T J.83/B

◆ Model 93 incl. option ¸EFA-B3:

analog TV, standard M/N

High-end demodulators

◆ Model 53: digital TV, ATSC/8VSB

◆ Model 73: digital TV, ITU-T J.83/B

◆ Model 93: analog TV, standard M/N

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2 Test Receiver ¸EFA

Wide variety of models

The family concept described in the
following will help you to find the right

The TV Test Receiver Family ¸EFA

¸EFA model for your application:
from Rohde&Schwarz is a versatile and
high-performance TV test receiver and

◆ If the application mainly involves

demodulator platform, which can be opti­mally configured for any application,
whether digital or analog.

Three frontends are available:

standard selective
high-end selective
high-end non-selective

The high-end models have a better
signal-to-noise ratio than the standard
models and offer excellent intermodula-

◆ Measurements on modulators or TV

tion characteristics. This, coupled with
minimum inherent frequency response,
ensures extremely accurate measure­ments.

The ¸EFA model selection concept

measurements in cable networks or
on terrestrial signals, a receiver model
that selects the channel to be mea­sured is the appropriate choice;
adjacent-channel signals, which
impair measurement results, are
filtered out by high suppression; then,
a choice has to be made between the
standard selective and the high-end
selective version; as with the other
criteria, this choice depends on the
application

transmitters, where only one TV
signal is involved, are performed with
one of the demodulator models with
the high-end non-selective frontend,
which ensures extremely low
measurement uncertainty without
preselection

The last selection criterion is the TV stan­dard used, and whether it is analog or
digital:

◆ The ¸EFA test receivers can be

configured for digital signals to the
DVB-C, ATSC/8VSB, ITU-T J.83/B
(¸EFA-B20) or DVB-T
(¸EFA-B10) standard and for
virtually all analog TV standards. For
ATSC/8VSB and ITU-T J.83/B, refer to
data sheet PD 0757.7017; for DVB-T
refer to data sheet PD 0757.5514.
A wide range of options including a
NICAM demodulator (option
¸EFA-B2) and an MPEG-2 decod­er (option ¸EFA-B4) complete the
¸EFA product line.

◆ Operation involving a mix of analog

and digital channels is becoming
more widespread especially in cable
networks; this kind of operation is
handled by the QAM demodulator
option for

DVB-C
(¸EFA-B20 + ¸EFA-K21) or
ITU-T J.83/B
(¸EFA-B20 + ¸EFA-K23)

The ¸EFA Family

Standard

test receiver

(Standard selective

frontend)

High-end

demodulator

(High-end non-selective

Digital Demodulator Platform

¸EFA-B20

DVB -C

¸EFA-K21

FIR Coefficient Readout Firmware ¸EFA-K25

ATSC/8VSB ITU-T J.83/B

¸EFA-K22

MPEG-2 Decoder

¸EFA-B4

¸EFA-K23

frontend)

RF Selection

(selective, high quality)

¸EFA-B3

(High-end selective

frontend)

Analog TV demodulators:

Standard B/G (models 12/33)
Standard D/K or I (models 78/89)

NICAM Demodulator

¸EFA-B2-

which adds complete digital mea­surement functionality to the analog
models.

◆ It is even possible to update to digital

terrestrial applications in accordance
with the ATSC/8VSB standard using
the

ATSC/8VSB demodulator option
(¸EFA-B20 + ¸EFA-K22)

Test Receiver ¸EFA 3

The ¸EFA Family

Common to all models

◆ In-depth measurement capabilities

◆ Simple, user-friendly operation

◆ Modular design — easy retrofitting of

options

◆ Alarm messages for measurement

functions, internal storage

◆ Seven alarm-triggered relays for

switching external devices

◆ IEC/IEEE-bus and RS-232-C interface

Selective
RF input

50 Ω or 75 Ω

Frontend standard test receiver

Frontend high-end demodulator

Frontend high-end test receiver

Available option

Level

detector

IF

in

Input
stage

IF

out

AGC 1

NCO

SAW

8(/2/6/7) MHz

Synchro­nization

f

IF,1

=36 MHz

Nyquist

Noise

generator

+

Selective
RF input

50 Ω and 75 Ω

Non-selective
RF input

50 Ω

f

Osc

Osc

Equalizer

LPF

Standard test receiver (¸EFA models 12/60/78)

◆ Selective receiver

◆ Typical use in the field where adjacent channels need to be filtered

◆ High-end synthesizer with low phase noise

◆ Excellent price/performance ratio

High-end demodulator (¸EFA models 33/63/89)

◆ Wideband input (non-selective receiver), tunable

◆ Typically used for transmitter testing

◆ Outstanding SNR, excellent intermodulation characteristics

◆ High-end synthesizer with extremely low phase noise

High-end test receiver (¸EFA models 33/63/89 + option ¸EFA-B3)

◆ Outstanding SNR and improved intermodulation characteristics

◆ Rejection of image frequency and IF

◆ Two additional selective RF inputs (50 Ω and 75 Ω)

◆ Extended frequency range from 4.5 MHz to 1000 MHz

¸EFA models 12/60/78

Attenuator

0 dB to 55 dB

¸EFA models 33/63/89 + optional RF selection (¸EFA-B3)

Trellis

decoder

Attenuator

Attenuator

0…55 dB

0 dB to 55 dB

Attenuator

switch

low/high

Control bus

¸EFA models 33/63/89

AGC 2

A

f

IF,2

Deinter-

leaver

f

CLK

D

Solomon
decoder

Reed-

Selective

transposer

domizer

Multi-

standard

digital

demodulator

QAM/8VSB

Deran-

MPEG-2

interface

Selective

transposer

IF input

Non-selective

transposer

DSP:

Constellation

analyzer

Parameter

analyzer

Ghost pattern

Frequency response

FFT

Amplitude distrib.

History

Display

controller

IF (picture only)

IF

MPEG-2
transport

stream

IF

IF output

Demodulator module, options

Analog TV

demodulator

Std. B/G, D/K or I

Switchable
Sound Trap

¸EFA-B7

Residual picture

carrier measurement

Pilot deviation
measurement

NICAM
Demodulator
¸EFA-B2

Multistandard digital

demodulator
(QAM/8VSB)

6 MHz SAW Filter

¸EFA-B11

7 MHz SAW Filter

¸EFA-B12

8 MHz SAW Filter

¸EFA-B13

2 MHz SAW Filter

¸EFA-B14

Video Distributor

¸EFA-B6

Intercarrier

Audio

MPEG-2 Decoder

¸EFA-B4

MPEG-2 transport

stream input

MPEG-2 transport

stream output

Audio

Video

Video

4 Test Receiver ¸EFA

Block diagram of the TV Test Receiver ¸EFA

Digital options

MPEG-2 decoder (option ¸EFA-B4)

◆ MPEG-2 syntax analysis in accordance

with DVB standard ETSI TR 101290

◆ SDTV decoding, 625L or 525L supported,

SDI output, PAL/SECAM/ NTSC video
out

◆ Error report

6 MHz SAW filter (option ¸EFA-B11)

◆ Adjacent-channel rejection

◆ Meets US requirements

7 MHz SAW filter (option ¸EFA-B12)

◆ Adjacent-channel rejection

◆ Meets Cable Australian requirements

¸EFA — realtime signal
analysis of DVB-C signals

The ¸EFA's powerful digital signal
processing provides fast and thorough
analysis of the received DVB-C signal.
Analysis is performed simultaneously
with, but independently of, demodula­tion and decoding. The MPEG-2 trans­port stream is permanently available for
decoding as well as for video and audio
reproduction.

Due to its realtime analysis capability,
the high number of measured values
necessary for the complex calculation
and display processes are made avail­able for subsequent mathematical/sta­tistical processing in an extremely short
and as yet unequalled time. Because of
its high-speed data acquisition, the
TV Test Receiver ¸EFA is the ideal
choice, not only for R&D but also for
production environments where short
measurement cycles are essential.

8 MHz SAW filter (option ¸EFA-B13)

◆ Adjacent-channel rejection

◆

Meets European and US standards, rec­ommended for spectrum measurements

2 MHz SAW filter (option ¸EFA-B14)

◆ Adjacent-channel rejection

◆ Meets channel return requirements

(in cable applications)

OFDM demodulator (option
¸EFA-B10)

◆ Retrofit of analog instruments

◆ Support of DVB-T

◆ Included in basic ¸EFA 40/43

models

◆ MPEG-2 transport stream output (serial

and parallel)
For more information, refer to data sheet
PD 0757.5514.

SFN frequency offset measurement
(option ¸EFA-K10)

◆ Unique measurement feature

◆ Indication of frequency offset of each

SFN transmitter

◆ Measurement range from –5 Hz to

+5 Hz

◆ High precision, typ. <0.3 Hz

See data sheet PD 0757.5514.

Digital demodulator platform
(option ¸EFA-B20)

◆ Retrofit of analog instruments

◆ Multistandard demodulator platform

supporting DVB-C demodulation (with

¸EFA-K21), ATSC/8VSB demodula-

tion (with ¸EFA-K22), ITU-T J.83/B

demodulation (with ¸EFA-K23)

◆ Included in basic ¸EFA 50/53/60/

63/70/73 models

◆ MPEG-2 transport stream output

(serial or parallel)

◆ General measurement functions for

–RF input level
– carrier frequency offset
– bit rate offset
– BER (before and after Reed-

Solomon)

DVB-C firmware (option
¸EFA-K21)

◆ Analysis, demodulation and monitor-

ing of DVB-C signals in accordance
with ETS 300 429 standard

◆ Included in basic ¸EFA 60/63

models

ATSC/8VSB firmware (option
¸EFA-K22)

◆ Analysis, demodulation and monitor-

ing of ATSC/8VSB signals in
accordance with ATSC Doc. A/53

◆ Included in basic ¸EFA 50/53

models

◆ Additional SMPTE310M MPEG-2

transport stream output
For more information, refer to data sheet
PD 0757.7017.

ITU-T J.83/B firmware (option
¸EFA-K23)

◆ Analysis, demodulation and monitor-

ing of American digital cable signals

in accordance with ITU-T J.83/B

standard

◆ Included in basic ¸EFA 70/73

models
For more information, please refer to
PD 0757.7017.

FIR coefficient readout firmware
(option ¸EFA-K25)

◆ Calculation of FIR filter coefficients

for linear precorrection of digital

signals

◆

Only available for the ATSC/8VSB

models

The ¸EFA Family

Test Receiver ¸EFA 5

The ¸EFA Family

Analog options

NICAM demodulator (option
¸EFA-B2)

◆ Demodulation and decoding of

signals to NICAM-728 standard

◆ I and Q signal output

◆ Switchable deemphasis

◆ Balanced audio outputs

◆ Measurement parameters: bit error

ratio, eye height, clock and data jitter

Video distributor (option ¸EFA-B6)

◆ 2 video outputs on front panel

◆ 2 video outputs on rear panel

◆ 1 additional Q output on front panel

Switchable sound trap (option
¸EFA-B7)

◆ Only available for standard B/G

(¸EFA models 12/33)

M/N NTSC/BTSC demodulator (option
¸EFA-B30)

For more information, refer to data sheet
PD 0757.7017.21.
(Cannot be combined with standard B/G,
D/K or I)

◆ Allows video bandwidth switchover to

6 MHz

Available ¸EFA models and options

Standard test receivers High-end demodulators High-end test receivers

Models ➭ 12 60 78 33 63 89 33 63 89

Option Designation Order No.

¸EFA-B2

¸EFA-B2

NICAM Demodulator
(Standard B/G or D/K)

NICAM Demodulator
(Standard I)

2067.3610.02 ❍ – ❍ ❍ – ❍ ❍ – ❍ 1

2067.3610.04 – – ❍ – – ❍ – – ❍ 1

¸EFA-B3 RF Selection 2067.3627.02 – – – ❍ ❍ ❍ ◆ ◆ ◆ 1
¸EFA-B4 MPEG-2 Decoder 2067.3633.02 ❍
¸EFA-B6 Video Distributor 2067.3656.02 – – – ❍ ❍

¸EFA-B7

Switchable Sound Trap
(Standard B/G)

2067.3710.02 ❍ – – ❍ – – ❍ – – 1

¸EFA-B11 6 MHz SAW Filter 2067.3691.00 ❍
¸EFA-B12 7 MHz SAW Filter 2067.3591.00 ❍
¸EFA-B13 8 MHz SAW Filter 2067.3579.02 ❍
¸EFA-B13 8 MHz SAW Filter 2067.3579.03 ❍
¸EFA-B14 2 MHz SAW Filter 2067.2562.00 ❍
¸EFA-B10 OFDM Demodulator 2067.3740.02 ❍
¸EFA-B20 Digital Demodulator Platform 2067.3585.02 ❍

¸EFA-K10

¸EFA-K21

SFN Frequency Offset
Measurement

DVB-C / J.83/A,C (QAM)
Firmware

2067.9454.02 ❍

2067.4000.02 ❍

¸EFA-K22 ATSC/8VSB Firmware 2067.4017.02 ❍
¸EFA-K23 J.83/B Firmware 2067.4023.02 ❍

¸EFA-K25

¸ZZT-314

FIR Coefficient Readout
Firmware

Carrying Bag for 19" units,
3 HU

2067.4046.02 ❍

1001.0523.00 ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ 0

B/G DVB-C D/K or I B/G DVB-C D/K or I B/G DVB-C D/K or I

1)

❍ ❍

1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1) 3)9)

1)3) 9)❍1) 3)9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)❍1)3) 9)

3)7)

– ❍

3)10)❍3)

3)10)❍3)

6)

– ❍

2)6)

✔ ❍

7)

– ❍

10)

✔ ❍

10)

❍

10)

❍

5)

❍

1)

1)8)

❍

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4)

❍ ❍ ❍

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❍

3)10)❍3)10)❍3)10)❍3)10)❍3)10)❍3)

❍

6)

2)6)

7)

10)

10)

10)

❍

10)

10)

❍

5)

5)

❍

– ❍

6)

❍

– ❍

2)6)

❍

✔ ❍

7)

❍

– ❍

10)

❍

✔ ❍

10)

❍
❍

❍

10)

❍

10)

5)

❍

10)

❍

❍

5)

❍

❍

1)8)

– ❍ – 1

3)7)

❍

6)

❍

2)6)

❍

7)

❍

10)

❍

10)

❍

10)

❍

5)

❍

3)7)

6)

2)6)

7)

10)

10)

10)

5)

4)

– ❍

– ❍

✔ ❍

– ❍

✔ ❍

10)

❍

10)

❍

5)

❍

❍ 0

3)7)03)7)

3)9) 10)

❍

3)10)

❍

6)

2)6)

7)

10)

10)

❍

10)

❍

5)

❍

Slot
needed

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

Each base unit has three free slots to take up options.

✔ included in base unit ◆ must be ordered with base unit

1)

Can be retrofitted if option ¸EFA-B10 or ¸EFA-B20 is built in.

2)

Must be ordered with min. one firmware option (¸EFA-K21 or ¸EFA-K22 or ¸EFA-K23).

3)

Max. 3 SAW filters.

4)

Requires ¸EFA-B4.

5)

Can be retrofitted if options ¸EFA-B20 and ¸EFA-K22 are built in. cannot be retrofitted in parallel.

❍

available – not applicable

6)

Only ¸EFA-B10 or -B20 possible (same slot needed).

7)

Can be retrofitted if option ¸EFA-B10 is built in.

8)

Cannot be retrofitted if option ¸EFA-B3 is built in.

9)

¸EFA models 60/63 or ¸EFA-B20: ¸EFA-B11 and ¸EFA-B12

10)

Can be retrofitted if option ¸EFA-B20 is built in.

6 Test Receiver ¸EFA

DVB-C

¸EFA models 60/63 — all measurement functions for DVB-C digital CATV standard

Besides digital terrestrial TV and digital
video broadcasting over satellite, digital
cable TV still represents an alternative for
many consumers worldwide. Addition­ally, cable technology provides a return
channel within the same physical layer
(coax cable), allowing the consumer to
send back information to the cable head­end for versatile applications (full Inter­net access, video-on-demand and more).
Data communications and TV networks
have never been so close!

Characteristics

Fully compatible with the DVB-C standard
(EN 300 429), the ¸EFA 60/63 models
receive, demodulate, decode and analyze
all orders of QAM (quadrature amplitude
modulated) signals. All key parameters
for demodulating the received signal can
be automatically or manually selected:

◆ 4, 16, 32, 64, 128 or 256 QAM

◆ Variable symbol rate for special

modulator tests and lab analysis
(1 Msymbol/s to 6.999 Msymbol/s)

◆ Reed-Solomon error correction

◆ Optional SAW filter bandwidths:

6 MHz, 7 MHz, 8 MHz and 2 MHz

◆ Input of any IF frequency with the aid

of the ¸EFA-B3 option: frequency
range continuously tunable from
5 MHz to 1000 MHz

◆ Special function: invert spectrum

◆ Bit error ratio measurement (before

and after Reed-Solomon decoder)

◆ Integrated noise generator for mea-

surement of noise margin

Features

The test receiver, even the base version,
features a wide range of innovative mea­surement functions, allowing compre­hensive, in-depth signal analysis. In addi­tion to measuring general parameters
(Fig. 1) such as bit error ratio (BER), more
thorough analysis includes:

◆ I/Q constellation diagrams (Fig. 2)

with user-selectable number of sym­bols to be displayed, range:
1 to 999 999 999 symbols

◆ Histogram I (Fig. 3) and Q (Fig. 4) with

user-selectable number of symbols to
be displayed, range:
1 to 999 999 999 symbols

◆ I/Q parameters, modulation error ratio

(MER), error vector magnitude (EVM),
phase jitter and signal-to-noise ratio
(Fig. 5)

◆ Frequency spectrum (Fig. 6)

◆ Complex channel transmission

function (Fig. 7)

◆ Phase jitter and amplitude jitter spec-

tra (Fig. 8)

◆ Received echo signals (Fig. 9)

◆ Linearity analysis from amplitude dis-

tribution histogram and CCDF
referenced to the RF signal (Figs. 10
and 11)

◆ Eye monitoring (Fig. 12)

◆ History function: long-term monitor-

ing of transmission parameters
(Fig. 13)

◆ Monitoring window (Fig. 14)

◆ Easy configuration of alarm relays

(Fig. 15)

◆ Permanent MPEG-2 transport stream

demodulation (independent of the se­lected measurement task)

◆ Integrated noise generator

Any failures and degradations are imme­diately visible in the constellation dia­gram. Effects of interest can be located
more precisely by varying the number of
symbols represented. The integrated
spectral analysis function enables easy
examination of the signal type and its
spectrum.

DVB-C

Test Receiver ¸EFA 7

DVB-C

Fig. 1: Measurement menu

All parameters for the demodulated DVB-C channel are displayed
on a single screen and can be checked at a glance:
– Level of the input signal
– Two BERs (bit error ratio) — before and after Reed-Solomon

decoder — provide a fast quality overview of the demodulat-

ed signal
– Demodulated symbol rate
– Symbol rate offset
– Packet errors
Hint: When required, the internal noise generator can be acti­vated to perform END (equivalent noise degradation) or noise
margin measurements based on the BER measurement.

Fig. 2: Constellation diagram

The constellation diagram is always the best way to represent
digital modulation. It is also the best visual tool for interpreting
measurement results such as I/Q amplitude imbalance or carrier
suppression. For in-depth analysis, adjustment of the displayed
number of symbols is possible (10 000 symbols are shown in this
example).

Fig. 3: Histogram I

Histogram I represents the distribution of the quadrature ampli­tude modulated (QAM) signal on the X axis (I for inphase), and
can be expressed on a linear or logarithmic scale.
It allows an estimate of the interferer's origin (interferer,
Gaussian noise, etc).
Linear scaling is used in this plot.

8 Test Receiver ¸EFA

Fig. 4: Histogram Q

Same representation as Fig. 15 — but referring to the distribu­tion of the Q component projected on the X axis (Q for quadra­ture).
Logarithmic scaling is used in this plot.

Fig. 5: QAM parameters

All QAM parameters are calculated from the constellation dia­gram:
– I/Q amplitude imbalance
– I/Q phase error
– Carrier suppression
– Phase jitter
– Signal-to-noise ratio
– MER (modulation error ratio), RMS and Min
– EVM (error vector magnitude), RMS and Max

DVB-C

Fig. 6: Spectrum analysis

Owing to this measurement, a separate spectrum analyzer is not
required anymore, e.g. for measuring the shoulder attenuation.
Basic spectrum analyzer functions are provided. For example, the
start/stop frequency (or center/span) and several detection and
averaging modes can be selected.

Test Receiver ¸EFA 9