
The audio data packet carries all the information
in the AES bit stream excluding the auxiliary
data defined by ANSI S4.40. The audio data
packet is located in the ancillary data space of
the digital video on most of the television lines
in a field. An audio control packet is transmitted
once per field, is optional for the default case of
48-kHz synchronous audio (20 or 24 bits), and is
required for all other modes of operation. Auxil-
iary data are carried in an extended data packet
corresponding to and immediately following the
associated audio data packet.
4.3 Data IDs (see 12.1, 13.1, and 14.1) are
defined for four separate packets of each packet
type. This allows for up to eight channel pairs in
component video; however, there is ancillary
data space for only two channel pairs (of 20 or
24 bit, 48-kHz audio) in composite video. In this
standard, the audio groups are numbered 1
through 4 and the channels are numbered 1
through 16. Channels 1 through 4 are in group 1,
channels 5 through 8 are in group 2, and so on.
4.4 If extended data packets are used, they are
included on the same video line as the audio
data packet which contains data from the same
sample pair. The extended data packet follows
the audio data packet and contains two 4-bit
groups of auxiliary data per ancillary data word
as shown in figure 1.
4.5 To define the level of support in this standard
by a particular equipment, a suffix letter is added
to the standard number. The default compliance
is defined as level A and implements synchro-
nous audio sampled at 48 kHz and carrying only
the (20-bit) audio data packets. Distribution
of samples on the television lines for level A
specifically follows the uniform sample distri-
bution as required by 9.1 in order to ensure
interoperation with receivers limited to level A
operation (see annex A for distribution analysis).
4.6 Levels of operation indicate support as
listed:
A) Synchronous audio at 48 kHz, 20-bit audio data
packets (allows receiver operation with a buffer size
less than the 64 samples required by 9.2);
B) Synchronous audio at 48 kHz, for use with com-
posite digital video signals, sample distribution to
allow extended data packets, but not utilizing those
packets (requires receiver operation with a buffer size
of 64 samples per 9.2);
C) Synchronous audio at 48 kHz, audio and extended
data packets;
D) Asynchronous audio (48 kHz implied, other
frequencies if so indicated);
E) 44.1-kHz audio;
F) 32-kHz audio;
G) 32 kHz to 48 kHz continuous sampling rate range;
H) Audio frame sequence (see 14.2);
I) Time delay tracking;
J) Noncoincident Z bits in a channel pair.
4.7 Examples of compliance nomenclature:
A transmitter that supports only 20-bit 48-kHz
synchronous audio would be said to conform to
SMPTE 272M-A. (Transmitted sample distribution is
expected to conform to clause 9.)
A transmitter that supports 20-bit and 24-bit 48-kHz
synchronous audio would be said to conform to
SMPTE 272M-ABC. (In the case of level A operation,
the transmitted sample distribution is expected to
conform to clause 9, although a different sample
distribution may be used when it is in operation con-
forming to levels B or C.)
A receiver which can only accept 20-bit 48-kHz
synchronous audio and requiring level A sample dis-
tribution would be said to conform to SMPTE 272M-A.
A receiver which only utilizes the 20-bit data but can
accept the level B sample distribution would be said
to conform to SMPTE 272M-AB since it will handle
either sample distribution.
A receiver which accepts and utilizes the 24-bit data
would be said to conform to SMPTE 272M-C.
Equipment that supports only asychronous audio and
only at 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 48 kHz would be said
to conform to SMPTE 272M-DEF.
ANSI/SMPTE 272M-1994
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