What Is SMPTE 259M-C?
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, or SMPTE, is a professional group of engineers that sets the standards, protocols, engineering guidelines and practices for the medical imaging, digital cinema, television production, professional video and film making industries. SMPTE 259M-C defines the serial digital interface, or SDI, requirements to send and receive the 10-bit composite and component digital signals between equipment across coaxial cable in specific aspect ratios and standards.
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The SMPTE 259M Standard
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The SMPTE 259M standard defines the interface standards used in television equipment that send or receive digital audio and visual signals at four different operating rates and aspects. SMPTE 259M-A is for 143 megabits per second for National Television System Committee, or NTSC, standards; level B equates to 177 Mbps Phase Altering Line or PAL transmissions, with level D standards at 360 Mbps for the 16-to-9 aspect ratio broadcasts. The SMPTE 259M-C standard refers specifically to television broadcasts at 270 Mbps in the 4-to-3 aspect ratio. This standard typically applies to television broadcast stations, network service providers or multiple system operators, or MSOs, or companies that provide multiple cable system broadcasts.
SMPTE 259M-C Equipment
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You’ll find the SMPTE-259M-C interface cards used in equipment to broadcast television signals to television broadcast antennas, at the broadcast studio itself and with hubs that feed into cable television broadcasting company headquarters that disperse television signals to customers. Broadcasters, network service provides or MSOs can purchase individual cards for use in equipment or purchase equipment with the cards already installed.
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SDI Monitoring
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You’ll also find equipment that monitors the interface performance to confirm there are no problems with the signal or to prevent the occurrence of signal loss beyond the acceptable amounts listed by the standard. This type of equipment is typically used by television broadcast stations, network service providers or routing hubs for transmitting the television broadcast.
Video Playback Equipment
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Equipment used by television broadcasters, such as portable video playback equipment, will also have interfaces that allow the equipment to be SMPTE 259M-C compliant. These interfaces are installed on both the input and output side of this portable video playback equipment used by television stations and broadcasters. Cameramen use this equipment when they’re out in the field to check the video signal.
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