ADVANCED TELEVISION SYSTEMS - THE SITUATION IN GERMANY AND CENTRAL-EUROPE

The future of television in most parts of Europe is to a large extent subject to regulatory decisions by the European Community (EC). For satellite transmission to the home, D2-MAC and HD-MAC are enforced by a directive of the EC, which highly recommends the use of the new 16:9 aspect ratio. Terrestrial broadcasting in both MAC standards does not seem very promising; therefore a simulcast scenario is created with MAC signals distributed via satellite and cable, and the existing PAL via terrestrial transmission, cable, and satellite. The possibilities of broadcasting 16:9 programs in PAL have to be investigated further. The standard being developed to fulfill this requirement is called PALplus. Studios and transmission facilities have to be equipped in such a way that all possible transmission formats can be generated and distributed.