Composite (video)

Luminance and chrominance are combined along with the timing reference "sync" information using one of the coding standards--NTSC, PAL or SECAM--to make composite video. The process, which is an analog form of video compression, restricts the bandwidths (image detail) of components. In the composite result color is literally added to the monochrome (luminance) information using a visually acceptable technique. As our eyes have far more luminance resolving power than for color, the color sharpness (bandwidth) of the coded single is reduced to far below that of the luminance. This provides a good solution for transmission but it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to accurately reverse the process (decode) into pure luminance and chrominance which limits its use in post production.