The spectrum-compatible high definition television (SC-HDTV) system achieves the encoding of a 28.9-MHZ source signal for transmission over a 6-MHZ channel in the terrestrial TV broadcasting bands. The new signal format reduces mutual interference between existing NTSC broadcasts and the new high-definition broadcasts and, therefore, significant amounts of current taboo spectrum space can be used for simulcasting SC-HDTV. A concise description of the new system is followed by a discussion of aspects of special interest to the terrestrial broadcaster. © 1990 IEEE