Using Software-Defined Radio to

Create a Digital TV Tuner

Korey Sewell, Thanh San Nguyen, Rafael Lopez, Sung-Jun Kim

Dr. Nikil Dutt, and Dr. Tony Givargis

Center for Embedded Computer Systems

 University of California, Irvine

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Traditionally, radios have primarily been characterized by “static” architectures:  their functionality was generated through the use of various hardware mechanisms and analog-based circuitry. Recently, the digital systems community has begun to move toward a more flexible type of technology called “Software-Defined Radios (SDR)”. 

The concept of SDR seeks to provide a solution to the task of creating radios whose architecture can be dynamically reconfigured using software. The ideal SDR contains only a few hardware components such as a power supply, a RF converter, and A/D/A (analog-to-digital-to-analog) converters, while the rest of the radio’s functions are software-defined.

The objective of this project is to build a Digital TV tuner using SDR concepts.  We will work toward this goal by first constructing a publicly-available SDR project. Then, we will attempt to customize the finished TV Tuner SDR to perform other software-defined functions.  Correctness of this project will be determined by comparing the TV images and sounds that we receive with the media displayed on a television set when both are simultaneously tuned to the same signal.

Center for Embedded Computer Systems - University of California, Irvine