This page was last modified 2007-07-24 12:00:36 by Puchu.Net user Choco. (Show history)

The Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) tables are section data transported in ATSC transport streams to deliver events and information regarding broadcast programs available. For reference, some tables contained within section data are summarized below.

Table	ID	Description	PID
PAT	0x00	Program Association Table	0x0000
CAT	0x01	Conditional Access Table	0x0001
PMT	0x02	Program Table	specified in PAT
MGT	0xc7	Master Guide Table	0x1ffb
TVCT	0xc8	Terrestrial Virtual Channel Table	0x1ffb
CVCT	0xc9	Cable Virtual Channel Table	0x1ffb
RRT	0xca	Rating Region Table	0x1ffb
EIT	0xcb	Event Information Table	specified in MGT
ETT	0xcc	Extended Text Table	specified in MGT
STT	0xcd	System Time Table	0x1ffb
DCCT	0xd3	Directed Channel Change Table	0x1ffb
DCCSCT	0xd4	Directed Channel Change Selection Code Table	0x1ffb

PAT, CAT and PMT are specified in MPEG2 specification. PSIP tables start from table ID 0xc7.

Contents 1 System Time (STT) 2 Master Guide (MGT) 3 Virtual Channel (VCT) 4 Rating Region (RRT) 5 Event Information (EIT) 6 Extended Text (ETT) 7 Directed Channel Change (DCCT) 8 Directed Channel Change Selection Code (DCCSCT) 9 References

System Time (STT)

To help with time synchronization. Suggested repetition rate is once every second.

Master Guide (MGT)

An index of other PSIP tables such as EIT and ETT, as well information regarding the tables (their sizes, version, PID, etc.). Suggested repetition rate is once every 150ms.

Virtual Channel (VCT)

Provides major and minor channel numbers. Digital channels are usually in the form 7.1, where 7 is the major number and 1 is the minor number. The modulation frequency between major channels change, but not for minor channels.

For terrestrial broadcasts, TVCT is delivered; for cable, CVCT. Suggested repetition rate for TVCT is once every 400ms.

Rating Region (RRT)

Provides rating information for parental control, etc. This table is not fixed to rating standards of a specific country.

Event Information (EIT)

Delivers the title and program guide. A stream is required to contain the first 4 tables (EIT-0, EIT-1, EIT-2, and EIT-3) describing 12 hours of events. EIT-0 contains informations regarding programs that are currently showing. Each EIT covers a 3 hour window.

Suggested repetition rate for EIT-0 is once every 0.5 seconds, EIT-1 is once every 3 seconds, EIT-2 and higher is once every minute.

Extended Text (ETT)

Provides more information about channels and programs. This is optional in a stream. Suggested repetition rate is once every minute.

Directed Channel Change (DCCT)

Provides information allowing broadcaster to change channel at a specified time. Optional.

Directed Channel Change Selection Code (DCCSCT)

Broadcasters use this table to change information used by directed channel change. Optional.

References

• ATSC PSIP web site. This document is a good place to start.
• ATSC A65 specification