Trends in Television

1. Computerization is transforming the world of television news and entertainment. This is evident in the three kinds of television systems available. The first is traditional over-the-air broadcasting, in which analog signals are sent out from land-based towers for reception by antenna of every TV set in area. Now digital television broadcasting is also on horizon. Digital TV has the potential to provide a wider range of channels within the scarce radio frequency spectrum. It also will facilitate the flexible use of that spectrum for delivery of new kinds of services, such as “data-casting” (the dissemination of data messages to multiple users through airwaves) to TV sets or PCs. A related trend concerns picture clarity. Much effort is going into developing high-definition television (HDTV¹), a new, digital standard providing images five times as rich in information as today’s TV pictures.

2. A second kind of service is cable television. Cable television is available in many countries as phone service. Cable TV works this way: the cable company’s central office consolidates the transmission, which combines some local programming with transmissions received from satellites. From there it is sent in analog form to subscribers over a unidirectional, tree-and-branch network. Amplifiers boost the signals along trunks and local feeders, which, like telephone lines, are suspended from poles or buried in the ground. The “drop”, usually in the form of coaxial cable, brings the signal to the home, connecting either directly to a “cable-ready” television set or to a set-top converter box. Modulation technologies introduced in the past few years, however, have allowed fiber optic lines to replace coax in the trunk and feeder portions of the system.

3. The third kind of television service in which rapid progress can be seen involves satellites. Direct-broadcast satellites are a form of television transmission that competes with cable and terrestrial broadcasting. The first satellite-broadcast television images were designed for use by cable- and broadcast-TV service providers, but more recently, a high-powered satellite specifically designed for home TV service was introduced; it calls for a far more modest dish that is only 46 centimeters in diameter and costs no more than a few hundred dollars. Since digital compression technology is more easily adaptable to cable transmission, direct-broadcast satellite operators pioneered its use in TV.

Notes:

¹HDTV – high-definition television – телевидение высокой четкости.

8. Read the following statements and say whether they are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. There are four kinds of television systems available nowadays.

2. The first traditional over-the-air broadcasting is based on transmission of analog signals.

3. Digital TV doesn’t give a wider range of channels.

4. HDTV provides images three times as rich as today’s TV pictures.

5. The cable company’s central office combines some local programming with satellite transmissions.

6. Amplifiers boost signals along copper wires.

7. The first satellite-broadcast television was specifically designed for its home use.

8. Direct-broadcast satellite operators have begun to use digital compression technology in TV.

9. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

Computerization is changing In over-the-air broadcasting Digital TV has the potential The cable company’s central office sends programming in analog form Due to modulation technologies Satellite television competes with Direct-broadcast satellite operators pioneered the use of digital compression technology because

a) analog signals are sent out from land-based towers. b) to subscribers over a unidirectional, tree-and-branch network. c) the world of television and entertainment. d) cable and terrestrial broadcasting. e) it is easily adaptable to cable transmission. f) to provide a wider range of channels within the scarce radio frequency spectrum. g) fiber optic lines replaced coax in the trunk and feeder portions of the system.

10. Using information of paragraph 2 speak about the way cable TV works.

11. Make an outline of the text.

12. Make a short summary of the text in written form using your outline.

Part B

13. Study the key words and word combinations of the following text. Guess the topical question of it.

Television system, lines per image, provide, little interference, potentially, picture quality, benefits, smoother motion, richer and more natural colours, prefer high definition to analog, problems, weak signal, double images, picture sparkles, broadcast, upgrade their TVs, switch to, slower undertake.

14. Look at the title. Make your predictions about the contents of the text.

15. Divide the text into logical parts. Entitle each part.