FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comprehensive Planning Team Reports Pave Way for Future Enhancements to Broadcast Television

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2011 – The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has published final reports of two critical industry planning committees that have been investigating likely methods of enhancing broadcast TV with next-generation video compression, transmission and Internet Protocol technologies and developing scenarios for the transmission of three-dimensional (3D) programs via local broadcast TV stations.

The final reports of the ATSC Planning Teams on 3D-TV (PT-1) and on ATSC 3.0 Next Generation Broadcast Television (PT-2) are available now for download from the ATSC web site on this link: http://atsc.org/cms/index.php/standards/other-technical-documents/262-planning-team-reports

The documents summarize nearly a year of investigation by teams of broadcast industry experts, working through the ATSC. "The conclusions of these planning committees set the stage for important ATSC standardization work," said ATSC President Mark Richer. "We are exploring backwards compatible approaches to 3D transmissions, among other things, in our TG1 Technology Group while the new TG3 Technology Group is embarking on the longer-term project to define and standardize ATSC 3.0."

ATSC 3.0 Looks Ahead

PT-2, working on "next-generation" broadcast technologies, was charged with exploring options for what’s been dubbed "ATSC 3.0" – including candidate technologies, potential services and likely timeframes, and without a requirement that the new system be backwards compatible with existing broadcasts. Several potential technology components were identified by PT-2, including improved audio and video codecs and more-efficient modulation approaches. The Planning Team also looked into ways that TV broadcasts could seamlessly converge with a hybrid device that might get content from the Internet or other methods. Among the subjects probed by the team were content personalization and targeting, more immersive presentation forms, and advanced non-real-time content downloading services.

3D-TV Broadcast Options

PT-1, the 3D-TV planning team, reviewed the visual sciences, existing technology, and the development of content for three-dimensional presentation. While 3D television broadcasts provide the potential for significant enhancement to the viewer’s experience, it was found that the how the content is created and presented are both important to a positive viewing experience. Substantial sections of the report deal with human visual issues sometimes associated with 3D viewing, with the planning team noting that many of the contributing factors are described, explained, and accommodated by insuring proper viewing distances from the screen. While recognizing limitations of depicting 3D objects on a 2D display, the PT-1 report also details various options for transmission of 3D material, including utilization of both high-definition and mobile DTV channels and non-real-time caching of 3D content for future viewing.

# # #

About the ATSC: The Advanced Television Systems Committee is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. The ATSC member organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries. For more information visit www.atsc.org

Contacts:
Dave Arland, Arland Communications: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , (317) 701-0084