chapter Television Standards a Television standards consist of a set of specifications for transmission of TV programmes. Broadly speaking these specifications pertain to the scanning process, colour encoding system, composite video signal, modulation methods, bandwidth, intercarrier frequency, channel width and radio frequency spectrum utilisation, ete. SZ NEED OF ATV StANDARD itil tan ate aienetneeannaneAitetaenanntn ATY receiver cannot receive TV programmes unless it conforms to the specifications adopted for transmission. For example, a TV receiver needs scanning identical and synchronised to the scanning process that was used in the transmitter. Similarly for detection of colour signals, the same sub-carrier is required to be generated in the receiver as was employed in the transmitter. Due to this essential requirement, synchronisation pulses and colour burst signals are transmitted along with the video signal. These are separated out in the receiver to trigger the oscillations and hence to produce identical scanning currents and colour sub-carrier. Futher, different colour encoding processes adopted for transmission require compatible colour decoding processes in the receiver. Different countries adopted different standards. Hence the receivers in a country are designed to receive TV transmissions of the specifica- tions followed by that country. Even a minor difference in the transmitter specifications of a country may not allow receivers in some other countries to receive TV programmes of that country. On account of this, the TV signals have to be specified exactly and hence the need of TV standards.‘The different standards of TV transmission are not compatible with each other. No American set can work in Europe and vice versa. Even in Europe, a set used in Germany cannot be used across the border in France. A receiver used in Indian sub-continent will not work in ‘Myanmar and Japan, and a receiver in England will not work across the English channel in France. Non-compatibility of various standards is the biggest hurdle in international exchange of programmes. A single world standard of TV would have been desirable, Such a world standard exists for sound broadcast as any sound programme can be received anywhere in the world (within the communication range) simply by tuning into the desired station. The need of a single world standard for TV is being felt all the more due to the development of satellite communication. Hence there must be some compelling reasons for TV standards being different in different countries. These are discussed below: 1. Fields frequency in the scanning process is related to the electric mains frequency. These two should be the same so that hum due to power supply ripples may not cause moving bar (called hum-bar) on the screen. The moving hum-bar is caused by beats between fields frequency and mains frequency. Electric mains frequency in American countries is 60 Hz. In the countries of Indian subcontinent and other continents, it is 50 Hz. Hence American countries follow 60 Hz field system; the countries of Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa keep fields frequency equal to 50 Hz. (A few countries are exception to this rule, e.g. Japan and Myanmar, use American system of 60 fields per second, although their mains frequency is 50 Hz.) 2. Fields frequency is also related to brightness. Higher the field frequency, greater can be the brightness of a TV picture on the screen for the same level of reduction in flicker. Greater the brightness, larger can be the viewing distance, and the larger the viewing distance, smaller can be the number of scanning lines per frame. Thus in the countries where the field frequency is 60 Hz, the number of scanning lines per frame is 525. In Asian and European countries where the fields frequency is 50 Hz, the number of scanning lines is 625 per frame. 3. USA, Germany and France developed different colour encoding and decoding systems, known as NTSC, PAL and SECAM, respectively. NTSC system, developed first, was compatible with the existing monochrome system and was quite acceptable, and therefore millions of TV receivers were sold to the public. However, therewas a minor defect (change of original colour due to phase noise) in the system and a hue control had to be provided to overcome that defect. With a view to solve this problem, Germany developed PAL system, which was more costly. France developed another system, SECAM which was of low cost but its resolution was only 50% of NTSC. On account of merits and demerits of these systems and considering the existing monochrome system, countries all over the world chose one of these three systems. 4. Some countries preferred minor changes in channel width, bandwidth, inter-carrier frequency, ete as their scientists felt that the minor changes would result in improvement of picture quality, but mainly because of the political reasons wherein a Government did not want its people to see programmes of other countries to prevent its own culture from being polluted. TV system of UK is an example of this. Although UK follows 625 line PAL system, minor changes were incorporated in their specifications to make programmes of other countries inaccessible to their people. SERA 3.4 DIFFERENT TY STANDARDS. In view of several existing standards, CCIR (Committee Consultative for International Radio) could not decide on a single world standard, but listed some existing standards, leaving the choice to the countries to choose any of them. TV systems, standardized by CCIR, are designated as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M and N. Out of the above designated systems, A, C, E and F have not been recommended for future use. A and E systems have already been discontinued by UK and France, respectively. These presented some difficulties. The system ‘A’ was of 405 scanning lines and hence resolution was poor. Moreover, it used positive modulation for AMVSB in which noise occurred in the white region, which was more spectacular. C, E and F systems also used positive modulation. They had 819 lines per frame, requiring high bandwidth. G, H, I, K and L systems are used in UHF bands IV and V. M and N systems are used in VHF and UHF both. B and D systems are used in VHF bands, I and III, CCIR standard B (developed by Germany) and CCIR M (developed by USA), are popularly known as 625 line European system and 526 line American system, respectively. India has adopted CCIR B standard. Detailed specifications of these two standards are given in Table 3.1.)Speolications:of.CCIR standards,B. and M - Item CCIR B CCIR M standard standard Video scanning No. of scanning lines per frame 625 525 ‘Trace time per line 52 hs 53.3 us Horizontal blanking period 12 us 10.2 ps Total scanning time of one line 64 ts 63.5 ys No. of lines lost in vertical retrace 20 per field 21 per field Interlace ratio 24 2a Aspect ratio 43, 43 Horizontal blanking pulse Front porch 1.5 ps 12 ps H-syne pulse 4.7 ps 4.75 js Back porch 5.8 us 3.81 us Colour burst signal 10 cycles of 10 cycles of subcarrier subcarrier frequency, frequency swinging without between + 45° swinging about - (B-Y) signal Time of rise and fall of ‘edges of pulses 0.3 ps 03 ps Vertical blanking pulse ‘Total duration 1280 ps 1388.5 ps Front portion 160 ps 190.5 ps Back portion 960 pis 952.5 ws V-syne pulse 160 ps 190.5 ps Pre-equalising pulses during 5 pulses each 6 pulses each the front portion of V-syne pulse of 2.35ys width —_of 2.54 is width Post-equalising pulses during 5 pulses each 6 pulses each the back portion of V-syne pulse Serrations (slots) Width of each slot Width of each serrated pulse of 2.35 us width 5 4.7 ps 27.3 ws of 2.54 is width 6 44 ps 27.35 us Contd...Ttem CCIR B CCIR M standard standard Amplitude of baseband components In terms of percentage of carrler amplitude Syne top 100% 100% Blanking pedestal 15% 15% Black level 12-18% 67.5% White level 10% 12.5% Frequency spectrum bandwidths and modulation Width of video baseband signal 5 MHz 4.2 MHz Location of video carrier After 1.25 After 1.25 MHz of the MHz of the start of the start of the channel channel Colour sub-carrier 4.43 MHz 3.58 MHz Chroma signal bandwidth -1.3 MHz to + 0.5 MHz (with respect to colour sub-carrier) +0.57 MHz for Q-signal (for both colour- and -1.5 MHz difference signals, to +0.5 MHz U and V) for T-signal Video IF 38.9 MHz 45.75 MHz Audio IF 33.4 MHz 41.25 MHz Intercarrier frequency (SIF) 5.5 MHz 4.5 MHz Audio carrier before 0.25MHz before of the end 0.25 MHz of of the end of channel. channel. Audio modulation FM FM Frequency deviation for sound + 50 kHz +25 kHz Video modulation -AMDSB (VSB) AMDSB (VSB) Modulation for chroma AMSC (VSB) AMSC (VSB) Total channel width in VHF 7 MHz. 6 MHz. Total channel width in UHF 8 MHz 6 MHz. (in CCIR G)IMILARITIES AND VARIATIONS IN STANDARDS COIR G is identical with CCIR B except that G is used in UHF hand while B is used in VHF band and that picture to sound power ratio in G is 10:1 against 5:1 in B, Similarly D and K are identical with each other except that D is used in VHF and K in UHF. N is identical with M except that N uses PAL colour system instead of NTSC system. D, H and I PAL are identical with B for most points except a few given in Table 3.2. L is a 625 lines European system and is similar to CCIR B in many respects but uses SECAM colour transmission and reception. Its distinguishing features have also been shown in Table 3.2. ‘Some variations In B)’D, A, Vand’L standards Item B D H I L Video bandwidth in MHz 5 6 55 6 o Lower sideband in MHz attenuated beyond 0.75 0.75 1.25 1.25 -1.25 Audio IF in MHz 934 324 334 329 324 Intercarrier frequency in MHz 5.5 65556 65 Channel width in MHz 7 8 8 8 8 Video modulation polarity -ve -ve ve ve tye Audio modulation FM FM FM FM AM Picture to sound power ratio 6:1 «10:1 10:1 10eL L021 The countries worldover were free to use any of the three colour systems: NTSC, PAL and SECAM. American countries in general followed 5265 lines per frame and 60 fields per second and NTSC colour system. Japan and Myanmar in Asia also followed the American system. All other countries followed 625 lines per frame, 50 fields per second system, and for colour either PAL system (developed by Germany) or SECAM system (developed by France). PAL system was adopted by all countries of West Europe, UK, Australia and all countries of the Indian subcontinent, SECAM system was adopted by Russia and countries of East Europe. Names of some countries, using various scanning standards and colour systems are given in Table 3.3.CCIR designated Names of some countries using standards the standard B PAL Germany (the inventor), countries of Indian sub-continent, Australia, Itly B/G (SECAM) Egypt, Saudi Arabia,, Iran, Iraq D PAL) China D and K (PAL) North Korea, Romania D and K (SECAM) Commonwealth of Independent States (formerly USSR), Afghanistan, Hungary H (SECAM) Belgium TAL, UK. Hong Kong, South Africa K and I (SECAM) Central African countries L (SECAM) France (the inventor), Monaco M (NTSC) USA (the inventor), Canada, Japan, Myanmar, S. Korea ‘M (PAL) Brazil N PAL) Argentina SUMMARY Television standards consist of specifications for transmission of TV programmes. A television receiver must conform to these specifications to enable it to receive the programmes. Different countries adopted different standards based on electric mains frequency, colour systems developed in USA (NTSC), Germany (PAL) and France (SECAM) and on some minor changes made by their scientists for improvement, or changes made by government for political reasons to save one’s culture from being polluted. Different TV standards as per CCIR designations are A, B,C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M,and N. Out of these, A, C, E and F have not been recommended for future use and are being phased out. Some of these, although differently designated have close resemblance. For example, system G is identical with system B except that its frequency range is in upper UHF band, video audio power ratio 10:1, instead of 5:1 and channel width is 8 MHz instead of 7 MHz. Similar is the case with systems D and K. System I, adopted by UK, has only minor variations with respect to system B, India has adopted CCIR B/G system, USA, CCIR-M system and France, CCIR-L system.EXERCISES Review Questions 1. What do you understand by TV standards? Why are these standards different in different countries? 2. Compare TV standards used in India, England, France and USA in respect to scanning specifications, video bandwidth, video modulation, audio modulation, intercarrier frequency, colour system, sub-carrrier and chroma modulation. 3. Give detailed specifications of CCIR-B standards in respect to seanning, blanking pulses, CVS amplitudes, bandwidths and TFs. 4. What do you understand by NTSC, PAL and SECAM systems? Where were they developed? Name three other countries which use cach of these systems. 5, What type of modulations are used to get chroma signal in NTSC, PAL and SECAM systems? Write down the chroma system bandwidth used in CCIR-G and CCIR-M systems. 6. Draw complete radio frequency spectrum for NTSC system for the TV. channel starting from 174 MHz. 7. Draw complete RF spectrum for 5‘ channel of CCIR B system used in India. Short-answer Questions 1, Why did USA keep frame-frequency equal to 30 frames per second? 2. Why are the pictures in USA TV brighter than the pictures in European Tv? 3. Name two specifications which are common to all TV standards? 4. Why is the bandwidth of colour signals lower than luminance signals? 5. Which TV standard is followed in UK and in what respects does it differ from the system followed in India? 6. What would happen if there are 3 or 4 fields por frame instead of two? Multiple-choice Questions Fill up the blanks by choosing correct answer from the options given inside the brackets. 1. India uses CCIR standard. (B, I, L, M) 2. Electric mains frequency and field frequency are in general equal in TV system. This statement is - (true, false)8, American TV pictures are brighter than UK TV pictures because of ___. (higher mains voltage, lower mains current, higher mains frequency, higher price) 4. CCIR standards have not been recommended for future use by CCIR. (A, C, E, F), (B, D, G, H), (, K, L, N), (B, G, M, N) 5. European system uses (i) ___ lines per frame and American system ii) Lines per frame. (110, 220, 525, 625) 6. Russia uses system. (NTSC, PAL, SECAM) 7. Vertical blanking uses __ is duration in India. (64, 100, 160, 1280) 8. Interearrier frequency in India, USA and UK are (i) MHz, a ‘MHz, and (iii) MHz, respectively. (6.5, 6, 5.5, and 4.5) 9. Width of V-syne pulse is (i us while that of H-syne pulse is Gi) ps in India. (4.7, 64, 160, 1280) 10. USB and LSB extend up to (i) MHz and Gi) MHz, respectively in chroma modulation in India. (0.57, 1.0, 1.3, 5) 11. In 8 MHz channel width in UHF band, the various carriers occupy the same relative positions as in 7 MHz channel width of VHF band, and there is an extra guard band of 1 MHz at the end of the channel. This statement is. (true, false) Numerical Questions 1. Determine LSB, USB, video carrier, sub-carrier and audio carrier frequency for the fourth channel of TV used in India. 2. Determine chroma bandwidth for the 3" channel of TV in India.