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Terrestrial software gains interactive edge

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team May 17, 2006

Ocean Blue Software has developed the world's first set-top box software to allow full interactive services for DVB-T broadcasts, including Freeview.

Ocean Blue Software, the specialist digital TV software developer, has developed the world's first set-top box software to allow full interactive services for DVB-T broadcasts, including Freeview.

The company is implementing the BSI/ISO13522-5 standard, commonly known as the EuroMHEG standard, including a "return channel" which will provide, for example: interactive voting, shopping and video-on-demand via a telephone or broadband connection.

MHEG-5 is both an ISO and ETSI standard.

ETSI is the European body responsible for the standardisation of information and communication technologies across Europe.

The software will be available this year to set-top box and television manufacturers and will enable the "red button" interactive functions to include sending data and information via a phone line.

Ocean Blue's customers include leading consumer electronics and semi-conductor manufacturers.

"Availability of full seamless interactive services via a remote control on Freeview has been limited due to the lack of implementation of the return channel", commented Ken Helps, Managing Director of Ocean Blue.

"The failure of the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) to gain traction in the market and its high cost means the ISO version of the MHEG-5 software standard is now a viable solution for emerging digital terrestrial broadcasters".

"This has allowed us to start the development of the first fully interactive middleware for DVB-T, which could be adopted by any digital terrestrial broadcaster, such as the Freeview consortium".

"Owners of Freeview set-top boxes have been missing out on interactive services since its introduction", added Helps.

"All too often viewers, who wished to vote, buy product or play with Freeview would use a mobile or landline phone as the return channel".

"That will change with the EuroMHEG new standard".

The EuroMHEG standard requires set top boxes and televisions to have a modem, which is then connected to a phone line or broadband connection to provide the return channel.