IEC 62028:2002

Overview

IEC 62028:2002 specifies general conditions and uniform methods of measurement for digital television receivers that receive digital broadcast transmissions. It defines how to determine and compare receiver performance by listing the measurement characteristics useful for specifications and by laying down standard test setups and procedures. The standard defines measurement methods rather than performance limits - those are set by other system‑specific international, regional or domestic standards. This edition (first, 2002-02) corresponds to the monolingual English text.

Key Topics

The standard covers practical measurement procedures and instrumentation for digital TV receiver testing, including:

• RF measurements: reference modulation, signal level, bandwidth and RF/IF power definitions.
• Signal quality metrics: carrier‑to‑noise ratio (C/N), Bit Error Rate (BER) and BER versus E/N, Modulation Error Ratio (MER), noise margin.
• Timing and spectral metrics: phase jitter and phase noise of RF carriers.
• MPEG‑2 transport stream: measurement of transport stream parameters across coaxial, fibre and serial links (ASI/SSI).
• Test signals and setups: video/audio/data test signals, reference receiver arrangements, encoders, modulators, BER analyzers and spectrum analysers.
• Measurement methodology: equipment connections, step‑by‑step procedures, presentation of results and correction factors for analysers and noise measurements.
• Subjective assessments: guidelines for basic received picture and sound quality trials and standard viewing conditions.

Keywords: IEC 62028, digital television receivers, measurement methods, RF, BER, MER, MPEG‑2 transport stream, phase jitter, C/N.

Applications and Who Uses It

IEC 62028 is used by:

• Receiver manufacturers for development, validation and product specification.
• Test laboratories and QA teams for benchmarking and repeatable measurements.
• Broadcasters and head‑end engineers when commissioning links and monitoring signal quality.
• Cable/SAT/terrestrial system integrators for interface and end‑to‑end performance checks.
• Regulatory bodies and procurement teams to define measurement procedures in tender and compliance processes.

Practical uses include receiver performance comparison, R&D verification, commissioning of distribution links, monitoring of MPEG‑2 streams, and creating repeatable test procedures for manufacturing and field service.

Related Standards

IEC 62028 provides measurement methods; actual performance limits and system parameters are defined by other international, regional or national standards and system specifications. Use IEC 62028 in conjunction with the relevant system standard for DVB/terrestrial/cable/satellite deployments and local regulatory requirements.