1. MHEG-5 and its new features in DVB networks worldwide
25th February 2008
David Cutts
Managing Director Strategy & Technology
Founder member of IMPALA
This presentation sets out the key elements of S&T’s carousel systems and their applications.
The tasks addressed include:-
receiver test stream generation
application development and test stream generation
stream generation for integrated headends
integration with data-provision and content playout systems
The core technology for these solutions is consistent throughout.
S&T’s solutions are compliant with DVB-MHP specifications and are designed from requirements derived from practical application development and deployment experience.
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

2. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
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3. Strategy & Technology Independent company
Offices in London, Bristol, Denver, Hong Kong
Works largely in digital interactive TV
Supplies RedkeyTM MHEG-5 engines to receiver manufacturers
Leads MHEG-5 specification activity in DTG/ETSI
Supplies MHEG-5 applications and playout equipment (Object Carousels)
Carousel equipment also used in MHP and in US OCAP rollout in US Cable
Customers include RAI in Italy (MHP), Time Warner Cable in US (OCAP), RTM Malaysia, Taiwan TV (for MHP trials)
25th February 2008
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4. For more information see www.impala.org.
The International MHEG Promotion Alliance is a not-for-profit organisation whose principal aim is to promote the use of the MHEG-5 international standard in digital TV worldwide.
For more information see
Founder members of Impala are S&T, Echostar Europe and Cabot Communications
Supporters include Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, NZ Freeview, Finlux, Hitachi, TopUpTV, TVonics and Zinwell
IMPALA promotes. Its members compete.
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

5. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

6. Why specify interactive TV?
For maximum benefit from digital TV (for both viewers and broadcasters) a middleware should be specified and deployed on all receivers in a network to support interactive services and applications including:
Platform EPG (Electronic Programme Guide)
Digital teletext and information services
Enhanced TV formats (programme related)
Games and voting/participation TV formats
And with Interaction Channel (return path)
Audience measurement
Operator information / account management
t-commerce for shopping channels
e-government
25th February 2008
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7. Middleware considerations
Interactive TV works best when all (or the vast majority) of the receivers in a market have middleware installed
Content and services that reach just a small percentage of a broadcaster’s audience do not support a viable business / commercial model
Technical standard considerations are important but not as important as enabling an audience for interactive services
No Audience = No Business!
25th February 2008
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8. Using Public Standards
Use of Public Standards enables:
widespread adoption and
multiple vendors at each part of the industry chain
price and performance competition
Requires conformance scheme to ensure interoperability and ease of use
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9. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
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10. MHEG-5 Developed in ISO-MHEG group and DAVIC in 1995
Intended as UI for DAVIC interactive services and VOD
Simple object oriented interpreted language
Standardised in ISO
Adopted by UK DTG in 1997
UK Profile includes text, graphics and DSM-CC carousel systems
Profile evolved to UK Profile 1.06 (current)
ETSI standard ES
NZ profile extends to include extra Maori characters and EPG key
New Hong Kong profile released with support of Traditional Chinese
Extensions under development for deployment in 2008
IP Interaction Channel (return path)
PVR support
Improved graphics
HD compatibility
25th February 2008
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11. MHEG-5 Rollout Successfully deployed in UK
>18m receivers sold
a single S&T customer shipped 700k units in Q3 2007
99% UK Freeview platform penetration, >25% usage
Launched in New Zealand in May 2007
DVB-S receiver sales over forecast so far (already >40,000 units)
DTT launches 2008 with MPEG-4 HD and MHEG-5
Trials and evaluations in Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, India and Russia with interest from other countries in Europe and Asia
No known essential IPR
MHEG middleware software approx US$1 per receiver
Lowest retail price in UK <$40
Wide integration into iDTVs in Europe
50% of sales iDTV…MHEG available to most leading brands
Note the above applies mostly to MPEG-2 platforms in 2008
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12. What is MHEG-5? Simple object orientated programming language
to control presentation of content made up from audio, video, text and still graphics objects
to provide user interaction with the application
supporting real time video and audio presentation
focussed on TV requirements
low overhead and high speed
A complete environment including
Authoring tools and data systems
Broadcast transmission using DSMCC Object Carousel standard and optional IP-based connectivity
Middleware – the MHEG middleware or ‘stack’ that is resident in the STB. This provides an API on which interactive applications can run
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13. MHEG vs Java MHEG-5 is designed specifically for TV presentation
Remote control operation
Displays built on TV layout
Works in its own safe memory space
Robust interpreted language
Java is a complex general purpose tool with adaptations for TV
As illustration of comparable complexity
MHP (based on Java) has >10000 unit tests
There are no other standardised Java systems for TV
MHEG has <350 test
But there are very few, if any, broadcast applications for TV that can be done in MHP and not MHEG-5
MHEG-5 loads and runs faster
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14. MHEG applications are smaller
Source: MHP/MHEG Coexistence project. BBC Research.
• Smaller applications means faster start and lower cost transmission
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15. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Engines
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

16. MPEG-4 and MHEG-5
Inclusion of HD/SD MPEG-4 in the system makes a difference to a number of issues
Cost of silicon
Number of receiver suppliers in short term
Complexity of receiver outputs
MHEG-5 display strategy for HD services
Receiver costs are higher in short term
but bandwidth utilisation is better
Next generation iDTV will include MPEG-4
Receiver solutions have easy IP connection
MHEG-5 HD support in development for 2008
25th February 2008
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17. Projects using MPEG-4/MHEG-5
Freeview NZ DTT
Launches 2008
Republic of Ireland
Launch 2008
Many iDTV designs for 2008/9 will incorporate both technologies
Freesat in UK
Hong Kong DTT (TVB)
Receiver manufacturers already working on implementation
Others in planning phase
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

18. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Engines
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

19. Extensions for 2008 Interaction channel (Return path)
Uses (broadband) always on IP return path
Enables
delivery of more interactive content
secure commercial transactions
HD graphics and fonts
PVR Support
Including Push VOD
Specification work in DTG
Will output to ETSI
Conformance tests being built by DTG Testing
25th February 2008
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20. MHEG Interaction Channel
Extension of Profile to add ‘always on’ IP connection
Connected to home network
Could be connected via phone
Enables
Seamless extension of interactive services using content from known servers
Commercial transactions
Security
Now under development for use in 2008
Including test regime
Next version under discussion
MHEG control of presentation of streamed or downloaded a/v from IP source
Provides Broadcaster-controlled IPTV
25th February 2008
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21. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regime
MHEG Engines
MHEG Applications
Summary
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

22. Conformance Regime In UK conformance regime was weak until 2005/6.
Many problems arose from this, especially for retailers
A tough conformance regime, using Pass/Fail tests to achieve brand acceptance, is recommended for
SI, Subtitles, MHEG-5, RF, OAD, AFD, etc
OAD capability is essential for all receivers
Much can be derived or licensed from DTG in UK
Including subcontracting work
MHEG 1.06 has ~ 350 tests
Stable, managed, licensable test suite
Development programme in place for extensions
Note: MHP has >10,000 tests
MHP tests for recent versions not completed
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

23. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
Rollout
MHEG Applications
Summary
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

24. International Rollout
UK has 23m+ MHEG receivers sold
Freeview New Zealand
Operational on DTH
DTT launches April 2008
TVB in Hong Kong on air shortly
Hong Kong profile released soon
Projects under discussion in ASEAN region
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25. MHEG-5 Profile for India
Current Baseline is NZ Profile
UK Profile plus EPG launch key
Profile for India needs support for local languages
Graphics and downloadable font system under development allows this to work
Discussion already underway with cable operators in India
Contract announced today with Digicable (Mumbai)
Complete system including applications and playout
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

26. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

27. Providing Interactive Applications
Most applications are similar, with different design and content.
Publishing information
Displaying graphics and pictures
Interaction through ‘list and select’ or ‘show and select’.
Navigation to different services
Most applications in MHP and in MHEG are made with higher level ‘template’ tools and very stable operating applications
Most cost in applications is in content production (information and pictures)
S&T provides applications and content tools in collaboration with partners
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28. MHEG System Architecture
Viewer Premises
iTV Authoring Tools
Broadcast Playout
TV Display
Program Video & Audio (Video Server playout) TX
MHEG Tools
Mux
MHEG content
MHEG Appl’n
MHEG content
MHEG Engine
Live content feeds & updates e.g. Weather, News, Sports (XML)
MHEG Appl’ns
Set Top Box
DSMCC Object Carousel
Content Management Systems
25th February 2008
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29. New S&T Product - MHEGPresenter
High-level XML content description language
Defines page layout, content, behaviour and navigation
Head-end pre-processing into compact files for transmission
Compact MHEG-5 Application on STB
Renders screen layouts and functions
Handles user input and interactions
Suitable for publishing services
Interactive Advertising
Text/information Services
Shopping
Easy to use with content production/layout tools
Can use Latin and Asian character sets
MHEG-5 language training and development tools also available
25th February 2008
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30. Some Applications Text Multiscreen Complex Advertising Games EPG
25th February 2008
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31. Skytext on Freeview UK
500 ‘pages’ with frequent content updates (mostly automatic)
Integrated with SysMedia content management and production system
Profit generating (though advertising)
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32. Text Service -Traditional Chinese
25th February 2008
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33. Multiscreen Services
MHEG controls the presentation and choice of multi-screen services
User chooses which to view
Has access to information on each event
40%+ of digital sports viewers in UK use these applications
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34. Shopping - QVC (Freeview UK)
Integrated with QVC’s existing CMS using XML
Runs completely automatically using a data-driven model
Profit generating through sales increases
Can be extended to include transactions
25th February 2008
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35. MHEG System Architecture
Viewer Premises
iTV Authoring Tools
Broadcast Playout
TV Display
Program Video & Audio (Video Server playout) TX
MHEG Tools
Mux
MHEG content
MHEG Appl’n
MHEG content
MHEG Engine
Live content feeds & updates e.g. Weather, News, Sports (XML)
MHEG Appl’ns
Set Top Box
DSMCC Object Carousel
Content Management Systems
Interaction
Server
Internet connected return channel
25th February 2008
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36. QVC prototype with online purchase
Green ‘Buy Button’ leads to online purchase via the IP interaction channel
25th February 2008
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37. Games - Tetris Stand-alone gaming application:
Free-to-play or pay-per- play via premium rate phone
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38. Games “Studio Runners”
‘Sokoban’ maze game for BBCi
25th February 2008
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39. EPG application for NZ
25th February 2008
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40. EPG – Traditional Chinese
25th February 2008
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41. Platform-wide EPG MHEG-5 can provide platform-wide EPG
Loads quickly from carousel
Data carriage is efficient
Compressed in carousel
(EIT schedule uses uncompressed data)
Same appearance and behaviour on all receivers
Branding of platform and per channel
Advertising opportunities
Needs carriage on all muxes
PVR control from MHEG-5 EPG in development
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

42. Agenda S&T and Impala Benefits of Standardised Middleware
MHEG-5 and MHP
MPEG4 and MHEG-5
Extended MHEG for 2008
Conformance Regimes
MHEG Applications
Summary and Contacts
25th February 2008
BES Expo MHEG-5 S&T

43. Summary
Digital TV enables additional interactive services that benefit both viewers and broadcasters
MHEG-5 offers a proven and stable middleware with low consumer cost, strong manufacturer support from major brands and suppliers
No known essential IPR licensing
MHEG-5 is also widely available in flat screen iDTVs from many manufacturers
A minimum profile specification and simple conformance testing ensures that all receivers are interactive-enabled at an affordable price
Profile with Chinese language support already available
Receivers in pre-production to this specification
Profile for Indian language support under development
PVR, High-definition and IP support are also available for future services
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44. Contacts Thank you! Strategy & Technology Contacts: David Cutts
Managing Director
Colin Prior
Director of International Sales
Distribution in India
Novacom Digitronics Private Limited
25th February 2008
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