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FUNDAMENTALS OF
MONOCHROME AND COLOUR
TV SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION

A picture can be considered to be made of several numbers of dots. Each dot can be a small
elementary area with a variable intensity light or shade, which can be called as PICTURE
ELEMENT. One may notice that these elements contain the visual image of the scene
brightness. In the case of a TV camera the scene is focused on the photosensitive surface of
pick up device and an optical image is formed. The photoelectric properties of the pick-up
device, convert the optical image to an electric charge image depending on the light and shade
of the scene (picture elements). Now it is necessary to pick up this information and transmit it.
For this purpose scanning is employed The electron beam scans the image, element by
element, line by line and then field by field in time domain to provide signal variations in a
successive order, called Colour Composite Video Signal (CCVS).

OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, you will be able to:

 Understand the basic picture formation and scanning system

 Know the important characteristics of a TV Picture
 Have knowledge about Composite Video Signal, its composition
 Have an idea of Initial TV Standards

PICTURE FORMATION

In the case of a TV camera, the scene is focused on a photosensitive surface of pickup device
and an optical image is formed. The photoelectric properties of the pickup device convert the
optical image into an electric charge image depending on the light and shade of the scene
(picture elements). This electrical charge image is then scanned by an electron beam, from left
to right, line by line and from top to bottom, field by field, in successive order to provide the
signal variations contained in the original scene. The scanning is done both in horizontal and
vertical direction simultaneously. This scanned image is then transmitted in electrical form for

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Induction Course (Television)

reproduction at the receiving end where the electrical image is converted back to the original
optical image. The frame is divided in two fields. Odd lines are scanned first and then the even
lines. The odd and even lines are interlaced. .

SCANNING SYSTEM

There are various standards for scanning pictures for generating video signals in electrical form.
The scanning of any picture for converting it to a video signal has to take place in horizontal and
vertical direction simultaneously. These scanning parameters may vary from a system to
system. India has adopted a system called PAL B of CCIR international standard, with the
horizontal and vertical scanning frequency of 15,625 Hertz and 50 Hz respectively. The frame is
divided into two fields. Odd lines are scanned first and then the even lines. The odd and even
lines are interlaced. Thus the frame is divided into 2 fields to reduce the flicker. The field rate is
50 Hertz. The frame rate is 25 Hertz (Field rate is the same as power supply frequency). In
progressive scanning there is no interlacing and each line is scanned in a sequence. This result
in 50 frames instead of 25 frames per second as compared to interlaced system. The bandwidth
(BW) requirement for transmission will also get doubled. Progressive scanning is very common
in computer monitor.

NUMBER OF TV LINES PER FRAME

Higher number of TV lines means larger bandwidth for video and hence requires a larger RF
channel width. If we go for larger RF channel width the number of channels in the RF spectrum
will be reduced. However, with more no. of TV lines on the screen the clarity of the picture i.e.
resolution improves. A compromise between quality and conservation of RF spectrum led to the
selection of 625 lines in CCIR, PAL B system. Odd number is preferred for ease of sync pulse
generator (SPG) circuitry to enable interlacing of fields.

Progressive Frame Interlaced Frame

Horizontal retrace
Field 1 Field 2

Vertical retrace

Fig. 1(a): Interlace and Progressive Scanning

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 Fundamentals of Monochrome and Colour TV System

RESOLUTION

As shown in Fig. 1(a), the scanning spot (beam) scans from left to right. The beam starts at the
left hand edge of the screen and goes to right hand edge in a slightly slanty way as the beam is
progressively pulled down due to vertical deflection of beam (as top to bottom scanning is to
take place simultaneously). When the beam reach the right hand edge of the screen the
direction of beam is reversed and goes at a faster rate to the left hand edge (below the line
scanned). Once again the beam direction is reversed and scanning of next line starts. This
goes on till the beam completes scanning of 312 and half lines reaching the bottom of the
screen. At this moment the beam flies back to top and starts scanning starting from half line to
complete the next 312 and half lines of the frame. 625 lines in a frame are scanned at the rate of
25 frames per second, so the number of lines scanned per second becomes 625 multiplied by
25, which are 15,625 lines in a second. So the horizontal frequency is 15,625 hertz. Also to
avoid distortions in the picture whenever the beam changes its direction, it is blanked out for
certain duration called as blanking period.

Since the number of lines to be scanned per second is 15625, one line will require 64
microseconds. Out of this period, the horizontal blanking period is 12 microseconds. So the
active period of line becomes 64 -12 = 52 micro seconds.

Similarly there is vertical blanking period and 25 TV lines are blanked out during this period after
every field. So in one frame 50 TV lines are blanked out. Hence effective lines are. 575. (625-
50)

The vertical resolution depends on the number of scanning lines and the resolution factor based
on human eye response is known as Kell factor. Assuming a reasonable value of Kell factor as
0.69, the vertical resolution becomes nearly 400 lines. (575 X 0.69)

The capability of the system to resolve maximum number of picture elements along scanning
lines determines the horizontal resolution. It means to find how many alternate black and white
elements can be there in a line. We have seen earlier that the vertical resolution is limited by the
number of active lines and this number is 575 lines. So for the same resolution in both vertical
and horizontal directions the number of alternate black and white elements per line can be 575
multiplied by Kell factor and aspect ratio. Therefore, the number of alternate black and white
dots on line can be 575 x 0.69 x 4/3 which is equal to 528. It means there are 264 cycles per line
(528 divided by 2). These 264 cycles are there during 52 micro seconds. Hence the highest
frequency is 5 MHz

264 10 6
fhighest   5 MHz
52

Therefore the horizontal resolution of the system is 5 MHz One can also conclude that horizontal
bandwidth of signal in 625 lines system is 5 MHz

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Induction Course (Television)

GREY SCALE

In black and white (monochrome) TV system all the colours appear as gray on a 10-step gray
scale chart. TV white corresponds to a reflectance of 60% and TV black to 3 % giving rise to a
contrast Ratio of 20:1 (Film can handle more than 20:1 and eye’s capability is much more).

In black and white TV the concept of gray scale is adopted for studio properties, costumes and
scenery etc. while designing the TV sets. If the foreground and back ground are identical in gray
scale, they may merge and the separation may not be noticed clearly on the screen.

BRIGHTNESS

Brightness reveals the average illumination of the reproduced image on the TV screen.
Brightness control in a TV set adjusts the voltage between grid and cathode of the picture tube
(Bias voltage).

CONTRAST

Contrast is the relative difference between black and white parts of the reproduced picture. In a
TV set the contrast control adjusts the level of video signal fed to the picture tube. Brightness
and contrast controls are to be adjusted in a TV set to reproduce faithfully as many gray scale
steps as possible. Ultimately the adjustment depends on individual viewing habit.

VIEWING DISTANCE

Optimum viewing distance from TV set should be about 4 to 8 times the width of the TV screen
with no direct light falling on the TV screen.

COLOUR COMPOSITE VIDEO SIGNAL (CCVS)

It is important that the scanning in TV receivers is to be locked with the TV cameras of a TV

station. So a sample of H and V sync signal are added in the respective blanking period as
shown in the fig. 1b. TV receivers lock its scanning beam with these sync signals. Colour
Composite Video Signal is formed with video, sync, colour burst and blanking signals. The
colour burst helps TV receivers to locks its colours with the studios cameras. The level is
standardized to 1.0 V peak to peak (0.7 volts of video and 0.3 volts of sync pulse). The Colour
Composite Video Signal (CCVS) has been shown in figure 1(b).

FREQUENCY CONTENT OF TV SIGNAL

The TV signals have varying frequency contents. The lowest frequency is zero. (When we are
transmitting a white window in the entire active period of 52 micro seconds the frequency is
Zero). In CCIR system B the highest frequency that can be transmitted is 5 MHz even though
the TV signal can contain much higher frequency components. (In film the reproduction of
frequencies is much higher than 5 MHz and hence clarity is superior to TV system) Long shots
carry much higher frequency components than mid close ups. Hence in TV productions long
shots are kept to a minimum. In fact standard TV is a medium of close ups and mid close ups.

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 Fundamentals of Monochrome and Colour TV System

Front Porch Front Porch

1.5 Sec. 1.5 Sec.

0.7V
1.0V

0.3V
0.3V Back Porch
5.8 Sec.
Active Period
52 Sec. Sync Tip
Colour H Blanking
Burst 4.7 Sec.
H Period 12 Sec.
64 Sec.

Fig. 1(b): Colour Composite Video Signal (CCVS)

H
H.P.F
CCVS
SIGNAL
Sync
Separator

V
L.P.F

Fig. 2: Separation of H and V sync pulses from CVS

DC COMPONENT OF VIDEO SIGNAL AND DC RESTORATION

A TV signal has varying amplitude signal which depends on the amount of incident light on the
picture elements. Hence the video signal has an average value i.e. a DC component
corresponding to the average brightness of the scene. Let us examine figure 3, the blanking
level is the reference black level which is also assigned as zero The DC component in a video
signal represents scene brightness (mean value) and the AC component of Video signal carries
information regarding the scene contrast. For correct reproduction both the AC and DC
components should be present at the input of picture tube.

In fig 3 the DC levels vary in all the three cases. Such signals when pass through the AC
coupled amplifiers, the DC will be lost. If such signals are fed to the picture tube of a TV set, the
picture will not be faithful and the concept of maintaining the original scene brightness is lost. We
know that the blanking level is always the same irrespective of the average brightness of the
scene. The method of restoring the DC level (with respect to black level) is called DC
restoration. DC restoration circuits are also called as clamping circuits. Clamping of signal at
back porch level is called back porch clamping. It means at the end of each TV line the level is
always brought to the reference black level before the next line starts. In this way DC is

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Induction Course (Television)

restored. TV receivers as well as TV monitors employ the back porch clamping. Clamping at
sync tip level is also possible.

0.7 Without clamping

the brightness
is not faithful
b c
a
0V

-0.3
Dotted line shows DC level

1V With clamping
the brightness
is faithful

Fig. 3: Waveforms showing DC Restoration.

GAMMA CORRECTION

At two places, i.e., in Cameras and TV receiver, the conversion between optical to electrical
signals and vice versa takes place. We would like this to be a linear transfer. For a complete
system, it is the combination of individual transfer characteristics of camera and the picture tube
of the TV receiver. This transfer characteristic is called Gamma. ()

If Gamma is less than unity whites are compressed (crushed) and blacks are expanded
(stretched). If Gamma is more than unity whites are stretched and blacks are crushed. A
Gamma of slightly more than unity is preferred to compensate for the loss of contrast in the
system due to optical flare etc.

For example if the scene has a contrast of 10:1 and is transmitted through a system whose
overall Gamma is 2, the displayed image will have a contrast ratio of 100:1 (10 raised to the
power of 2 is 100). This is too much as there will be intolerable white stretching and black
compression. A Gamma of around 1.2 is preferred.

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 Fundamentals of Monochrome and Colour TV System

<1 Peak white

Reproduced
Brightness
>1

OUTPUT
=1

Black INPUT
(Scene Brightness)

Fig. 4: Gamma Correction

Overall System Gamma: We know that the Gamma of picture tube is around 2.8. If the
Gamma of pick up device is unity, then the Gamma correction required can be calculated, as
follow:

Overall Gamma = Gamma (pick up device) x Gamma ( TV receiver) X

Gamma (corrector Circuit)
Which means, 1.2 = 1 x 2.8 x G

So the value of required Gamma correction G becomes = 0.43. This can be achieved by video
circuits before transmission and is usually applied to video cameras as a part of the camera
processing.

INITIAL TV STANDARD

NTSC
National Television System Committee
525/59.939
Lines/Field 525/60

15.734 kHz
Horizontal Frequency 15.750 kHz

59.939 Hz
Vertical Frequency 60 Hz

Color Subcarrier
- 3.579545 MHz
Frequency

Video Bandwidth 4.2 MHz 4.2 MHz

Sound Carrier 4.5 MHz 4.5 MHz

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Induction Course (Television)

PAL
Phase Alternating Line

SYSTEM PAL PAL N PAL M

Line/Field 625/50 625/50 525/60
Horizontal Freq. 15.625 kHz 15.625 kHz 15.750 kHz
Vertical Freq. 50 Hz 50 Hz 60 Hz
Color Sub Carrier 4.433618 MHz 3.582056 MHz 3.575611 MHz
Video Bandwidth 5.0 MHz 4.2 MHz 4.2 MHz
Sound Carrier 5.5 MHz 4.5 MHz 4.5 MHz

SECAM
Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire
or Sequential Color with Memory
SYSTEM SECAM B,G,H SECAM D,K,K1,L
Line/Field 625/50 625/50
Horizontal Frequency 15.625 kHz 15.625 kHz
Vertical Frequency 50 Hz 50 Hz
Video Bandwidth 5.0 MHz 6.0 MHz
Sound Carrier 5.5 MHz 6.5 MHz

All these systems are a compromise and many efforts have been made over the years to
address the shortcomings in each of the systems.

ACTIVITIES

Prepare a chart indicating the different TV standards used in different countries of the world.

RECAP

The image formed by the camera optics on the face plate of a camera is made of several small
picture elements. This scattered information in the desired aspect ratio needs to be converted
into electrical form and collected in time space to convert it into an electrical signal. This process
of reading the information is called scanning of the image. Scanning parameters are specified by
the available system adopted by the user. Timings and levels of the system are also specified.
Addition of synchronizing pulses, necessary correction like Gamma and DC restoration etc.,
facilitates the faithful reproduction of signals on TV receiver

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 Fundamentals of Monochrome and Colour TV System

FURTHER READINGS

1. Television and Video Engineering, Dhake A.M. (1999), Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
2. Modern Television Practice: Principles, Technology and Servicing, Gulati, R.R. (2002)
New Age, New Delhi.
3. Television and Video Engineering: Lakshmi A. Veera (2010). Ane Books, New Delhi.
4. Video demystified, Jack. K, (2007), New York, Elsevies.
5. Digital Television, Fischer, WA (2004), Berlin, Sbringer.
6. Colour Television, Gulati R.R. (2001), New Delhi, New Age.

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