The authors address the key concerns in the formulation of new HDTV (high-definition television) systems. The starting point is the derivation of basic definitions of resolution parameters of television systems. Having established the means of representing the static and dynamic resolution of a television system, the authors discuss baseband encoding and decoding methods in terms of spatial and temporal filtering of source images as a means of efficient bandwidth reduction. A method for delivery of HDTV via satellite is detailed, and a simulcast technique for transmission HDTV in a terrestrial environment is presented. The sampling, filtering, subsampling, and transmission packaging provides a high-definition system for the North American HDS/NA. Interference issues are of primary concern when utilizing a taboo channel for terrestrial broadcast, and techniques for minimizing their effects, exploited in HDS/NA, are discussed. >