ABSTRACT
As this edition went to press, the EBU/SMPTE Task Force for Harmonized Standards for the Exchange of Programme Material as Bitstreams issued its final report. It identified the following requirements regarding timing and synchronization:
The reference signal for both digital and analogue signals will be analogue colour black. SMPTE RP154 has been enhanced and is being re-issued as a standard. It will include the option of including VITC, and (for 59.94 and 60 Hz related systems) a sequence of ten field identification pulses to assist with the locking of 24Hz related signals and the five-frame sequence implicit in the relationship with 48k ITz.
Absolute Time Reference for studios should be, where possible, the Global Positioning System (GPS) or equivalent (GLOSNAR), with redundancy receivers. Timecode standard should be the revised SMPTE12M (still under revision at this time).
For situations where GPS reception is not possible (some locations or moving vehicles) because of poor reception, an alternative time reference will be required.
For fixed locations GPS should be implemented as the time reference.
