By Brian James, Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.
The Federal Communications Commission appointed an Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service in 1987 to determine if an ATV system should be recommended for adoption as the United States standard. The Committee has developed requirements and laboratory tested the proposed systems to select the best system for the United States. In February 1993, after reviewing the results of the tests and analysis, plus proposals for improvements, the Committee determined that none of the systems could be selected. It further determined that the four proposed digital transmission systems should have their proposed improvements incorporated and then be retested. The results of the lab tests and their impact on the cable industry are outlined in this paper.