Television Standards

PAL is stands for Phase Alternating Line. Walter Bruch was the engineer who invented the PAL system in the early 1960’s. It broadcasts in most countries at 576i. It has a refresh rate of 50Hz and runs at 25 fps. Two advantages to the PAL system are Greater number of scan lines and more picture detail. A disadvantage to PAL is more flicker because it has a lower frame rate.

SESCAM stands for Squentiel couleur a memoire, which is French for Sequential Colour with Memory. Invented in the 1960’s in France by a team, lead by Henri de France. SECAM is used in France, Russia, parts of Asia and parts of Africa. SECAM has a resolution of 625 lines and a refresh rate of 50Hz and runs at 25fps. Two advantages of SECAM are stable Hues and contrast saturation and shares its ability to render images with the correct hue with PAL. One disadvantage is half of the colour information is lost on each line since only one colour signal is transmitted on each line.

NTSC stands for National Television System Committee. It is used in mostly North America. Created by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) in 1940, it didn’t have colour. It has a resolution of 340 lines a refresh rate of 60Hz and runs at 30fps. One advantage for NTSC is. One disadvantage for NTSC is when PAL or NTSC is used on it, the video stutters.Satellite television was created in 1962 by Arthur C. Clarke. The broadcasting company sends the signal to satellites orbiting space, the satellites then send the signal back to the satellite dish on houses. Satellite TV can be accessed almost all over the world, due to the fact that it can be fitted by anyone and isn’t needed to be connected to any other place. Two advantages of satellite TV are High-quality audio and picture display and access to hundreds of channels worldwide. One disadvantage is it can malfunction in bad weather.