This year-end edition of The ATSC Descriptor newsletter recaps an incredible year for our organization and for the broadcasting, cable, Internet and consumer electronics industries that comprise our membership. Not since the heady days two decades ago -- during the launch of stations, products and services based on the original A/53 Digital Television Standard -- has the ATSC had such a busy and productive year.
Against the backdrop of an extremely challenging economic and regulatory environment, the ATSC charted the future course of digital television during 2011, setting the stage for a bright future in 2012 and beyond. In addition to unparalleled, visionary standards and technology, our membership is strong and our leadership is solid. In that regard, we are pleased to announce that ATSC members have elected Cox Media Group’s Dave Siegler to serve on the ATSC Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2012. We wish to take this opportunity to thank NBC Universal’s Glenn Reitmeier, whose term expires at the end of the year, and NAB/MSTV’s Victor Tawil, who has retired from the board.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Advanced Television Systems Committee, best wishes to you and your families for a joyous holiday season. Here’s to a great New Year for ATSC.
John Godfrey Chairman ATSC Board of Directors
Mark Richer President Advanced Television Systems Committee
The ATSC Annual Meeting had something for everyone including a recipe for ATSC 2.0.
A Year of Growth and New Opportunities
As we look ahead with eager anticipation to the New Year, it’s a great time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year. It was one of the busiest and most productive years in the ATSC’s 28-year history. Some 2011 highlights:
Completed work of planning teams on 3D broadcast TV, Internet-enabled broadcast TV and next-generation broadcast TV.
Launched "ATSC 2.0" standardization effort on suite of backwards-compatible new services, including non-real-time transmission, Internet connectivity, 3D TV broadcasting and advanced video compression.
The ATSC held a boot camp for broadcasters at IPTV in Des Moines.
Renamed the Technology and Standards Group as "TG1," focused primarily on ATSC 2.0 capabilities under the capable direction of Triveni Digital’s Rich Chernock.
Formed "TG3," a new technology and standards group, chaired by PBS’s Jim Kutzner, to develop the spectrum-efficient, flexible, scalable, highly configurable next-generation "ATSC 3.0" standard for implementation in the years ahead.Updated the audio loudness Recommended Practice A/85 with Annexes J and K to support the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, the law that requires the FCC to adopt ATSC’s technology in its rules (which the FCC has now done).
Honored NBC Universal’s Jim Starzynski, an engineer who has worked tirelessly on TV commercial loudness and other DTV audio issues, with ATSC’s highest technical honor, the 2011 Bernard J. Lechner Outstanding Contributor Award.
Conducted educational seminars for broadcasters and manufacturers, including the "ATSC Boot Camp" co-hosted by Iowa Public Television, addressing Mobile DTV, 3D TV and audio loudness among other important subjects.
Launched development of a 3D TV broadcast standard that will provide methods for transmission of three-dimensional content to both fixed and mobile devices.
Adopted various updates and revisions to core ATSC standards and recommended practices including:
Mobile DTV Standard, A/153 – Part 1
Service Protection, A/153 – Part 6
Scalable Full Channel Mobile Mode, A/153 – Part 9
Transmitter Synchronization, A/110
Mobile Receiver Performance Guidelines, A/174
Mobile DTV Recommended Practice, A/154
Assisted Mexico in its plans to explore implementation of ATSC 2.0 enhancements and launch A/153 mobile DTV service.
Joined forces with the National Association of Broadcasters and Open Mobile Video Coalition to promote mobile DTV at the 2011 NAB convention, while also demonstrating 3D TV proposals and ATSC A/85 technology supporting broadcasters’ implementation of FCC rules under the CALM Act.
Celebrated adoption of the A/53 ATSC DTV Standard by the Dominican Republic.
Rebranded ATSC with a crisp new logo and fresh tagline: "The Future of Television is our Focus."Welcomed new members, theAmerican Cable Association, China Mobile Media Broadcast, IneoQuest, Thomson Video Networks and Technicolor, and new observer members Mario Boltri and Alan Limberg.
Founding Member of the groundbreaking Future of Broadcast Television conference in Shanghai.
The Shanghai conference was a particular highlight in the fourth quarter.
Richer Sees New Era of Global Cooperation at the Future of Broadcast TV Conference
When more than 230 TV executives, engineers and government officials gathered in Shanghai for the Future of Broadcast Television conference in November, we reached agreement that terrestrial broadcast TV must continue to evolve. The transition from analog to digital – while a major shift – was only one big step forward.
Delegates to the conference issued a landmark joint declaration at exactly 11:11 a.m. on 11/11/11, agreeing that collaboration on a global approach to the future of terrestrial TV broadcasting would avoid competing standards, overlap, and inefficient deployment of new services. Thirteen broadcast organizations from around the world have called for a joint effort to define new requirements, unify various standards and promote sharing of technologies to benefit developed and under-developed countries -- and to conserve resources. http://www.atsc.org/cms/communications/press/FoBTV_Joint declaration_final_with_signatures.pdf
A common theme throughout the summit was that broadcasting – the transmission of digital data to an unlimited number of listeners and viewers – is the most spectrum-efficient means for wireless delivery of popular real-time and file-based content. Existing digital standards serve us well today, but new technical strategies will be required to address next-generation broadcast systems.
Now is the time to work on the next generation of digital TV. Globally, spectrum is being sought after by other industries in virtually every country. That puts pressure on the broadcasting and consumer electronics industries to improve our spectral efficiency.
We know that viewers want to use TV content wherever they go, and the new system will need to address that reality. Viewers are now "on the go," and as broadcast TV reception migrate from the dedicated TV to also include the mobile phone, in-vehicle information and entertainment devices, laptop, and tablet computers, it’s also important to remember that those devices will now cross borders. Viewers will expect to be able to get off a plane and immediately tune in to local broadcast services.
The future will be about collaboration. Laboratories run by NHK in Japan, NERC in China, ETRI in Korea, CRC in Canada and others around the world will need to be involved. Our own ATSC 3.0 efforts will mesh well with this international effort and we look forward to working with our colleagues in other standards organizations such as ARIB and DVB. Professional equipment and consumer electronics manufacturers understand the benefits of a global standard. We also welcome non-traditional broadcasters interested in developing new strategies for spectrum efficient standards based systems.
The ATSC Board of Directors endorsed the joint declaration recognizing that the global initiative is consistent with the goals of ATSC 3.0 next-generation broadcast standards development. ATSC 3.0 standards promise improved audio and video compression systems, more-efficient transmission technologies and new applications to serve viewers and broadcasters for decades to come. In the near-term, as members are well award, ATSC also is developing ATSC 2.0 backwards-compatible enhancements to the current U.S. digital TV transmission standard, including areas such as Internet-enhanced broadcast television and 3-D TV broadcasting.
Our timetable will depend on requirements and the regulatory environment, but I am enthusiastic about the ATSC’s ongoing efforts, and I’m very optimistic about the potential of working together, rather than separately, with colleagues around the globe to develop the suite of technologies that will keep TV broadcasting relevant for viewers in the years to come.
--Mark Richer, ATSC President
ATSC Ballot Update
The following ballots are now active within ATSC:
Non-Real-Time Content Delivery, elevated to Candidate Standard on October 20, 2010, this document has been updated by TG1/S13 and approved by TG1 for ballot as a Proposed Standard. Issuance of the ballot is pending. During the ballot period, an updated version of the posted CS document will be available on the ATSC web site.
A/53 Part 2 Revision, "ATSC DTV System – RF/Transmission System Characteristics." This revision of A/53 Part 2 removes text relating to E-VSB and clarifies other text regarding 8-VSB operation. The document is at a ballot of the Membership. The ballot closes on December 15.
A/153 Part 2 Revision, "ATSC Mobile DTV – RF/Transmission System Characteristics." This document addresses certain issues identified since originally published in 2009. The revision was approved by the Membership in October.
A/70 Part 2, "Conditional Access System for Terrestrial Broadcast, Part 2 – IP." This document defines the method for utilizing Simulcrypt concepts to simultaneously encrypt services with different service protection systems without transmitting multiple differently-encrypted copies of the services. The Membership ballot was approved in October. Comments were received during the ballot and resolved. A/70 Part 2:2011 is now published on the ATSC web site.
A/174, "Recommended Practice on Mobile DTV Performance." This document addresses the signal conditions that may be encountered, with assessment of the potential impact upon the front-end portion of a receiver of A/153-based mobile digital television broadcasts. The document provides recommended performance guidelines that are intended to maximize reception. The Membership ballot was approved in September. Comments were received during the ballot and resolved. A/174:2011 is now published on the ATSC web site.
Now that ATSC has formed a new Technology Group to develop "ATSC 3.0" (a series of voluntary technical standards and recommended practices for the next-generation digital terrestrial television broadcast system that will serve viewers and TV stations for decades to come) the first meeting of the TSG was held at the end of November. TG3 is chaired by Jim Kutzner, PBS. NAB’s Skip Pizzi and Sony’s Luke Fay serve as vice-chairs.
Planning Team Reports Now Published
The Planning Teams formed by the ATSC Board of Directors in the spring of 2010 have completed their work. The following Final Reports have been made public:
ATSC members are a talented bunch. And many of our colleagues are receiving well-deserved industry recognition.
The Society of Cable Television Engineers has awarded Jeff Krauss the 2011 SCTE Excellence in Standards Award.
Talented engineers from three ATSC member companies were honored last month by the Consumer Electronics Association with 2011 CEA Technology & Standards Awards. Earning the CEA Technology Leadership Award were ATSC board members Mark Eyer, Sony Electronics, and Wayne Luplow, LG Electronics/Zenith. Jon Richardson, Echostar, received the CEA Technology Achievement Award.
"CEA’s Technology & Standards Awards honor industry leaders who help drive innovation in the consumer electronics industry," said Brian Markwalter, CEA senior vice president of research and standards, and member of the ATSC board of directors. "As new products and services are hitting the market almost daily, these designers, developers and engineers work hard to ensure that technologies can make the successful transition from an interesting idea on a company whiteboard to a new product that will excite consumers and spur demand."
‘Merry ATSC to All and to All a Good Night"
A holiday poem, with apologies to Clement Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout ATSC Not a creature was stirring, not a luddite or Trekkie. The DTV was hung by the chimney with care, In hopes ATSC 2.0 soon would be there.
Board members were all nestled, waiting to be fed, While non-real-time visions danced in their heads. Then at ATSC’s office there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eyes would gleam, But Mark Richer and his members, the entire team. The group was so sharp, as smart as can be, I knew in a moment it was the ATSC.
Faster than ISDB and DVB they came, He welcomed them in, calling each member by name… "Harris and Sony! NAB and SMPTE! "Dolby and PBS! Samsung and LG!"
Then, in a twinkling, they heard his kind greeting, And they all sat down for another TSG meeting.
They dealt with the standards and the 3.0 plan, In these challenging times, we’ll do what we can. So, from 2D and 3D to Mobile TV, From Codecs to Next-Gen, they labored with glee.
The year a success, to his feet he sprang, Gave a pat on the back to the ATSC gang. And I heard him exclaim, as he rode out of sight, "Merry ATSC to all, and to all a Good-Night!"
ATSC STANDARDS… In Print!
The ATSC has setup an online store for those who wish to purchase printed full color professionally bound copies of the A/153 and A/85 standards.
Save your printer ink and instead, buy copy for the low prices listed in the online store.
All recommended practices and standards will remain available for download at the ATSC website.
Last Updated on Friday, 16 December 2011 15:03
The Advanced Television Systems Committee is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. Over 150 ATSC member organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite and semiconductor industries.
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