The NICAM system

Stereo TV sound has finally come of age with the progressive introduction over the past few years of a digital system calied NICAM. This article aims at providing a background to the operation of the NICAM (near-instantaneously companded audio multiplex) system, wh ich is now in use in most of the UK, Scandinavia, Belgium and Spain. NICAM-728, with subversions for PAL systems B/G and I, is also recommended by the EBU as the system for multi-channel sound transmission with terrestrial television. It has been adopted for use in several countries, including the UK, and now forms part of a draft CCIR recommendation.