A study of predictive coding of component TV signals for compression to transmit at rates that give good picture quality is reported. Designing predictors for minimum mean square prediction error is effective, both for luminance and chrominance signals. Predictors designed in this manner were found to be as good as or better than all other predictors tested. Quantizers designed for minimum mean square system error were primarily used in this study. A programmable testbed was built to permit quick comparisons. Predictors were compared on the testbed using a 2-b quantizer in order to have adequate system error to display visible differences. For simple intrafield coding, component signals compressed for transmission at 30 Mb/s gave about equivalent quality to an NTSC composite signal coded directly for transmission at 45 Mb/s. With 45-Mb/s transmission, component signal coding showed no detectable degradation on close inspection of real pictures. Maximum chrominance changes on test patterns yield visually detectable chrominance slope overload.>