The development of a high definition television (HDTV) terrestrialbroadcasting emission mask

This paper analyzes the case of HDTV channels, upper and lower, first adjacent to an existing NTSC station assignment and considers the interference from an HDTV adjacent channel, spillover spectra as undesirable co-channel interference into the NTSC channel. A subjective weighting function is developed for random noise interference to NTSC images at the video baseband level. A filter function representing the human visual system at specified viewing distances as a function of image height is developed, first for monochrome, and then extended to color images. The baseband subjective weighting function is modified to include the process of television carrier modulation and demodulation. This carrier modified weighting function is then used to evaluate typical spillover spectra created by high power amplifiers when driven by a modulated digital HDTV signal. BTSC stereo audio (with SAP) is also included in the interference evaluation. Spectral out-of-band spillover limits are established based on the threshold of visibility of the interference as a function of the mileage separation between adjacent channel NTSC and HDTV stations. A high power bandpass filter and band elimination notches are included in the analysis. The results are then applied to two methods of determining spectral emission compliance: measurement of the out-of-band interference spectra with a weighting function, or alternatively, the use of an emission mask     

Flexible and robust packet transport for digital HDTV

The packet-oriented transport approach used in the advanced digital television (ADTV) system for terrestrial HDTV broadcast is described. ADTV achieves robust HDTV delivery on terrestrial simulcast channels via MPEG video compression, prioritization of MPEG data, and `cell-relay' type packet transport in conjunction with a two-tier physical transmission scheme. General design issues relevant to the development of the proposed transport protocol are discussed. ADTV's prioritization algorithm for partitioning MPEG-encoded video into high-priority (HP) and standard-priority (SP) bit streams is outlined. The data transport format supporting these prioritized compressed video bit streams is described. The three principal sublayers of the ADTV transport protocol are discussed in terms of specific functions, impact of system performance, and hardware implementation factors. A proof-of-concept simulation model that incorporates transport encoding and decoding functionality is outlined, and performance evaluation results are given for illustrative transmission scenarios     

DigiCipher-all digital, channel compatible, HDTV broadcast system

DigiCipher, an all-digital HDTV (high-definition television) system, with transmission over a single 6 MHz VHF or UHF channel, is described. It provides full HDTV performance with virtually no visible transmission impairments due to noise, multipath, and interference. It offers high picture quality, while the complexity of the decoder is low. Furthermore, low transmitting power can be used, making it ideal for simulcast HDTV transmission using unused or prohibited channels. DigiCipher can also be used for cable and satellite transmission of HDTV. There is no satellite receive dish size penalty (compared to FM-NTSC) in the satellite delivery of DigiCipher HDTV. To achieve the full HDTV performance in a single 6 MHz bandwidth, a highly efficient unique compression algorithm based on DCT (discrete cosine transform) transform coding is used. Through the extensive use of computer simulation, the compression algorithm has been refined and optimized. Computer simulation results show excellent video quality for a variety of HDTV material. For error-free transmission of the digital data, power error correction coding combined with adaptive equalization is used. At a carrier-to-noise ratio of above 19 dB, essentially error-free reception can be achieved     

美国大联盟高清晰度电视地面传输系统野外测试结果

本文概述了ＧＡ－ＨＤＴＶ的地面ＶＳＢ传输系统的野外测试验情况。此次测试由联邦以通信委员会高级电视业务咨询委员会负责组织。     

Source coding for digital HDTV terrestrial broadcasting

It is claimed that an all-digital system will provide true high-definition television quality and coverage area equivalent to NTSC without noise and interference. Less transmission power may be required, and the signal will be easy to encrypt. The proposed source coding algorithms are reviewed, and the methods by which they are used in the proposed digital HDTV terrestrial broadcasting systems are discussed     

Analysis of ATV transmission subsystem field test data

This paper examines the data from the field test of the Grand Alliance HDTV transmission subsystem conducted in Charlotte, NC in 1994. The field test data provides HDTV system designers and researchers with first-hand information on the performance of digital HDTV terrestrial broadcasting as well as on NTSC performance in the real-world environment. Analyses of the field test data are performed with respect to the system performance of an 8-VSB digital transmission subsystem, the performance of NTSC as reference and the television channel characteristics. Observations and conclusions derived from the analyses are provided     

Methods for accommodation of HDTV terrestrial broadcasting

In the United States, consideration is underway to provide for the terrestrial emission of high-definition television (HDTV) signals in the existing VHF/UHF allocations. Analyses show that it may be necessary to reduce cochannel spacings to a minimum of 160 km if the vast majority of existing terrestrial broadcasters are to be accommodated with an HDTV service in addition to their NTSC capability. HDTV coverage and acceptable cochannel interference levels of these spacings are under investigation. Techniques that determine if there is sufficient spectrum to provide for the additional services are described. The techniques include assessments of the need to maintain UHF taboo restrictions currently applied to NTSC, analysis of effective coverage areas, and development of allotment/assignment methodologies     

Precoding technique for partial-response channels with applicationsto HDTV transmission

An equivalent partial-response (PR) channel 1-Z^-k arises in the envisioned terrestrial over-the-air broadcasting of digital high-definition television (HDTV) signals when a comb filter is used by an HDTV receiver to reduce the NTSC cochannel interference. The design of signal constellations and their associated precoders for this PR channel is considered. Besides PAM and square QAM, it is shown that generalized square and hexagonal constellations can also be used. Coded modulation and graceful degradation in the received signal quality are discussed. The results extended to a more general PR channel     

The US HDTV standard

This standard for digital high-definition television has been submitted to the Federal Communications Commission for its approval. Based as it is on the MPEG-2 video compression and transport protocol, multiple transmission formats, Dolby AC-3 digital audio, and vestigial sideband digital modulation, this HDTV system will supply the home with superb images and spectacular sound while also, as part of the National Information Infrastructure (NII), relaying digital data. An HDTV system employing multiple transmission formats, digital compression, packetization, and modulation techniques is a marked advance over current world television standards such as NTSC, PAL, or SECAM     

Digital HDTV broadcasting over the CATV distribution system

This contribution deals with the digital broadcasting of HDTV channels over the cable television (CATV) distribution system, using either single-carrier QAM or an orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) of many QAM carriers to represent an HDTV channel. Assuming that no error-correcting codes are used, we investigate two distinct cases: in the first case, a few HDTV channels are transmitted among many analog TV channels, whereas in the second case all transmitted channels are HDTV channels. We show that in the first case the transmit power of an HDTV channel can be substantially reduced (by about 10 dB or more) as compared to the transmit power of an analog TV channel, while still maintaining a satisfactory bit error rate (BER). In the second case, not only a considerable reduction of the total transmit power but also a reduction of amplifier cost and an increase of the number of TV channels can be achieved. Single-carrier QAM is found to perform slightly better (at most about 1 or 2 dB) than a multi-carrier QAM.     

Analysis of ATSC field test results in Taiwan

Field tests of the transmission performance of the ATSC DTV system have been conducted in Taiwan. The test results as well as comparisons against the NTSC system performance are reported and analyzed. From the measured results the reception characteristics of the DTV can be deduced and can provide guidelines for television stations to design the transmission system, schedule equipment deployment, plan service coverage areas, and improve the reception quality of the digital signal     

High Definition Television (HDTV)--Compatibility and Distribution

High definition television (HDTV) pictures are, by all accounts, dramatically superior to today's NTSC color television, both in resolution and in realism. Picture quality approaching that of 35 mm color film is obtainable by most systems under investigation in recent years. One of the basic premises of a recent SMPTE study was that "the HDTV signal should be capable of a standards conversion ... to the NTSC ... domestic service." Otherwise, there would be "so many political, social, and economic Impediments that [HDTV] might never succeed ...." However, the same study wound up by concluding that such compatibility was "not feasible by any means known ... or envisaged." Here we suggest a possible solution to the compatibility dilemma. We propose an HDTV signal with a camera line-scan rate exactly twice that of NTSC. From this we construct an intermediate waveform called the semicompatible-high-definition television signal (SCHDTV), which has the virtue of being easily convertible to an NTSC picture. The SC-HDTV signal requires three present-day CATV channels for local distribution and is suitable for transmission via direct broadcast satellite (DBS). Moreover, HDTV could also be sent on most present-day satellite facilities if the SC-HDTV signal were split into two parts and two transponders were used.     

A data broadcasting system expanding the information capacity of existing analog communication systems

This paper presents the physical layer functions powering a new wireless data broadcasting system over analog television signals, referred to as dNTSC system (for data over National Television System Committee (NTSC) standard). Novel data insertion techniques at the transmitter and data extraction techniques at the receiver allow data rates of 1-4 Mbps that coexist with existing analog transmission but do not adversely affect normal television reception. Novel digital signal processing (DSP) techniques include a video abatement system that reduces data-to-video crosstalk for unimpaired analog television reception, adaptive nonlinear amplifier compensation, and advanced video cancellation and adaptive data equalization methods in the receiver. An analysis of the dNTSC system through noisy, multipath channels reveals the subtleties of the dNTSC system, compared to a conventional, dedicated digital communication link.     

Analyzing the FCC's DTV spectral emission mask and potentialdegradation to adjacent channels due to antenna pattern differences

The FCC DTV spectral emission mask is analyzed with an NTSC subjective noise weighting function to determine the desired NTSC to undesired adjacent channel DTV signal ratio at the threshold of visibility of interference. Factors which alter the NTSC/DTV adjacent channel signal ratio at various receiving locations within the NTSC service are examined: (1) the azimuth patterns of the NTSC and DTV broadcast antennas; (2) the elevation patterns of the NTSC and DTV broadcast antennas; and (3) the centers of radiation of the NTSC and DTV broadcast antennas. These factors together with the NTSC/DTV authorized power ratio may make the DTV spillover spectrum exceed acceptable picture (and sound) interference levels even though compliance with the FCC DTV spectral emission mask is met. Spectral shaping solutions are examined by use of the NTSC subjective noise weighting     

Next generation of broadcast multimedia services to mobile receivers in urban environments

This paper analyses the possibility of receiving high data rate multimedia services in the non-stationary urban mobile scenario using the digital video broadcast standard DVB-T2. The work focuses on the complex urban mobile environment and presents a comparison between the different configuration parameters and the data rates associated to different video services. The study is based on the experience operating an experimental DVB-T2 network in urban environments, where portable and vehicular reception scenarios have been tested. The results show the system performance and the feasible video quality. The paper explores the coverage for various video services, including HDTV and 3DTV options, and proposes some scenarios for the deployment of broadcasting networks transmitting multimedia services to mobile receivers.     

Threshold Effect on Error Probability in QAM Systems

This paper considers the effect of the carrier phase error on the probability of error in a binary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) data transmission system in the presence of intersymbol interference and additive Gaussian noise. The analysis shows that there exists a threshold value of the carrier phase error such that the error probability remains almost unchanged as long as the carrier phase error is less than that threshold value, but increases rapidly once the threshold is exceeded. Good agreement between theory and computer simulations is obtained. Some practical implications of this threshold effect are discussed.     

Video coding in bisdn with a distribution rate of approximately 135 mb/s

Video coding for Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (BISDN) is analysed, and coding techniques that use sub-Nyquist sampling are proposed. Specifically, recommendations are given for digital video coding for EQTV distribution in the area of BISDN at a payload rate of approximately 135 Mb/s. The contribution signal that is used in video production will either be the CCIR Recommendation 601 signal or a minor modification of it to maximize horizontal resolution. Also, the scanning parameters will be the same as NTSC so that the same monitor can be used to display either EQTV or NTSC TV. A compatible vertical improvement can be added initially, or in the future, that will provide additional vertical resolution beyond the capability of the present NTSC TV, or the capabilities of Recommendation 601. Finally, several coding techniques for video distribution are configured to maximize horizontal resolution given the above constraints. Two of these video coding techniques allow extra bandwidth by using sub-Nyquist sampling techniques together with comb filtering. This EQTV system will produce a horizontal resolution that is close to values normally used for HDTV.     

Superresolution video reconstruction with arbitrary samplinglattices and nonzero aperture time

Printing from an NTSC source and conversion of NTSC source material to high-definition television (HDTV) format are some of the applications that motivate superresolution (SR) image and video reconstruction from low-resolution (LR) and possibly blurred sources. Existing methods for SR image reconstruction are limited by the assumptions that the input LR images are sampled progressively, and that the aperture time of the camera is zero, thus ignoring the motion blur occurring during the aperture time. Because of the observed adverse effects of these assumptions for many common video sources, this paper proposes (i) a complete model of video acquisition with an arbitrary input sampling lattice and a nonzero aperture time, and (ii) an algorithm based on this model using the theory of projections onto convex sets to reconstruct SR still images or video from an LR time sequence of images. Experimental results with real video are provided, which clearly demonstrate that a significant increase in the image resolution can be achieved by taking the motion blurring into account especially when there exists large interframe motion.     

Maximum-throughput delivery of SVC-based video over MIMO systems with time-varying channel capacity

In this paper, we present a novel scalable video transmission strategy over multi-input multi-output (MIMO) wireless systems with time-varying channel capacity. It is a great challenge to simultaneously guarantee the QoS for video delivery and maximize the system throughput over time-varying MIMO channel. We demonstrate that, by making full use of estimated channel state information (CSI) through feedback, a cascade of adaptive operations can be designed to satisfy maximum throughput for scalable video over MIMO systems. These operations include power allocation based on water-filling (WF), adaptive channel selection (ACS), and novel throughput maximizing power reallocation (PR). The proposed ACS transmission scheme enables overall increase in data throughput among enhancement layers by adaptively launching base layer bit-stream to proper sub-channel. Then, after initial power allocation with WF and proper adaptive mode selection, we obtain the surplus power across enhancement layer sub-channels which can be reallocated to some sub-channels by the proposed PR scheme. With such power reallocation, certain enhancement layers will be able to reach new level of QAM modulation through PR so as to maximize the system data throughput. We present in this paper some detailed analysis on these adaptive operations. We also present some simulation results to demonstrate that maximum throughput video transmission over MIMO wireless systems indeed can be achieved based on scalable video coding (SVC) and a sequence of appropriately designed adaptive operations.