SGI Canada

Digital Video Technology and HDTV

This 2-day course introduces studio digital video technology, with a special emphasis on its relationship to film and computer graphics. We will detail image sampling and quantization, nonlinear coding, luminance and luma, component video, NTSC and PAL composite video, and digital videotape recording (D-1, D-5, etc.). We will explain interlace, and detail its treatment in film recording and computer graphics. On the second day, we introduce studio video interfaces such as 4:2:2 and SDI. We introduce Motion-JPEG compression, and explain how it is used in the emerging DVC standard and its derivatives DVCAM, DVCPRO, and Digital-S. We outline MPEG-2 video compression. We introduce ATV, DTV, and High Definition Television (HDTV) technology.

Poynton's book A Technical Introduction to Digital Video will be used as the text for the course. Each attendee will receive a copy of the book, in addition to course notes.

Though the course is quite technical, it is suitable for experienced, technical users of digital video systems. It is also suitable for technical directors, system designers, programmers, and engineers.

Day 1 - Digital video (Intermediate level)

Basic Principles

Raster images. Luminance, CIE Y. Lightness, CIE L*. Filtering, sampling, aliasing, interpolation, decimation. Image digitization and reconstruction. Signal, noise, bandwidth, and data rate. Spatiotemporal domains, spatial frequency. Frequency interleaving principle. Motion portrayal.

Gamma and Color

Gamma in physics. Gamma in film. Surround effect. Gamma in video, computer graphics, SGI, and Macintosh. CIE XYZ, xyY. Video R'G'B'. Color transforms. Rec. 709. Constant luminance principle. Video luma, Y'. Luma and color differences. Color difference coding. B'-Y', R'-Y', Y'P_BP_R, Y'C_BC_R, Y'UV, Y'IQ color difference components.

Analog Video

NTSC and PAL. Interlace. Field, frame, line, subcarrier, and sample rates. Subcarrier regeneration. Quadrature modulation. Decoder and monitor controls. Scanning and sync, genlock, sync distribution. Broadcast standards. Timecode. Analog videotape recording. VHS. Betacam, M-II.

Day 2 - Studio video and High Definition Television (HDTV) (Advanced level)

Studio Video

Studio video interfaces. Rec. 601, 656, SMPTE RP 125, 4:2:2. SMPTE 170M, 4f_SC. Parallel digital, serial digital. Test signals. Digital processing: mixing, matting, effects. Digital videotape recording, D-1, D-2, etc. Editing.

Introduction to MPEG Compression

Transform domain. Coefficient quantization. Huffman coding. JPEG. Motion JPEG; DVC, DVCPRO, DVcam. Motion estimation, motion interpolation. Preprocessing. MPEG1, MPEG2. Profiles and levels.

Introduction to HDTV

Viewing considerations. Studio standards. Advanced television (ATV). Transmission standards. Standards converters. Relation to cinema. Relation to computer industry.

Fee: CAD 1000 for both days, CAD 600 for either day.

Charles Poynton - Courses & seminars
1998-11-23