the DTG TV Anytime test bed

1. the DTG TV Anytime test bed the world's first test bed based on an open free to air platform target: to find out what will work, for whom and how

2. background • the test bed arises from activity within the UK DTG PVR group • the group interest initiated a scoping study for a test bed project • there were six key supporters funded the study • the project scoping study in 2003 set out the key needs: • the project had to be commercially oriented - not just a technical play • the project had to engage the wider end to end players • the project would need significant resourcing • key stages in setting up the project were: • aa carefully worded Memorandum of Understanding to protect the intellectual property of participants • a clear analysis of the financial stability required • the project formally opened for business at the end of March 2004

3. TV Anytime test bed objectives • to establish the most effective features that can be empowered by TV Anytime methods in a UK DTT environment • to determine the most appropriate parts of the DVB toolbox for signalling and sending the extra information which may be needed to make such a service work effectively • to develop an appropriate test suite so that service providers can produce interoperable information • to enable receiver manufacturers to design compatible products which can use TV Anytime information to the full • to ensure that heritage receivers will continue to operate successfully

4. main outputs of the first year • key deliverables include documents which will set out: • the determination of the parameters which may form the foundation, and the evolutionary framework, for the planning of a commercial service which can be offered to viewers • the understanding of the semiotics of TVA signalling. This can be shared with all participants in the operations of the wider end to end broadcast chain • the initial basic time line looks like ...

5. test bed project members • project members include: BBC, DTI, Eldon, Expway, DTI, DTVS, OnTV, Pioneer, Sony, BT Exact, Channel 4, ITV, S4C • more members are in the process of joining • membership is open to DTG members who agree to a simple Memorandum of Understanding and pay a fee for participation • the project membership will widen as the impact of the scope of the project is felt • members will gain from participation because : • they have a direct say in the development of an implementable practical service • they have a chance to see and develop new business products and services

6. project structure • the project steering board manages overall program governance • it manages overall project direction, finance and external relations • it establishes a sub group will research the needs of viewers and broadcasters into TV Anytime technology • it establishes a promotions and press sub group will manage the anticipations of the market and provide a flow of useful information • the TV Anytime test bed technology group - TTG - looks after the technical issues and detailed technical project planning • it reports to the steering board and establishes the physical test bed facility • it has a technical manager to oversee production and operations • it will use a software guru to cover the usability and technical gaps left by existing tools • and the members themselves ...

7. some practical project constraints • the DTT system in the UK is a given • the arrangement of multiplex operators and service providers is not available for change • TVA phase 1 and DVB GBS specifications are working documents • it will help if these are kept stable - we will find the weak points • the cost of providing a quality TV Anytime service focuses on the need for all round interoperation • realistic times will be needed for commercial and contractual issues to be resolved • rights management and API interaction are out of scope • in reality receiver makers and service providers do not know what viewers might actually value • the market anticipation needs management in order to avoid simple PVRs from confusing the market for TVA services

8. a simple model of end to end chain • closed loop shows need for all players to take part because the viewer can always choose other entertainment sources

9. implementation is not simple • the technical activity checks the ability to deliver a TV Anytime service using DVB-T transports • the implementation must consider the commercial, contractual and operational needs of the multiplex operators, the transmission service providers, the distribution network providers, the service providers, the scheduling systems, the channel presentation planning systems, marketing, program acquisition, commissioning and production processes, promotions processes, receiver marketing and sales training, advert sales houses, the CRM operators, audience monitoring and measurement processes, advertising creatives, advertising clients, the program makers, the news agencies, the sports programming providers, the professional coding and mux manufacturers, the processes involved in the remux and resale of services, not just television but audio and also data services, the regulator, the competing delivery service operators ... and, err the viewer ... • put very simply ... one view of this might be ...

11. why we need a test bed • the TV Anytime and DVB GBS standards are very new • the DVB methods for signalling and carrying the information need to be proved • service providers need to work out how they might want to use the features available in the standards • particularly how to control the use of the fast forward and promote the use of the pause button • we don't really know which features viewers will value most • receiver manufacturers want to work out how to best present the information that broadcasters can make available • it must work in the presence of a large number of heritage receivers and PVRs • there can be no failure of service for heritage receivers - or early PVRs for that matter

12. technical aims of the test bed • to identify the practical implications for broadcast delivery of a TVA system initially via the DTT system • the scope covers: • the determination and use of the signalling methods from the tool set proposed by the DVB GBS group • the approach for introducing the signalling via the broadcast play out control systems and the following signalling system • the determination of a valid foundation of descriptive data based on definitions provided by the TVA Forum • the provision of data independent of the broadcast network • management of DVB SI and cross carriage • balancing of the use of DVB SI and of DSM-CC carousels • interoperability testing means using different data sources, multiplex and encoder systems as well as receivers

13. technical scope of the test bed • details of the man machine interface are out of scope

14. there are software and hardware tools for most of the logical operations logical architecture of the test bed

15. test bed milestones • the logical architecture - requires shared understanding of what is required • the physical build of test resource for building and analysing trial streams • test streams are in three parts in this first year • parts 1, 2, 3 build up the technical and operational complexity • part 4 is network implementation oriented • end of year report • outlines possible balance for SLBR compromise (service quality, latency and bit rate) • includes fruits of viewer response research • proposals for the following year

16. test stream parts - summary • part 1 - simple limits, only TV at this stage, basic EIT_p/f and 8 day EIT_sch tie in, metadata sourced from BBC, ITV, Ch4, OnTV, promo link, program capture use of RSF for event_id and tva_id • part 2 - add audio only services, cross carriage of SI refs to MD, full range of populated tables including missing references, varied data rates for SI and MD, dynamic changes in data fields, presence, mistimed, duplicated references, more than one RAR, discussion ref the use of indexing (creates a heritage issue) • part 3 - timeline issues, live BX content from at least two SPs in two separate muxes, model narrow band of SLBR values, add/drop carousel MD and SI for regionalisation, use of IMI, test of post mark up - forces unique CRID management (?), MD over IP link (RXs with PSTN + connectivity)

17. promotion sub group • growing a sustainable understanding of what a TV Anytime service provides on a PVR • engage the financial and media press • guide the anticipation of what can be delivered and when • assist in identifying new commercial opportunities in the business of each player • early demonstrations of aspects of interoperability at MediaCast and IBC • increase the awareness of further players in the end to end chain • special focus for commercial service providers is the advertiser

18. creative stakeholders sub group • engages advertisers in driving the process through the advertising agencies and the advertising sales houses • traffic systems will be affected and new rules of engagement will need to be written • advertisers are interested in how to measure off line viewing • engages program makers and commissioners to consider marking up content within a program • news ought to be easy, followed by sports, magazine programs &c • open up the market for a service of post-marking up of content • do not forget "radio" - music and speech mark up exists in DAB • do not forget plain old data content • a series of research projects targetted at viewers • discover what might be really valued and how to present it

19. what TV Anytime offers viewers • TV Anytime gives viewers options which do not exist in the elementary DVB signalling • capture a whole series - no missing parts • track groups of programs with similar attractive features • provide clear names for all the content on the hard disk and greatly helps viewers to manage their archive • skip adverts which are of no interest - mostly on replay • review adverts which match a viewer's interest • allow background and out of hours capture of content • options may exist for major loyalty card operators too • bridges the gap between full conditional access systems

20. what TV Anytime offers broadcasters • TV Anytime allows broadcasters to identify both programs and the content in them • broadcasters can provide rich EPG information without worrying about maintaining an extensive EPG application • information can be carried in other delivery systems without needing manual transfer • broadcast will continue to be the preferred mode for mass shared experience high quality viewing • the same tools can provide adverts for later review • long form advert capture overnight can add to this • TV Anytime provides tools for accurate signalling for reminders and recording • retains viewer and broadcaster trust that it will happen

21. Join the test bed project • for more information on joining the DTG TV Anytime test bed project contact: • the TV Anytime program manager : Allen Mornington-West at amornington_west@compuserve.com • the chair of the steering board : Simon Waller at simon.waller@eu.sony.com • DTG's technical director Peter Marshall at pmarshall@dtg.org.uk • the project press and promo contact Richard Lindsay-Davies at rdavies@dtg.org.uk • or the DTG office at office@dtg.org.uk tel +44 (0)20 88 91 18 30