PSIP system

The Program and system information protocol (PSIP) is data that are transmitted along with a station s DTV signal that tells DTV receivers important information about the station and what is being broadcast. Described in ATSC Standard A/65 [3], the most important function of PSIP is to provide a method for DTV receivers to identify a DTV station and to determine how a receiver can tune to it. PSIP identifies both the DTV channel and the associated NTSC (analog) channel. It helps maintain the current channel branding because DTV receivers will electronically associate the two channels, making it easy for viewers to tune to the DTV station even if they do not know the RF channel number. 

The recommended table cycle times given in this section result in a minimal demand on overall system bandwidth. Considering the importance of the information that these PSIP tables provide to the receiver, the bandwidth penalty is trivial. 

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