Baseline System for a Digital multi-programme Television by Cable (DTVC). Harmonized transmission standard for cable and satellite, based on the MPEG-2 System Layer, with the addition of Forward Error Correction (FEC) technique. It is compatible with the modulation/ channel coding system used for digital multi-programme television by satellite (DE/JTC-DVB-6). The System allows for further evolution as technology advances and is capable of starting a reliable service as of now. The Baseline System is based on QAM modulation scheme. It allows for 16, 32 or 64-QAM constellations and permits future extension to higher constellation such as 128 and 256-QAM.