HDTV evolves for the digital era

HDTV was created in an era of analog TV, seeking higher performance through the enhancements feasible in such an environment, such as higher resolution. The digital era is now in place, bringing compression and other processing enhancements, along with a new order of requirements, possibilities, and constraints for TV systems. HDTV in this era has a new meaning, with very different criteria being established. The paper traces the development of HDTV and details current work to establish HDTV systems appropriate for evolving and future digital application.