Fundamentals of Multimedia
Chapter 5
Fundamental Concepts in Video
Outline
5.1 Types of Video Signals
5.2 Analog Video
5.3 Digital Video
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5.1 Types of Video Signals
Component video
Composite video
S-Video
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Component Video
Higher-end video systems make use of three
separate
video signals for the red, green, and blue image
planes.
Each color channel is sent as a separate video
signal.
Most computer systems use component video,
with separate signals for R, G, and B signals.
Component video gives the best color reproduction
since there is no crosstalk between the three
channels. 4
Component Video
Component-video cables do not carry audio and
are often paired with audio cables.
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Composite Video
Color (chrominance) and intensity (luminance)
signals
are mixed into a single carrier wave.
Chrominance is a composition of two color
components
(I and Q, or U and V).
In NTSC TV, e.g., I and Q are combined into a
chroma
signal, and a color subcarrier is then employed to
put
the chroma signal at the high-frequency end of the
signal shared with the luminance signal. 6
Composite Video
When connecting to TVs or VCRs, composite video
uses
only one wire and video color signals are mixed,
not sent separately.
Since color and intensity are wrapped into the
same
signal, some interference between the luminance
and
chrominance signals are inevitable.
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S-Video - 2 Signal
As a compromise, (separated video, or Super-
video)
uses two wires, one for luminance and another for
a composite chrominance signal.
As a result, there is less crosstalk between the
color
information and the crucial gray-scale information.
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5.2 Analog Video
An analog signal f(t) samples a time-varying image.
So-called progressive scanning traces through a
complete picture (a frame) row-wise for each time
interval.
In analog TV, interlaced scanning is used.
The odd-numbered lines are traced first, and then
the
even-numbered lines are traced.
This results in odd and even fields
- two fields make up one frame.
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Analog Video
Fig. 5.1: Interlaced raster scan
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Analog Video
The odd lines (starting from 1) end up at the
middle of
a line at the end of the odd field, and the even
scan
starts at a half-way point.
First the solid (odd) lines are traced, P to Q,
then R to S, etc., ending at T; then the even field
starts at U and ends at V.
The jump from Q to R and so on is called the
horizontal retrace, during which the electronic
beam
in the CRT is blanked. 11
Fig. 5.2: Interlaced scan produces two fields for each frame.
(a) The video frame, (b) Field 1, (c) Field 2, (d) Difference of fields
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Analog Video Scanning
Systems
These are two different types of scanning systems.
They differ in the technique used to "paint" the
picture
on the screen.
Television signals and compatible displays are
typically
interlaced, and computer signals and compatible
displays
are progressive (non-interlaced). 13
Analog Video Scanning
Systems
You have probably heard of the resolution
standards 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. The “i”
and “p” after the number stands for “interlaced” and
“progressive”
respectively.
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A. Progressive Scanning
A progressive, or non-interlaced, picture is
painted on the screen by scanning all of the
horizontal lines of
the picture in one pass from the top to the
bottom.
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B. Interlaced Scanning
In TV, and some monitors and multimedia standards
as
well, another system, called “interlaced” scanning
is used.
Interlaced scanning is where each picture,
referred
to as a frame, is divided into two separate sub-
pictures, referred to as fields. Two fields make up a
frame.
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Advantages of Interlaced
Scanning
Popularity
Interlaced scan was the most popular format in
which
broadcasters output their TV signals. This is due to
the
reduced bandwidth that interlaced scanning
requires.
Lower prices
The internal workings of televisions or other display
units using the interlaced scan method of image
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Disadvantages of Interlaced
Scanning
Image artifacts
During high-motion videos, images rendered by interlaced
devices
are prone to distracting image artifacts. This is because each
frame of interlaced video comprises two segments
captured at different moments in time. If the recorded object –
for example, a fast-moving sports sequence, is moving fast
enough to be
in different positions when each segment is captured,
a “motion artifact” will result.
Blurring
To counter the problem of image artifacts, images produced on
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Disadvantages of Interlaced
Scanning
Blurring
Figure 1: Ghosting and Blurring of Figure 2: TECHSPEC® Man’s
TECHSPEC® Man's High-Speed High-Speed Movement Using
Movement Using an Interlaced a Progressive Scanning Sensor
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Disadvantages of Interlaced
Scanning
Flickering
On larger screens particularly, an irritating
flickering
effect can sometimes become apparent. This
flickering is also called “interline twitter” and is
caused by the image
on the screen containing vertical detail that
approaches
the horizontal resolution of the video format.
Whenever you have seen a TV presenter’s striped
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Disadvantages of Interlaced
Scanning
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Advantages of Progressive
Scanning
No image artefacts
None of the image artefacts associated with
interlaced images are apparent in systems using
progressive scan technology, because the lines on
the screen are displayed sequentially, not at two
different times.
No blurring
As a result of the lack of image artefacts, no
intentional blurring is necessary in progressive scan
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Disadvantages of Progressive
Scanning
Higher bandwidth
As an image using a progressive scan requires a higher
bandwidth than an interlaced image of the same size,
broadcasters using analog signals hardly ever use
progressive scan images.
Processing power
Progressive scanning requires stronger technology and
more processing power, especially for videos with high
resolutions or frame rates.
Compatibility
Older devices and some wireless networks may not
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Analog Video TV Standards
Broadcast standards, are ways of encoding video
information for broadcast to television receivers.
These standards are also used to describe the
display capabilities of video monitors and are
thus also called video output formats (VOFs).
They are encoding or formatting standards for
the transmission and reception of television
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signals.
Analog Video TV Standards
There are three main analog television systems
in use around the world:
NTSC: in USA but replaced with ATSC Digital
Television Standard
PAL, and SECAM: In Europe
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A. NTSC
NTSC: National Television Standards
Committee:
United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan
Defined a method for encoding information
into the electronic signal that ultimately created
a television picture.
A single frame of video a 525 horizontal scan
lines
NTSC follows the interlaced scanning
system, and each frame is
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B. PAL
PAL: Phase Alternate Line
United Kingdom, Western Europe, Australia,
South Africa, China, and South America.
Screen resolution: 625 horizontal lines more
picture detail.
Interlaced, each frame is divided into 2 fields,
312.5 lines/field
Scan rate to 25 fps a More Flicker - Due to the
lower frame rate
Field: 1/50 of a second to draw (50 Hz). 27
C. SECAM
SECAM: Sequential Color and Memory
France, Eastern Europe, the former USSR.
Similar to PAL:
SECAM is a 625-line, 50 Hz system.
SECAM shares with PAL/625, the higher number of
scan lines than NTSC/525.
Scan rate to 25 fps a More Flicker - Due to the
lower frame rate
They differ slightly in their color-coding scheme
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Color TV Standards of the world
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Comparison of Analog TV Standards
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5.3 Digital Video
Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works
by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.
There are many advantages of digital representation for
video:
Video can be stored on digital devices or in memory,
ready to
be processed (noise removal, cut and paste, etc.), and
integrated
to various multimedia applications;
Direct random access is possible, which makes nonlinear
video
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Video Resolution Standards
o Standard Definition TV:
Has a resolution of 720 x 576 pixels.
o High-Definition TV:
HDTV comes in three flavors, 720p, 1080i, and
now 1080p; really there are 18 DTV formats, but
most TVs will use one of these three.
Nearly all HD televisions have an aspect ratio of
16:9.
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Video Resolution Standards
The HDTV signal is digital resulting in crystal clear,
noise-free pictures and CD-quality sound.
It has many viewer benefits like choosing between
interlaced or progressive scanning.
o Standard Definition TV (SDTV) ~ the current
NTSC TV or higher
o Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV) – 480 active lines
or higher
o High Definition TV (HDTV) – 720 active lines or
higher.
So far, the popular choices are 720P (720 lines,
progressive, 30 fps) and 1080I (1,080 lines, interlaced,
30 fps or 60 fields per second).
The latter provides slightly better picture quality but 33
Video Resolution Standards
o Full HD: Also known as 1080i or 1080p, Full HD TVs have a
resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, or 2.07 megapixels.
o Ultra HD: Also known as UHD, Ultra HD TVs have a
resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, or 8.3 megapixels.
o 4K TVs: Have a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. However,
most 4K TVs sold today have a resolution of 3840 x 2160
pixels, which is the same as Ultra HD.
o 8K: 8K TVs have a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels, which is
more than 33 million pixels.
o HDTVs can also be categorized by their display technology,
such as plasma, LCD, LED, OLED, or QLED. Most TVs sold
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today are LED-lit LCD TVs, also known as LED TVs.
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