Decoding the Inner Workings of Television Encoding Schemes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the encoding schemes used in television broadcasting, particularly the transition from NTSC to digital standards like ATSC. Participants explore the technical aspects of how television signals are created and transmitted, as well as the implications for commercial content and viewer interaction.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the specifics of how TV encoding is performed, noting a lack of clarity in existing resources.
  • Another participant suggests looking into ATSC standards, indicating significant changes in television technology since the shift to digital broadcasting.
  • There is a humorous proposal about creating a device to automatically adjust volume and brightness during specific commercials, highlighting the complexity of decoding frame information.
  • One participant mentions the CALM Act, which regulates commercial loudness, suggesting it may relate to the digital transition.
  • Questions are raised about how commercials can be detected within the broadcast stream, with speculation on the framing of content and metadata transmission.
  • A participant notes that modern TV signals contain a rich bitstream of information, contrasting it with older NTSC methods, and expresses a desire to understand and manipulate this technology.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of knowledge and interest in the technical details of television encoding. There is no consensus on the specifics of how commercials can be detected or the feasibility of creating a device for that purpose. The discussion remains exploratory with multiple viewpoints presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various standards and regulations, but there are limitations in their understanding of the current digital encoding processes and how they differ from previous analog methods. Some assumptions about the capabilities of modern TVs and the nature of the broadcast signal remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in television technology, digital broadcasting standards, and the implications of these technologies on viewer experience may find this discussion relevant.

mearvk
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Hi guys/gals.

Enjoying the Superbowl here on the east coast. Hope you guys are having a good evening too.

My question is how is the encoding for TVs done? I've read the NTSC link below. I didn't see how exactly the signal is created but rather more about where the different data are stored in the encoding. Does anyone on this forum have this knowledge?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC

Thanks.
 
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i don't have the knowledge. But i once looked for it.

Since TV went digital it changed a LOT from NTSC.

I think you want to look into ATSC standards
http://www.atsc.org/cms/index.php/standards/standards/50-atsc-a53-standard

google on "digital tv standards"
you will be amazed at what is possible. Your TV can be controlled from the broadcast station; commands exist to change channel..
I'm surprised there's not hackers yet.

my intent when looking was to decode the frame information and make a gizmo to turn way down both the volume and brightness during viagra commercials.
There are law aginst blocking them, but knocking them both down about 20db might be legal.
If so, can you imagine how that device would sell?

But it's too complex for this old analog guy.

Good luck !
 
jim hardy said:
...my intent when looking was to decode the frame information and make a gizmo to turn way down both the volume and brightness during viagra commercials.
:smile:

BTW IIRC there was a FCC law to keep the dB level within some range years ago. This one, ‘‘Commercial Advertisement Loudness
Mitigation Act’’ or the ‘‘CALM Act’’
, is probably new due to the change to digital.

And from their Guid "Loud Commercials and the CALM Act"...

Effective December 13, 2012, the FCC's rules require television commercial advertisements to have the same average volume as the programs that they accompany.
 
Interesting notion. Are commercials framed in somehow so they can be detected? In other words how would your device know when to start working and when to stop?
 
mearvk said:
Interesting notion. Are commercials framed in somehow so they can be detected? In other words how would your device know when to start working and when to stop?

The standards are absolutely amazing to read.
Everything is preceded by a frame saying what is its content. I think once every seven seconds the program's name, episode number, etc is sent, and immediately prior to a change eg from program to commercial A to commercial B...

Your TV is now a computer. It could easily be made to do anything by somebody with intimate knowledge of how today's TV's work.

I too thought they still used the old NTSC intervals of flyback and vertical blanking for such information. But your TV signal is a cacophonous bitstream now.
This new digital world has left me in the dust. I had to get one of these handsets in order to use the wife's cellphone.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/assets/product_images/230/21442140088358p.jpg


I would love to crack the TV computers, and am still competent with logic analyser and oscilloscope. But i just didnt keep up with the software world. All i can fix in today's TV's is power supply problems.

old jim
 
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