The ATSC was formed in 1982 in the USA by the US Congress and member organizations of the Joint Committee on InterSociety Coordination: the Electronic Industries Alliance, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. There are approximately 140 members representing the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries. ATSC DTV standards include digital high-definition television, standard-definition television, data broadcasting, multichannel surround-sound audio, and satellite direct-to-home broadcasting.
ATSC standards are used primarily in the US and Canada, with the majority of the world using DVB standards instead.
