C-MAC

From HandWiki

C-MAC/packet is a variant of the family of MAC (Multiplexed Analogue Components) systems for television broadcasting, developed by IBA and approved by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for satellite TV transmissions.[1][2]

It was an analog television standard where luminance and chrominance components are transmitted separately in time rather than separately in frequency.[3][4] This was an evolution from older color TV systems (such as PAL or SECAM) where there was interference between chrominance and luminance.

Technical details

C-MAC required a bandwidth of about 22 MHz, making it unsuitable for direct-to-home or cable broadcast.[5]

The transmitter switches between FM (vision) and PSK (sound/data) modulation during each television line period. The digital information is modulated using 2-4PSK (phase-shift keying), a variation of quadrature PSK where only two of the phaser angles (±90°) are used, with a data rate of 20.25 Mbit/s.[6][7] This allows for the transmission of up to eight high quality (15 kHz bandwidth) sound channels.[6]

C-MAC data was sent to the transmitter separately from the vision. The C-MAC standard included a standard scrambling system, EuroCrypt, a precursor to the standard DVB-CSA encryption system.

E-MAC

E-MAC (Extended MAC) is 16:9 version of C-MAC.[8] Originally E-MAC was designed for 15:9 pictures, it later adopted the 16:9 aspect ratio.

  • In E-MAC all the 4:3 information is transmitted exactly as in C-MAC so that C-MAC receivers are still compatible.
  • E-MAC hides extra luminance and chrominance information in the field blanking interval and parts of the line blanking interval.
  • E-MAC has a lower data capacity because luminance is hidden where data would usually be located.
  • A 'steering' signal is transmitted to indicate to the 16:9 receiver whereabouts the 4:3 picture information.
  • E-MAC receivers stitch the 4:3 and helper widescreen data into a seamless 16:9 picture.

See also

TV transmission systems

References

  1. RECOMMENDATION ITU-R BO.650-2 - Standards for conventional television systems for satellite broadcasting in the channels defined by Appendix 30 of the Radio Regulations. ITU. 1992. pp. 5. https://extranet.itu.int/brdocsearch/R-REC/R-REC-BO/R-REC-BO.650/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I!!PDF-E.pdf#page=5. 
  2. Buiting, J. (1990). "Introduction to Duobinary Encoding and Decoding". Elektor Electronics January 1990: 50–52. http://techdoc.kvindesland.no/radio/b2/20051213183809532.pdf. 
  3. ITU Radiocommunication Assembly (1992). RECOMMENDATION ITU-R BO.650-2 - Standards for conventional television systems for satellite broadcasting in the channels defined by Appendix 30 of the Radio Regulations. pp. 18. https://extranet.itu.int/brdocsearch/R-REC/R-REC-BO/R-REC-BO.650/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I!!PDF-E.pdf#page=18. 
  4. Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (8 October 2009). "D2-MAC [1 record - TERMIUM Plus® — Search - TERMIUM Plus®"]. https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&index=ent&codom2nd_wet=1&srchtxt=D2-MAC. 
  5. Buiting, J. (1990). "Introduction to Duobinary Encoding and Decoding". Elektor Electronics January 1990: 50–52. http://techdoc.kvindesland.no/radio/b2/20051213183809532.pdf. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 RECOMMENDATION ITU-R BO.650-2 - Standards for conventional television systems for satellite broadcasting in the channels defined by Appendix 30 of the Radio Regulations. ITU. 1992. pp. 5. https://extranet.itu.int/brdocsearch/R-REC/R-REC-BO/R-REC-BO.650/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I/R-REC-BO.650-2-199203-I!!PDF-E.pdf#page=5. 
  7. Schlyter, Paul. "MAC (Multiplexed analogue components) in "Analog TV Broadcast Systems"". http://www.stjarnhimlen.se/tv/tv.html#MAC. 
  8. Pemberton, Alan (2024). "World Analogue Television Standards and Waveforms". https://www.bbceng.info/Technical%20Reviews/World-tv-standards/World%20Analogue%20Television%20Standards%20and%20Waveforms.html#MAC.