Transcript An Introduction to the Multimedia Home Platform

An Introduction to the DVB Multimedia Home Platform
Steve Morris
[email protected]
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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
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What Is MHP?
• MHP is:
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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
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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
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Adds elements that were not finished in time for MHP 1.0.0
HTML support, stored applications, Internet client APIs, smart card APIs
Still a work in progress
Version 1.1.2 coming in April 2005
– Globally Executable MHP (GEM)
• A subset of MHP 1.0.2
• 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
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MHP profiles
+ Java Internet client APIs
+ Web browser & email client
+ DVB-HTML (optional)
Internet Access
profile
+ Java APIs for return channel
+ Protocols for return channel
Interactive Broadcast
profile
Enhanced Broadcast
profile
HTTP 1.0, DNS, HTTPS
mandatory
HTTP 1.1, DSMCC-UU optional
Java VM
DVB Java APIs
Basic media formats
(MPEG, GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc.)
+ DVB-HTML (optional)
+ App download over HTTP
+ Inner applications
+ Application storage
+ Smart card APIs
Broadcast transport protocols
MHP 1.0.x
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MHP 1.1.x
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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
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GEM and other standards
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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
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Example apps
Source: Televisio de Catalunya
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Example apps
Source: Sofia Digital
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Example apps
Source: ZDF & ARD
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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 reused
• Transported in a DVB transport stream
– Or IP connection in MHP 1.1.x
• Described to the platform using additional service information
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What Can An Application Do?
• Almost anything!
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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
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Conformance testing
• MHP middleware must pass a test suite
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Test suite available for MHP 1.0.2 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!
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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
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MHP deployment
• MHP 1.0.2 deployed in:
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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
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MHP deployment
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MHP deployment
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Some markets need more than a basic MHP box
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Regulators may specify additional features/restrictions
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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
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Most common additions will probably be smart card support and modem
Some danger of fragmentation
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Need to produce different boxes for different markets
But there are always solutions to this
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Included in MHP 1.1.2
Software vs. hardware elements, only selling products with better than minimum spec, etc.
Many lessons will be learned from the deployment in Italy
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The biggest to date
Seems to be successful, but still a few problems
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Mostly interoperability-related
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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
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Questions?
• For more information:
– http://www.mhp.org
– http://www.interactivetvweb.org
– “Interactive TV standards”, S. Morris & A. Smith-Chaigneau
(Pub. Focal Press, ISBN 0240806662 )
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