METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RE-ENCODING A HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISION SIGNAL TO CREATE A STANDARD DEFINITION TELEVISION SIGNAL

摘要

The system is re-encoding a copy of the high definition (H) signal (101, 102, 103) into a standard definition (SD) signal (104, 105,106) and combining both the original signal and the re-encoded standard definition signal into a multiplexed signal (75). The re-encoding is performed at cable television system headend. The HD television signal may contain one or more television services. The system enables backward compatibility between and HD data stream and SD receivers. Legacy SD equipment and new HD equipment can be supported using the same television signal feed.