Vision - November/December 2007 - (Page 47)

teChnology & standards Reviewing this Year’s Standards Wrapping up a busy standardsmaking year, CEA’s Technology & Standards Department and committees have completed more than a dozen projects this year to make consumer electronics easier to use. A host of standards work centered on new digital video equipment. The updated CEA770.2-D, Standard Definition TV Analog Component Video Interface, published in April, defined how to send standard definition component analog video signals between products in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. In May CEA-761-B, DTV Remodulator Specification with Enhanced OSD Capability, and its companion CEA-CEB5-B, Recommended Practice for DTV Receiver “Monitor” Mode Capability were published. CEA-761-B defines a way for devices, like set-top boxes, DVRs, etc., to feed their output signals into the over-the-air antenna input jack of any ATSC-compliant DTV receiver that supports “monitor mode.” Monitor mode is a DTV receiver mode in which the consumer can tune directly to a specific RF channel, such as the one that a set-top box is feeding to the TV (typically channel 3 or 4 for similar analog devices). It is necessary to have this special mode in the digital world because over-theair DTV signals are broadcast on different RF channels than their analog counterparts (e.g., the DTV RF signal for NBC4 in Washington is on channel 48), so DTV sets are designed to display the appropriate DTV signal automatically when the consumer selects the analog channel number that the broadcaster has associated with the DTV signal. That is, NBC4 in D.C. sends a code along with its DTV signal on channel 48 to tell DTV receivers that they should automatically tune to the DTV signal on channel 48 when the consumer directs the DTV to tune to channel 4. This automatic tuning feature becomes a problem in cases where the consumer needs to tune directly to a specific RF channel. For example, if an HD DVR is connected to the TV set and sending its signal to the set on channel 4. To enable consumers to get their sets to look for a DTV signal on channel 4, a special receiver mode is needed. Otherwise, when the consumer tunes the set to channel 4 (in the DC case) the set will look for a DTV signal on RF channel 48. This special mode is called “monitor mode,” and recommendations for how DTV sets should behave in this mode are spelled out in CEA-CEB5-B. In July CEA-2013-A, Digital STB Background Power Consumption, completed the approval process to become an American National Standard. It defines how to measure set-top box energy consumption and sets maximum “sleep” mode energy consumption at 15 watts for cable and satellite set-top boxes and 2 watts for set-top INTRODUCING THE SOLO. THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE SLINGBOX FAMILY. THE ONE FAMILY THAT DOESN’T CARE IF YOU ALWAYS WATCH TV. The Slingbox lets you watch and control your living room TV, live through the Internet, on your laptop or cell phone. Experience incredible video quality with NO MONTHLY FEES. Visit slingbox.com to learn more. http://slingbox.com http://slingbox.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vision - November/December 2007

Vision - November/December 2007 Contents Shapiro's Spectrum In This Issue The Economist C4 Visionary Tech Speak Going Global Eye on Business Tech Policy Special Supplement: CES Unveiled 2008 CES Technologies to Watch Eastern Europe Embraces CE M&A Fest Displaying the Future CEA Newsline Market Insider Just the Stats

Vision - November/December 2007

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