Michael Francis and Robert Green
Xilinx

Digital television (DTV) broadcasting is in the process of migrating from analog to digital systems, and there is growing demand for flexible technologies to enable a smooth transition. Various delivery systems are available for digital TV, the main ones being satellite, cable, terrestrial, and mobile. Individual regions each have their own requirements for a DTV delivery system, meaning that one size does not fit all. However, there remain similarities in the methods used to prepare video, audio, and data for wired or wireless communication, with all of these systems relying on Forward Error Correction (FEC) techniques to ensure that any data lost during transmission can be reconstructed at the receiver.

This white paper gives an overall view of the various mainstream digital television standards and outlines related Forward Error Correction solutions available from Xilinx for cable, satellite, terrestrial, and mobile systems.