DVB specification for high definition television

The paper describes the progression towards HDTV agreed by the consortium of over 200 broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators and regulatory bodies in the DVB project. The reasons for selecting the chosen options are discussed in terms of the commercial requirements and the technical considerations. The DVB HDTV specifications are encapsulated in the `Implementation Guidelines for the use of MPEG-2 Systems, Video and Audio in Satellite, Cable and Terrestrial Broadcasting Applications´ which have been submitted to ETSI for publication as revision 2 of ETR 154. Preference is given in these guidelines to the use of the 1080 line by 1920 pixel HDTV common image format endorsed by the ITU and DAVIC