Integrated Digital Television
Encyclopedia
An Integrated Digital Television (IDTV or iDTV) set is a television set
with a built in digital tuner, be it for DVB-T
, DVB-S
, DVB-C
, DMB-T/H
, ATSC or ISDB
. Most of them also allow reception of analogue signals (PAL
, SÉCAM
or NTSC
). They do away with the need for a set top box for converting those signals for reception on a television. Some are integrated with a personal video recorder, such as LG
's Time Machine TV.
Most iDTVs do not inherently support pay TV
, and as a result many are fitted with Common Interface
slots to allow the use of a conditional access module
. They may also include support for other features of a digital television "platform", such as an interactive television
engine and support for some form of return channel. A small number of iDTVs include a PVR
, which removes the need for an external PVR, possibly requiring its own digital set-top box.
Television set
A television set is a device that combines a tuner, display, and speakers for the purpose of viewing television. Television sets became a popular consumer product after the Second World War, using vacuum tubes and cathode ray tube displays...
with a built in digital tuner, be it for DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
, DVB-S
DVB-S
DVB-S is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Satellite; it is the original Digital Video Broadcasting forward error coding and demodulation standard for satellite television and dates from 1994, in its first release, while development lasted from 1993 to 1997...
, DVB-C
DVB-C
DVB-C stands for Digital Video Broadcasting - Cable and it is the DVB European consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital television over cable...
, DMB-T/H
DMB-T/H
DTMB is the TV standard for mobile and fixed terminals used in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macau. Although at first this standard was called DMB-T/H , the official name is DTMB.DTT broadcasting systems...
, ATSC or ISDB
ISDB
Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting is a Japanese standard for digital television and digital radio used by the country's radio and television stations. ISDB replaced the previously used MUSE "Hi-vision" analogue HDTV system...
. Most of them also allow reception of analogue signals (PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
, SÉCAM
SECAM
SECAM, also written SÉCAM , is an analog color television system first used in France....
or NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
). They do away with the need for a set top box for converting those signals for reception on a television. Some are integrated with a personal video recorder, such as LG
LG
LG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
's Time Machine TV.
Most iDTVs do not inherently support pay TV
Pay TV
Pay television, premium television, or premium channels refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by both analog and digital cable and satellite, but also increasingly via digital terrestrial and internet television...
, and as a result many are fitted with Common Interface
Common Interface
In Digital Video Broadcasting, the Common Interface is an extensible digital interconnect found in the digital TV market. It is also known as DVB-CI for Digital Video Broadcast Common Interface....
slots to allow the use of a conditional access module
Conditional access module
A conditional access module is an electronic device, usually incorporating a slot for a smart card, which equips an Integrated Digital Television or set-top box with the appropriate hardware facility to view conditional access content that has been encrypted using a conditional access system...
. They may also include support for other features of a digital television "platform", such as an interactive television
Interactive television
Interactive television describes a number of techniques that allow viewers to interact with television content as they view it.- Definitions :...
engine and support for some form of return channel. A small number of iDTVs include a PVR
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
, which removes the need for an external PVR, possibly requiring its own digital set-top box.
External links
- Digital TV Consumer test reports - UK Government-funded website to help consumers choose the equipment needed to switch to digital television.