Titular Professors
Basics electronics, basic methamatics
The aim of this course is that students reach a basic understanding of technologies related to television and video. The resulting objectives are twofold, on one hand to understand how audiovisual technologies can be applied to various fields and, secondly, as a case study of use of theoretical concepts learnt in other subjects, such as the signal theory of signal, digital communications, electronics or computer programming.
The course also has other objectives, such as the acquisition of the following skills:
1. Capacity of analysis and synthesis of the various signals and transmission systems for television.
2. Use of software tools and equipment for analysis and measurement of various parameters of television signals to achieve the quality requirements and analyzing and interpreting the results.
3. Identify, develop and learn how to apply knowledge to practice and to solve problems set during in a lab environment within a team.
4. Ability to manage the information received from various sources to apply to the problems posed and to the practical work.
5. Communicating effectively in writing at the time of generating the report for each situation analyzed.
1. Introduction to TV systems
2. Visual perception
2.1. Physical parameters of light
2.2. Human visual system
2.3. Colour specification
3. Analogue video signal
3.1. Fundamentals of television
3.2. B/W signal
3.3 Analogue composite video signal
4. Digital video signal
4.1. Digital composite video signal
4.2. Digital component video signal
4.2.1. Standard definition (ITU-R 601.)
4.2.2. High definition
4.3. Digital video connectivity
5. Video compression
5.1. Need of compression
5.2. Fundamentals of video compression
5.2.1. Statistical methods
5.2.2. Predictive methods
5.2.3. Transform methods
5.3. Video compression standards
5.3.1. MPEG 2 and H.264 standards
6. Introduction to TV transmission
6.1. Digital transmission (DVB)
6.1.1 Satellite digital television
6.1.2 Cable digital television
6.1.3 Terrestrial digital television
The methodology used in this subject between the classes in two types: theoretical and practical.
In the lectures, basically they are taught in master classes explaining the theoretical content of the course and exercices related to the theoretical contents are posed and, sometimes, resolved. For each theoretical block, a set of exercices are proposed (some of them are also resolved) so that students become familiar with the theoretical concepts explained in class, and are able to relate the different explained concepts throughout the course.
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For the practical classes, students are divided into smaller groups in the TV laboratory. In total, different schedules are proposed to the students during the week to choose the time slot that best suits them. In the lab, in groups of three, each group have a table with all the equipment needed to perform almost all practices. In these sessions, which are of compulsory attendance, the different parameters of the television signals and systems are measured and analyzed with the help of a teacher for advise. Before starting the practical work, the teacher gives a brief summary of the most important theoretical concepts to carry out the practice successfully. The teacher also explains the basic operation of measurement and analysis equipment that is needed for the practical work. Accompanying these explanations, the students also have the manual associated with the used equipment to complete a thorough understanding of its operation. In addition, if students do not have enough time with the estimated time for practice, the laboratory has free time slots that can be used to complete unfinished practices.
On one hand the acquired knowledge is evaluated through partial exams (mid-term) and final exams that are complemented with the continuous assessment mark. The purpose of continuous assessment is that students consolidate the gained knowledge through proposed problems and short tests made in class. On the other hand, applied skills are evaluated by the practical reports that students make in groups from the work performed in the laboratory as well as a final individual exam.
The results are evaluated using the following objectives:
The student must prove to have the basic knowledge related to the subject.
The student must know how to solve and design any problem in the field of digital television
The student must have the ability to plan all the tasks related to the practice so they can be delivered within the defined deadlines.
The student must be used to work with computers (desktop tools) as well as with the C++ programming language (software development environments).
The student must have the organizational capacity to work and foster the teamwork. In addition, this work as a team should allow him/her to acquire the capacity to apply the knowledge gained in practice to problem solving
The student must have the ability, from the provided information, to make the practical work and to synthesize the information and apply the obtained knowledge to solve each specific problem.
- L. Torres, Sistemas analógicos y digitales de televisión, Politext 4, Edicions UPC, 1993
- H. Benoit, Televisión Digital, Editoral Paraninfo, 1998
- J. Watkinson, El arte del vídeo digital, Instituto oficial de radio y televisión, 1990
- Francesc Tarrés, Sistemas audiovisuales (1- Telvisión analógica y digital), Edicions UPC 2000
- Haskell, Barry G. Digital video: an introduction to MPEG-2 , Ed. Chapman & Hall , 1997
- Richardson, Ian E.G. H.264 and MPEG-4. Video Compression.Video coding for next-generation multimedia , Ed. Wiley, 2003