VALIDATE completed its work in November 1998. It implemented the European specification for digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) in experimental networks in a number of European countries. It used these experimental networks to verify the specification in detail and to carry out further work needed for the successful launch of terrestrial DTTB services.
The first task was to build modems conforming to the specification, or to modify previously designed modems. These modems were tested for interworking to check for ambiguities in the specification. VALIDATE partners carried out laboratory tests and field trials to verify the specification. Besides verifying the specification, the laboratory tests and field trials will also be used to derive the parameters needed for planning DTTB services. These parameters include failure points, susceptibility to interference, and interference caused to other services using the television broadcasting bands (mostly analogue television).
Achievements include: comparisons of simulations of a modulator show five laboratories in agreement, confirming that the specification is unambiguous; two modems from different laboratories upgraded to conform with the specification and shown to interwork; first laboratory test and field trial results submitted and specification accepted; first implementation guide completed; primary distribution trials of Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-2 transport streams over dark fibre, synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH), asynchronous transmission mode (ATM), satellite; specification for synchronisation of single-frequency networks (SFN) prepared and accepted; studies of transmitters and sharing with analogue services; first draft specification for transmitter performance; full lab and field test results presented to CEPT Chester 97 conference; study of domestic gap-filler (optimistic results); over-air tests in UK, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, Eire; demonstrations at International Broadcasting Convention and Montreux, final interworking trials with seven modulators including industrial products and nine demodulators including first-generation consumer chip sets.