Contents 03 Who is in Control of Standards 04 HBB - The Road to Change 06 Authoring HBB Content 08 HbbTV Challenges 09 Canvas Update 10 HBB with MHP 12 Connected TV in the UK tech-INSIGHT FROM EBU TECHNICAL 13 Hybrid Radio 14 DSLRs in Video Production 15 Seminar News & Diary Issue 04 June 2010

The Hybrid Issue

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42_16.04_LA_TI_297X210.indd 1 19/4/10 16:26:39 viewpoint from lieven vermaele

Who Is in control of standards? Everyone agrees that common open standards for media technology are in the public interest. They help to create a more open market for products and services, and encourage competition among manufacturers.

Everyone also agrees that, as time Consortium, and others, specifying whole as pieces of a jigsaw, which fit goes on, it becomes more and more standards. There is nothing wrong with together well. difficult to agree common standards. this, provided these consortia are the Today, we could take 3DTV as a concrete There are more and more ‘players’ to get only ones doing so in their area, and example. Here we find the SMPTE, the around the table. The standards bodies provided what emerges is available on DVB Project, the ITU-R, and the ISO/ seem to have diminishing capacities in fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory IEC JTC MPEG groups, and the HDMI absolute terms, and there are more and terms. If not, they complicate rather than Consortium, all working on 3DTV. It more ‘pre-standardisation’ bodies. In simplify the landscape. seems clear that we need a mechanism the past, there were a small number of Sometimes, those ‘outside’ the consortia for coordination between all of them, and international standards bodies who were can be unhappy that they are not part of agreement among them about the areas able to act as focal points for agreement the process. Indeed whole countries can with which they will concern themselves. on standards. At the worldwide level, feel unhappy, if the dominant inputs come In this case, it could be rather simple. The there was the ITU-T and ITU-R and the from organisations in only one or two SMPTE is dealing with 3DTV production ISO and IEC, which includes the IEC/ countries. standards. The DVB Project is dealing ISO JTC MPEG and JPEG groups. At Though the DVB Project continues to be with delivery standards. The ISO/IEC JTC the European level, there is CENELEC successful, in the borderland between is dealing with compression standards. (with about the same area of competence broadcast and mobiles, and the systems HDMI is dealing with equipment as the ISO and IEC), and ETSI (with that connect the two areas, we see interconnections. Let’s put these three about the same competence area as uncertainty about where standards should pieces together, with help from the ITU-R, the ITU-T and ITU-R). Feeding into be developed, and where they should be and we have all the elements of the 3D these standards bodies were the pre- submitted. broadcasting value chain. To do that, we standardisation groups such as the Is there a way forward that is in the public need a coordination mechanism, and I am DVB Project. The DVB Project has been interest? happy to report that my colleague David probably the world’s most successful If there is a route forward, it must lie Wood has started that process. pre-standardisation body, and we in cooperation between the different We could call this general issue the are delighted that it is hosted by EBU standards and pre-standardisation ‘management of standardisation activities’. Technical in Geneva. bodies. Each body often specialises in Let us hope that 3DTV sets a good Today, we also find consortiums a particular segment of the ‘value chain’. example here, which can be repeated in of companies, such as the HDMI We need to exploit this, and to see the other areas in the future.

Loudness Update (tech-i Issue 3) - The EBU PLOUD Group has reached another milestone. The target level and gating are fixed at -23 LUFS, with gating method -8 LU relative. This is in line with the Group’s subjective evaluations and tests performed by NHK (Japan). The use of the abbreviation LUFS (Loudness Units in reference to Full Scale) instead of LKFS (Loudness K-weighted in reference to Full Scale) for absolute measurements is in line with the ISO 80000-8 naming convention. At its next meeting the Group intends to finish the Practical Guidelines.

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© tech-i 2010 Published by EBU Technical Editors: William Daly, Harold Bergin European Broadcasting Union Production: WHD PR All rights reserved. The reproduction of articles 17a Ancienne Route, For editorial & advertising enquiries contact: in tech-i is authorised only with the written permission of the publishers. CH-1218 Grand Saconnex, Switzerland. WHD PR Editor-in-Chief: Lieven Vermaele E-mail: [email protected] The responsibility for views expressed in tech-i E-mail: [email protected] Tel:+44 20 7799 3100 rests solely with the authors. Tel: +41 22 717 2111 Printing: Lithmark Limited

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 03 strategic outlook HBB The Road to Change Along with 3DTV, HBB innovation, with its new devices and services, is one of the most talked about trends this year. Peter MacAvock looks at HBB and EBU Technical’s aim to demystify this domain, and to harmonise the various solutions to facilitate its success and benefit the consumer.

Hybrid – will it really change everything The stakeholders? Answer: everyone with provide the same linkage between analogue about broadcasting? Well, yes. a vague interest in the notion of a radio radio services and their online equivalents? But it would be a shame to just say so or TV service, and this presents many a There are bodies working in this space without justifying such a short and simple problem since hybrid means different things that EBU tracks closely, most notably answer. In fact, the road to this change is to different stakeholders. For the purposes RadioDNS. going to be a long one, and quite exactly of the broadcast community, we like to think The more classic HBB usage in the radio what will change, when and how remains to of a dual “tuner” device, services that exploit domain is “over-the-top”, providing ancillary be seen. But let’s see what it is first. both interfaces and, most importantly, a services to the mainstream broadcasting Hybrid is a catch-all phrase used to means of signalling which links the two. service. In this scenario, elements such describe a device which has both a In the radio domain, hybrid is used for two as slideshows, album covers, etc., are broadcast tuner and a broadband major areas: enhancing network coverage pulled down from the internet to displace connection. But such devices vary greatly: and over-the-top services. With the advent in conjunction with the audio from the main a set-top box, a television set, a radio of digital radio, the notion of ensuring digital radio broadcast services. The digital set, a games console, or a PC or other universal coverage is important. Indeed, it radio standardisation bodies provide for device with a PC-like architecture. Indeed, is can be relatively expensive to guarantee such linkage in their digital radio receiver unlike other transitions in broadcasting, deep indoor coverage for digital radio. As profiles, and devices such as the Pure nobody really has an idea what the killer operators would like to replicate their FM Sensio provide for such functionality – HBB device is: will it just do catch-up TV, coverage with digital, a means of linking although admittedly at the top end of the YouTube? I doubt it. their online streamed services, which may receiver market. In this article, I’d like to cover both radio and be available over a domestic (or indeed The television case is more complex. TV and the impact I think that HBB will have public) WiFi network and their digital Good quality video content is a significant on them. The dynamics are different in each radio is useful. Thus, as you move from attractor whether you are making a market, but some elements are the same. the domestic to the outdoor environment, CE device, offering online services or Radio is probably a little simpler and the you are able to track services. Naturally, simply the mainstream classic television ways of exploiting the power of hybrid are it shouldn’t stop with the linkage between broadcasts. As the costs of programme slightly different. digital radio and online services, why not production and the means of exploiting that content grow, so do the threats from piracy. So, discussions on hybrid inevitably turn to the struggle against piracy. For many content producers, the internet represents more of a threat than an opportunity, and devices that combine an internet and a broadcast receiver are open to be exploited for piracy. So a technical discussion of hybrid has often to be framed to address issues raised by our legal colleagues. The second legal issue that arises is one of “content integrity”: what is allowed to appear alongside (superimposed, adjacent to, etc.) broadcast content? For this read – “what widgets should be allowed to appear alongside broadcast content”. But back to the stakeholders for a moment, and let’s look at their motivations.

04 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 is that related to formats for audio video and wrapping in the streamed (internet) environment, and ensuring that there’s a reliable way of delivering this AV content over the open internet. I have carefully avoided the thorny (and critically important) digital rights management (DRM) issue. Looking at the chain, it seems that we’ll probably all agree on the formats we’ll use for the distribution of content on the internet. There are likely to be a small number of broadcast signalling mechanisms, and DVB’s application signalling will probably be most popular. This level of harmonisation is significant and sometimes ignored because the major issue of differentiation, and critical to interoperability, is that of the platforms. There are going to be differences between the different markets in the short to medium term. As the margins for CE products are analogue teletext are already there, but So hybrid broadcast concerns radio and squeezed, and the devices themselves hybrid is a great opportunity to combine the television, involves network operators, become capable of more sophisticated power and popularity of online services with content providers, CE vendors and functionality, there is significant interest the mainstream broadcasting services. In broadcasters, working in markets at different in the CE vendors using the broadband these markets, the technology platform stages of development and with different connection on their hybrid devices to situation is more complex: MHEG-5 and regulatory environments. It’s no wonder that generate new revenue. Further, a large CE MHP can be made to operate in a hybrid it’s complex. Our hope is that EBU’s work vendor will be selling potentially millions mode. Indeed, the Freeview HD set-top can demystify this domain, work towards of internet connected units worldwide and boxes in the UK combine MHEG-5 with an harmonising different solutions to the benefit over time, these represent very significant IP return path, and will offer a version of of the consumer. “networks” of devices that transcend iPlayer in combination with the power of the national boundaries. If you do a global deal DVB-T2 HD services. But initiatives such with a single vendor, you could be touching as BBC-led Project CANVAS seek to unlock millions of units. some of the powerful features in modern For the network operators, the advent of set-top box architectures which remain unlock some of the online services from broadcasters has dormant with the limited scope of existing been an interesting experience. The BBC middleware solutions. powerful features in will say that they predicted it, but many So what are the technical issues in modern set-top box observers have been taken by surprise by television HBB. Well, remember that the popularity of the catch-up TV services hybrid (in this case) is not the same as architectures which such as BBC’s iPlayer. This popularity is the excellent work being done in the worrying, because the figures suggest that managed IPTV network domain. Whilst remain dormant with the with a relatively small percentage of the being relatively new, many of the technical overall broadcast audience using iPlayer, it issues are familiar. The first is the existence limited scope of existing already accounts for 10-15% of all internet of multiple platforms – CANVAS, HbbTV, traffic in the UK. This is worrying for network MHEG-5, MHP. The second is the existence middleware solutions operators and in some countries the of multiple specifications for the signalling manner in which the internet is managed in the broadcast channel. The third element is designed to accommodate such traffic generated by a single application. Thus, initiatives in the hybrid space are starting to include the network operators (ISPs) as key stakeholders, since the impact on their customers and infrastructure could be very significant. And the broadcasters? Well, their drivers appear quite simple. With the switch-off of analogue services in countries that don’t already have MHEG-5 or MHP, there is concern about finding an alternative to analogue teletext in the digital space. Hybrid devices represent an opportunity to push for a digital text platform that provides for other over-the-top hybrid services like catch-up TV. There’s an initiative called HbbTV (http:www.hbbtv.org) which is proving popular in France and Germany. In MHP and MHEG-5 countries, solutions for

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 05 in focus Over the Net

France Télévisions’ New Services Technical Director, Bernard Fontaine, shares the broadcaster’s first HbbTV production experience, on the eve of the standard being published by ETSI.

One year on from the Franco-German to this sporting event, from any of its five several days for them to provide us with a HbbTV initiative to harmonise production digital terrestrial television channels. stable version of their navigator. techniques for yybrid television, it is An initial editorial decision was made not to The entire first part of the development interesting to see how, within the space of superimpose HbbTV service content over phase (up to one week) was therefore a few days, teams from France Télévisions the video programme. This was a significant carried out without a decoder. The were able to develop an operational service factor that was linked to basic rules for development operation began on a PC model for this European project. complying with image-related rights. It using a standard internet navigator (Mozilla The situation in April 2009 was simple. also avoided interfering with Widgets that Firefox) for testing and debugging, as After two months, the French and German were required for TV programmes on the at that time there was still no HbbTV teams had decided to join forces to first Connected TVs in the market. This compatible emulator. develop an open and standardised solution approach was at the hub of our HbbTV One week later, we received the eagerly for providing hybrid equipment for TV project to give broadcasters complete awaited HbbTV compatible DVB-T decoder reception. To do this, France Télévisions editorial autonomy with Hybrid TVs, either in and were then able to test the application decided to take advantage of an upcoming off-line (DTT only) or in internet-connected under real conditions. major sporting event to test the HbbTV mode. The tests highlighted the differences in the service model. The French Open, Roland The services, available via buttons on the interpretation of the HTML/CSS/JS code Garros, was chosen for the project. remote control, included: between our PC environment and the STB As HbbTV is based on internet technology • Latest news from Roland Garros environment. These differences could (HTML, JavaScript, CSS, etc.) we had the • Day’s programme highlights then be corrected, either directly in the advantage of being able to quickly develop • Live results from seven tennis courts application or in the STB firmware, in close a pilot service using the skills of our internal • Player profiles collaboration with the developers at Pleyo. web development teams. • Videos Moreover, the performance levels of the Having made the decision to use our • Photo gallery internal web development teams, it took • Official online shop of the French Tennis only one meeting to define the nature of the Federation service with the simple objective being: Implementing the project • Create a model that demonstrates the France Télévisions’ Arthur Mayrand, potential of this future standard assisted by Huong Vothu of Altran, carried • Fast and inexpensive development out the weeklong preparation of the project. • Demonstrate that it is simple for any Their work sought to define the presentation broadcaster to develop and deploy these rules, draw up the storyboard for the types of future services application and implement the data flow Several days before the start of Roland systems (some in real-time) required to feed Garros, France Télévisions decided to link the service, all from the France Télévisions’ up with a number of partners: TDF and web platform. Trilogic for DVB-T broadcasting; Altran From a technical aspect, the project was for co-developing the service; and Pleyo developed on a HbbTV base, around (now taken over by the founder MStar) for XHTML, CSS, JavaScript and DVB DSM- the supply of a HbbTV compatible DVB-T CC Carousel technology. set-top box. For the demonstration, we had a STB with A ‘red button’ service, embedded in the a built-in browser developed by Pleyo. With DVB-T signal, was created to allow viewers this being a ‘first’, the browser was still in to access additional information linked the development phase and we had to wait Bernard Fontaine

06 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 The tests highlighted the differences in the interpretation of the HTML/CSS/JS code between our PC environment and the STB environment.

four year old STB fitted with an ST7100 chipset, into which HbbTV had been incorporated, were lower than that of the PC and it was necessary to adapt certain animation effects specified in the application in order to maintain optimum navigation fluidity. In the end, only several minor adaptations were required, and three days after receiving the decoder, the application was operating correctly. With hindsight, the most complicated part, which must in no way be ignored, in the design of an interactive TV application, is the ergonomics of the navigation process. In our initial design, we had already identified this factor and considered the various solutions offered. However, after the two week Roland Garros trial, and with tests by numerous inexperienced users in our studios, there was no denying that navigational ergonomics of a service using only a TV remote control system was a crucial element on which the success of a service would be directly dependent. Conclusion Almost one year on from the trial, the HbbTV project has taken off significantly with the collaboration of diverse groups of entities comprised of major international television manufacturers and broadcasters. Each month sees the arrival of new supporters, with a shared vision for complete transparency in the development of the technology. There is a joint desire specification to ETSI to request the required HBB technology in the greater interest of to find a realistic solution to enable standardisation. broadcasters. broadcasters not to have to pay IPR for With the HbbTV European Consortium’s Several development proposals have delivering our content through HbbTV articles of association now completed, it is already been submitted and now it is up technology. hoped that the standard will be widely taken to all of us to develop version 2 of HbbTV The EBU believed in this project from the up and HbbTV services implemented. together. This is why the Consortium has outset by supporting it. As a result, within We genuinely hope that this can bring about been created. months, it was possible to submit the further European collaboration utilising

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 07 in focus Just one CLICK Dr. Klaus Illgner, Managing Director of the Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT), argues for broadcasters not to miss the window of opportunity that exists for the introduction of a standardised hybrid TV receiver.

The HbbTV initiative for developing a next to Panasonic’s Veriacast or Philips’ to consumers is simple, and they really standard for hybrid TV receivers has NetTV, not to mention Apple and Google look for these services. The challenge is to come a long way in a short period of time. TV. And, DVB has just launched a new get a broad commitment for HbbTV from The draft specification is with ETSI for standardisation activity. CE manufacturers broadcasters, at least across Europe. review. The first services and products are are critical to market success. So what There is now a window of opportunity for already in the marketplace and there is drives the industry to support HbbTV? It a standardised hybrid TV receiver. But remarkable interest in HbbTV throughout can only be the prospect of high consumer the window is closing quickly as, with the all stakeholders, even in the US and Asia. demand in a sufficiently large market. So, introduction of HD and 3D, millions of new Many, including large global companies let’s have a look at the service side, which is receivers are coming onto the market as have signed up to support HbbTV. What is actually what steers consumer demand. Connected TVs. If we wait and delay the it that makes HbbTV so interesting? There Media, in particular video, has become a process, broadcasters will most likely lose are two key elements to it. First of at all, it major element of internet services. And it the last opportunity to provide a seamless enables broadcasters to create a seamless is the professional content that consumers user experience of linear and nonlinear user experience across their linear and seek out. Now there is the opportunity to services while maintaining control of their nonlinear service offerings. The user is not bring this content back to the TV screen, branding of nonlinear services to the forced to leave the linear service and click for which it was created and emotionalises consumer. through various pages to find the respective best. Consumers understand that message complementary service. It is now right at the immediately. On-demand video and catch- finger tips with one click. The linear service up TV are real drivers. This is underlined by experience is augmented by attractive and connection rates of 50 percent of TV sets competitive services that can be included, with that feature. However, for broadcasters compared to the PC environment. The the streaming costs get critical, particularly With the introduction of second element is that HbbTV builds on when it comes to HD content. The challenge Connected TVs more existing and mature internet technology and of ‘over-the-top’ delivery is to ensure a QoS has a very slim and light design. Therefore, that meets the quality expectations on a TV ‘middleware’ solutions are it can easily be implemented in connected screen. High on-demand usage challenges devices. The design, which is based around the IP networks. With modern flat panel entering the market as each minimum requirements, enables all market TVs, there is also a high interest in a participants to take advantage of it and modern video text service, which is used by CE manufacturer has its own differentiate their HbbTV offerings. More millions of consumers daily. Combining an solution. importantly, application development, which attractive design with internet features, such is based on HTML, is very simple because as links to additional material also offers existing online content can be leveraged to new business opportunities. The message run as HbbTV applications directly from an existing online CMS. Given all the advantages of the concept, URL signalling what are the critical issues? First of all the TV market in Europe is highly fragmented. Even within nations, different solutions Broadcast link exist in parallel, such as MHEG, MHP, NDS, Open TV. The internet, however, DVB-C / S / T, IPTV is global. Although HbbTV provides the most relevant functionalities needed in Broadcast a middleware, it does not necessarily replace existing middleware solutions for Station interactive TV. Nevertheless, it is considered a thread. HbbTV can be plugged into various solutions. With the introduction Internet link of Connected TVs more ‘middleware’ solutions are entering the market as each any IP connection CE manufacturer has its own solution. Samsung’s Yahoo Widgets are sitting

08 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 Project CANVAS Connecting Televsions

BBC’s Richard Halton, Project Canvas Director, outlines the current INNOVATION position on the UK PARTNERS partnership to deliver services and applications to the television set via broadband.

Project Canvas is a UK partnership initiated by the BBC and now involving , BT, , Five, ITV and Talk Talk Group in an equal relationship to establish a subscription free, open environment for content, services and applications delivered to the television set via broadband alongside existing linear channels and services delivered over DTT or DSat. The rationale for Project Canvas builds on the model established in the UK by Freeview (a joint venture involving the BBC, Arqiva, Channel 4 and ITV): promoting access to partners include some of the UK’s leading that powers this can then be published in a a range of services offered by third parties online content providers, who represent a highly-optimal form, reducing the processing via a device available for a one off fee. broad range of funding models, and two required on the consumer device. The Building on the open aspects of this model, of the UK’s leading ISPs, who understand partners have also been working to ensure Canvas devices will connect via any ISP the challenges relating to the provision of that the underlying graphics rendering connection and take advantage of the a scalable, sustainable broadband delivery capability of consumer device hardware can distribution capabilities of broadband to offer infrastructure. The BBC and its partners be fully exploited, again delivering benefits. a theoretically unlimited range of services to are also engaged with leading technology Together these will enable the kind of highly the consumer. providers: CE manufacturers, such as responsive user experience increasingly Making this a reality has a substantial Cisco, Technicolor and Humax; SoC demanded by the audience. It is also reliance on technology innovation. The vendors, such as Broadcom, Intel and ST; intended that the top-level user experience partners are investing in research and software component suppliers; IP delivery will be upgradable, allowing it to evolve to development relating to the enabling infrastructure providers. meet audience needs. 13 technology for connected television. They The ecosystem design reflects Project are engaged in industry standardisation Canvas’s principle of openness. This activities, primarily with the Digital Television model allows content providers to maintain Group (DTG) in the UK but also with similar control of how and where content is hosted initiatives such as HbbTV and global and distributed and operate the business bodies such as the OIPF. The aim is to model of their choice (including pay models maximise the commonality of the technology such as subscription and pay per view). specifications underpinning a range of Critically this means that while Canvas will platforms, including Project Canvas. facilitate access to content, the relationship Identifying and specifying the technology with the end consumer will be managed by standards that will enable the delivery of the content or service provider, not a third online video and services to CE devices is party intermediary as is the case with most a fundamental aspect of the project. But existing TV platforms. Project Canvas is about much more than Secondly, the partners plan to offer this. consumers an engaging, intuitive user Firstly, the partners are working to define experience that makes it is easy for them to an overarching model for an ecosystem that find the content they want. To achieve this it will balance the needs of all participants in is intended that there will be a common, the connected television space. The project top-level user experience. The metadata Richard Halton

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 09 in focus MHP in HBB scenarios 3DTV – go deeper Gino Alberico of Rai’s R & D discusses how the addition of a broadband connection to digital interactive receivers will give broadcasters new opportunities for a range of innovative services.

The addition of a broadband connection associated with IDTVs and STBs having Protocols: to digital interactive receivers, leading to a specific features, namely pay-TV (White • HTTP 1.1 with Range Header support new family of devices called hybrid set-top Label), and interactivity based on MHP Application Environment: boxes or IDTVs, will give broadcasters 1.0.3 (Blue Label). Later on, in cooperation • Procedural: MHP-based new opportunities for a range of innovative with HD Forum Italy, the DGTVi released • Declarative: optional (for further study) services, such as Video-on-Demand, catch- the specification for HD terrestrial receivers The DGTVi and DVB are working together up TV and virtual linear channels. Those (HD-Book DTT 1.0) adopting MHP release in order to have the Broadband Addendum services, where provided over broadband IP 1.1.3 as middleware for interactivity. extensions integrated into the DVB-MHP/ lines, that is best-effort internet connections In order to extend the HD-Book in the area GEM specification by 3Q 2010. offered by ISPs, are also defined as Over- of media delivery over (IP) broadband Currently, the DGTVi is improving the The-Top TV (OTTV) services. In other connections, a Broadband Addendum (BB Italian MHP profile with the forthcoming words, OTTV services, as opposed to IPTV Addendum) was introduced supporting Broadband Addendum 2.0, tentatively services, do not strictly require a connection different services such as Streamed planned for a 2Q 2010 release. The new to the managed network of a specific IPTV Contents (CoD) and, optionally, specification will deal with, amongst service provider. In Italy, OTTV services are Download CoD. The specification HD-Book other features, MHP-enabled adaptive going to be launched thanks to the support DTT 1.0, in conjunction with the Broadband streaming and harmonised DRM, which offered by the latest MHP interactive Addendum, is applicable to both STBs is an approach that could also enable a receivers recommended by the DGTVi. The and IDTVs and the relevant certification horizontal market for the protection of choice of MHP is the logical continuation programme is associated with the latest content delivered through the broadband of the open and interoperable interactive Gold Label. channel. platform that has been running over DTT The DGTVi BB Addendum fills in the MHP Since 4Q 2009, Gold Label IP connected broadcast channels for many years and is 1.1 gap in managing broadband content, HD receivers, compliant with HD-Book currently deployed in the market with about by offering the possibility to deliver best- DTT 1.0 specification and with the BB nine million receivers. effort A/V content streaming and xlets/ Addendum, have been available on the DGTVi is the association of national and applications downloading via IP channel. In Italian market (8 STB and 46 IDTV models) local broadcasters which aims to support brief, the most important features included and it is expected that by the end of 2010, and harmonise Italian DTT development in the Broadband Addendum, mainly based more than 500,000 (GfK forecast) devices through close collaboration with regulatory on Release 1 Specs from Open IPTV will be deployed (both STB and IDTV) 3DTV has generated an enormous amount of interest in the industry While support for advanced features such as 10 bit precision and bodies and the CE industry. The DGTVi Forum, are the following: supporting a broad range of new MHP following the latest success in the movie theatres combined with the 1080p50/60 will ensure best video quality, the delivery of contribution compiles and publishes baseline technical Audio/Video formats: based OTTV services. specifications for compatible DTT receivers • All the broadcast formats of HD-Book Various catch-up TV, Video-on-Demand screening of a number of prestigious sports events to cinemas. quality 3DTV demands critical synchronization of the left and right based on openness, interoperability (MPEG-2 and H.264/AVC) plus MP3 and services and OTT versions of existing Now, more and more viewers want that same experience in the comfort hand channels. Ericsson’s solution features the new Contribution and technology neutrality. In addition, it AAC catch-up TV services for PCs from Rai of their living rooms. Some analysts predict that close to 80 million 3D Encoder platform, delivering exact synchronization and time-stamping provides industry manufacturers with test Containers: (www.rai.tv), Mediaset (www.video. TV sets are due to be sold by 2015 – remarkable given that they were of the compressed frames in addition to the generation of a fully suites, technical tests facilities, bandwidth • MPEG-2 TS (SPTS) mediaset.it) and LA7 (www.la7.tv) launched only at the beginning of this year. packaged 3D simulcast. Our latest Professional Contribution Receiver for over-the-air (OTA) software upgrades • MP4 File Format are being developed and have been features “Simulsynch 3D” technology to ensure the exact temporal and for devices. It also guarantees receiver demonstrated, as well as fully interactive functionality to the retail market and applications, for both FTA and pay-TV Ericsson are at the fore-front of the technological innovation that is spatial relationship between left and right channels is maintained to offers end-users a ‘labelling certification content. enabling many broadcasters to deliver differentiated services. Our deliver best quality 3DTV. programme’ and communications 01 Thanks to the support offered by MHP, solution for the C&D element of the 3DTV broadcast chain is based campaigns to help consumers make an the potential for a seamless experience around our new contribution and distribution codecs designed to To learn more about Ericsson’s 3DTV contribution and distribution informed choice. between broadcast only services and deliver the best picture quality possible essential for next-generation solutions please contact us at the address below. Back in 2004, the DGTVi defined the first broadcast/broadband services appears contribution networks. specifications for standard definition DTT very clear. Therefore, DGTVi Italian receivers for the Italian market (D-Book), broadcasters intend to enhance the and the labelling certification programme 02 traditional viewer experience by offering new compelling OTTV services to reinforce and promote an innovative broadcast- 01. ADB i-Can 3810T HD Gold Label STB centric approach. Ericsson Television Ltd 02. Telesystem 7900HD Gold Label STB Tel: +44 (0) 23 8048 4000 Email: [email protected] www.ericsson.com/television 10 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010

3DTVadvertFINAL.indd 1 16/4/10 09:01:31 standardisation & interoperability update

3DTV – go deeper

3DTV has generated an enormous amount of interest in the industry While support for advanced features such as 10 bit precision and following the latest success in the movie theatres combined with the 1080p50/60 will ensure best video quality, the delivery of contribution screening of a number of prestigious sports events to cinemas. quality 3DTV demands critical synchronization of the left and right Now, more and more viewers want that same experience in the comfort hand channels. Ericsson’s solution features the new Contribution of their living rooms. Some analysts predict that close to 80 million 3D Encoder platform, delivering exact synchronization and time-stamping TV sets are due to be sold by 2015 – remarkable given that they were of the compressed frames in addition to the generation of a fully launched only at the beginning of this year. packaged 3D simulcast. Our latest Professional Contribution Receiver features “Simulsynch 3D” technology to ensure the exact temporal and Ericsson are at the fore-front of the technological innovation that is spatial relationship between left and right channels is maintained to enabling many broadcasters to deliver differentiated services. Our deliver best quality 3DTV. solution for the C&D element of the 3DTV broadcast chain is based around our new contribution and distribution codecs designed to To learn more about Ericsson’s 3DTV contribution and distribution deliver the best picture quality possible essential for next-generation solutions please contact us at the address below. contribution networks.

Ericsson Television Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 23 8048 4000 Email: [email protected] www.ericsson.com/television tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 11

3DTVadvertFINAL.indd 1 16/4/10 09:01:31 in focus Connected TV in the UK Simon Gauntlett, Technology Director, Digital TV Group explains how its UK industry partners are working to meet the challenges of making the ‘connected’ home a reality for the consumer.

The Digital TV Group (DTG), the industry proposed UK HBB joint venture partnership Freeview HD receivers through the network association for digital TV in the UK, publish between BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, connection built into the set-top box. and maintain the D-Book – the detailed Arqiva and Talk Talk), Sky and others can Content is delivered using industry standard technical specification for UK digital build on for trademark requirements to protocols H.264/HE-AAC in MPEG-2 SPTS terrestrial television (Freeview) and run support their services. This enables the over an HTTP progressive download the UK’s only ISO/IEC17025 compliant horizontal market to deliver products with connection. The content can be optionally test centre. DTG Testing provides the access to services and options to support encrypted using AES-128, using the same benchmark test and conformance services further services such as catch-up TV and algorithm as specified by the Open IPTV for the UK’s Digital Tick certification mark, social networking if they wish. Forum. Reusing existing standards this way the UK’s DTT platform - Freeview, the The DTG has set itself the ambitious but enables content providers to distribute one free-to-air satellite platform - , and achievable target of the publication of format to a number of platforms, including international platforms. D-Book 7 by December 2010. To meet this Connected TV devices in the future. When the DTG published D-Book 6 in target we are currently working with the The D-Book provides the tools required March 2009 it contained the specification, teams behind services such as Canvas, for an MHEG based catch-up service to not only for HD services on the Freeview the UK Video-on-Demand service SeeSaw, identify a viewer’s geographical location by platform but for a broadband return channel Sky Player and ITV Player, as well as broadcast region, enabling regional targeted – enabled by an internet connection our wider membership of broadcasters, advertising through stream playlists as well mandated on all receivers - paving the way network operators, manufacturers and ISPs as personal preference-driven promotion. for richer interaction and for content to be to define the specification for Connected The second new feature is the delivery of streamed to Freeview HD receivers. TV. The DTG has set up eight Connected record lists. This uses technology similar to Freesat became the first non-subscription TV working groups drawing upon different series linking to give the viewer the ability service to launch catch-up TV when it made areas of the specification: architecture, to subscribe to broadcaster defined groups iPlayer available in beta through Freesat device, delivery, presentation, metadata, of content such as ‘Best of Comedy’. It also HD in January 2010. The introduction of security and measurement, and consisting provides a mechanism for broadcasters to iPlayer on Freeview is inevitable and with of key industry experts in the field to use off-schedule capacity to deliver extra all Freeview HD devices containing an drive the rapid deployment of universal content such as more HD programming. Ethernet port the options for internet-type Connected TV receivers. Services are driven by broadcast metadata services for UK consumers are endless. An updated version of the current D-Book based on the schema developed for TV Connected TV is the next step for hybrid - D-Book 6.2 was published in March and Anytime. internet television. A European initiative, introduces two new features that will help The increasing prevalence of hybrid devices HbbTV, has been created based on existing to move the Freeview HD platform towards will undoubtedly drive demand for catch- standards and web technologies including Connected TV. The first is support of MHEG up and VoD services on living room TVs. OIPF (Open IPTV Forum), CEA, DVB xPlayer - the ability to deliver catch-up TV to The DTG recently conducted a survey with and W3C. This provides some European YouGov that found 80% of viewers who countries with an interactive standard can’t already do so would like to be able for the first time but is not significantly to watch on-demand programmes on their more than the UK’s MHEG standard and home TV. interaction channel. The DTG is working The UK digital television industry towards creating a standard profile for is constantly evolving – the DTG is Connected TV devices and services utilising committed to working with our members the latest technologies. and industry to meet the challenges these D-Book 7 will contain the UK interoperability new technologies bring and to make profile for Connected TV products and the connected home a reality for UK services, providing an industry agreed consumers. baseline implementation that Canvas (the

Simon Gauntlett

12 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 Hybrid FM The radio futurologist and Secretary of RadioDNS James Cridland travels to Tokyo as part of his quest to uncover radio’s future.

I’m in Tokyo, in a small meeting area discussed on-air. It’s a proprietary solution 01 flanked by studios, drinking a fruit juice. by the mobile phone operator, but a similar, Daisuke Fuji, the webmaster for Japan’s more open, piece of technology exists TOKYO FM, has just breathed on his elsewhere: the EBU is playing its part in a mobile phone, rubbed it on his shirt to clean not-for-profit called RadioDNS.org, which is it, and he’s now passing it over to me. already used by over seventy radio stations Why am I in Tokyo? After working for BBC in the UK to add visuals to their broadcasts. Radio for a while, I left in September with Adding IP-delivered content to augment a a need to see something different. I felt radio listening experience opens interesting there was a lot that UK radio could learn possibilities. Broadcast radio is broadcast from other countries. This was the excuse to tens of thousands of people at the same I needed to go on a round the world trip: time; but internet connections are one-to- to visit radio stations, drink beer, and one. This means that while you listen to the otherwise have a bit of a rest: a rest that my national weather forecast over broadcast, accountant assured me would probably be you could get more local information via IP; 02 tax-deductable, if only I’d keep the receipts. a regional commercial for a supermarket The mobile phone that Daisuke has just could be accompanied by walking directions handed me is the typical ‘keitai denwa’ to your local store. favoured by the millions of busy Japanese Tests in the UK appear to show that on a in Tokyo. It’s a flip phone, with access both mobile phone, radio is far more popular to live television and to radio. But there’s than television while on the move. Yet radio something interesting on the screen. can, so often, be a dull experience on a It turns out that radio reception of TOKYO device that’s capable of so much more than FM, which happens on the FM chip inside simply showing ‘87.5’. Hybrid broadcast the phone, is augmented by additional techniques that connect broadcast radio content that reaches the mobile phone with the internet have the capability of using the cellular data network. There’s transforming the radio medium on such now-playing information, schedule devices in a way that can assure radio’s information, and, occasionally, bright future in this multiplatform world. colourful advertising. Daisuke grabs his mobile phone back, 01. TOKYO FM, with additional It’s a way of using the best of both worlds snaps it shut, and replaces it in his pocket. information, on a mobile phone using hybrid receivers: FM radio to deliver It occurs to me that, just like many other 02. Additional visual information reliable, high quality audio, in tandem with areas of everyday Japanese life, I think I’ve to accompany the radio and a cellular networks to deliver the additional seen a tiny glimpse of the future. coffee metadata. Press a button and you can buy For more on his trip, visit: the song, or request more information from http://bit.ly/allmyarticles advertisers, or read the news story being

creating content for devices like the iPhone. wider objectives shared by the partners, INNOVATION PARTNERS The combination of an open platform the BBC Trust and the UK government and the potential for a direct relationship including promoting broadband take-up. between content provider and consumer The proposal to develop a consistent has already excited interest from a wide software platform is also fundamental range of groups, including commercial to delivering a highly accessible user video on demand providers, national arts experience. Over a quarter of adults in and cultural organisations and government the UK require some type of accessibility 9 None of this reduces the creative service providers. feature to get the best from their TV opportunity available to content providers Lastly, the partners will award a trademark experience and the Project Canvas partners as they will have control over their own licence to devices that are functionally have set out an ambitious roadmap for the portals and services. compliant and offer the Canvas branded platform to meet these needs. Thirdly, the partners want to make it really user experience. They will then promote The proposals remain subject to BBC Trust easy for content providers to use Canvas Canvas branded devices to consumers as approval and a final decision is expected as a way to get their content and services part of a wider retail engagement strategy. later in 2010. in front of the audience. This could be as These activities will be funded via an The information contained in this article was an evolution of existing services offered by independent joint venture set up by the accurate on its date of submission to EBU mainstream content providers (including partners on a cost recovery basis. on May 14. For the latest news on Project the BBC and its partners) or new services In addition to the consumer benefits, the Canvas please visit the news section at from web application developers already proposals are designed to help deliver www.projectcanvas.info.

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 13 industry news Camera Action DSLRs are getting more popular. Most people can’t tell the difference when shots made with DSLR are mixed with those of traditional high-end HD cameras or even film. Tom Poederbach, veteran cameraman/editor and technical writer has been following the developments for over a year now.

“Your measure’s not found in how much frequency upgraded to 48 KHz with the 5D Audio In of the camera, e.g., the 5D Mark II, time you have on this earth, but what you do Mark II. because the automatic gain control (AGC) with the time that you have. Echo Company The video frames that come out of these can be switched off . The juicedLink can is going to change history starting early cameras don’t lie - they look stunning spoof the AGC of the camera, and is less tomorrow morning”. especially in low light. Recently, a group expensive, so it goes well with the 7D and These words by the battalion’s commander of professional DoPs, colourists, gathered 550D and the others. were recorded on video by Danfung for a ‘DSRL Shootout’. They lined up the DSLRs require a different approach, a Dennis, an embedded photojournalist with Mark II, Canon 7D, 1D Mark IV and 550D, different eye for camera angles, more skills the marines in Afghanistan in July 2009. with the Panasonic GH1 and Nikon D3 and in focus pulling and knowhow of the use The camera used was a Canon EOS compared them to the highest standard - of available light. DSLR’s are not a Mark II DSLR photo camera with full HD film. Kodak and Fuji stock, and the DSLRs bullet. They are not RED killers. They (1920x1080) video function. were used for the same scenes. The results are not sharper than your average HD The popularity of this camera has been were evaluated at the American Film video camera. However, keep all that in triggered by New York photographer Institute and at the George Lucas Skywalker perspective and use them for what they are Vincent Laforet. He got the opportunity to Ranch, with projections on a very large good for and they can do astonishingly good test a preproduction model of the Canon screen. The results were pretty astonishing. things at an unprecedented low price point. EOS Mark II over a weekend. His test The days of bulky tripod and shoulder clip,“Reverie”, was posted on the web on mounted cameras are finished, if we believe 10 October 2008. A week later there were Shane Hurlbut (ASC). “You can put a DSLR 01. Cameraman Dave Schwarz with over a million hits. What made the clip so anywhere. To make a shot, place it where a Zacuto HD-DSLR Shooter Rig special? Why was it that people started traditional video camera doesn’t fit or can’t 02. Photo capture of light / dark to want this camera? The video clip was be hidden. Complicated action scenes can combination using Canon EOS 5D shot at night time and had the look of an now be done in one take. With relatively Mark II DSLR expensive fully lit Hollywood production. cheap and small DSLR’s it is not a problem. The truth was, the clip was shot using only Put up as many cameras as you like. We 01 available light. The result was an utterly can throw out the playbook and go back to important clip of superb quality at a very school. We have to relearn, think outside of affordable price point. the box”, Shane is saying. So, will we see The big difference between camcorders and more interesting shots because of the use of DSLR’s is sensor size. Large sensors allow DSRL’s? for better low-light capture and to shoot On the audio side, there are plenty of with a narrow depth of field for a creative solutions. The best way is to bring a sound effect (also known as the Hollywood effect). professional along for booming and mixing. Camcorders have 2/3 inch or even 1/3 However, if going alone, there are a couple inch sensors. To isolate a subject from the of different solutions, such as juicedLink or background you need a special adaptor or Sound Device’s MixPre, to connect to the Copyright © Zacuto - www.zacuto.com a camera with a large sensor like a DSLR. The largest can be found in the Mark II with 02 a 36x24mm CMOS sensor, which produces a QuickTime MOV file (H.264). The data transfers to a compact flashcard 35Mbps. Up until a couple of months ago, most DSLR’s lacked a lot of what traditional video cameras offer. Simple things like timecode, colour bars, zebra indication (overexposed areas), audio level indication, good ergonomics for shooting video. Also, it was not easy to correct framing with a zoom, the list could go on. Canon upgraded the software twice for the 5D mark to bring in extra functionality. These upgrades also allow for manual control over the audio input with audio meters and the audio sampling

14 tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 seminar news EBU at ASBU - Tunis There has been a long history of cooperation radio networks were the and information sharing between the key topics. At this year’s EBU and its seven sister broadcasting event, however, the unions around the world. One of the recent agenda focussed much activities of this kind took place in March more on the options for 2010 with the Arab State Broadcasting services, and the question Union (ASBU) whose members cover the of potential interference Middle East and North Africa. This second from mobile telecoms edition of the so-called ‘EBU Week of services which may result from the plans our ASBU colleagues are generally making Technology’ coordinated by EBU Training, in several countries in Europe to auction steady progress in the introduction of took place at the ASBU Headquarters off the ‘Digital Dividend’. Whilst clearly very digital terrestrial television transmissions, building in Tunis. Two senior engineers from interested in rolling out DVB-T and digital implementing in compliance with the so- EBU Technical, Walid Sami and Ed Wilson radio, many of the participants were also called ‘Geneva 06 Plan’. The GE-06 plan worked a marathon relay to provide a total keen to hear some of the latest news from is an international ITU treaty at the United of nine hours of lectures and four hours of the more established digital markets, and Nations, and constrains all EBU and ASBU workshops to 30 members of the technical presentations were given on HDTV, Hybrid countries to similar timescales under which management staff from 15 ASBU member Broadcast/Broadband TV, DAB / DAB+ / their analogue TV broadcasts will no longer organisations from 11 countries. T-DMB, and the hot topic of the moment, be protected against interference. We The first edition of the EBU Week of 3DTV. learned that many of the ASBU countries Technology, which took place in February An innovation this year was to invite the have started the digitalisation plans of their 2008 in Damascus, Syria, had largely participants to prepare their own short terrestrial networks, or are about to take tackled the fundamentals of digital TV and presentations to share knowledge with their decisions on this subject. radio. Lectures and tutorials on the DVB each other and the EBU Technical staff The feedback from the participants was very and DAB standards and systems, and on on the digital progress in their home positive and the cooperation between the some basic spectrum planning for TV and countries. It was encouraging to note that EBU and ASBU will no doubt continue. DIARY 2010

Expert Community Integrated Production 2 Jun / Geneva (CH) / Members only / No fee. This Expert Community is about interoperable ways to create and manage media in Radio / TV facilities. It works on reference architectures and standardisation, based on generic storage and network infrastructures. System integration (‘glueing’ components together) is a key focus.

MXF Masterclass 2010 8 - 9 Jun / Geneva (CH) / Fee. Acquire expert knowledge in MXF technology to better understand how to migrate to a masterclass file-based workflow system.

Technical Assembly 2010 9 - 12 June / Turin (IT) / Members only. The Technical Assembly analyses current technology, future prospects for production, broadcast and broadband delivery, and spectrum management.

Metadata Webinar 17 Jun / Online - 14:00 (CEST) / No fee. Learn about metadata for the media industry. Join this Webinar for an update on recent metadata developments by EBU’s metadata expert, Jean-Pierre Evain.

Expert Community on “Networks & Infrastructures” 21 Jun / Geneva (CH) / No fee. The Expert Community - Networks and Infrastructures (ECN) is dealing with production, contribution and primary distribution technologies of interest to EBU Members.

Networks 2010 22 - 23 Jun / Geneva (CH) / Fee. The Networks seminar is the yearly event for all broadcasters, manufacturers or operators involved in Networks and Infrastructure for programme exchange.

Digital Switchover Webinar 14 Jul / Online - 14:00 (CEST) / Members only / No fee. Join Elena Puigrefagut (EBU) for an update on the Digital Switchover taking place in the EBU Members’ broadcasting area.

AIEMPro 2010 25 - 29 Oct / Florence (IT) The third international workshop on Automated Information Extraction in Media Production (AIEMPro) is organised in conjunction with ACM Multimedia 2010.

Further information can be found at http://tech.ebu.ch/events

tech-i | http://tech.ebu.ch | june 2010 15 At Harris, we’re delivering the future today.

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