The Digital Video course builds upon the content introduced in the second year subjects Digital Television and Audiovisual Production in the Bachelor's Degree in Audiovisual Systems Engineering, where the technical and production foundations of audiovisual content were established.
In this third year course, students consolidate and expand their knowledge of the technical aspects of video signals, combining a theoretical approach with practical work oriented toward solving real-world audiovisual engineering problems.
The course covers the entire digital video signal chain, from its generation in baseband to the processes of compression, packaging into containers, and transmission over IP networks. Students become familiar with current industry standards and technologies and acquire the competencies needed to understand, configure, and diagnose professional digital video systems.
Titular Professors
Foundations of television and digital video, audiovisual production, and transmission systems
General Objectives
- Deepen the technical understanding of the digital video signal, from its generation in baseband to its compression, encapsulation, and transmission in IP environments.
- Provide students with the practical skills required to generate, analyze, process, and transmit digital audiovisual signals using professional tools and equipment.
- Understand and apply current standards and protocols related to digital video, both in production and distribution environments.
- Integrate theoretical and practical concepts into a project that reflects real situations encountered in audiovisual engineering.
Specific Objectives
- Analyze and characterize different types of video signals: composite, component, SDI, HD-SDI, UHDTV, and HDR formats.
- Master the fundamentals of video and audio compression, including lossless techniques, predictive methods, transform-based methods, and hybrid coding.
- Identify and compare major coding standards (MPEG-2, H.264, HEVC, VVC, AV1, etc.) and understand their industrial applications.
- Identify and use the most common multiplexed containers and formats (TS, PS, MP4, MXF).
- Understand the fundamentals of video transmission over IP networks, including real-time protocols and adaptive distribution systems.
- Apply video production and contribution protocols (NDI, SMPTE 2110, RTMP, SRT, HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC).
- Perform signal quality measurements and diagnostics, both in baseband and in MPEG-TS streams and IP-based systems.
- Develop practical projects that integrate generation, compression, encapsulation, and transmission of the video signal.
- Work collaboratively in the development of practical assignments and projects, applying active learning methodologies.
- Promote autonomy and critical thinking in solving digital-video engineering problems.
Topic 1: Baseband Video Signal
1.1. Composite video signal
1.1.1. PAL and NTSC encoders
1.1.2. Measurements in composite video
1.2. Component video signal
1.2.1. YUV and GBR signals
1.2.2. Measurements in component video
1.3. Digital video signal
1.3.1. SDI signal generation
1.3.2. Formats: HDTV 1080, HDTV 720
1.3.3. ITU-R BT.2020 UHDTV
1.3.4. SDI encoder
1.3.5. HD-SDI
1.3.6. AES/EBU
1.3.7. Ancillary Data
1.3.8. Embedded audio
1.4. HDR: High Dynamic Range
Topic 2: Video Compression
2.1. Introduction to video compression techniques
2.1.1. Lossless compression
2.1.1.1. Information Theory. Entropy
2.1.1.2. Variable Length Coding (VLC). Huffman coding
2.1.1.3. Lempel–Ziv coding
2.1.1.4. Arithmetic coding
2.1.2. Predictive methods
2.1.2.1. Predictive coding with losses. DPCM
2.1.2.2. Quantization
2.1.2.3. Vector quantization
2.1.3. Transform-based methods
2.1.3.1. Unitary transforms: KLT, DFT, DCT
2.1.3.2. Two-dimensional transforms: 2D DCT
2.1.3.3. Sub-band coding. EZW
2.2. Image coding
2.2.1. Lossless JPEG
2.2.2. Lossy JPEG
2.2.3. JPEG-2000
2.2.4. JPEG-XS
2.3. Fundamentals of video coding
2.3.1. Hybrid coding
2.3.2. Motion estimation and compensation
2.4. Video compression standards
2.4.1. Video coding standardization bodies
2.4.2. MPEG-1 and MPEG-2
2.4.3. MPEG-4 Visual
2.4.4. MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC/H.264
2.4.5. Other codecs: AV1, Dirac, …
2.4.6. MPEG-HEVC/H.265
2.4.7. MPEG-VVC/H.266
2.4.8. Emerging codecs
2.5. Audio compression
2.5.1. Perceptual audio coding
2.5.2. MPEG-1 Layer I & II
2.5.3. MPEG Layer 3 (MP3) and Dolby AC-3
2.5.4. MPEG AAC
Topic 3: Video Containers
3.1. MPEG-2 Systems
3.1.1. Program Stream (PS)
3.1.2. Transport Stream (TS)
3.1.3. Program Specific Information (PSI)
3.1.4. Service Information (DVB-SI)
3.1.5. DVB Subtitling
3.1.6. Transport Stream measurements (ETR 290)
3.1.7. Data transmission over Transport Stream
3.1.8. Hybrid Broadcast-Broadband TV (HbbTV)
3.2. Other containers
3.2.1. ISO Base Media File Format (MP4, MOV)
3.2.2. Material Exchange Format: MXF
Topic 4: Video over IP
4.1. Fundamentals of video over IP
4.1.1. Unicast vs multicast
4.1.2. RTP / RTCP protocols
4.1.3. RTSP and SDP
4.2. Protocols for video production
4.2.1. NDI
4.2.2. SMPTE 2110
4.3. Protocols for video contribution
4.3.1. RTMP
4.3.2. SRT
4.4. Protocols for video distribution
4.4.1. Progressive download vs streaming
4.4.2. HTTP Adaptive Streaming (Over-the-Top, OTT)
4.4.2.1. Streaming architectures. CDNs
4.4.2.2. HLS
4.4.2.3. MPEG-DASH
4.4.3. WebRTC
The methodology used in this subject combines sessions that use various methodologies. On the one hand, each main point of the syllabus is introduced through master classes. These master classes are followed by sessions that combine various active learning methodologies that allow to assume and complement the master classes such as flipped classroom techniques, problem and exercise classes, small project classes or pair learning. The second part of the course is dedicated to the development of a group (or individual) project where the theoretical concepts acquired previously are put into practice.
For the development of the project the students are structured in small groups or individual. Throughout the course the teacher will propose challenges with increasing complexity. These projects will be done in the laboratory in its introductory part where the teacher will pose the challenge, resolve doubts and students will begin the development of the project. Once the project has started, students must complete it outside of class hours. Each practice is accompanied by a statement that serves as a guide to students. In order to solve the practices, the students have to write a report for each one of them.
On the one hand, theoretical knowledge is assessed through an exam at the end of the semester, complemented by the continuous assessment grade. The purpose of continuous assessment is for the student to progressively consolidate the knowledge acquired through assigned problems and short quizzes for each thematic area. On the other hand, the practical component is assessed through group or individual practical assignments related to the content taught in class.
1. Technical knowledge of the video signal
Students must demonstrate understanding of baseband video, digital formats, SDI/HD-SDI systems, HDTV/UHDTV formats, and HDR. This includes interpreting measurements and analyzing professional configurations.
2. Ability to apply compression and coding techniques
Students must solve problems related to image, video and audio compression using predictive, transform-based and hybrid coding, and select the appropriate codec/standard for each situation.
3. Problem-solving in encapsulation and transmission
Students must diagnose and solve issues in video containers and apply video-over-IP protocols (RTP, RTSP, NDI, SMPTE 2110, SRT, RTMP, HLS, MPEG-DASH).
4. Planning and management of practical work
Students must organize tasks efficiently, meet deadlines and structure their workflow both in the lab and independently.
5. Competence in professional tools
Students must be familiar with tools used for digital video generation, compression, transmission, measurement, and streaming.
6. Teamwork capability
Students must demonstrate communication and coordination skills while working in groups on the final project.
7. Synthesis and critical application of information
Students must be able to select, synthesize and apply relevant technical concepts to solve complex engineering problems.
Class slides in the Study
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