Two new key features that were added compared to the DVB-S standard are:
* A powerful coding scheme based on a modern LDPC code.
* VCM (Variable Coding and Modulation) and ACM (Adaptive Coding and Modulation) modes, which allow optimizing bandwidth utilization by dynamically changing transmission parameters.
There are also other features, such as enhanced modulation schemes up to 32APSK, additional code rates, and the introduction of a generic transport mechanism for IP packet data including MPEG-4 audio�video streams, while supporting backward compatibility with existing MPEG-2 TS based transmission.
The standard document claims that the DVB-S2 performance gain over DVB-S is around 30% at the same satellite transponder bandwidth and emitted signal power.