Interactive TV

The abbreviation porTiVity stands for “portable interactivity”. Funded by the EU and IRT, this project enables viewers to interact directly with moving images on their handheld TVs. In turn, viewers can create their very own media experiences with rich media. In addition, porTiVity benefits from the insights gained during earlier projects – SAVANT, GMF4iTV and SAMBITS – regarding the interactivity and synergy of broadcasting and IP-based broadband transmission.

The combination of IP-based mobile broadcasting (e.g. DVB-H, DMB) and broadband networks (e.g. UMTS) allows consumers to view multimedia content via broadcast channels and mobile broadband channels. And personal video recorders facilitate the retrieval of content anywhere, anytime. By highlighting objects in the video signal, rich media can be retrieved via a touch screen.

These rich media are created with the help of a special authoring suite, which as a key component also handles the tracking of images. The connection to playout equipment is effected with the standardised container format MXF, which is ideally suited for the distribution of synchronous, rich-media TV content.

The realisation of the authoring suite, the playout system, the middleware as well as the receiver’s data and presentation modules is based on the latest international standards, e.g. MPEG4 A/V, MPEG7, H.264 und HE AAC V2.

The term SUIT stands for “Scalable Ultra-fast and interoperable Interactive Television”. At the crux of this project lies the convergence of DVB-T, DVB-H and WiMAX ("wireless DSL") with resource allocation for fast, scalable video and the demonstration of multimedia services on the corresponding terminals. We deemed it necessary to establish an additional means of transmission via the WiMAX channel, since the reception of content is more reliable – despite unfavourable conditions – due to the fact that DVB-T and WiMAX operate in different frequency ranges. A two-in-one DVB-T/WiMAX receiver can simply switch frequencies whenever necessary.

Data are transmitted in broadcast, multicast and unicast modes. On the one hand, the return channel provided by WiMAX facilitates interactive services. On the other hand, the data sent via the return channel to the playout system by means of MPEG-21 DIA enable the intelligent utilisation of bandwidths. Some of the latest technologies, such as MDC (Multiple Description Coding) and JSCC (Joint Source Channel Coding), were studied and then applied to establish reliable connections – even at high speeds.

WiMAC@home stands for “Wireless Media And Control at home”: in other words, management systems for stand-alone multimedia and control components in a wireless home network, based on a standard issued by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA).

This project seeks to develop a wireless home-network concept featuring multimedia devices which interact autonomously, configure themselves and dynamically provide their services to the network. In addition to the consumer and PC realms, the realm of home control must also be incorporated into network IT technologies if a comprehensive home-network concept is to be realised. The foundation for all this consists of standardised middleware systems and connection-management technologies such as Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) and Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) as well as Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB).

User acceptance will depend in part on the features and convenience offered by networked systems – which digitally organise themselves – and also on personalised access to data and content. Thanks to RFID technology, users will enjoy not only a convenient and personalised experience, but also the benefits of automated mechanisms upon accessing data throughout the home area.

In the case of digital storage and transmission, it is of equal importance that commercial content will be distributed in compliance with copyright law. A comprehensive, digital-rights management (DRM) concept should therefore be drafted in order to protect the rights of providers while meeting the needs of users.

IRT develops DLNA-compatible components for storing and transferring interactive audiovisual content in home networks (portable interactive terminal).

A principal aim of the “Interactive TV” subproject consists of supporting broadcasting standards and formats such as DVB-MHP and MXF.

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