DVB-C
DVB-C stands for "Digital Video Broadcasting - Cable" and it is the DVB European consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital television over cable. This system transmits an MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 family digital audio/digital video stream, using a QAM modulation with channel coding. The standard was first published by the ETSI in 1994, and subsequently became the most widely used transmission system for digital cable television in Europe, Asia and South America. It is deployed worldwide in systems ranging from the larger cable television networks (CATV) down to smaller satellite master antenna TV (SMATV) systems.
DVB-C2
On February 18, 2008 it was announced that a new standard – DVB-C2 – would be developed during 2008, and a "Call for Technologies" was issued. Proposals including simulation programs and information on patent rights could be submitted until June 16, 2008.
"The results of the DVB-C2 Study Mission already provided clear indications that
technologies are available allowing the performance of the second generation DVB cable
transmission system to get so close to the theoretical Shannon Limit that any further
improvements in the future would most likely not be able to justify the introduction of a
disruptive third generation of cable transmission system." (DVB-C2 CfT)