Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from An Introduction to the DVB Multimedia Home Platform Steve Morris

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from What Is MHP? An open standard for interactive digital television Defined by the DVB consortium An extension to existing open standards –DVB, MPEG, JavaTV An enabling technology for compelling interactive content

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from What Is MHP? MHP is: –A platform definition –A set of Java APIs –A set of HTML document type definitions –A set of compatibility tests It is also: –Compatible with current DVB-based solutions –Freely available (specification available on the web) MHP has been adopted in many countries –Italy, Germany, Finland, Singapore, S. Korea, Australia and others –Included in the US OpenCable & ACAP standards Many other broadcasters & content developers working with MHP

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from What is MHP? Three main standards are related to MHP –MHP 1.0.x (1.0.0 – 1.0.3) The original MHP specification plus updates The most commonly deployed version of MHP –MHP 1.1.x Adds elements that were not finished in time for MHP HTML support, stored applications, Internet client APIs, smart card APIs Still a work in progress Version coming in April 2005 –Globally Executable MHP (GEM) A subset of MHP Designed to form the basis of other DTV middleware standards Currently used by OCAP, ACAP and ARIB B23 –Also PVR for MHP specification (to be published April 2005) Adds support for PVR functionality to MHP receivers Compatible with OCAP PVR extensions

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from MHP profiles Java VM DVB Java APIs Basic media formats (MPEG, GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc.) Broadcast transport protocols + Java APIs for return channel + Protocols for return channel HTTP 1.0, DNS, HTTPS mandatory HTTP 1.1, DSMCC-UU optional + Java Internet client APIs + Web browser & client + DVB-HTML (optional) + App download over HTTP + Inner applications + Application storage + Smart card APIs Interactive Broadcast profile Enhanced Broadcast profile Internet Access profile MHP 1.0.xMHP 1.1.x

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from GEM and harmonization GEM forms the basis for most current open middleware standards –Originally developed following a request from CableLabs Defines a technology-neutral subset of MHP functionality –Removes any elements specific to DVB standards e.g. DVB service information API and references to specific video resolutions –Adds a replacement mechanism to enable use with other technologies e.g. Use of OpenCable Common Download Specification for updates, use of DSM-CC data carousel instead of DSM-CC object carousel –Allows replacements for technical reasons or business reasons Use of data carousel is a technical replacement, use of OCAP monitor application is a business-level replacement GEM applications are easily portable to other middleware platforms –GEM apps will probably run on MHP, OCAP and ACAP

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from GEM and other standards

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Types of MHP Application Information services –super teletext, etc. Show-related interactivity –online quiz show, online voting, etc. Games T-commerce and banking Internet access

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Example apps Source: Televisio de Catalunya

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Example apps Source: Sofia Digital

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Example apps Source: ZDF & ARD

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Building MHP Services Applications are built in Java or HTML –Most current products use Java only –Plug-in mechanism similar to web browsers means current content may be re- used Transported in a DVB transport stream –Or IP connection in MHP 1.1.x Described to the platform using additional service information

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from What Can An Application Do? Almost anything! –Many standard Java APIs are available –Extensions for TV-specific functionality –APIs for return channel access –APIs for application control and communication –APIs for MPEG control and decoding HTML application support for latest internet standards –XHTML, CSS 2.0, ECMAScript

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Conformance testing MHP middleware must pass a test suite –Test suite available for MHP only –Can be acquired from ETSI for 1,000 euros –A self-certification process –License fee for using the MHP logo MHP apps and head-end equipment have no test suite at the moment Still a need for interoperability testing –The standard can’t define every detail –Test suites can’t test for everything –Regular (approx. every 3 months) interoperability workshops help reduce interop problems –Many DTT regulators (e.g. DGTVi in Italy) will have their own interoperability labs for apps and receivers –But broadcasters still must make sure that apps work on their network!

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from An Incremental Investment MHP services and receivers can be deployed incrementally –‘Big bang’ deployment is not necessary –Forward and backward compatible with non-MHP DVB services and receivers Most existing DTV head-end equipment can be be re-used –Including existing CA systems –Only need to add appropriate datacasting equipment and content management system –Typical extra cost: 50K euros

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from MHP deployment MHP deployed in: –Finland –Germany –Italy –South Korea Other countries will follow soon –e.g. Australia, USA (through OCAP) MHP 1.1 is not currently deployed –Too many problems remaining –Not enough need for the additional features Usually other ways to get what you need

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from MHP deployment

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from MHP deployment Some markets need more than a basic MHP box Regulators may specify additional features/restrictions –Italy has mandated the inclusion of the smart card API from JSR 177 –This will eventually replace the current MHP 1.1 smart card API Included in MHP –Most common additions will probably be smart card support and modem Some danger of fragmentation –Need to produce different boxes for different markets –But there are always solutions to this Software vs. hardware elements, only selling products with better than minimum spec, etc. Many lessons will be learned from the deployment in Italy –The biggest to date –Seems to be successful, but still a few problems Mostly interoperability-related

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Other Business Issues Content providers finally have a standard platform to develop their own interactive apps –Broadcasters no longer limited to content that they develop themselves –No longer just “digital TV with some interactivity” –Finally, we have the potential for real interactive TV broadcasting Existing middleware vendors face new competition from open standards –They are not completely happy about this –Grudging support for MHP from most MW vendors –Newcomers are most successful MHP implementers E.g. Osmosys, Alticast MHP is not trying to be better than existing middleware. It’s trying to fix a fragmented iTV market that harms the entire industry

Copyright © Steven Morris 2005 All Rights Reserved Downloaded from Questions? For more information: – – –“Interactive TV standards”, S. Morris & A. Smith-Chaigneau (Pub. Focal Press, ISBN ) Copyright © Steven Morris All rights reserved.