March 2016
X-PLATFORM 31 ractive casters
In Europe , Freeview Play , which was built on the newly approved HbbTV 2.0 standard , allows viewers to access advanced TV services such as catch-up TV from leading UK broadcasters — including the BBC , Channel 4 , ITV and Channel 5 — on their own schedule .
and smartphones .
“ Our platform offers all the necessary backend features needed to enable time-shifting : catch-up TV , start-over TV , cloud PVR , videoon-demand ( VoD ), and OTT TV streaming , including catalogue , device and user management . Advertising , subscription and transaction-based business models are also supported ,” says Trudelle .
Meanwhile , another company that offers means of harnessing the power of HbbTV is Viaccess-Orca , through its RIGHTv solution . RiGHTv is a service delivery platform for content service providers delivering hybrid broadcast broadband / OTT services , pure OTT or IPTV .
The solution provides a functionality set that enables providers to deliver interactive TV services . Its features include : n Content management ; n Customer management : operators , subscribers and nonsubscribers ; n Business management ; and n Customer care .
RiGHTv is said to be scalable and offers an open architecture featuring a rich set of advanced functions that can be implemented across a wide range of STBs . It is equipped with a set of APIs and plug-in based external interfaces , providing operators and system integrators flexibility and control over the design , deployment and
How HbbTV works
Elemental Technologies , which supplies video delivery solutions to broadcasters , provides a detailed outline on how HbbTV works .
To access HbbTV services , consumers first need to have either a hybrid set-top box ( STB ) or a connected TV capable of hosting HbbTV applications . For HbbTV video-on-demand ( VoD ) and live video streaming services , devices also need to support the MPEG-DASH ABR format , which is part of the HbbTV standard ( from version 1.5 onwards ).
According to Elemental , although most HbbTV 1.5 services currently use H . 264 / AEVC video compression , the next generation of DVB-T2 digital TV and HbbTV 2.0 will require support for H . 265 / HEVC .
To deliver HbbTV within digital terrestrial TV environments , broadcasters need to incorporate an AIT ( application information table ) within an MPEG transport stream ’ s PSI ( programme specific information ) metadata for the DVB multiplex .
A similar set-up can also be used for cable and satellite services using DVB-C and DVB-S . The lightweight AIT information transmitted within the broadcast streams signals to the end-user device as to which HbbTV applications and services are available .
Once availability has been signalled , HbbTV services can be accessed via a red button on the user ’ s screen or from a remote control , which will in turn trigger a request for XML and HTML data for powering apps or accessing a Web page via a
Elemental Live video processing supports HbbTV-compliant content for simultaneous live linear , live OTT , and live-to-VoD services , all in a unified workflow .
operation of their TV services .
To date , more than 20 countries have launched HbbTV services , according to the HbbTV Association , and these services enable consumers living in countries with HbbTV to access a broader range of content that enhances the broadcast programme .
HbbTV also allows broadcasters deploying the service to include advanced interactive services and Internet applications such as information services , catch-up services , VoD , electronic programme guide ( EPG ), and interactive advertising . In addition , products and services using the
browser . When a user requests access to HbbTV video streams , an over-the-top ( OTT ) unicast session is then opened between a VoD server or live video stream and the STB or connected TV .
HbbTV can be used to support catch-up or restart TV services alongside linear broadcast . By using the red button , viewers can access shows that they may have missed or , in some cases , restart shows that have already begun . This allows broadcasters to offer live-to-VoD services specific to their content offering .
Elemental offers a number of its products designed to work with HbbTV . Its Elemental Live video processing solution supports HbbTV-compliant content for simultaneous live linear , live OTT and live-to-VoD services , all in a unified workflow .
The Elemental Server may be used for accessing file-based VoD content such as archival material or movies , and the Elemental Delta video delivery platform , acting as an origin server , may be used to create live-to-VoD assets and to package both live and VoD assets into MPEG-DASH for OTT delivery to HbbTV services .
HbbTV standard can operate over different DVB broadcasting technologies , such as satellite , cable , or terrestrial networks .
Thus , with HbbTV offering so many benefits , more broadcasters may end up being convinced , and start investing in this technology .
Caton Technology plays key role in Internet transmission of Taiwan ’ s presidential election
Taiwan ’ s recent presidential election saw the Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) wrest power back from the Kuomintang ( KMT ) in a landslide victory for Tsai Ingwen . For Caton Technology , the election turned out to be a “ major breakthrough ”, as the company deployed the most number of video contribution channels over the open Internet in a single major event — via Caton ’ s Reliable Real-time Transport Protocol ( R2TP ) technology .
With support from Caton ’ s Taiwan channel partner Uhun Co , a total of 40 channels in 8Mbps HD streams were contributed from 26 election rally sites in various parts of Taiwan to five TV broadcasters : Public Television Service ( PTS ), Chinese Television System ( CTS ), Chung Tien Television ( CTI ), Asia Travel TV and HK iCable .
Also deployed was IVP3000 , Caton ’ s flagship Integrated Video Processing system , which enabled point-to-point and point-to-multipoints video over open Internet delivery . The IVP3000 is a multi-channel , multi-format video encoding system that is integrated with the R2TP technology into a single compact 1RU unit .
According to Jim Lei , managing director of Uhun Co , the successful coverage of the presidential election will provide the Taiwanese broadcast community with the confidence to accept open Internet transmission solutions as an alternative to traditional satellite transmission feeds and dedicated IP lease line delivery solutions .
Ray Huang , president of Caton Technology Group , stressed that the company ’ s breakthrough in developing the R2TP and F2TP ( Fast File Transfer Protocol ) technologies has enabled several major projects around the world to stream live video
According to Caton Technology , the company deployed the most number of video contribution channels over the open Internet in a single major event for the recent Taiwan presidential election .
content over unmanaged public Internet , and has helped customers make both Capex and Opex savings , while making video contribution and distribution over the open Internet a reality .
CB Lau , VP sales and marketing , Caton Technology Asia , added : “ It ’ s proven that broadcasters and service providers are gradually accepting open Internet , live video-over-IP streaming as a viable and cost-effective way of delivering valuable content . We hope to see our product solutions continuing to fill technology gaps for our customers when it comes to budget considerations within the expectations of quality solutions .”