STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - Digital Vision (www.digitalvision.se) and Vistek have signed a joint development agreement to create a motion-compensated HDTV standards converter. The product will be manufactured by Vistek and will be sold through its established channels.
The requirement for high definition standards conversion has become more important recently since Europe has adopted an HDTV standard based on a 50Hz field rate, which is incompatible with the 60Hz formats used in the US and other countries. The system will use a combination of Digital Vision's PHAME motion estimation algorithm with Vistek's expertise in video format conversions. It will be designed for broadcast sporting events and news applications.
Motion compensation is critical to the functioning of a high quality video standards converter. Such conversions require that new picture information is automatically generated by combining information from several pictures. In less sophisticated systems any motion present in the original pictures will result in loss of resolution and excessive lag or smearing. Advanced motion estimation algorithms can be used to compensate for any motion present and will result in clearly converted pictures.
Vistek and Digital Vision have worked together previously on a similar product for standard definition television applications. The Vector-VMC was awarded an Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.