TOSHIBA

DVD INFORMATION
Comprehensive Background
on Progressive Video

COPYRIGH T 2001

A Comprehensive Backgrounder On Progressive Video

What is Progressive Video?
To understand progressive video and its many benefits, you must first understand
the concept of Interlaced Video, which has been the traditional method of
delivering a picture to a television set for the past 50+ years.
A television picture is created by scanning phosphors, which are applied to the
inside of the front panel of a CRT with an electron gun. Altogether, there are 525
scanning lines delivered by the NTSC video system.
Video is composed of FRAMES and FIELDS. A FRAME is basically an entire
picture. ( i.e.: like a 35mm slide) However, a FRAME of video is actually an
optical illusion, which is created by alternatively displaying two FIELDS of
video.
Mechanically, a complete FRAME (all 525 horizontal scan lines) of video is
created every 1/30th of a second by tracing (by the electron gun on the front
panel of the CRT) alternate FIELDS of video every 1/60th of a second.
FIELDS of video are created by scanning alternate lines ( 1,3,5,7,9,11.525 for
FIELD A and then 2,4,6.8.10524 for FIELD B) of the display device. The
525 line NTSC picture, therefore, is the sum of its parts--- One 262 and
another 263 field, which are displayed in an alternating fashion to create the
optical illusion of an entire FRAME consisting of 525 scan lines.
A PROGRESSIVE Video signal is reproduced by scanning all 525 lines---an
entire FRAME of video----every 1/60th of a second.
Therefore, a progressive video signal (and display) consists of 60 complete
FRAMES per second, whereas an interlaced signal (or display) consists of 60
FIELDS (or, 30 FRAMES, if you will) per second. You can recognize
immediately that a Progressive Video image has more picture information than an
Interlaced Video image.
I thought you said our Color Television system had 525 scanning lines. Why do you
often mention 480 lines? Which number is correct?
The NTSC system is composed of 525 scan lines . However, since TV began
with CRT (Cathode Ray Tubes) type displays some time had to be allocated to
re-locate the scanning electron beam from the bottom of the scanned frame back
to the top for the beginning of a new picture this is called retracing. Out of the
525 lines per frame ~8% or 42 lines were needed for this vertical retracing
interval (referred to as a Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). During Vertical
Blanking Intervals, the brightness level of the picture is totally black to prevent
any visible retracing lines. Later the Vertical Blanking Interval was also utilized
during broadcasting of video signals to deliver targeted supportive information

such as Closed Captions, Teletext, Video Training signals, Data Broadcasting and
others. Such supportive VBI based signals are removed before display on the
CRT In reality, the image that you see on your television set is created by
scanning approximately 480 horizontal lines on the picture tube.

Because of this, the units 525 and 480 are often interchangeable.
What is ColorStream?
ColorStream is a registered trademark of TOSHIBA America Consumer
Products. It refers to component level video outputs included on all TOSHIBA
DVD-Video products as well component level video inputs, included in more than
30 TOSHIBA branded Color Television display devices.
What is Component Video?
A CCIR 601 Digital 4:2:2 Video signal (DVD) is comprised of three channels of
picture information:
Y
Brightness information
Pr
71% of Red, subtracting brightness
Pb
56% of Blue, subtracting brightness.
Where is the Green? Good question. The Y component, which transmits
brightness and black and white contrast actually consists of 59% Green 11% Blue
and 29.9% Red signals.
These three channels of video are referred to as Component Video. Since Digital
Video is mastered as component video, it makes sense to transport these three
elements of the video signal independent of the other when connecting a Digital
Video source to a compatible display device.
Simply put, component video is the optimal interconnect between a digital video
source and a display device because it preserves the original integrity of the
digital video signal along its connection path and does not subject it (the video
signal) to extraneous processing which can result in signal deterioration.
The Benefit: A component video connection delivers enhanced color detail, more
accurate color purity and better color resolution, compared to more traditional
interconnects ( Composite Video /S-Video)

What Is ColorStream Pro?//What Is Super ColorStream Pro

ColorStream Pro is a registered trademark of TOSHIBA America Consumer
Products. It refers to component level progressive scan video outputs included on
selected TOSHIBA DVD-Video products.Electronically, Super ColorStream Pro
offers the viewer additional picture enhancements . Advanced Digital Filtering
insures that 100% of the entire video signal is being processed by the DVD-Video
Player. This results in sharper edge detail, color resolution and color purity.

Significantly advancing color purity and color signal to noise ratios is a new
54mHz clock speed which places associated video noise out of the range of the
processor. The picture advantages of SUPER ColorStream Pro are unequalled.
Why Have We Not Heard About Progressive Scan Before DVD?
Our analogue NTSC television system and its video peripherals (VCR, Laserdisc)
were based upon delivering video signals in an interlaced manner. The Interlaced
format was chosen originally for delivery of NTSC signal because of bandwidth
limitations of the format.
Because of this, early Home Theater enthusiasts had to invest in expensive line
doublers to transform 480I source content into 480P displays.
The advent of Digital Video changed things for home entertainment. Film content
that is mastered to MPEG-2 Digital Video for DVD-Video is actually stored on
the disc in a compressed 24 frame Progressive Video Format. Until recently,
DVD-Video players converted Film based 24 frame Progressive Video
information into 60 FIELDS ( 30 complete FRAMES) of Interlaced Video. With
the introduction of the TOSHIBA Progressive DVD Product, we can now convert
24 FRAMES of compressed film based information into 60 complete FRAMES
of video for display on a compatible monitor.
How do you convert 24 FRAMES of FILM Content into 60 FRAMES of VIDEO?
This is accomplished automatically by the Cinema Mode included in
TOSHIBA DVD players.
In the MPEG-2 datastream, there are digital flags that are placed there to identify
content as being 24 frame film based. TOSHIBA DVD Players read these digital
flags which essentially prompt the DVD-Video player to perform 3:2 picture
conversion. In this mode, the first FRAME of Film is reproduced as three
complete FRAMES of Video. The next FRAME of Film is reproduced as two
complete FRAMES of Video. The following FRAME of film is again reproduced
as three FRAMES of Video, and so on until you have replicated all 24 FRAMES
of Film into a Video signal.
By this process, we are able to convert the 24 FRAME film content which was
mastered on the disc into 60 complete FRAMES of Video for display on a
progressive video equipped color television set.

________________________________________________________________________

The Advantages and Benefits Of Progressive Video Over

Interlaced Pictures
1.

The ability to sit closer to the picture. (larger display device in a smaller room)
Interlaced displays generally require a viewing distance of 4.5 to 6 times the
vertical height of the display device. At this distance, scanning lines are less
visible. With a progressive picture, you could sit as close as 3x the vertical
distance of the display and not see annoying scan line structure.

2.

Elimination of Flicker in the Picture, because the entire raster (all 525 lines) is
being scanned every 1/60th of a second, flicker in the picture, a product of an
alternating interlaced display is virtually eliminated.

3.

More picture resolution. Vertical and Temporal resolution are enhanced by

progressive scan because there is more picture information being displayed (an
entire FRAME of Video every 1/60th of a second instead of a FIELD of video
every 1/60th of a second.)

4.

A brighter picture is possible because the entire raster of the picture tube is
being scanned 60 times per second. (as opposed to 30 times per second in an
interlaced 525I environment). The good news is that this brighter picture (as much
as 25% brighter, depending on the display device) can be achieved without
overdriving the CRT which can result in phosphor bloom and a reduction in
resolution)

5.

Improved video performance over conventional analogue line doublers,

as 24 frame content recognition is performed digitally.

6.

Progressive Scan DVD-Video Players are compatible with HDTV-Compatible

and Integrated HDTV Displays. They are a guarantee against future obsolesence.

7.

A Progressive picture is more film-like because the scan lines that create the
picture are nearly invisible, and because there is more picture information being
displayed every 1/60th of a second compared to Interlaced displays. The goal of
every Home Theater enthusiast is to duplicate as closely as possible a filmlike
picture from their video display.

Guidelines For Maximizing Picture Performance

1.

Always remember to set your DVD player to conform to your connected monitor.
If you have a 4:3 connected monitor, remember to select either 4:3 NORMAL, or
4:3 LETTERBOXED from the DVD player menu prompts.
If you have a 16:9 connected monitor, always remember to select 16:9
WIDESCREEN from the DVD player menu prompts.

Always insure that your software matches the DVD Player Menu Prompts. If you
have selected 16:9 WIDESCREEN from the player prompts, you should insert a
disc that is Labeled Widescreen, or Optimized For Widescreen

3.

If you insert an ANAMORPHIC (Squeezed) Disc, make sure that your TOSHIBA
widescreen television is set to the FULL mode in the PICTURE SIZE menu
If you insert a Full Screen disc, or a hard matted letterboxed disc for playback on
a TOSHIBA widescreen set, be sure to select THEATERWIDE 2 from the
PICTURE SIZE menu.

4.

Each player offers you a menu prompt that says: 4:3 PROGRESSIVE ON/OFF.
This menu prompt is mis-labeled and should have read: NTSC PROGRESSIVE
ON/OFF. In any event, always choose the 4:3 PROGRESSIVE, as doing
otherwise will produce no viewable image

5.

When connected to the ColorStream HD input of a 1999/2000 model year

TOSHIBA display device, be sure to select DVD as the input source from the
television sets ON-SCREEN MENU prompts. This will insure proper color
balance.

6.

Remember, since you are displaying all 480 lines each 1/60 of a second, your
display image will be naturally brighter. Given proper lighting conditions, you can
actually reduce PICTURE CONTRAST on your display device. Doing so can
further improve picture resolution.

7.

Adjust picture sharpness to personal preference. With high resolution images like
480P DVD, less emphasis on picture sharpness can actually create a more resolved,
film-like image.