HDS/NA-6: an analog simulcast high definition television system

A high-definition system for North America (HDS/NA) embracing the simulcast mode of transmission for amplitude-modulated terrestrial and cable environments is described. The AM RF packaging techniques and the pertinent concerns for future tailoring of the system format for taboo channel utilization for broadcast-compatible terrestrial HDTV delivery in 6 MHz are highlighted. Without the constraint of direct NTSC compatibility with this system, carriers may be suppressed and standard NTSC sync headroom may be eliminated. Due to time expansion of all video components, there is a built-in advantage in multipath/echo performance, particularly beneficial for the cable short-echo scenario. The system is naturally expandable to permit an increase in resolution in the presence of additional channel bandwidth. This simulcast format is linked to a linear analog subband subsampling scheme used as a cornerstone for all HDS/NA analog transmission systems, including satellite (FSS and DBS) and augmentation terrestrial and cable formats. The generic HDS/NA subsampling scheme and the packaging of the components for a 6-MHz AM environment are described