Abstract: A high definition television transmission system in which a wide band interlaced television signal (FIG. 2) having 1249 lines per field is divided to provide first and second interlaced television signals each having 625 lines per field and consequently reduced bandwidth. Adjacent lines of the first television signal have their low frequency information (0-3 MHz) (FIG. 2) derived from alternate lines in the wide band signal while the corresponding information for adjacent lines in the second television signal (FIG. 4) is derived from the intervening lines in the wide band signal. The high frequency information (3-5.5 or 6 MHz) for the lines of both the first and second television signals (FIG. 7) is derived from the average of the corresponding information in adjacent lines of the wide band signal. The first television signal also contains a color subcarrier which is modulated by the average of the color information in adjacent lines of the wide band signal (FIG. 7).

Abstract: A television transmission system for the simultaneous transmission of television signals, depicting the same scene, for standard and wide picture formats of, respectively, a standard aspect ratio and a wider than standard aspect ratio. The television signal (FIG. 2) for the scene having 1249 lines per field is divided to produce a first television signal (FIG. 4) of 625 lines per field representing the wide picture format where adjacent lines of a field are derived from alternate lines of the scene television signal and a second television signal (FIG. 3) also of 625 lines per field representing the standard picture format where adjacent lines of a field are derived from the intervening lines of the scene television signal.