CELEBRATING 3D-TV

Posted on October 2, 2012 in ATSC News

FIRST ATSC 3D-TV SYSTEM READIED FOR STANDARDS BALLOT

The TG1 Technology Group is now considering the first of three proposed approaches for terrestrial transmission of 3D-TV programming.  Dr. Young-Kwon Lim, of the Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea, Chairman of TG1/S12, reports that his group has reached consensus on the 3D-TV technology known as “Service Compatible Hybrid Coding Using Real-Time Delivery.”

Dr. Lim explained that TG1/S12 has drafted a detailed specification of the parameters of the Service Compatible Hybrid-Coded 3D (SCHC), which is one particular case of the Service Compatible 3DTV system using Real-time Delivery (SCRT). The specification includes the video encoder input scanning formats and the service multiplex and transport layer characteristics, and normative specifications.

A 3D-TV broadcasting service using the SCHC specification consists of stereoscopic 3D video, audio and ancillary data. The stereoscopic 3D video has left view and right view, where one of the two views can be used as 2D image for the legacy 2D TV. The stereoscopic 3D video is transmitted as two independent video elementary streams, where one of them is compatible with the legacy 2D TV service. Ancillary data includes program/channel signaling data and caption information, signaling data is transmitted via multiplexing while caption information is transmitted along with video signal of bit stream.

“The addition of 3DTV over-the-air TV broadcast transmission is part of our ongoing effort to expand the capabilities of the ATSC suite of digital television standards,” said ATSC President Mark Richer.  “Broadcast 3D-TV capability will foster new broadcast services while preserving the integrity of legacy TV receivers by adopting a system that allows for simultaneous delivery of 2D HDTV, Mobile DTV, and 3D programs within the same channel while insuring backwards compatibility.”

Posted in ATSC News