Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

FCC REPORT AND ORDER economical mass production, and hence color receivers that will be within the price range of the great mass of the American people. CBS maintains that the new signal specifications do not meet criteria (4) and (5), but that basic changes in circumstances warrant less rigid application" of the criteria now than in 1950 and 1951, and that adoption of the new specifications will provide a tremendous challenge to the industry to meet the criteria sometime in the future. The views advanced by General Electric were generally similar to those of CBS. 12 Oppositions to the new color specifications have been advanced by Paramount Television Productions, Inc.; Chromatic Television Laboratories Inc.; American Television Inc., and Marshall Soghoian and S. L. Cooke, Jr. These oppositions, in common, contend that little basis now exists for a reasonable assurance that receivers under the proposed color specifications will be "cheap enough m price to be available to the great mass of the American purchasing public" and that the Commission should not adopt the proposed color specifications until such assurance is possible. II EVALUATION OF PROPOSED SIGNAL SPECIFICATIONS 13 The Commission has before it for consideration proposed new signal specifications for color television to replace its present rules and standards governing color television. The standardization of signal specifications for the utilization of radio frequencies is always a grave undertaking with important consequences to the public and the electronics industry. Such standardization for color television is particularly important in view of the emergence of the television service as a powerful medium of mass communications. The ultimate question presented is whether the proposed signal specifications provide a reasonable basis for the development of a color television system in the public interest. In order to aid in the resolution of that question we have in our earlier considerations of the problem formulated certain criteria to serve as guide lines in the evaluation of proposed signal specifications.0 In the discussion that follows the proposed signal specifications are evaluated in the light of the Commission's criteria based upon the evidence in the record and the observations of the Commission at the demonstrations and at the Commission's laboratory.7 14. Operation Within a 6-Megacycle Channel Structure. The Commission's first criterion for evaluating signal specifications for the transmission of color television is that it must be capable of operating within a 6 megacycle channel allocation structure.8 The signal specifications now under consideration meet this objective. Within the same bandwidth that had been allocated to monochrome alone, the proposed system has succeeded in adding color information, while maintaining compatibility with present monochrome standards. This has been achieved by "interlacing" the color information with the luminance signal when portrayed on a picture tube in either color or monochrome 9; and by taking advantage of the relative insensitivity of the eye to changes in hue and saturation in small areas. 15. To "interlace" the color information, a color subcarrier within the 6 megacycle channel is used. The location of this subcarrier is critical in that it must be selected so as to minimize color information visible on monochrome receivers in order to maintain to the greatest extent possible the quality of the monochrome picture. In addition, the location of the subcarrier must be well removed from the picture carrier and sufficiently removed from the sound carrier to avoid interference. The objectives with respect to the location of the subcarrier, although not fully attained, have been met to a satisfactory degree. 8 Criteria are set forth above, paragraph 8. 1 A description of color television transmissions in accordance with the proposed signal specifications is attached hereto in Appendix A. 8 The amount of picture detail which can be conveyed and the resulting quality of the television picture, is delimited by the bandwidth allocated for the transmission of the video signal. Each time the scanning beam traverses from a light element of the picture to a dark element and returns, a complete cycle of video electrical energy is generated. For technical reasons the 6 mc channel assigned to a television station can only accommodate approximately a 4 mc video bandwidth. If the sole objective to be served were a high quality picture, it would certainly be desirable to increase the video bandwidth to permit transmission of greater picture detail. However, spectrum space is severely limited and the bandwidth of television stations must be determined with a view to the desired number of television stations and the needs of other services. 16. The second technique relied upon in the NTSC system relates to the demonstrated fact that the eye is much less sensitive to changes in hue and saturation in small areas than it is to changes in brightness. The corrolary is that as the size of the viewed object is reduced, the eye becomes progressively color blind so that ability to distinguish hue deteriorates. It follows that the color components of a picture can be transmitted over a narrow band of frequencies since resolution of fine detail is a function of bandwidth. In the NTSC system faithful colors are transmitted over a 0.6 Mc bandwidth while the monochrome or luminance signal is transmitted over a 4.2 Mc bandwidth. In between is a twilight zone where adulterated colors are transmitted. Thus, faithful colors appear in the coarse areas of the picture, adulterated colors in the medium fine detail and only monochrome in the finest detail of the picture. The saving of frequencies resulting from the use of this technique is obtained at a cost in terms of the adverse impact on picture quality, but as indicated below, the overall result meets minimum standards of acceptability. 17. Quality of the Color Television Picture. The Commission's second and third criteria relate to the quality of the color television picture in terms of specific characteristics. In the light of the data of record concerning the tests and demonstrations conducted by proponents, and the observations of the Commission at the demonstration in these proceedings and at the Commission's laboratory we are of the view that the color television pictures transmitted are satisfactory and that the signal specifications merit standardization on this score. We have reached this conclusion despite some apparent deficiencies of the color pictures as viewed on presently available receivers. None of the deficiencies present is sufficiently grave, however, to interfere seriously with the overall enjoyment which may be derived from viewing the color pictures. Although the color reproduction is not completely faithful, it is sufficiently accurate to be a pleasing reproduction. The loss in resolution, as compared to monochrome, is offset by the greater realism resulting from the addition of color information. The brightness level on present color equipment, while lower than on monochrome receivers, is nevertheless within the range of acceptability for home viewing. 18. Receiver Apparatus. The Commission's fourth criterion relates to receiver apparatus and is a twofold objective. First, the receiver apparatus must be simple to operate in the home and must not have critical registration or color controls, and second, it must be cheap enough in price to be available to the great mass of the American purchasing public. 19. Our evaluation of the receiver apparatus with relation to the first of the foregoing objectives is based on our examination of the receivers furnished by 13 manufacturers for use in the demonstration held in these proceedings and the receivers offered by three manufacturers to the Commission's laboratory and on our consideration of the data submitted in the proceedings. The inherent complexity of the proposed signal specifications is, in large part, reflected in the receiver. The color tube, and the attendant circuitry, is of complicated and intricate design and will impose a substantially greater burden in the servicing and maintenance of the color receiver as compared with monochrome receivers. The viewer controls, on the front panel of the receiver apparatus are relatively simple to operate in the light of the complexity of the equipment and color controls do not appear to be critical. The recep 0 Color is perceived as a conscious sensation in terms of three major attributes: brightness, hue and saturation. Brightness is a measure of the light intensity radiated or reflected from objects, i.e., their physical "luminance", and is the only attribute exhibited by both colored and non-colored objects. Hue is the most characteristic attribute of color and determines whether the color is red or green or yellow, etc. Finally, saturation distinguishes strong colors from pale colors of the same hue, as red and pink. Saturation may be considered as related to physical "purity" or freedom from dilution with white. It is common knowledge that sunlight is a mixture composed of all the various colors of the rainbow such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. It has been found that it is not necessary to mix all the colors of the spectrum to form white light. Three colors properly selected and mixed in proper proportions will form white and most other colors. However, it is not possible to produce colors which are outside the spectrum area included by the primaries. For example, if the three primaries are red, green and blue, it is not possible to produce saturated violet since it is outside the spectrum area included between red and blue. Likewise, if a diluted red or orange were selected as one of the primaries, it would not be possible to obtain a saturated red. tion of color television transmissions on color receivers demonstrated and examined does require a finer adjustment of the tuner control than is necessary on a monochrome receiver, for by moving this control too far in either direction, a considerable change can be effected in the color balance of the picture. This necessity for finer tuning, however, does not add significantly to the complexity of operation; and such adjustment would appear to be well within the competence of the normal home viewer. In addition to the controls required for monochrome reception, all of the receivers have an additional "chroma" control which requires adjustment by the viewer. The chroma control, which is not critical and is simple to operate, determines the saturation of the colors. At one extrems position, the colors are fully saturated, while at the other extreme position, the colors are washed out. Some of the receivers also have a hue control installed on the front panel of the receiver for adjustment by the viewer. The hue control permits the hue of the picture to be adjusted to the personal taste of the viewer. 20. The data in the record with respect to the estimated price of the receiver is meager. The cost of the tri-color kinescope and the complexity of the attendant convergence circuitry, deflection yoke, and high voltage supply in the receiver, comprise major elements in the price of the color television receiver. RCA-NBC has furnished estimates of receivers based on the use of a 16-inch envelope tri-color tube which has a measured viewing surface of 8V2 inches by 11 inches, the equivalent of a I2V2 inch monochrome tube.1" The estimated cost of the 16-inch envelope tube to receiver manufacturers is between $175 and $200. The estimated introductory price of the first color receiver will be between $800 and $1000. We do not believe that the data in the record are sufficient to support the conclusion that the presently available receiver apparatus is "cheap enough in price to be available to the great mass of the American people," as contemplated in our criteria. However, several manufacturers have expressed their convictjon that when color television reaches the mass production stage, substantial reduction in the price of color receivers will follow, as was the case of the monochrome receiver. 21. Broadcast Station Apparatus. The Commission's fifth criterion pertains to apparatus at the broadcast station and, like the criterion relating to receiver apparatus, also is expressed as a twofold objective. First, the station apparatus must be technically within the competence of the type of trained personnel hired by a station owner who does not have an extensive research or engineering staff at his disposal, and, second, the costs of purchase, operation, and maintenance of such equipment must not be so high as unduly to restrict the class of persons who can afford to operate a television station. 22. Upon the basis of our examination of the data in the record and of our observations, we are of the view that the color signal specifications proposed by petitioners are capable of operating through station apparatus technically within the competence of the type of trained personnel hired by a station owner lacking an extensive research or engineering staff. Clearly, the operation and maintenance of color equipment at the station is more complicated than that employed with monochrome; and in the initial stages, additional training of technical personnel will be required. Nevertheless, it appears that extensive testing of the proposed signal specifications has been satisfactorily carried on by personnel recruited from monochrome operations, and that training of personnel for color operation can be accomplished without undue difficulty. At a demonstration held in this proceeding, color programs were originated by NBC, DuMont, and CBS. These organizations do, of course, have available to them research and engineering staffs that would not be available to the great majority of other broadcasters. And, for that reason, these organizations may not be considered typical or representative of broadcasters generally for this purpose. At the same time, however, the successful participation of NBC, DuMont, and CBS in the demonstration is somewhat persuasive that color transmissions in accordance with the proposed signal specifications can be accomplished by other broadcasters after adequate training of their technical staffs. 23. With respect to the cost of purchase of color broadcasting equipment, approximate estimated cost figures and production plans have been submitted by RCA-NBC. Such data has been furnished for the following types of television broadcast transmissions: (1) network color programs; (2) color slide programs; (3) color film programs, and (4) local live programs in color. The estimated total price for the required equipment for these transmissions is $187,850. The contemplated equipment for the various types of transmissions, which it is ex 13 No estimates have been furnished on the price of receivers with larger tubes. Page 58-B • December 21, 1953 Broadcasting • Telecasting