Single-Channel Backward-Compatible EDTV Systems

A. B. Lippman, A. N. Netravali, E. H. Adelson, W. R. Neuman, W. F. Schreiber

This article describes some methods for adding supplementary information to a compatible NTSC broadcast signal so that an advanced receiver can decode that information to provide improved picture quality (Extended-Definition Television, or EDTV), while a standard NTSC receiver will display an image with minimally visible impairments. In particular, chrominance information is transmitted at one-half the frame rate and alternate frames are used to encode high-definition luminance information in the chrominance signal. This is useful for any EDTV system. A particular design is suggested where some active lines are usurped from the top and bottom of the picture and augmentation information is encoded into this region so that both the EDTV and the NTSC receiver receive similar-looking widescreen pictures, with the EDTV picture containing greater resolution.

Print ISSN
Published
1989-01
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J04167