Method for selecting optimal beam and apparatus for receiving digital broadcasting signal using the same

An apparatus for receiving a digital broadcasting signal based on an optimal beam selection method, comprising:

• a plurality of Radio Frequency (RF) front-end means for changing a RF signal received from respective element of an array antenna into a digital signal of an Intermediate Frequency (IF) band;
• a plurality of beam forming means for forming a plurality of beams according to steering directions based on the IF signal outputted from the RF front-end means;
• a plurality of demodulating means for demodulating the beam output signal formed in the beam forming means to baseband signal on a symbol-by-symbol basis;
• a plurality of correlating means for generating a channel impulse response by correlating the output signal of the demodulating means with a training signal;
• a plurality of beam selecting means for selecting a signal having the least channel distortion among the output signals outputted from the demodulating means based on a mainpath Signal to Multipath signal and Noise Ratio (SMNR) and a mainpath Signal to Dominant Multipath signal Ratio (SDMR) for respective channel impulse response generated in the correlating means;
• and
• an equalizing means for compensating a channel distortion in the output signal of the beam selecting means.