HDTV 998C ATSC/NTSC PCI RF Output Card
Simultaneous Digital and Analog Signal Output
- ATSC / 8VSB modulated RF signal on channels 14-21
- Simultaneous NTSC modulated RF signal on VHF 3-13
- Both tuned through software API
Overview
Sencore's HDTV 998C is an ATSC/NTSC television signal output card. It is a single card solution for delivering ATSC/MPEG source material in both Digital and Analog formats. The card provides dual modulated television outputs based on the NTSC and ATSC standards. The input to the card is an ATSC MPEG-2 transport stream delivered via the PCI interface.
A simple program interface (API), robust low-level software drivers, and sample code in the Software Developer's Kit (SDK) are provided to simplify integration and minimize start-up time.
Features
Simultaneous Digital and Analog Signal Output
- ATSC/8VSB modulated RF signal on channels 14-21
- Simultaneous NTSC modulated RF signal on VHF 3-13
- Both tuned through software API
Robust Software Drivers and API
A simple program interface (API), robust low-level software drivers, and sample code in the Software Developer's Kit (SDK) are provided to simplify integration and minimize start-up time.
Specifications
ATSC RF Output: | |
Channel Range: | UHF 14-21 (User Selectable) |
| Connector: | "F" Type RF Connector |
| Output Impedance: | 75 ohm |
| Output Level: | +23 dBmV (nominal) |
| MER (SNR): | 27 db |
| Modulation Type: | 8 Level VSB for ATSC Broadcast |
| A/V Formats: | All formats modulated as encoded in MPEG transport stream file. |
| NTSC RF Output: | |
| Channel Range | VHF channel 3 through 13 (User Selectable) |
| Output Connector: | "F" connector |
| Output Impedance: | 75 ohm |
| Output Power Level: | +19 dBmV +/- 2db |
| Display Modes: | Letterbox, cropped or full screen (user selectable) |
| Audio Mode: | Mono |
| File Encoding Requirements | |
| File Type: | MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) file. |
| TS Multiplex Rate: | 19.392658 Mbps +/- 54 bps (ATSC) |
| TS Packet Size: | 188 bytes |
| Other File Specs: | The TS file begin and end on whole TS packet boundaries. and contain an integer number of TS packets. |
| Minimum File Size: | 16 MB (6.6 secs @ 19.392658 Mbps) |
| Video Format: | Any of 18 ATSC Formats (per ATSC A/53b) |
| Audio Encoding: | AC-3 (per ATSC A52) |
| Data Tables : | MPEG-2 compliant Program Specific Information (PSI) tables (PAT and PMT) must be present. |
| File Play-lists: | For best results when concatenating multiple files in a play-list, the following guidelines should be followed: |
| • Use the same video, audio , and PCR PID assignments for all files. | |
| • Encode video and audio using the same format for all files. | |
| • Begin and end each file with 10 frames of black video. | |
| ATSC PSIP Table Requirements: | |
| Placeholders for a minimal set of ATSC PSIP/PSI tables must be present in order to provide channel information required by consumer receiving devices. (Refer to ATSC docs A65 and A69). PSIP/PSI should be multiplexed into the TS file with the PIDs and repetition intervals shown: | |
| |
| Note: In seamless play mode, the PSIP and PSI sections will be overwritten to ensure a consistent broadcast stream from file to file. | |
| Visually-Seamless Splicing: | |
| PCR accuracy: | < 500ns |
| PTS/DTS accuracy: | < 1/90khz |
| TS Packet continuity Per ISO/IEC: | 13818-1 2.4.3.3 |
| Table Versions continuity Per ISO/IEC | 13818-1 2.4.4 |
| Seamless Mode Requirements (in addition to above): | |
| Seamless play mode requires each file to begin and end with a “seamless splice point” (per SMPTE-312M) along with the following restrictions: | |
| Lead in/out frames: | No restriction |
| Fade-in/out: | No restriction |
| Video Format: | ATSC “1080i”. The encoded video format must be consistent for all files to be spliced in a play-list. |
| Programs: | Single program with one video and one audio service. Packet ID’s: |
| PMT PID: 16 (0x010) PCR PID: 17 (0x011) Video PID: 17 (0x011) Audio PID: 20 (0x014) | |
| TS File Start: | The first GOP in the file MUST be CLOSED |
| TS File End: | The file should NOT be padded with additional null packets. |
| VBV Method: | The VBV_delay at the beginning and end of every file must be the same to ensure that the video buffer does not underflow or overflow at the splice point. This concept is identical to the SPMTE-312M restrictions on “splice_delay”. This requirement can be achieved by using a constant VBV_delay throughout all files, or by using an encoding algorithm that forces VBV_Delay to a consistent value at the beginning and end of all files. VBV_delay can be examined as the delay between the access unit arrival (in PCR time) and the actual stamped decoding time per DTS/PTS. |
| Software: | |
| A software developer’s kit (SDK) is available with drivers, libraries and sample applications for Windows based operating systems. A basic file player utility is also available for simple applications. | |
| General Card Specifications: | |
| RF output synchronization: | < 20 mSec. |
| O/S Compatibility: | Win 2000/2003/XP |
| Product form factor: | Single-slot, Universal PCI bus card |
| PCI Compliance: | PCI 2.2, PCI-X 2.0 |
| Size: | Approx. 6” x 4” x ¾” (Length x height x clearance) |
| Weight: | ~6 ounces |
| Power consumption: | Less than 10W |
| Operating Temperature: | 10 to 40 degrees C (50 to 104 degrees F) |
| Humidity: | Less 95% (non-condensing) |
| Typical PC Requirements: | |
| Controller: | 2.0 GHz Celeron (or better) |
| Memory: | 256 MB or more |
| Drive type: | Any (for single card systems) |
| Serial ATA (for multi-card systems) | |
