An error-correcting coding scheme for teletext and other transparent data broadcasting

Nonprimitive and primitive Reed-Solomon (RS) codes (and product codes based on them) that can provide a very low bit error rate (BER) for the transparent data broadcasting feature of North American broadcast Teletext Specification (NABTS) are described. Transparent data consist of 8-b bytes, each without a parity-check bit, as contrasted with nontransparent data, which consist of 8 bit bytes, each of which has a parity-check bit in every byte. Specific applications for transparent error-coding codes constructed from RS codes in broadcast teletext broadcasting are discussed. Nonprimitive RS codes designed for nontransparent data broadcasting by NABTS teletext are derived, and powerful product forms of shortened nonprimitive Reed-Solomon codes are described