Digital techniques in the future television studio

In the next decade, digital techniques will be applied comprehensively in broadcast television studios. Until recently, digital technology has had its greatest impact in applications involving control and maintenance aspects of studio and network design. The video signal path has not yet been subject to digital operation, although considerable research has been reported and much discussion has taken place. The paper reviews the prospects for digital studio developments in a practical context where costs, equipment complexity and the problems of transition are discussed alongside the hardware techniques required. The paper concentrates on those studioprocesses which are most likely to witness the first applications of digital techniques, e.g. recording and transmission; other aspects of studio developments are discussed in companion papers. It is generally concluded that much work remains to be done before a substantial move towards digital video signal path processing is possible. This move will probably be made when digital VTRs, mixers and sources, together with means of studio and network distribution, become available. This could be feasible by the later part of this decade.