1. The MHP-Guide
A comprehensive Guide to the Multimedia Home Platform,
the underlying technology and possible uses
Document / Version number: D16 / 1.0
Date: 30.03.2006
Issued by: The MHP Knowledge Project (MHP-KDB)
This document is available at: http://www.mhpkdb.org
Visit the MHP Knowledge Database: www.mhpkdb.org
3. 30th March 2006
The MHP-Guide Version: 1.0
Table of Content
Table of Content.......................................................................................................................3
List of Tables ..........................................................................................................................11
List of Figures.........................................................................................................................12
1 Purpose of the MHP-Guide .............................................................................................14
1.1 General ...................................................................................................................14
1.2 Target Groups ........................................................................................................14
2 What is interactive television?.........................................................................................19
2.1 Types of applications ..............................................................................................19
2.1.1 Available Interactive Applications .......................................................................19
2.1.2 Information Services ...........................................................................................20
2.1.3 Communication Services ....................................................................................22
2.1.4 Entertainment Services.......................................................................................23
2.1.5 T-Commerce.......................................................................................................25
2.1.6 T-Government.....................................................................................................26
2.1.7 T-Learning ..........................................................................................................27
2.1.8 T-Health/T-Care..................................................................................................28
2.1.9 Business TV........................................................................................................28
2.2 Levels of interactivity ..............................................................................................29
3 Introduction to MHP ........................................................................................................31
3.1 The DVB Project .....................................................................................................31
3.2 The need for MHP as an open API standard..........................................................31
3.2.1 Market developments and DVB activities ...........................................................31
3.2.2 EU policy.............................................................................................................32
3.3 MHP activities in DVB.............................................................................................33
3.4 MHP: Current status and new developments .........................................................33
3.5 Ensuring the interoperability of MHP ......................................................................34
3.5.1 The MHP Test Suite ...........................................................................................35
3.5.2 The MHP Knowledge Project..............................................................................36
3.6 MHP in the markets ................................................................................................37
3.6.1 Austria.................................................................................................................37
3.6.2 Denmark .............................................................................................................38
3.6.3 Finland ................................................................................................................38
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3.6.4 France.................................................................................................................39
3.6.5 Flandern..............................................................................................................39
3.6.6 Germany .............................................................................................................40
3.6.7 Italy .....................................................................................................................41
3.6.8 Norway................................................................................................................42
3.6.9 Spain...................................................................................................................43
3.6.10 Sweden...........................................................................................................44
3.6.11 United Kingdom ..............................................................................................45
3.6.12 Switzerland .....................................................................................................45
4 MHP iTV Applications .....................................................................................................46
4.1 MHP application .....................................................................................................46
4.1.1 Why Java? ..........................................................................................................46
4.1.2 Extensions added from other standards .............................................................46
4.1.3 New TV Specific functionality .............................................................................47
4.2 MHP applications and the broadcast chain ............................................................51
5 MHP end-to-end architecture ..........................................................................................53
5.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................53
5.2 MHP end-to-end reference model ..........................................................................53
5.2.1 Program Content Playout ...................................................................................54
5.2.2 MHP Application Authoring & Production Tools .................................................54
5.2.3 Content Management System (CMS).................................................................54
5.2.4 Download server & firmware upgrade ................................................................54
5.2.5 Public Key Infrastructure MHP PKI.....................................................................55
5.2.6 PSI/SI..................................................................................................................55
5.2.7 DSM-CC .............................................................................................................56
5.2.8 Conditional Access System ................................................................................57
5.2.9 Network Equipment ............................................................................................58
5.2.10 MHP terminal ..................................................................................................58
5.2.11 Return Channel...............................................................................................58
5.2.12 Application specific backend servers..............................................................59
5.3 Actors of the MHP end-to-end system and their roles ............................................59
5.3.1 MHP authoring tool vendor .................................................................................61
5.3.2 MHP application developer.................................................................................61
5.3.3 MHP service provider .........................................................................................61
5.3.4 Broadcaster ........................................................................................................61
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5.3.5 Network operator ................................................................................................62
5.3.6 MHP playout vendor ...........................................................................................62
5.3.7 CAS provider ......................................................................................................62
5.3.8 ISP ......................................................................................................................62
5.3.9 MHP Backend operator ......................................................................................63
5.3.10 MHP terminal vendor ......................................................................................63
5.3.11 DVB Services SARL .......................................................................................63
5.3.12 MHP Certification Authority.............................................................................64
5.3.13 End-user .........................................................................................................64
5.3.14 MHP SW stack provider..................................................................................64
6 Organization of the MHP knowledge...............................................................................65
7 Basic Architecture ...........................................................................................................67
7.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................67
7.2 DVB-J .....................................................................................................................67
7.2.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................67
7.2.2 DVB-J Constraints ..............................................................................................67
7.3 DVB-HTML .............................................................................................................68
7.4 Principle of scarce resources .................................................................................69
7.4.1 Memory...............................................................................................................69
7.4.2 Persistent storage...............................................................................................69
7.4.3 Tuning Interface..................................................................................................73
7.4.4 Return Channel...................................................................................................74
7.5 Migration .................................................................................................................75
7.5.1 Migration from previous legacy middleware to MHP ..........................................75
7.5.2 Migration from older to more recent MHP versions ............................................76
8 Broadcast Protocols ........................................................................................................79
8.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................79
8.2 Transport Stream Elements....................................................................................79
8.2.1 A note on naming................................................................................................79
8.2.2 MPEG-2 Transport Stream .................................................................................79
8.2.3 DVB Transport Stream .......................................................................................82
8.2.4 MHP....................................................................................................................82
8.3 DSM-CC .................................................................................................................82
8.3.1 DSM-CC Object Carousel...................................................................................83
8.3.2 Object carousel optimization...............................................................................84
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8.4 Synchronization ......................................................................................................85
8.4.1 Do-It-Now stream events ....................................................................................85
8.4.2 Scheduled stream events ...................................................................................86
8.4.3 Creating stream events.......................................................................................86
8.5 Section Filtering ......................................................................................................87
8.5.1 What is a section? ..............................................................................................87
8.5.2 MHP....................................................................................................................88
8.5.3 Capacity and performance..................................................................................88
8.5.4 Examples ............................................................................................................89
8.6 Tuning and service selection ..................................................................................89
8.7 Principles of conditional access (smart card, CI content protection) ......................90
9 MHP Applications and Application Lifecycle ...................................................................92
9.1 Applets and Xlets....................................................................................................92
9.2 Xlet Application.......................................................................................................92
9.3 Resident applications .............................................................................................94
9.4 Stored applications .................................................................................................94
9.4.1 Restrictions of stored applications ......................................................................95
9.4.2 Extensions to MHP 1.0 APIs...............................................................................95
9.4.3 Signaling of stored application............................................................................96
10 Service Signaling........................................................................................................97
10.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................97
10.2 Introduction to SI / PSI............................................................................................97
10.2.1 Information independent from transport stream..............................................98
10.2.2 Optional “other” tables ....................................................................................98
10.2.3 Tuning to other streams..................................................................................99
10.2.4 Accessing Service Information .......................................................................99
10.2.5 Usage of the SI overview tables .....................................................................99
10.3 Introduction to AIT and application change ..........................................................100
10.4 Application Loading over Return Channel ............................................................101
11 Security.....................................................................................................................102
11.1 Security in interactive television environments .....................................................102
11.1.1 Integrity .........................................................................................................102
11.1.2 Confidentiality ...............................................................................................103
11.1.3 Availability.....................................................................................................103
11.2 Signing MHP Applications ....................................................................................104
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11.2.1 Hash files (dvb.hashfile) ...............................................................................104
11.2.2 Signature files (dvb.signature.*)....................................................................104
11.2.3 Certificate files (dvb.certificates.*) ................................................................105
11.2.4 Example of a signed MHP application ..........................................................106
11.3 DVB MHP Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) ............................................................107
11.3.1 Actors in the MHP PKI ..................................................................................107
11.3.2 DVB Services Hierarchy ...............................................................................107
11.3.3 DVB MHP PKI for MHP terminal Manufacturers...........................................109
11.3.4 DVB MHP PKI for Application Developers....................................................109
11.3.5 DVB MHP PKI for Broadcasters ...................................................................109
11.3.6 Certificate Management................................................................................110
11.4 Authenticating applications in the MHP Terminal .................................................110
11.5 Application Rights Model ......................................................................................111
11.6 Other aspects .......................................................................................................111
12 Graphics, Text Presentation, Audio, Video...............................................................113
12.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................113
12.2 Layers and composition concept ..........................................................................113
12.3 Playable media .....................................................................................................114
12.3.1 Java Media Framework 1.0 .........................................................................114
12.3.2 Java Media Framework 2.0 .........................................................................114
12.3.3 Java Media Framework on MHP terminals ..................................................115
12.3.4 Media flow....................................................................................................115
12.3.5 Media player and available controls ............................................................115
12.3.6 Obtaining a player and controls ...................................................................118
12.3.7 Selection of audio components with AudioLanguageControl .......................119
12.3.8 Selection of subtitles with SubtitlingLanguageControl .................................120
12.3.9 Selection of media with MediaSelectControl ...............................................122
12.4 UI components overview/main HAVI components................................................123
12.4.1 Main HAVI components ................................................................................123
12.4.2 HComponent and HContainer ......................................................................123
12.4.3 HVisible and HLook ......................................................................................125
12.4.4 Other considerations using HAVI..................................................................126
12.4.5 Input events and exclusive registrations on input event ...............................126
12.5 Displayable graphics formats and restriction ........................................................127
12.5.1 PNG ..............................................................................................................128
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12.5.2 JPEG ............................................................................................................128
12.5.3 GIF................................................................................................................128
12.6 Color Table ...........................................................................................................129
12.7 Differences between TV and computer screens...................................................130
12.7.1 Calculation (PAL).........................................................................................132
12.7.2 Loss of sharpness.........................................................................................132
12.7.3 Calculation (NTSC) .......................................................................................133
12.7.4 Overview of scale factors.............................................................................133
12.8 Color conversion...................................................................................................133
12.9 Double buffering ...................................................................................................134
12.10 Fonts.....................................................................................................................135
12.10.1 Generating fonts ...........................................................................................135
12.10.2 Generating the font index file........................................................................136
12.10.3 Using external fonts ......................................................................................137
13 Return Channel ........................................................................................................138
13.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................138
13.2 Types of return channels ......................................................................................138
13.2.1 Always-on return channels ...........................................................................138
13.2.2 Connection-based return channels...............................................................139
13.2.3 Detailed example ..........................................................................................139
13.3 Protocol overview .................................................................................................139
13.3.1 UDP ..............................................................................................................139
13.3.2 TCP...............................................................................................................139
13.3.3 HTTP ............................................................................................................140
13.3.4 DNS ..............................................................................................................140
13.3.5 Protocol support............................................................................................140
13.4 MHP as client for Internet services & Integration of contents received via return
channel .............................................................................................................................141
13.5 Security on the Return Channel ...........................................................................142
14 Equipment ................................................................................................................143
14.1 Playout systems ...................................................................................................143
14.2 MHP Terminal architecture ...................................................................................144
14.2.1 Hardware requirements ................................................................................146
14.2.2 Conceptual view for Software architecture ...................................................147
14.3 Test equipment.....................................................................................................148
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14.3.1 IRT MHP Application analyzer ......................................................................148
14.3.2 Return Channel analysis tool........................................................................149
14.3.3 AIT / DSM-CC Analyzer and Compliance Tool.............................................150
14.3.4 Loading Time Analyzer .................................................................................151
15 Usability ....................................................................................................................152
15.1 Layout and Design................................................................................................153
15.1.1 As much as necessary, as little as possible .................................................154
15.1.2 Consistency ..................................................................................................154
15.1.3 Screen Layout...............................................................................................154
15.2 Navigation.............................................................................................................156
15.2.1 Remote Control Units ...................................................................................156
15.2.2 Interaction Design.........................................................................................158
15.3 Legibility of Text....................................................................................................159
15.3.1 Legibility Examples .......................................................................................159
15.4 Recommendations for Using Colors .....................................................................162
15.5 Usability Studies and User-Centered Design .......................................................163
16 MHP Outlook ............................................................................................................166
16.1 Technical aspects .................................................................................................166
16.1.1 DVB over IP / IP tuner ..................................................................................166
16.1.2 IP over DVB ..................................................................................................167
16.1.3 Personal Digital Recorder (PDR) ..................................................................168
16.1.4 HDTV ............................................................................................................169
16.1.5 MPEG4 / H.264.............................................................................................169
16.1.6 DVB-S2.........................................................................................................170
16.1.7 Object Tracking.............................................................................................170
16.2 Commercial aspects .............................................................................................171
16.2.1 DVB-MHP in Europe.....................................................................................171
16.2.2 DVB-MHP in the rest of the world .................................................................173
17 Glossary and abbreviations ......................................................................................175
18 Literature ..................................................................................................................191
18.1 General DVB ........................................................................................................191
18.2 General TV ...........................................................................................................191
18.3 General User Interaction ......................................................................................191
18.4 Other.....................................................................................................................192
19 Annex A - How to use the MHP KDB .......................................................................193
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19.1 Organization of the Database Content .................................................................193
19.1.1 Rights and Roles ..........................................................................................194
19.1.2 Reviewing Process .......................................................................................194
19.2 Using the KDB ......................................................................................................195
19.3 Licensing conditions .............................................................................................198
19.3.1 Licensing conditions for documents in the static part of KDB .......................199
19.3.2 Licensing conditions for Java source code ...................................................199
20 Annex B – Develop your first Xlet with MHP-KDB....................................................201
20.1 Build an application ..............................................................................................201
20.2 Download an application: .....................................................................................202
20.3 Debug an application:...........................................................................................202
20.4 Source code of basic application: .........................................................................203
21 Annex C - Presentation of the MHP APIs.................................................................206
21.1 “Core” APIs ...........................................................................................................206
21.2 JMF APIs ..............................................................................................................207
21.3 JavaTV APIs .........................................................................................................207
21.4 DAVIC APIs ..........................................................................................................208
21.5 HAVi (Home Audio Video Interoperability) APIs ...................................................209
21.6 DVB APIs..............................................................................................................209
22 Annex D – Migration .................................................................................................212
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List of Tables
Table 1-1: Chapters and their potential target group relevance............................................................ 18
Table 2-1: Levels of interactivity in relation to types of applications ..................................................... 30
Table 5-1: Elucidation of actors in the MHP end-to-end reference model ............................................ 60
Table 11-1: Actors in the MHP Public Key Infrastructure.................................................................... 107
Table 12-1: Palette construction rules................................................................................................. 130
Table 13-1: MHP 1.0.x Protocol Support............................................................................................. 141
Table 13-2: MHP 1.1.1 Protocol support ............................................................................................. 141
Table 14-1: Hardware resource requirements..................................................................................... 146
Table 15-1: Mandatory keys in MHP ................................................................................................... 158
Table 19-1: Rights and Roles Model of the MHP-KDB ....................................................................... 194
Table 20-1: Authoring Tools vendors .................................................................................................. 202
Table 21-1: Java Core APIs ................................................................................................................ 207
Table 21-2: JavaTV APIs..................................................................................................................... 208
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List of Figures
Figure 2-1: EPG of the ARD Portal ....................................................................................................... 20
Figure 2-2: Simple STB-EPG (TechniSat)............................................................................................. 20
Figure 2-3: News Service with ¼ scaled video (Mediaset, Italy)........................................................... 21
Figure 2-4: Weather Service (RTL TV interaktiv, Germany) ................................................................. 21
Figure 2-5: Traffic Service (Prototype, rbb, Germany) .......................................................................... 22
Figure 2-6: Interactive multimedia teletext (Pro7, Germany) ................................................................ 22
Figure 2-7: TV mail client (Alticast) ....................................................................................................... 22
Figure 2-8: Arcade Game on TV screen (sofia digital) .......................................................................... 23
Figure 2-9: Interactive TV Game (ZDF, Germany)................................................................................ 23
Figure 2-10: Video on Demand Selection (gist) .................................................................................... 24
Figure 2-11: Tracking ebay auctions on the TV screen (Nionex).......................................................... 25
Figure 2-12: Sofa Shopping with OTTO’s interactive MHP Shop ......................................................... 25
Figure 2-13: Regional Information Portal for the city of Tampere (Finland).......................................... 26
Figure 2-14: Voting application related to News Show (SkyTV, UK) .................................................... 27
Figure 2-15: Kids’ Edutainment: Goosebumps (FoxKids, Germany) .................................................... 27
Figure 2-16: Customer Information at Housing Society “ewt” (GIST,
Germany) ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Figure 3-1: Profiles of the MHP standard .............................................................................................. 34
Figure 3-2: The MHP Logo .................................................................................................................... 35
Figure 3-3: DGTVi Logo ........................................................................................................................ 42
Figure 4-1: HScene in the UI model ...................................................................................................... 50
Figure 4-2: Display structure ................................................................................................................. 51
Figure 4-3 MHP applications in broadcast chain................................................................................... 52
Figure 5-1: MHP E2E Reference Model................................................................................................ 53
Figure 5-2: Detailed view of Conditional Access System...................................................................... 57
Figure 6-1: Mapping of the MHP-KDB Categories in the MHP End-to-End
Reference Model ............................................................................................................................ 66
Figure 7-1 Plug-in implementation options............................................................................................ 75
Figure 8-1 Transport Stream ................................................................................................................. 80
Figure 8-2 Example building blocks of an MPEG-2 encoder ................................................................ 80
Figure 8-3 MPEG-2 Packet Header ...................................................................................................... 81
Figure 8-4 Example of object carousel in DVB service ......................................................................... 83
Figure 8-5: DSM-CC Object Carousel Layering .................................................................................... 84
Figure 8-6: Encrypting and decrypting content...................................................................................... 90
Figure 8-7: Encryption and decryption process..................................................................................... 91
Figure 9-1: Xlet lifecycle state machine diagram................................................................................... 92
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Figure 11-1: Example of a signed application [Hetzer 2001] .............................................................. 106
Figure 11-2: The DVB Services Hierarchy .......................................................................................... 108
Figure 12-1: Graphic Planes in MHP................................................................................................... 113
Figure 12-2: Porter-Duff Alpha Composition Rules ............................................................................. 114
Figure 12-3: HComponent and HContainer (a) ................................................................................... 123
Figure 12-4: HComponent and HContainer (b) ................................................................................... 124
Figure 12-5: HVisible and HLook ........................................................................................................ 125
Figure 12-6: Example of a color table ................................................................................................. 129
Figure 12-7: Opaque CLUT ................................................................................................................. 130
Figure 12-8: Comparison of pixel aspect ratios................................................................................... 131
Figure 14-1: Typical MHP playout server interfaces ........................................................................... 143
Figure 14-2: The MHP Logo ................................................................................................................ 144
Figure 14-3: MHP terminal hardware architecture ............................................................................. 145
Figure 14-4: MHP terminal software architecture............................................................................... 147
Figure 15-1: Typical Screen Structure of an MHP Application............................................................ 153
Figure 15-2: Basic Formal Structure of a Screen Surface .................................................................. 153
Figure 15-3: Layout of a TV Screen .................................................................................................... 154
Figure 15-4: Screen Organization ....................................................................................................... 155
Figure 15-5: Remote Controls of MHP Terminals ............................................................................... 156
Figure 15-6: Functions of a Remote Control ....................................................................................... 158
Figure 15-7: Legibility Example 1 ........................................................................................................ 160
Figure 15-8: Legibility Example 2 ........................................................................................................ 160
Figure 15-9: Legibility Example 3 ........................................................................................................ 161
Figure 15-10: Legibility Example 4 ...................................................................................................... 162
Figure 15-11: Examples of color combinations with poor legibility...................................................... 163
Figure 16-1: Example of an IP STB..................................................................................................... 167
Figure 16-2: HD Ready logo defined by EICTA for HD equipment..................................................... 169
Figure 16-3: Example for object tracking............................................................................................. 170
Figure 16-4: MHP situation in the world in August 2005 [MHP_ORG]................................................ 171
Figure 19-1: Simplified Data Model of the KDB .................................................................................. 193
Figure 19-2: Searching an Issue in the KDB ....................................................................................... 195
Figure 19-3: Adding an Issue to the KDB............................................................................................ 196
Figure 19-4: Editing a Document......................................................................................................... 198
Figure 20-1: Developing application steps .......................................................................................... 201
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1 Purpose of the MHP-Guide
1.1 General
DVB MHP, the DVB Multimedia Home Platform, is a major standard for
interactive TV today. This document is a free guidebook that offers MHP-KDB Project:
comprehensive knowledge on all fundamental aspects of MHP for all those The MHP-KDB project
involved along the end-to-end chain of interactive TV: those who are simply is co-funded by the
EU as an "IST project.
interested in MHP and want a quick overview and those who want to dig Its main aim is to
deeper into the subtleties of the standard, those who plan to enter the world improve the
of MHP practically and those who already work with MHP and need specific interoperability of
information on certain issues. MHP implementations
and MHP applications.
The MHP-Guide is generated from practical experience of European actors
in broadcasting, IT manufacturing and technology research who are familiar
with MHP in their every day work and who joined forces in the MHP
knowledge project mainly to improve interoperability of MHP
implementations and applications. As one major result of this project, the
online MHP-Knowledge Database was established. This database offers a
continuously growing number of solutions including MHP reference
application modules as "Open Source" code available for free usage.
Additionally a virtual online test center for testing interoperability on
standard hardware MHP terminals.
The MHP-Guide complements the resources offered by the MHP-
Knowledge Database. While the MHP-Guide provides a comprehensive yet
concise overview of the basic applications and technologies of the MHP
End-to-End chain, the online database leads on to deeper levels of
knowledge and to the practical dimension, be it for offering your own
solution, retrieving a solution or testing your applications.
The document layout features a broad text column with an extensive
margin. This margin highlights special information such as the depth of
information (NOVICE/EXPERT LEVEL), brief definitions of relevant terms and
references to related entries in the database for more specific knowledge
and practical solutions.
1.2 Target Groups
The MHP-Guide supports fundamental research needs of all sorts of
interest groups. The following table will help readers to see which chapters
and sections are particularly interesting for them. It lists all document
chapters and their potential target groups.
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Application Programmers
Authoring Tool Providers
Decoder Manufacturers
Broadcast Equipment
Expert/ Novice Level
Manufacturers
Broadcasters
Chapter
Chapter 2: What is interactive television?
2.1 Types of applications N
2.2 Levels of interactivity N
Chapter 3: Introduction to MHP
3.1 The DVB Project N
3.2 The need for MHP as an open standard N
3.3 MHP activities in DVB N
3.4 MHP: Current status and new
N
developments
3.5 Ensuring the interoperability of MHP N
3.6 MHP in the markets N
Chapter 4: MHP iTV Applications
4.1 MHP application N
4.2 MHP applications and the broadcast
N
chain
Chapter 5: MHP End-to-End Architecture
5.1 Introduction N
5.2 MHP end-to-end reference model N
5.3 Actors of the MHP end-to-end system
N
and their roles
Chapter 6: Organization of the MHP knowledge
6 Organization of the MHP knowledge N
Chapter 7: Basic Architecture
7.1 Introduction N
7.2 DVB-J N
7.3 DVB-HTML N
7.4 Principle of scarce resources N/E
7.5 Migration E
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Application Programmers
Authoring Tool Providers
Decoder Manufacturers
Broadcast Equipment
Expert/ Novice Level
Manufacturers
Broadcasters
Chapter
Chapter 8: Broadcast Protocols
8.1 Introduction N
8.2 Transport Stream Elements N
8.3 DSM-CC N/E
8.4 Synchronization N/E
8.5 Section Filtering N
8.6 Tuning and service selection N
8.7 Principles of conditional access (smart
N
card, CI content protection
Chapter 9: MHP Applications and Application Lifecycle
9.1 Applets and Xlets N
9.2 Xlet Application N
9.3 Resident Applications N
9.4 Stored Applications N/E
Chapter 10: Service Signaling
10.1 Introduction N
10.2 Introduction to SI /PSI N/E
10.3 Introduction to AIT and application
E
change
10.4 Application Loading over Return
N
Channel
Chapter 11: Security
11.1 Security in interactive television
N
environments
11.2 Signing MHP applications E
11.3 DVB MHP Public Key Infrastructure
E
(PKI)
11.4 Authenticating applications in the MHP
E
terminal
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Application Programmers
Authoring Tool Providers
Decoder Manufacturers
Broadcast Equipment
Expert/ Novice Level
Manufacturers
Broadcasters
Chapter
11.5 Application Rights Model N
11.5 Other Aspects E
Chapter 12: Graphics, Text Presentation, Audio, Video
12.1 Introduction N
12.2 Layers and composition concept N
12.3 Playable media N/E
12.4 UI components overview/main HAVI
N
components
12.5 Displayable graphics formats and
N
restriction
12.6 Color Table N
12.7 Differences between TV and computer
N/E
screens
12.8 Color conversion E
12.9 Double buffering E
12.10 Fonts N
Chapter 13: Return Channel
13.1 Introduction N
13.2 Types of return channels N
13.3 Protocol overview N
13.4 MHP as client for internet services &
integration of content received via return N
channel
13.5 Security on the return channel N
Chapter 14: Equipment
14.1 Playout systems N
14.2 MHP terminal architecture E
14.3 Test equipment N/E
Chapter 15: Usability
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Application Programmers
Authoring Tool Providers
Decoder Manufacturers
Broadcast Equipment
Expert/ Novice Level
Manufacturers
Broadcasters
Chapter
15.1 Layout and Design N
15.2 Navigation N
15.3 Legibility of Text N
15.4 Recommendations for using colors N
15.5 Usability studies and user-centered
N
design
Chapter 16: MHP Outlook
16.1 Technical aspects N/E
16.2 Commercial aspects N
Chapter 17: Glossary and abbreviations
17. Glossary and abbreviations N
Chapter 18: Literature
18. Literature N
Annex A
19. How to use the MHP KDB N
Annex B
20. Develop your first Xlet with MHP KDB N
Annex C
21. Presentation of the MHP APIs N
Annex D
22. Migration E
Table 1-1: Chapters and their potential target group relevance
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2 What is interactive television? NOVICE LEVEL
With the dawn of digital television a whole new spectrum of opportunities
has arrived. We were used to the introduction of new technical elements in
television during the years of analogue television, but they were all the
results of long-term processes. In those days, new functionalities were
realized by introducing new hardware in the television set (e.g. teletext and
stereo chips). Today enhancements are incomparably more rapid and far-
reaching in their impact because they are software-based: the digital TV
contains an “engine” for running applications, like we have become
accustomed to in the context of PCs. This technological basis of interactive
TV should lead to the introduction of new applications for many years to
come. It can significantly reduce the time to market for new applications.
Similar applications coming from different broadcasters will potentially have
a different look and feel. It will be possible to bring new applications into
use for just a limited time and scrap them afterwards since they do not
cause additional costs for the consumer. Interactive television (iTV)
applications will have an impact beyond the traditional broadcasting world.
There will be extended commercial potential for these applications and, as
a consequence, applications will also be developed by non-broadcasters.
The great advantage of interactive TV is that all services are running in a
controlled environment (unlike on the internet). Via DVB-T/S/C broadcast
large audiences may be addressed without the need of scaling the server
capacity or network connection.
But what is it that interactive TV can bring? The following paragraphs will
give an overview of the types of applications and the types of interactivity
that iTV can actually provide. While chapter 2.1 describes various types of
already available interactive applications, chapter 2.2 aims at a broader
classification of interactivity.
2.1 Types of applications
2.1.1 Available Interactive Applications
Interactive TV-Applications lead the way out of pure “lean-back”
consumption of TV. The first group of applications consists of so-called
program related applications that accompany the actual TV broadcast of
certain programs. These can be classified as follows:
Ahead of a certain program they can be instrumental in attracting
viewers by offering applications in advance promoting this program;
During a broadcast, they allow for the consumers’ active involvement
like participation in quizzes or voting, and/or provide additional
information that in its depth cannot be covered by the TV program
itself, as for example on the occasion of large TV events like the
Olympics or Elections, as well as on service programs, science
magazines, or entertainment programs;
After a program, additional services might offer yet more related
information and service or interaction offers that can be dealt with by
the consumer independent of the original program time slot.
The second large group of applications consists of program-independent
applications offering general information services, communication,
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entertainment, video-on-demand, or T-commerce services, and, finally, TV-
based front-ends for e-Government, e-Learning or e-Health.
The following sections offer a classification of these listed types of services.
They do not refer specifically to the different types of program related
services as outlined above. However, elements of the described services
often form part of program enhancement. Furthermore, all the application
types described may be combinations of various subsets, e.g. digitext
encompassing extensive news service or T-Learning combined with T-
Chat, etc. Thus, the explanations and classifications merely serve to
describe types of applications and their general concepts.
2.1.2 Information Services
EPG
The Electronic Program Guide is a common application that should be
available in all countries and on all STBs. In many cases there are even
individual EPGs for different services on offer. The EPG lists available TV
channels and the TV programs that run on these channels. Frequently, the
EPG is a 7-day program guide. The program data is usually obtained by
reading Service Information (SI) data from the broadcast services. Thus it
can inform the user on what is currently on air, what will be broadcast next,
etc. While STBs usually offer this information in their individual look and
feel (defined by the STB manufacturer), most broadcasters offer their
specific, more extensive EPGs. This is especially interesting if they operate
more than one channel, because an attractive EPG may draw users to
certain programs on additional channels.
Figure 2-1: EPG of the ARD Portal
Figure 2-2: Simple STB-EPG (TechniSat)
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News Service / Event Service
There are various kinds of News Services; most of them are portal-like
listings of current affairs, some with sophisticated categorization, and
others with very simple structures. News Applications range from simple
Live-Tickers provided via a small overlay band (in most cases at the bottom
part of the screen) to extensive (program related) information portals on big
events such as championships, Olympic Games or the Grand Prix
1
Eurovision de la Chanson .
Figure 2-3: News Service with ¼ scaled video (Mediaset, Italy)
Weather Forecast
Weather Forecast Services are usually of the type “broadcast only”.
Interactivity lies mainly in the fact that users can choose detailed views of
certain regions for a certain day. Various services throughout Europe offer
a selection of regional, national and international forecasts and current
information.
Figure 2-4: Weather Service (RTL TV interaktiv, Germany)
Traffic Service
Similarly, Traffic Services can offer users a choice of detailed information
on a certain region at a certain time. rbb’s prototype of an interactive traffic
service highlights construction sites, traffic jams and other road blocks for
any selected region in Berlin and Brandenburg. Traffic information may also
include information and schedules of public transport services, train
stations and airports. 2
1
Examples can, among others, be found at http://www.mediaset.it/digitaleterrestre/ or
http://www.ard-digital.de/index.php?id=282&languageid=1.
2
For a video presenting the user scenario visit
http://www.rbb-online.de/_/unternehmen/beitrag_jsp/activeid=254/key=teaser_300427.html
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Figure 2-5: Traffic Service (Prototype, rbb, Germany)
Digitext / teletext
iTV offers the opportunity to deliver all sorts of extra information related to
the TV program much in the way it is done on the Internet. In addition to
regular, i.e. the currently usual, text-based pages, broadcasters or service
providers can offer pictures, audio and video in interactive portals, mostly
relying on bi-directional interactivity especially for video delivery.
Figure 2-6: Interactive multimedia teletext (Pro7, Germany)
2.1.3 Communication Services
T-Mail / T-Chat
Various companies on the MHP market offer MHP-based mail clients.
These can be integrated in special community services by broadcasters,
i.e. in program enhancement, but they can as well be implemented in the
STB directly, just like an EPG (see section 2.1.2). Mail and Chat
applications are clearly of the bi-directional type as they involve actual
communication among end-users. It goes without saying that these
applications require the use of the return channel to connect to a mail
server on the Internet and a keyboard, physical or virtual on screen.
Figure 2-7: TV mail client (Alticast)
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2.1.4 Entertainment Services
T-Games
Interactive Games for the TV screen may range from “broadcast only” to T-Games
“bi-directional”. “Broadcast only” style would include so-called Arcade
Interactive Games to
Games like Tetris, Black Jack and the like. These games are mostly TV play on the TV screen.
compatible as interaction here only requires very few keys on the remote
control and can be handled very easily. Applications are relatively small
and quite well-received by customers. As they usually are not related to
specific TV programs they are provided by middleware or STB developers
3
rather than broadcasters , so that, similar to the mobile phone market,
these applications would be delivered with the STB or downloaded from a
website of a software provider directly to the iTV Terminal.
Figure 2-8: Arcade Game on TV screen (sofia digital)
Beyond basic Arcade gambling, some providers also offer traditional board
games transferred to iTV applications, e.g. Sky’s version of Cluedo, Soccer
(penalty) games or even more program related offers like BBCi’s CBeebies
(amongst others an interactive Big Brother game). 4
Figure 2-9: Interactive TV Game (ZDF, Germany)
Broadcasters have also built quiz games applications related to specific
shows and enabling users to participate in these shows. Multiple choice
games are especially applicable as there is a finite number of selectable
options, so that users can even use the color-, arrow- or number keys on
the remote control to select the correct answer. Figure 2-9 5 shows a kids’
quiz which has been broadcast in Germany since the 1970s; kids in the
3
See, for example, http://www.broadbandbananas.com/, SofiaDigital at
http://www.digitv.fi/sivu.asp?path=9;1239;3392;3928, or http://www.digeo.com/prodserv/digeoitv.jsp.
4
All applications listed in this paragraph can be found at www.broadbandbananas.com/ with screenshots,
scenario videos and background information.
5
For a use scenario of this iTV game see
http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/inhalt/16/0,4070,2173552-6-wm_dsl,00.html
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studio see a short video and hear a question. After that they get some 30
seconds to choose the right answer by jumping back and forth between the
possible statements. With the new interactive version, kids at home can
also make a choice. Via the color keys (blue, green, yellow) they can select
one out of three cartoon figures jumping between the three available
choices. They score a point if the figure ends up on the correct spot. (For
more edutainment examples, cf. 2.1.7 T-Learning). The same is, of course,
possible with quiz shows for grown-ups like the two ARD Quiz Shows 6
(Germany) or “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” (France, Germany, Italy
and the UK) 7 .
For more and other ways of interactive TV Games the reader is also
recommended to take a look at BBC’s Channel 4 Games:
http://www.broadbandbananas.com/
Video on Demand Services
iTV can also function as a distribution interface for Video on Demand (VoD)
Services. Via such a portal customers select films from a range of available
VoD / Video on
movies. In hotel rooms of the world this portal will be more a transaction
Demand:
interface where a time slot is ordered that will later be charged on the hotel
Films can be ordered
room bill – the movies are transmitted or delivered by a fixed schedule and and started
the customers’ actions on the portal will merely allow access. As the individually by request
schedule would be kept even without interaction by a single user this way of the customer,
of selling access rights is also called Near-VoD. “True” VoD, e.g. at home independent of
would offer the possibility to choose a film that would actually be delivered broadcast program
schedules.
because of this transaction. The TV program is available “on demand”,
whenever the end-user chooses. Usually, the STB would have broadband
access and the selected movie would be delivered via ADSL or a similar
8
connection.
Figure 2-10: Video on Demand Selection (gist)
6
For the Edutainment program “Kopfball” see http://www.ard-digital.de/index.php?id=2670&languageid=1,
for “Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa” see http://www.ard-digital.de/index.php?id=280&languageid=1
7
There may be more iTV applications on this quiz format in other countries. For France and UK see
http://www.broadbandbananas.com/, for Germany http://www.rtl.de/tv/743540.php,
for Italy: http://www.mediaset.it/news/scheda/9109.shtml
8
The screenshot shows a VoD Service by German developer company GIST (http://www.gist.de/). See also
http://www.digeo.com/prodserv/moxi_ondemand.jsp for a concrete VoD service.
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2.1.5 T-Commerce
T-Commerce
Interactive TV offers a number of possibilities for T-Commerce, from Analogue to the term
interactive advertising to triggering actual purchase transactions via the TV e-Commerce T-
set (also called “transactive TV”). Commerce covers all
sorts of “commercial “
Tele-Shopping applications and
A number of T-Commerce applications have been developed/ proto-typed transactions that are
delivered and
already. performed on the TV
With an extra feature of the pontegra browser (www.nionex.de) users can screen.
track current eBay auctions and be informed as soon as the auction status
changes. 9
Figure 2-11: Tracking ebay auctions on the TV screen (Nionex)
There are also a number of iTV Shopping portals using different iTV
standards: Nionex offers a “pontegra T-Commerce shopping solution 10
which appears to be transactive and bi-directional. German Mail-Order
company OTTO also created an interactive shopping portal where
customers can see, select and order all sorts of goods from the TV screen-
adapted catalogue just like they would on the Internet.
Figure 2-12: Sofa Shopping with OTTO’s interactive MHP Shop
Interactive Advertising
There have also been a number of prototypes for interactive advertising,
e.g. an MHP-based ad for Daimler-Chrysler in 2002 11 . Beyond merely
attaching further information that is made available through interactive
navigation menus, optimum impact is expected from an emotional
contextualization of the product [DUREAU 2004]. There have been various
prototypical applications that connected certain products to TV programs
9
Brochure available at the site of the application developer, Nionex:
http://www.nionex.de/downloads/Images/29_3463.pdf/download_pontegra_eBay_tracking.pdf
10
http://www.nionex.de/downloads/Images/29_3462.pdf/download_T-commerce.pdf
11
For more information see http://www.mhp-forum.de/content/applikat/daimler.htm
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through object tracking and interactive menus for background
information. 12
2.1.6 T-Government
T-Government
Regional Information Portals Analogue to the term
Despite strong efforts - e.g. in Italy - to push iTV as a prime medium for e- e-Government
Government there are not yet many relevant T-Government Services.
T-Government covers
Especially regarding interactivity the available services seem rather meager all sorts of information
to date. Some network providers and especially STB developers have services and (ideally)
made first tests on the use of chip cards in STBs to enable maximum data communication and
security. Currently, a number of regional information portals in Finland and actions with the
relevant authority,
Italy are on offer as “T-Government” services; however, they often merely delivered and
combine tourist information with local news and announcements. performed on the TV
screen.
Figure 2-13: Regional Information Portal for the city of Tampere (Finland)
The ‘Italia Utile’ (‘Useful Italy’, also called “Utile T-Gov”) DTV portal is
planned to make available public information and services currently on offer
via the web based e-government portal Italia.gov.it also via terrestrial
digital TV. Its interface will be similar to that of classic teletext information
services, however, it will be faster and offer two-way interaction. 13
Availability is forecast for autumn 2006 or later. 14 Piemont already has a
basic portal with regional information, apparently broadcast only. T-
Government is said not to be as useful for bi-directional services, mainly
due to the fact that consumers are not used to writing with a Remote
Control device. However, this might change with the current generation of
SMS writing youths who will easily adopt to writing with such a device
which is even slightly bigger than a mobile phone. Currently, according to
rumors and vague forecasts authorities test technical and legal
preconditions to transfer actual transactions from the Internet to the iTV
platform(s), like submitting tax calculation forms or even voting.
12
See for example www.fun-tv.de/content/dokumente/ditv_anga_2005e.ppt#295 or
http://www.joanneum.at/en/informatik/bibliothek_detail.php?p_iid=IIS&p_typ=PUB&p_id=2193.
13
Taken from http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/3648/5718
14
Find out more about the current status of fat http://www.raiutile.rai.it/articolo.jsp?id=437
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Voting
As an interactive instrument for the democratic society iTV already can be
used for opinion polls 15 . Voting applications, of course, can be used for all
sorts of entertainment programs as well. 16 .
Figure 2-14: Voting application related to News Show (SkyTV, UK)
2.1.7 T-Learning T-Learning
An example for the potential of iTV for T-Learning in a program related Analogue to the term
context is a kids’ edutainment format of German Pay TV channel FoxKids. e-Learning
In this case the MHP application is not only used to offer extra information T-Learning covers all
on the program, but involves the kids in what they see and hear, giving sorts of educational
them an interactive learning experience. Learning and teaching experts say applications that are
delivered and
that learners remember 30% of what they see, 20% of what they hear, 50% performed on the TV
17
of what they read and hear and up to 90% of what they do themselves . screen. In various
18
Some others also stress the power of narrative teaching . This example publications this
complies with both ideas, telling stories in English and asking questions in ranges from providing
program related
German to check understanding. Examples like Goosebumps and “1-2 (educational)
oder 3” (ZDF, Germany, see section 2.1.4 Entertainment) may give an idea background material
of how iTV can be used for T-Learning, not only for children but also for to interactive learning
grown-ups in Business TV (cf. section 2.1.5 T-Commerce) as well as T- applications which
Health (cf. the following section) or “pure” T-Learning environments. check and track
learners’ progress.
Figure 2-15: Kids’ Edutainment: Goosebumps (FoxKids, Germany)
15
Example from SkyTV; see http://www.broadbandbananas.com/
16
For entertainment-motivated voting applications visit http://www.mediaset.it/news/scheda/14888.shtml .
17
Common understanding in Learning Theory, quoted in Margit Hertlein. Mind Mapping – Die kreative
Arbeitstechnik. Spielerisch Lernen und Organisieren, Hamburg 2001
18
For a comprehensive overview and bibliography see Rossiter, Marsha: Narrative and Stories in Adult Teaching
and Learning, available at http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-4/adult-teaching.html
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