Apple Final Cut Pro HD (4.5): New Features - Manual (Page 105)

Appendix High Definition Video Fundamentals 105
To fully appreciate today’s digital, high definition video formats, consider that some of
the earliest television signals (circa 1930) had only 30 lines of resolution. In the 1940s,
an electronic television system in Europe was introduced with such a remarkable
increase in resolution—405 lines—that it was labeled high definition in comparison to
the previous 30-line format. Soon after, the North American NTSC format was
introduced using 525 lines. After significant industry debate, color was added to the
NTSC signal using a method that maintained backward compatibility with the original
black-and-white signal. (This was also the historical moment when the NTSC frame rate
was subtly altered from 30 fps to 29.97 fps.) Overcoming the shortcomings of the NTSC
color signal, European PAL and SECAM (France) color formats were introduced in the
1960s using 625 lines.
Since the introduction of the standard definition television formats, digital technology
has matured and global communications have proliferated via satellites and the
Internet. At the beginning of the 21st century, a wave of digital television (DTV)
standardization efforts merged with a rekindled interest in high definition electronic
image acquisition. One of the results of these standardization efforts is the Advanced
Television Standards Committee (ATSC) digital television standards. The ATSC specifies
high definition television (HDTV) formats and digitally redefines traditional analog
standard definition television (SDTV) formats.
Digital signals are more flexible than analog signals: Frame rate and image dimensions
are variable within a single tape format, and high data compression ratios mean
excellent picture quality using a fraction of broadcasters’ allotted bandwidth. For
television viewers, this means higher resolution images, higher frame rates, or several
standard definition channels in the bandwidth of a single standard analog channel.
1990 General Instrument proposes an all-digital HDTV system in the U.S.
1991 Japan adopts Hi-Vision/MUSE as the national HDTV standard, 16:9 aspect ratio,
1,125 scanning lines, 30 fps, interlaced.
1993 Digital Betacam is introduced.
1996 DV format is introduced.
1997 DVD format is introduced.
1997 Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) digital television standards are
adopted by FCC, including 18 formats, 6 of which are HDTV.
1999 Final Cut Pro 1.0 is introduced.
2000 DVCPRO HD equipment begins shipping.
Year Event
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