HDMI

HDMI is generally considered as the successor to the SCART interface. It is an emerging fully digital connection that is based on the same fundamental technology as DVI and enjoys extremely broad industry support.

The advantages of HDMI are:

  • HDMI has an extremely high bandwidth making it future-proof and suited for applications beyond HDTV.
  • A single cable is used for transferring all uncompressed Video and Audio Information from a STB (Set-Top-Box) to a display.
  • The fact that HDMI carries uncompressed video guarantees the highest possible picture quality.
  • HDMI gets rid of unnecessary Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog Conversions.
  • HDMI replaces all current audio / video cables between different A/V components by a single cable: this simplifies connections and clears up the cable mess generally associated with A/V setups.
  • HDMI provides a content protection technology called HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) securing the link between different HDMI components.
  • HDMI supports an integrated consumer electronics control protocol (CEC), which allows controlling all A/V components through a single remote control.
  • HDMI is fully compatible with DVI-HDCP and allows DVI components to be connected to HDMI displays through a simple passive cable adapter. HDMI components can also be connected to DVI-HDCP displays.
  • HDMI has a small connector, which is pin compatible to DVI but in addition to DVI carries digital multi-channel audio.

SES ASTRA and its industry partners recommend a High Definition Digital Interface to be provided on both DVB High Definition IRDs and High Definition Displays. This interface needs to be HDCP compliant.

For more information please consult:
www.hdmi.org
www.digital-cp.com

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A

Advanced modulation

DVB-S2 is the successor to the very successful DVB-S standard. When combined with Advanced Audio and Video Coding it provides the optimal solution for HDTV broadcasting in the coming years.

DVB-S2 provides a capacity increase of +/- 30 % under the same transmission conditions.

Conversely it can provide a ruggedness increase for the same spectrum efficiency.

The new Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM) scheme can provide different levels of error protection to different service components.

Due to the increased number of HD services that DVB-S2 can convey it increases the gains possible in statistical multiplex environments.

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Audio coding

HDTV doesn’t just mean great picture, it also means great sound. Dolby Digital can deliver immersive 5.1 channel surround sound to perfectly complement the improved visual experience offered by HDTV.  A Dolby Digital 5.1 broadcast can captivate you in a way which stereo cannot, for films delivering a true cinematic experience, for sport placing you with your team right ensuring you don’t miss the action.  In fact for any content Dolby Digital delivers the experience the audience demand.

Dolby Digital is the format of choice for film with over 40,000 cinema screens equipped and standard for DVD worldwide entertaining millions of people every year.

Dolby Digital is the format to deliver surround sound for films, sport and drama but its flexibility also allows for mono and stereo broadcasts with seamless switching between mono, stereo and surround its ideal for all direct to home broadcasting.  Increasing the flexibility yet further is the ability of Dolby Digital Decoders to take 5.1 sound tracks and create stereo, a process called downmixing, for situations where a 5.1 system is not available.  It’s even possible to downmix right down to mono for a portable TV.

Dolby Digital is also easy to use both for the broadcaster and for the end user in the home.  In the home it’s as simple as making one digital connection from the set top box to a surround system.  Even surround systems available now are easy to set up usually having intuitive colour coding for connections and simple on screen menus to guide you.  Speaker positioning is quite straightforward and usually takes only a few minutes, often smaller satellite speakers are used which are even easier to place.

Set top boxes often also feature a stereo analogue output feature for cases when a surround system is not in use.  These outputs can deliver a downmix of the Dolby Digital stream avoiding the need for the broadcaster to transmit an addition stereo track using valuable bandwidth.

Discrete means that the sound information contained in each of the six available channels is distinct and independent from the others. These six channels are described as a "5.1-channel" system, because there are five full-bandwidth channels (left, centre and right at the front together with left and right at the Back) with 3 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range plus one "low frequency effects" (LFE) subwoofer channel devoted to frequencies from 3 to 120 Hz.

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