Successful implementation and use of digital video compression in MMDS systems

Video compression technology has already made a significant impact on commercial distribution of television programmes. Several key suppliers have established themselves in the marketplace, some supporting the ISO/IEC MPEG coding standard, and others using proprietary systems. In Europe the Digital Video Broadcasting [DVB] project has defined additional channel coding standards, complementary to MPEG, and has already published standards for satellite and cable transmission systems and is about to publish a standard for digital terrestrial broadcasting. The latest medium to gain attention in DVB, as well as other parts of the world, is multipoint microwave distribution system [MMDS]-sometimes also known as the multichannel video distribution system [MVDS]. Analogue MMDS services already exist in some countries.