ATSC and CEMA Reaffirm Support for 8-VSB DTV Standard Against Sinclair's COFDM Challenge

Arlington, VA, October 7, 1999 -- The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA), and other industry leaders today reaffirmed their support for the U.S. digital television standard, which was adopted three years ago by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Digital television (DTV) service using the ATSC Standard was launched in November 1998 with support from scores of manufacturers. Now more than 70 television stations are already on the air, reaching more than half of the U.S. population. Widespread support for the ATSC Digital Television standard - and its 8-VSB transmission system - continues to build, despite the plan expected to be announced by Sinclair Broadcasting calling on the FCC to look at an alternative transmission system called COFDM.

"The ATSC DTV standard was carefully designed to meet the requirements of the American DTV broadcast market, and it does so brilliantly," said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA). "Nearly three years after the 8-VSB system was approved, the DTV transition is well under way."

Just last week, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology reaffirmed that the 8-VSB transmission system should be retained despite Sinclair's suggestions. Broadcasters already have made significant investments in the 8-VSB system and sales of digital television products to consumers are ramping up. By November 1, more than 120 stations will be on the air, giving over 60 percent of the nation access to digital television service using the ATSC Standard.
"The Sinclair demonstrations focused on one aspect of DTV reception - immunity to ghosts - to the exclusion of many other important parameters," said ATSC Chairman Robert Graves. "Moreover, Sinclair's field experience has no bearing on the quality of the ATSC transmission standard itself, and ignores improved receivers on the near horizon designed to address the challenges of indoor reception."

In 1996, the FCC adopted the industry-recommended ATSC DTV Standard following a comprehensive, scientifically thorough and exhaustive process. The 8-VSB transmission system offers broadcasters a greater coverage area, a higher data rate payload, and superior interference protection for existing analog television services. 8-VSB is also far more immune to impulse noise interference, which is caused by home appliances and automobile ignition systems. Finally, 8-VSB allows broadcasters to duplicate their entire NTSC coverage area from a single transmitter site at a power cost that is four to five times less than COFDM would require.
"Introducing a different modulation technique would result in increased broadcaster transmission costs, and more importantly, cause loss of broadcast service to many Americans in suburban and rural areas. Moreover, reopening the debate now on transmission standards would delay the availability of DTV to all Americans, with catastrophic effects on the broadcasters and manufacturers who have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in providing this innovative new technology," said Shapiro.

Building on the successful launch of digital and HDTV receivers in the marketplace, manufacturers are broadening their product lines and accelerating deployment of next-generation 8-VSB receivers.
"With the finish line clearly in sight, it would be foolhardy now to rethink the fundamental decisions surrounding the nation's digital television standard. Instead, we must continue to move forward, making improvements as we go, to bring the benefits of digital television to all Americans as quickly as possible," said Graves.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), established in 1982, is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for the entire spectrum of advanced television systems. Based in Washington, DC, the ATSC has approximately 200 member organizations, including broadcasters, broadcast and cable equipment suppliers, consumer electronics manufacturers, cable TV programmers, motion picture companies, computer hardware and software companies, telecommunications carriers, and other entities interested in advanced television systems.

On December 24, 1996, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the major elements of the ATSC Digital Television (DTV) Standard. The ATSC DTV Standard has since been adopted by the governments of Canada (November 8, 1997), South Korea (November 21, 1997), Taiwan (May 8, 1998), and Argentina (October 22, 1998).