Philips TVA EPG LowCost STB EN

TV-Anytime EPG for low-cost STB / DTV front-end: 

TV-Anytime EPG for low-cost STB / DTV front-end Anthony Morel Philips Research East Asia, Shanghai

TV-Anytime Background: 

TV-Anytime Background “The TV programmes you want, when you want” The target device: the Personal Video Recorder, featuring mass storage (hard-disk) TV-Anytime Phase 1 Specification Metadata: Find the content Content Referencing / Location Resolution: Carry out recording Network independent (content/services on DVB, IP, …) Middleware independent TV-Anytime applications can be built-in the device or delivered as interactive applications

Aim of the Project: 

Aim of the Project Study the TV-Anytime technology for China In particular, show that TV-Anytime is not only for the Personal Video Recorder Demonstrate TV-Anytime for low-cost receivers first, which do not require a huge investment from the broadcasters  One standard fits both current and future devices Build local expertise about TV-Anytime

TVA for Receivers without Storage: 

TVA for Receivers without Storage Digital TV services require a good EPG (many channels) TV-Anytime provides, among others, a standard for the EPG data Built-in or delivered EPG application can use EPG data according to TV-Anytime In China: There is currently no consensus on the middleware TV-Anytime enabled retail Digital TVs can display an EPG even if provinces use different middleware as long as they broadcast TV-Anytime data Such provinces can also subsidise low-cost STB to access the basic DTV programme. The EPG application can use low-level implementation, saving middleware costs and increasing the efficiency.

TV-Anytime Fits All…: 

TV-Anytime Fits All… … TV-Anytime Metadata over DVB Broadcaster (Province 2) Built-in EPG EPG Advanced EPG Virtual TV Channels v.2 iDTV STB PVR Data Application Broadcaster (Province 1)

Challenges: 

Challenges Be leader in TV-Anytime development in China Both broadcaster part and receiver part are needed: Involve local content/service providers Solve technical issues: The target device of TV-Anytime, Personal Video Recorder, features mass storage (hard-disk) Low-cost devices have no mass storage Besides, unlike for DVB SI EIT, there is no minimum repeat rate for TV-Anytime services over DVB No disincentive for broadcasters to add more information Yet, the receivers should cope with possible low repeat rates

EPG End-to-end Demo: Overview: 

EPG End-to-end Demo: Overview Broadcaster Side Metadata Encapsulation Publishing Insertion in DVB TS Extraction from DVB TS Metadata Extraction EPG + Parser Raw XML Metadata Metadata in efficient broadcast format DB User Receiver Side TVA DVB (out of scope)

EPG End-to-end Demo: Overview: 

EPG End-to-end Demo: Overview Metadata Encapsulation Serial DB Metadata Publishing Low-Cost STB / DTV Front-End DVB-C TVA API + EPG

Low-Cost STB / DTV Front-End: 

Low-Cost STB / DTV Front-End Source decoding PNX831X Channel decoding TDA 10021 Silicon Tuner TDA 8271 125 mm 100 mm

Publishing: 

Publishing DB

Metadata Encapsulation: 

Metadata Encapsulation 11 Encoding Fragmen-tation XML Fragments Compressed Fragments XML Encapsulation Indexing Data Container Data Container Indexing Allow Partial Updates Optimise the Bandwidth Format Data for Carousel Validation Cleanup

Metadata Extraction: 

Metadata Extraction TV-Anytime foresaw the following methods: 1. “Acquire from the metadata stream and cache the data to disk with the receiver providing its own methods of navigation.” PDR using database. Size of database >> 1 Mbytes 2. “Use the TVA Indexing solution to enable online navigation of the metadata stream.” Issues: Bandwidth, QoS 3. “Cache both TVA indexing information and data to disk to provide an enhanced version of method 2 above.” Implemented: Cache Compressed data in Memory Size < 1 Mbytes

EPG Application: 

EPG Application TV-Anytime enables: Link to graphics (e.g., channels logos) More robust personalisation (thanks to XML metadata) Longer, more detailed schedule (thanks to bandwidth efficiency)

Conclusion: 

Conclusion The use of TV-Anytime is not limited to the PVR TV-Anytime allows the EPG to become a standard feature in retail integrated DTV receivers, regardless of the middleware Also allows low-cost STB for DTV switchover with bare minimum middleware Our project demonstrated that low-cost STB / DTV front-end products can use TV-Anytime metadata services Instead of using proprietary solutions, the broadcasters have now the option of using a state of the art standard for the current and future receivers on their network