Chapter 3 - Video Signals

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the common video signal formats and their timing. It gives definitions of several terms related to video signals including SDTV (Standard Definition Television), NTSC (National Television System Committee), HDTV (High-Definition Television), active video, aspect ratio, and color bars. Digital component video is digital video that uses three separate color components, such as R'G'B' or YCbCr. In digital component video, the video signals are in digital form (YCbCr or R'G'B'), being encoded to composite NTSC, PAL, or SECAM only when it is necessary for broadcasting or recording purposes. 480i and 480p systems include interlaced analog composite video, progressive analog component video, interlaced digital component video, and progressive digital component video at 480 active scan lines per frame. 576i and 576p systems include analog composite video, interlaced analog component video, progressive analog component video, interlaced digital component video, and progressive digital component video at 576 active scan lines per frame. 720p systems include progressive analog component video and progressive digital component video at 720 active scan lines per frame. 1080i and 1080p systems include interlaced analog component video, progressive analog component video, interlaced digital component video, and progressive digital component video at 1080 active scan lines per frame.