Super Definition™ is the term used by Bell ExpressVu to define the very highest quality digital pictures that we make available to our viewers.

The quality of these pictures is similar to that from digital DVD players and is far superior to the "NTSC" pictures used by Broadcasters, Analogue Cable or the VHS tapes available at video stores.

The most important step in providing Super Definition pictures, is an ultra sharp separate "Component Luminance" signal that must be created at source, from either the original studio cameras or when 35mm feature movies are transferred from film to television.

This original luminance signal, containing all the detail in the picture, must be maintained separately from the color signals right through the entire television distribution system, until it is connected to the home television receiver. The Bell ExpressVu system delivers a separate digital luminance signal to the S-Video multi-pin connector on your set-top. A separate Digital Luminance signal is also used for High Definition Television (HDTV).

HDTV, which is the ultimate system for picture quality, requires the purchase of a different, and very expensive television receiver. Bell ExpressVu's Super Definition can be enjoyed either on today's regular television receivers or on HDTV television sets. Analogue NTSC encoding which has been the television broadcast standard since 1953, mixes the luminance and color information from the pictures into a single "composite" signal and in the process irrevocably degrades the sharpness of the image and causes color information interference. Unfortunately most of today's television programming has been subjected to NTSC degradation at some point, before it is delivered to the home. Only special systems such as Super Definition or DVD players maintain the integrity and sharpness of the original luminance signal. Most of the feature movies presented on Vu!, Bell ExpressVu's own pay-per-view service, are transmitted in Super Definition. We receive digital videotapes that have been precisely copied by the movie studio labs from digital masters, created directly from 35mm film. The digital satellite system used by Bell ExpressVu causes no signal changes, this means that identical pictures to those delivered to you are viewed by our Broadcast Centre quality control technicians. There are no distribution degradations such as those introduced by analogue cable systems. We also take great care to ensure maximum picture quality of our regular broadcast channels. Most Canadian Broadcasters and Specialty Networks are connected to our digital encoders by fibre. Bell ExpressVu won a special Gemini Award for Technical Excellence for the system we use across Canada.

A digital signal delivered directly from broadcasters to your home.

We expect that in the near future some Specialty Networks may be able to offer comparable quality to Super Definition with some programming that has never been encoded into NTSC signals. When this happens Bell ExpressVu will interconnect to their studios with new special component fibre links.

To summarize…

Super Definition maintains separate luminance and color signals from the studio master to your television. You must connect your television to the ExpressVu satellite receiver with the S-Video multi-pin cable, to enjoy Super Definition to the full. Enjoy Super Definition on Vu! picture quality far better than anything from a video rental.