Edition No.12 December 2004 DVB - SCENE Tune in to Digital Convergence

SOUND advice

12

The Standard for the Digital World

This issue’s highlights

> DVB 3.0

> H.264/AVC

> DVB-S2 at IBC

> Audio for HDTV

> Update: DTT in Europe DVB-SCENE : 02 A word from the DVB Project Office Year’s End

Peter MacAvock, Executive Director

NEW Welcome to this final issue of DVB- timely availability of affordable set-top SCENE for 2004 - the end of the year boxes incorporating both DVB-S2 and sees the DVB General Assembly and H.264. With this in mind, the DVB MEMBERS the Project planning its forthcoming Project has just finalised its latest edition of the MPEG implementation Digitenne BV year, putting its finishing touches on the next phase of the Project - DVB guidelines incorporating H.264 and Electronic Frontier Foundation 3.0. As always, DVB needs to ensure High Efficiency AAC. Neotion that it retains its relevance in the 2004 will be seen as the year of the Sanio Mobile Silicon Ltd. world of digital – this Italian DTT launch and the significant Zoran Corp becomes more and more challenging deployment of MHP set-top boxes DVB-SCENE : 03 as the body of DVB standards and there. Seen as an improbable recipe their users increases. for success at the outset, the first Published by the DVB Project Office, year has seen quite a successful c/o European Broadcasting Union, We have also seen significant 17a Ancienne Route, feedback from the DVB market - and one in which there will CH-1218 Grand Saconnex, Switzerland. demonstrations at IBC ’04. These saw be a limited legacy of non-interactive www.dvb.org & www.mhp.org the first live transmissions of DVB-S2, set-top boxes unlike, say, Germany. Editors: William Daly, Harold Bergin the first live decoding of H.264 at Time will tell how the specifics of the Editorial and Advertising enquiries to: WHD PR Italian model could be applied Email: [email protected] 720P50, the first live decoding of elsewhere. France is finalising its Telephone: +44 (0)20 7799 3100 SMPTE VC-1 coming from an MPEG transport stream and finally, the first launch and we could see movement in All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be Spain shortly, too. reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. All demonstrations of technologies likely content correct at time of printing. © DVB-SCENE to be included in the HDTV launches Finally, it remains for me to wish all 2004. DVB an MHP are registered trademarks of the planned for 2006 in Europe. Since IBC, DVB participants and DVB-SCENE DVB Project. Certain other product names, brand we have heard reports of the first readers the compliments of the names and company names may be trademarks or H.264 chips starting to become designations of their respective owners. season and good luck for 2005 from available. Naturally, an essential all of us on the DVB-SCENE editorial Printed by Lithmark Limited. Design by GyroGroup. element of HDTV launches will be the team.

The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual DVB members or guests and are not necessarily the views of the DVB Project Office or Steering Board.

Season’s Greetings from the Project Office. Wishing you the very

best for 2005. Eoghan O’Sullivan, Désirée Noetzli, Santa Claus, Eva Melamed, Peter MacAvock The Next Phase DVB 3.0

Graham Mills, Chairman, DVB Commercial Module

It is now eleven years since DVB to use; peer to peer technology will Management, including compliance was founded and its impact on the enable personal content to be created issues world of broadcasting and related and distributed in new ways that may c. Audio-visual coding guidelines markets and technologies has need to use DVB technology; for d. MHP support and possible probably met or exceeded the media content storage, content extensions of GEM into new expectations of its early members. management tools and techniques will businesses

DVB-SCENE : 04 Earlier this year DVB’s Chairman, be needed that label items as we e. IPR issues Theo Peek, asked whether DVB had store them and help us search for f. Security. reached and end of its life as a multimedia data; and portable 6. IP for contribution of DVB services. specifications setting body or players are now emerging where This is a challenging and exciting new whether there was a new phase of content is delivered or updated via remit for DVB and we look forward to work that needed to be done and fixed or mobile IP networks. More and continuing the DVB traditions, winning would be supported by its members. more examples will emerge of these broad industry support for innovative On 28th October the General kinds of requirements new specifications that meet a specific market need. Assembly decided more needed to be The vision for DVB, over the next phase done and unanimously approved a of its development, is to be an enabling strategy for a new phase of work for forum for pre-competitive standards DVB to be delivered over the next two setting in the ‘connected world’ of

“...the impact of the Internet, mobile communications and digital broadcasting are having a powerful and direct impact on our lives...”

or three years. We have decided to networked digital media and applications. build on the strengths and past The new phase of work, known as success of DVB to deliver a further DVB 3.0, will incorporate the following set of market led specifications and work items: guidelines to support the new 1. Convergence of broadcast and opportunities and requirements that mobile services (including systems are now emerging in the early part of like WiFi, WiMax, 2G, 3G). the 21st century. 2. Convergence of broadcast and The world around us is becoming a fixed IP network services (including ‘connected planet’. Networking and topics like DSL, QoS management, Graham Mills is a senior manager in access to content are becoming local storage). BT Retail. He and his team have led ubiquitous. In most developed nations, 3. Solutions to support service the development and launch of a the impact of the Internet, mobile interoperability across multiple number of new products, services, communications and digital networks and platforms (including acquisitions and joint ventures. broadcasting are having a powerful work on content coding, middleware, Chairman of the DVB Commercial and direct impact on our lives – both portable content format, in-home Module, he has made a substantial at work and at home. Some of the distribution). contribution to the DVB industry group thinking that will underpin our future 4. Completeness study on HDTV and since its formation in 1993, setting the work includes: current ways of possible amendments to our HDTV international specifications for digital binding content rights to devices toolbox. TV and interactive services. (smart cards, storage devices) will 5. Continuation of existing important Graham graduated from King’s College need to be replaced by mechanisms work items: Cambridge with an honours degree in that bind those rights to the individual, a. Broadcast technology engineering. He holds an MBA from regardless of which device they want b. Content Protection and Copy Cranfield School of Management. NEWNEW TTOOLBOOOLBOXX

Ken McCann, ZetaCast Chairman of TM AHG on Audio Visual Content (TM-AVC)

One of the earliest DVB specifications, applications such as HDTV. The the Implementation Guidelines for Video specification was published in May and Audio Coding in Broadcasting 2003 by ITU-T as Recommendation Applications based on the MPEG-2 H.264 and by ISO/IEC as 14496-10. Transport Stream, has recently been Three Profiles define subsets of the revised to add new options. Originally syntax and semantics: Baseline Profile, published in 1995 as DVB Blue Book Extended Profile and Main Profile. 001, the latest revision of TS 101 154 The Fidelity Range Extensions adds the option of H.264/AVC video as Amendment of H.264/AVC, agreed in an alternative to the original MPEG-2 July 2004, added some additional tools video. The range of codecs for audio and defined four new Profiles (of has also been extended to give a total which only the first is relevant for of four options: MPEG-1 Layer II, AC-3, broadcasting applications): High DTS and HE AAC. Profile, High 10 Profile, High 4:2:2 This revision marks a move towards a Profile and High 4:4:4 Profile.

‘toolbox’ approach to audio and video The relationship between High Profile DVB-SCENE : 05 coding. It recognises that we are now and the original three Profiles, in terms in a multi-codec world and that DVB of the major tools from the toolbox that applications require the flexibility to may be used, is illustrated by Figure 1. support for HDTV decoders which choose the most appropriate tool for For SDTV and HDTV, the most implement H.264/AVC. Only Main Profile the job. The disadvantage of this relevant profiles are Main Profile and support is required for H.264/AVC toolbox approach is that High Profile. Both of these allow the SDTV decoders, although High Profile interoperability becomes a more use of the most powerful variable can be used as an option. complex issue. If IPR costs could be length coding scheme: Context So have we now finished with ignored then there would be an Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding revising the Implementation Guidelines? argument for requiring all decoders to (CABAC). It has been estimated that Far from it! It is a living document that support the original MPEG-2 video and this gives about 10 to 15 percent will continue to evolve as the needs MPEG-1 Layer II audio as a saving in bit-rate compared to the of DVB members develop. A further guaranteed baseline interoperability simpler alternative of Context Adaptive revision with improved PVR support point. However, the commercial reality Variable Length Coding (CAVLC). In is in the pipeline and two additional is that the cumulative cost of all of the addition, the High Profile allows the use codecs have already been identified licence fees (e.g. $2.50 for the MPEG- of an 8x8 transform and encoder- as having significant market demand: 2 video decoder) would not be specified quantisation weighting Enhanced AC-3 audio and VC-1 video. economically viable. matrices. It has been estimated that To prevent the DVB toolbox from this gives about 10 percent Ken McCann is a director & co-founder becoming too cluttered, any new improvement in coding efficiency of ZetaCast, an independent audio or video codec must offer some compared to Main Profile when using technology consultancy company commercial or technical benefit. Four progressive HDTV source material. specialising in digital TV. Prior to criteria have been adopted that As a result of these considerations, founding ZetaCast, Ken worked for codecs must meet before they are TS 101 154 requires High Profile NTL, Symbionics and Philips. considered: Significant market demand attested by at least five DVB members from at least two constituencies; Technical performance verified by independent testing; Documented in the public domain by a recognised standards body; and IPR available on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The new H.264/AVC video coding algorithm offers comparable quality at around half the bit-rate needed for MPEG-2 video. This improved coding efficiency is particularly important when considering bit-rate hungry Figure 1 LANDMARKLANDMARK

EVENTEVENT Simon Gauntlett, BBC R & D Engineer

transport stream, using the advanced content with VC-1 (Windows Media 9 coding options available in the latest Advanced Profile). The programme draft of the MPEG guidelines content for the EBU part of the document. Both channels used a demonstration was produced in scanning format of 1280x720 pixels, collaboration between BBC R&D, SVT progressively scanned, with the and NDS, and BBC R&D also encoded BSkyB content being encoded using the material, and provided the means the H.264/AVC system and the EBU for decoding and displaying it. Over the past year or so, there has been increased interest within Europe in the possibility of broadcasting High Definition Television (HDTV) programmes. During this period, the DVB project has developed two major specifications which will make such a transition towards HDTV more achievable - the DVB-S2 satellite transport specification and the latest draft of the MPEG implementation guidelines. DVB-SCENE : 06 A landmark demonstration was given of the performance available from these two specifications on the DVB stand at IBC in September. Two HDTV programme channels, one provided by the EBU and the other by BSkyB, were multiplexed into a single MPEG

KEEPING UP WITH HD DEMANDS

In a demonstration at IBC for , LG.Philips showed how it is keeping up with the demands of HDTV with its 55 inch LCD display. The picture quality is enabled by Super In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology that, among others, enables uniform contrast and minimum colour shift at the widest viewing angle. In the absence of any real-time hardware encoders, non-real-time software encoding was used, based on software tools from Moonlight (H.264/AVC) and Microsoft (VC-1). Each channel was encoded at around 8Mb/s, stored on a server and played out in real-time into the satellite modulators. The DVB-S2 modulation was carried out by Radyne ComStream, and the bitstream uplinked to a 54Mb/s transponder made available by SES Astra at 19.2 degrees East. Real-time demodulation was carried out using equipment by Conexant. Decoding of the video bitstreams was carried out in software running on two 3.2 GHz Pentium 4 PCs running Directshow filters. An additional Linux PC was used to distribute the transport stream from the satellite demodulator to the two decoding PCs. successful and popular Simon Gauntlett holds a Masters The timescale for integrating and demonstration, which provoked degree in Electronic Engineering from debugging the demonstration was significant interest in the corridors of Exeter University. He joined BBC extremely ambitious, and it was not IBC and which, once completed, ran Research and Development DVB-SCENE : 07 until the day before the exhibition non-stop for the final two days of the department at Kingswood Warren in opened that successful decoding of exhibition without any operator 1999. Recently, working on the both channels was achieved. Some intervention. It was the world’s first delivery of High Definition television, optimisation of the software was live demonstration of a high definition he demonstrated delivery of MPEG-2 even being carried out during the first broadcast using the latest generation HD over DVB-T at Mediacast 2004 day of the exhibition itself! However, of advanced video codecs and before turning attention to advanced the outcome was an extremely delivered via DVB-S2. video codecs.

REAL-TIME DEMODULATION FOR S2

The Conexant CX24116 DVB-S2 demodulator was a critical component in demodulating the live over-the-satellite DVB-S2 signal in the DVB stand at IBC. The CX24116 is fully compliant to the DVB-S2 broadcast specification and supports backwards compatibility to the DSS and DVB-S modes. It has a highly efficient and robust automatic acquisition algorithm that searches and acquires the carrier within ±10MHz range during initial acquisition and performs a smart search to reacquire during fade conditions. CX24116 has an on-chip micro-controller for fast signal acquisition, Es/No estimation and system monitoring. Furthermore, the on-chip micro-controller saves software integration time by minimising the external driver code. The CX24116 DVB-S2 demodulator IC used in conjunction with Conexant’s CX24118 RF Tuner IC provides a complete satellite front-end system solution that enables satellite STB providers to deliver cost effective, digital STBs that support a range of consumer video services, such as transmitting HDTV channels. The key benefit of CX24116 is that it is based on an open DVB-S2 standard and offers an alternate path for service providers to use advanced modulation (8PSK) with BCH/LDPC FEC to realise a 35 percent increase in satellite throughput. ) Harald Popp joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) in 1984. He developed the DSP hardware for various audio codecs ASPEC, MP3). Since 1993, Harald (e.g. played a major role in the development of Fraunhofer’s licensing business, AAC and first for MP3 and later for other technologies in the field of audio Harald is head Today, and multimedia. of the IIS department for Multimedia Realtime Systems, focussing on efficient implementations of audio visual coding formats and related technologies. and an increasing number of software vendors (like Real or Nero) are supporting HE AAC; HE AAC is also (Internet Streaming of the ISMA part Media Alliance) specification. AAC (amended by a Furthermore, HE further ‘parametric stereo’ tool) has become one of two recommended audio formats for music delivery to and between mobile devices (3GPP rel. 6.x), and first services (e.g. by AAC have already O2) based on HE started in 2004. There is more to come. Time for DVB to catch up! AAC ( The development of AAC began in The development of Fraunhofer and Dolby, AT&T, 1994 by Sony and by 1997 the new format had entered the MPEG standard as AAC. Later on with the MPEG-2 Audio development of the MPEG-4 AAC was further enhanced standard, and amended, e.g. for delay-critical applications or for scalable use of multimedia content. Due to this time line, and due to its AAC performance, the outstanding format is already in use in numerous important applications. In digital broadcasting, all of Japan’s ISDB AAC as the services are based on only sound format; the US based XM satellite radio service is using AAC, as well as the international HE standard for terrestrial long/medium/ shortwave radio, Digital Radio AAC has become the Mondiale. HE mandatory format for the 2nd Session DVD-Audio and is part of the DVD-AR (Recordable DVD-Audio) AAC is the sound specification. most successful Apple’s format for music download service iTunes and is supported by all iPODs. Numerous AAC files, MP3 players also playback “... achieves ‘perceptually transparent’ sound quality ...” “... achieves ‘perceptually transparent’ FOR HDTV AND OTHER TV SERVICES AND OTHER FOR HDTV MPEG’S ADVANCED MPEG’S CODING AUDIO capacity (e.g. IP-based DSL-TV, or (e.g. IP-based DSL-TV, capacity within DVB-H applications), it is of vital importance to give the video signal as much of the available data as possible to achieve a reasonable image quality. audio format most efficient Today’s was standardised in 2003 as High AAC) AAC Profile (HE Efficiency Standard. Audio within the MPEG-4 AAC is a combination of the HE AAC LC perceptual audio codec Audio Coding Low (Advanced Complexity) and the bandwidth Band tool SBR (Spectral expansion achieves LC itself AAC Replication). ‘perceptually transparent’ sound quality at 64 kbps per channel; using the SBR tool, a pretty good sound quality can be maintained for bitrates as low as 32 kbps mono or 48 kbps stereo or 128 kbps 5.1 surround. The introduction of new HDTV The introduction of new video format that services called for a MPEG-2 Video. is more efficient than H.264/AVC The new ITU/ISO standard allows a decrease in bitrate demand by a factor of 2 to 3. As the new video format is not backwards compatible, new receivers are required (e.g. for MPEG- based DVB Stream Transport 2 services) which allow the introduction of new audio formats at the same time. Of course, a reduction of 64 kbps per audio channel (comparing AAC with MPEG-1 Layer II) is MPEG equivalent to only a few percent of the total bit budget within an HDTV service. For SDTV services, the saving of audio data becomes already more significant – even more so, if multilingual programmes come into in the case of consideration. Finally, networks with limited transport Harald Popp, Head of IIS Department for Multimedia Realtime Systems, Fraunhofer IIS Erlangen of IIS Department for Multimedia Realtime Harald Popp, Head

DVB-SCENE : 08 MOZART OVER THE PHONE … Ted Laverty, Director Business Development, DTS Europe

If HDTV is to fully realise its programming – movies, concerts, consumer business by offering the commercial potential for broadcasters opera, drama, premier sporting events premium quality audio option for DVD- to provide additional and improved – and be willing to pay for it. The Video. Broadcasters now have this revenue streams from premium and benefits of especially bit-rate-efficient same technology available to them to specialist programming, then it must codecs are apparent in reducing the provide something which can surely meet the expectations of the demands on bandwidth; DTS’ realistically be described as ultimate wide and disparate range of the scalable, single bit stream solution audio quality. Beyond which, as a European viewing public for improved allows for multichannel audio over a scalable, single bit stream solution, sound quality. HDTV, a standard range of broadcast rates. However, already capable of lossless designed to see us well into the one size does not fit all. Developments compression, it also future proofs future, should cater for the complete in low bit-rate coding effectively such a claim. spectrum of consumer preferences. enable a host of mobile, handheld, IP “Mozart sounds good over the The advent of HDTV broadcasting will and interactive audio applications and, telephone” is not a good enough engender heightened expectations on in their more advanced variants, will argument. the part of consumers – and, provide acceptable audio quality for a importantly, paying consumers – concerning quality and the viewing experience. Expectations will be driven by all of the above and by the forces of marketing ranged by the CE DVB-SCENE : 09 manufacturers, broadcasters and programme makers selling content. The arrival of modern multichannel cinema sound and its subsequent migration into the consumer electronics markets was the result of good deal of content. They are not Ted Laverty is Director of Business years of development to match going to satisfy quality expectations Development, DTS Europe, widescreen pictures with realistic for premium content, however. For responsible for Broadcast and sound presentation. In both cases, that we must look to the highest Interactive Technologies. Based in the development has reached to achieve standards set by entertainment company’s Research & Development best possible quality parameters. In software and the commercial success office, Northern Ireland, he joined DTS the case of DVD, the success of of the content that embraces them. in August 2001. Ted has an extensive optional high bit-rate audio with Broadcast sound production career history in the audio industry consumers has been a major standards are traditionally very high spanning over 15 years. Prior to business driver for DTS. The and on a par with the film and music joining DTS he worked for high quality importance of high quality audio for production industries. Witness the audio codec developer, Audio video content is recognised by the BBC production resources massed for Processing Technology Ltd, acting as mandated inclusion of DTS in both the annual Proms concerts, or the their LA based US General Manager. high definition optical disk meticulous engineering Ted is a Chartered Engineer and formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray. and resultant sporting sound effects member of the IEE and AES. With HDTV, digital broadcasters have courtesy of Athens Olympic the opportunity to compete in Broadcasting’s production for the delivering premium sound and picture Olympic Games. These offer further quality across a diversity of content. opportunity to be exploited in providing The ability to specify highest quality premium entertainment experiences. transmission standards for premium Will discerning viewers really quality programming becomes all the appreciate an HDTV broadcast of the more critical when success is no Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s longer measured in mass market Concert at low audio bit-rates, when viewing figures but in incremental their expectations are informed by programming revenue streams. DTS 96/24 music video or Super Audio CD music releases? Early adopters of HDTV will almost certainly be those who plug their set- In Issue 11 of DVB-SCENE, Adam top boxes into home theatre systems. Watson Brown, Head of Sector for These are precisely the people who Media in the European Commission’s exert the greatest demand for quality. Information Society department, They are also the audience who will describes HD as ‘the ultimate in video look to HDTV for premium and audio quality’. DTS has built its HDTV – IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR EUROPE? Jason Power, Market Development Manager,

HDTV with high resolution images and Jason Power is Market surround sound, already on air in the Development Manager at Dolby US, Japan, and Australia, is beginning Laboratories, and plays a key role to make its mark in Europe. European in marketing Dolby technologies for programme makers are already using and Digital TV. In HD tools for production, with high addition to his work with cinemas profile events such as the Athens and film studios, Jason works Olympics plus numerous dramas, closely with broadcasters to documentaries, and concerts being encourage the use of high quality produced in HD. Until recently, surround audio within the industry. however, European viewers had no means of enjoying this content in In the US, the shift to HDTV introduced confirmed recently in a survey by glorious HD in their own homes. many new benefits for home viewers, German satellite channel, Premiere, Things are now starting to change. as analogue TV was just 4:3 and not which confirmed that Following on from the launch of widescreen, and audio did not include sound and 16:9 pictures were the top Europe’s first HD channel by Euro1080 Dolby Digital. In Europe, however, a reasons why subscribers bought and the HD broadcast of the number of territories already have Pay-Per-View content. Superbowl by Premiere earlier this widescreen, and some premium In terms of audio, Dolby Digital is the year, German broadcaster, ProSieben, channels are already delivering Dolby only audio stream that broadcasters took another major step on 14 October Digital, meaning that consumers have DVB-SCENE : 10 need to transmit with an HD service, with their transmission of Pride – The become accustomed to these as ProSieben did in October. There is Law of the Savannah. This made elements, and that HD offers fewer no need to simulcast stereo, as all HD ProSieben one of the first existing new attractions. But with large screen set-top boxes have a Dolby Digital major European broadcasters to make availability increasing, HDTV still has a stereo decoder, meaning the a public HD broadcast and to simulcast role for those broadcasters who want available bandwidth can be used to its for both HD and SD viewers. The to capture the imagination of a high full advantage to transmit the HD programme, co-produced by the BBC, value market and to show technical picture. Full guidelines for the use of was delivered in Dolby Digital 5.1- leadership. Forthcoming events like Dolby Digital audio, also known as AC- channel surround sound, helping the 2006 Football World Cup will 3, in a DVB compliant stream are transport viewers into the stunning HD provide fantastic opportunities to included in the relevant DVB landscapes of the savannah. demonstrate HD and to persuade documents (see ETSI TR101154). viewers to invest. With prices of flat panel screens Dolby Digital Plus, an enhanced falling, European consumers have the MPEG-2 is a technology which is version of the technology for opportunity to take the step to HD far understood and available for those partnering with next generation video more affordably than their early who want to deliver HDTV now. This codecs, is currently being considered adopter counterparts in the US and codec is featured in all three HDTV for future inclusion. Australia did just a few years ago. broadcast systems used worldwide Broadcasters are often surprised The increasing availability and and is already in use for Europe’s first how much HD content is already affordability of these flat displays regular HDTV service, Euro 1080. available with 5.1 surround means the European consumer is Looking forward, any next generation soundtracks. 5.1 sound is now far more willing to have bigger video codec will need coding increasingly created for European screens in his home. The widespread efficiency, an open standard source programming, either for transmission adoption of DVD has set an code, and backwards compatibility to on digital SD services, for release on expectation for high quality, allow for lower definition levels with DVD, or for delivery to co-production widescreen picture with excellent existing displays and home theatres. partners in the US and elsewhere. surround sound audio – so Establishing both the intellectual Those importing HD programming from broadcasters now need to deliver property situation and royalty situations the US will find a wide choice of something extra to challenge DVD’s is also an important factor. Good content with full 5.1 sound, as more supremacy. progress is being made in all these than two dozen US channels are areas and codecs such as H.264/AVC delivering selected programming with will make HDTV delivery even easier. Dolby Digital sound – sports, award However, it is important that ceremonies, and various TV series broadcasters remember that the HDTV are all available in HD. experience is not just about a high For broadcasters looking to deliver quality picture. Don’t forget the audio/ that something extra to retain sound is critical to the experience, as audience share, HD can deliver a without surround sound audiences visual feast, but to keep it competitive feel less immersed and involved in the with today’s DVD experience, 5.1 programming and lose the cinematic surround sound audio must be feel. The value of sound was provided too.

Pride - The Law of the Savannah A The history of technical innovation in television broadcast is highlighted by CHOICE only a limited number of major breakthroughs. The lastest revolution dates back to 1990 with the first OF American digital HDTV proposal, the Digicipher, which surprised Europe, then engaged in an overcautious FUTURES approach, opting for a transitional standard, the D2 Mac and its HD In My Opinion - Alain Chaptal version. However, Europe was able to react Alain Chaptal holds an advanced degree in Telecommunications Engineering quickly through the DVB by offering from Telecom Paris and a Ph.D. in Information and Communication Sciences an MPEG-2 –based satellite standard from Université Paris X. He covers technology issues for Sonovision in 1994. More frequently however, (www.sonovision.com), the leading French monthly magazine (circulation significant technological 15,000) dedicated to providing French speaking professionals with the latest reassessments allow us to reorient information on audio, video, TV, graphics and mutltimedia. our perspective and provide ourselves with a renewed dynamic that can be the catalyst for major decoders and is in a position to leap a When these lines are drawn, the technological generation, entailing a

evolutions. This is currently the case choice will not be definitively made. It DVB-SCENE : 11 with advanced video compression strategic advantage clearly identified appears quite recently that there was solutions and the prospects they offer in the September 2004 report of the a consensus around a qualified for broadcasting digital television on General Information Technology scenario in an official report (prudent an extensive range of media. Council submitted to the Minister of and pragmatic) which, whilst There has been a recent State for Industry. observing the initial schedule, would convergence between, on the one When the DTT launch schedule is favour the H.264/AVC, HDTV and, in hand, consumers’ increasing confirmed, the Government will then be terms of the future, mobility. Clearly infatuation with widescreen in the faced with a strategic choice which the launch would take place in March 16/91 format and the image quality affects the technological future of the 2005, although it would be in two

“This scenario would allow a gentle transition towards HDTV...”

offered by DVD (pending its next HD sector for the next ten years or so. phases: an initial pre-deployment versions) and, on the other hand, Either it grabs this opportunity to phase geared towards technical industrial product/system ranges enable the emergence of HD in DTT confirmation, followed in September offering HD equipment enabling a with the aid of the H.264/AVC at the 2005 by the operational phase with highly flexible migration at a cost risk of slightly altering its launch date: a ‘multilingual’ decoders (MPEG-2 SD, increasingly on a level with SD choice which comprises the risks of H.264/AVC SD and HD). The channels products. The last IBC clearly technological innovation but which adopted would be free to choose their reflected the industry’s mobilisation opens up promising prospects not only encoding mode in the initial stage. This with announcements of HD European for the technical operators and the rest scenario would allow a gentle satellite services (BskyB, Premiere, of industry, but also, first and transition towards HDTV but would be TPS STAR), the major presence of foremost, for the content producers significantly decisive from the H.264/AVC solutions and the interest and thus the expression of French viewpoint of equality of access to it in the ultimate satellite standard DVB- speaking culture. Or it consolidates the because, in France, approximately S2. There is certainly a feeling that initial project and the cautious recourse three quarters of television viewers the various players concerned are on to the transitional standard which has receive television solely via terrestrial their starting blocks, regardless of become an MPEG-2, of which the broadcasting. the fact that Europe is currently technological lifespan on a world scale Note: A late announcement on 8 suffering from not having outlined the will then depend primarily on the base November by the Prime Minister did path as clearly as the USA. installed, and as a result, place France, confirm the launch in March of free Strangely, as a result of these on a long-term basis, in a SD channels in MPEG-2 whilst technical reorientations, France has technologically backward situation announcing the study of an HD found itself in a unique position on from which it will be difficult to escape. introduction strategy with a ‘final’ this world market, of which it could We already know the consequences, decision before the end of the year. take advantage. With a late launch of in terms of DTT, of such a head-in-the- Does this leave the door open? Only DTT, it is not encumbered by a sand policy towards this technological for pay TV channels? The future mountain of current MPEG-2 standard leap forward. remains uncertain.

1Although the current quality of a number of LCD or plasma screens is subject to much discussion, cf. EBU Technical Review No. 298 April 2004. DTT Is the fastest growing digital platform in Europe, but... IS IT FAST ENOUGH? Senior Media Analyst, EBU Alexander Shulzycki, (about 17 percent). Spain is poised for dampen DTT progress. tremendous growth next year as There are specific challenges as well frequencies are reallocated there. for Eastern European countries, small Also next year, perhaps in March, countries without a lot of indigenous France will launch its platform and channels, heavily cabled markets, and thus trigger an important milestone: geographically challenged countries, the majority of Western European (EU- where mountainous regions make 15) countries will have up and running universal coverage financially DTT platforms. Very few would have prohibitive. predicted this two years ago. Meanwhile, analogue shut off is being There are three factors that have seriously discussed. Right now the driven this change of fortune. First, a more or less official analogue shut off clear and viable framework set up by dates range from 2006 to 2012 in regulators; second, a strong and well Western Europe, but few countries Two years ago all was doom and funded Public Service Broadcaster; are in a position to make realistic gloom about the prospects for DTT as and lastly a platform based on a planning. After all, if you haven’t even the pay platforms went belly up, but predominantly free offer. The most launched, how can you reasonably today DTT is the fastest growing successful DTT markets have been judge the rate of penetration, its digital platform in Europe as sales those which have put these elements change over time, and when it will get boom in the UK and Italy and steady DVB-SCENE : 12 in place. This is a proven model and you to 80 or 90 percent of TV progress continues elsewhere. Why the turnaround? Let’s look at the “Guidance, coordination and support is necessary and governments facts first. Seven countries now have across Europe have found ways to provide that support ...” fully launched (see chart) DTT platforms with widespread coverage, consumers have responded. households? An overly aggressive strong channel offers, and The risk now is to become overly shut off date is dangerous for many competitive set-topbox markets. About optimistic. There are many challenges reasons. For those countries that are five and a half million TV households ahead, not least of which is to get all most advanced in household have DTT. Italy has come out of the countries fully launched. It is clear penetration, planning is underway and starting block this year with the best that the market itself will not it will be very illustrative to follow their performing DTT launch in Europe to spontaneously create a DTT platform developments. date. Good news continues to come and move it steadily towards In the end, the unique benefits of DTT out of the UK with 3.9 million DTT analogue shut off. Guidance, for policy makers, regulators, household as of the second quarter coordination and support is competition authorities are too strong of this year. In Germany, building on necessary and governments across to hold the technology back: efficient the Berlin success, the regional rollout Europe have found ways to provide use of spectrum and release of continues in North Rhine Westphalia that support through indirect financial analogue frequencies; stronger and other Northern areas, adding mechanisms without violating the competition in the electronic 200,000 households to the German principle of platform neutrality. There communications; contribution to DTT tally. Finland has made steady are complaints now before the Information Society objectives; progress and now has the highest European Commission challenging diversity and digital access for a DTT penetration of TV households some of those supports and this could wider range of the population, etc. These benefits translate directly into more and better television for consumers. vie, © Twentieth Century Fox

Alexander Shulzycki is a Senior Media Analyst at the European Broadcasting Union specialising in the areas of digital and pay television, audience research methods and analysis of regulation impact on broadcasters. Prior to this he was at Canal+ where he worked on the launch and operation of DTH platforms in Poland and other non French territories. He holds a BA in History and Economics from Cornell University and an MBA Finance from University of Wisconsin. DIGITAL PARADISE Amoordalingum Pather CEO of Multi Carrier (Mauritius) Limited (MCML)

The small island of Mauritius the DVB-T platform being carried out However, there are still some (population 1.2 m) is focusing on in 2001-02 and resulted in a report to strategic issues that need to be dealt technology to help create an the National Digital Broadcasting with in order to guarantee a environment of excellence. The target Committee (NDBC) in September 2002. successful take off and continuation is to make ICT (Information & The report recommended the adoption of DTT and to enable consumers to Communication Technology) the fifth of DVB for the Republic of Mauritius benefit from the new technology at an pillar of the economy next to sugar, and that the national broadcast affordable price. Some of these textiles, tourism and financial transmission company Multi Carrier issues are: licences to prospective services. The country has a strong (Mauritius) Limited (MCML) carry out operators by the IBA (Independent telecommunication infrastructure and the installation of a permanent digital Broadcasting Authority), operators to has created a ‘Cyber City’ that is a head-end and a DVB-T platform to agree on a common CA; sharing of state-of-the-art facility providing provide 70 percent coverage of the frequencies with a neighbouring computing on demand, an Internet island; availability of a scalable STB at data centre to back up data and a reasonable price; sourcing/ servers for web hosting, e-commerce procurement of quality content; local and financial transactions. It will also content creation for multimedia DVB-SCENE : 13 provide a world class services; and design of specific telecommunications network, through walled gardens to cater for the both satellite and the fibre optic cable Mauritian needs. that links Portugal and Malaysia via On 12 March 2003, MCML began South Africa and Mauritius. transmissions of five digital TV Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), Inside Cyber City channels, two CD quality radio together with the MHP, has the channels and a few services on potential to provide interactive services islands with an analogue switch off demand co-existing with the current such as T-government, T-education date tentatively scheduled for ten five analogue TV channels. STBs and T-commerce and digital years from the launch of DTT. A soft from Europe, South Korea, India and convergence can go a long way launch of DTT with interactive China were tested and evaluated. towards stimulating the national services is scheduled before the end The success of digital terrestrial economy, informing and educating of 2004 and an extension of the television demands commitment by all while providing greater transparency coverage to 90 percent is to follow. stakeholders concerned. Mauritius, a and civic participation. There are also plans for additional cyber island to be, is prepared to take Industry pundits have been predicting multiplexes (MFN / SFN) for full advantage of digitalisation. The the convergence of IT, datacasting, Pay-TV, T-services, MCML DVB-T platform will reinforce telecommunications and broadcast mobile reception, etc., underway. the role of television as an important technologies and this is becoming a Additional tests for Pay-TV and value tool of interaction in the daily life of reality in Mauritius. The government added services are already planned the people to bridge the digital divide. has adopted a rational and structured for the months to come and are as approach to implement digital follows: CAS enabled STBs; MHP; terrestrial television to provide multi- DVB-RCT using either the 2.4 MHz or layer services that will help to create the UHF TV broadcast frequencies for a wireless broadband society. a wireless return path; an all-in-one In 1998 a feasibility study and prototype STB with PVR to receive frequency planning for two initial multichannel TV, Internet and online digital multiplexes to cover the entire services using a wireless return path; island was carried out with the display of electronic billboards, LCDs assistance of Télédiffusion de France and plasmas with adverts and social (TDF). This led to the pilot testing of messages and mobile reception, etc.

Amoordalingum Pather is the CEO of Multi Carrier (Mauritius) Limited (MCML) and a certified BBC Engineer. An engineer graduate scholar of the Confederation of British Industries, he is a veteran in the field of broadcasting since 1964 and holds an MBA from the University of Surrey, UK. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO...

DVB member ADB (Advanced Digital V.92 modem, Ethernet to ADSL port, including operators, infrastructure Broadcast), a leading supplier of and security facilities for providing equipment suppliers, application digital set-top boxes and software access to personalised services. developers, and distribution partners. solutions for interactive television, It integrates MHP 1.0.x implementation Since the launch of the digital has introduced the i-CAN170T, its first from Osmosys and its digital core is derrestrial service in Italy last Integrated TV (IDTV) with MHP. powered by the STMicroelectronics December, ADB has introduced to the Production of the i-CAN 170T started STi5517 single chip processor. The retail market its i-CAN 3000T model in October this year and is now on TV also includes a software loader and, most recently, the i-CAN 2000T. sale in Italy. It is set to become for remote upgrades ensuring that Both STBs have been engineered in available in other European countries it remains compatible with future Europe, at ADB’s R & D center in that have adopted MHP. broadcast demands. Poland, and are powered by With the growing trend for flat panel ADB has also announced the STMicroelectronics’ processors with screens and sole devices providing shipment of its 500,000th interactive interactivity provided by Osmosys. multiple services, ADB has responded STB into the Italian market. The “We began manufacturing in mass

DVB-SCENE : 14 by designing an LCD TV integrated receivers are compliant with the volume last November, ahead of the with all the capabilities of a complete requirements of the DGTVi the effective launch of the broadcasting digital terrestrial MHP receiver, and Association for the development of services”, says Philippe Lambinet, which can be connected to a PC to the digital terrestrial TV. The STBs Chief Operating Officer at ADB. display images in a 1280 X 1024 are marketed through retail distribution “In less that one year, ADB and its resolution through one of its digital channels under several national and distribution partners have achieved a video inputs. TV and PC signals can be international consumer brands. major market share thanks to an early displayed simultaneously in onscreen ADB began supporting major and firm commitment for a successful windows through its advanced PIP broadcasters such as RAI, Mediaset launch of digital terrestrial TV in Italy. (picture in picture) feature. and Telecom Italy in the Spring of 2002 We are very proud of this Multifunctional with minimal space with interactive home entertainment achievement and we will continue to requirement, the i-CAN 170T is technologies for consumers. Since deliver our best efforts to advancing equipped with built in then, ADB’s commitment to the Italian interactive digital terrestrial consumer and a complete range of interfaces, market has persevered with a technology and home entertainment including outputs for , growing number of partnerships services in the country.”

A SMART SHOSHOWW OFFEROFFER

In 2005, take the opportunity to exhibit in the DVB Pavilion at any or all three major trade shows to demonstrate DVB technologies and services. Joining forces with DVB will significantly reduce the cost of participating in these leading industry events whilst increasing exposure. In 2004 the DVB Pavilions were visited by a constant stream of member and non-member trade show visitors. Anyone interested in participating on the DVB Pavilion at IBC, NAB, and/or Broadcast Asia should contact Eoghan O’Sullivan in the DVB Project Office: [email protected]. DVB WORLD ‘FROM HD TO HANDHELD’

Preparations are well under way rights management, new AVC for the next DVB World conference guidlines, home networking, portable being held once again in Dublin at content formats, DVB business Jurys Ballsbridge and Towers Hotel models and UMTS. Details on from 2 – 4 March, 2005. Presented by registration, hotels and the the International Academy of conference programme can be found Broadcasting, DVB World is one of on the IAB website: www.iab.ch. the best opportunities to get the latest DVB World 2005 provides the only updates on technical, legal, opportunity to receive a direct briefing commercial and implementation from DVB Chairs and the world’s aspects of DVB. leading experts. The organisers have recently The organiser’s office are reporting announced the conference that delegates have already begun to programme and the theme of this register and as anyone who attended year’s event is ‘From HD to Handheld’. the conference last year will know it Other topics high on the agenda was a sell out event, so don’t delay include: PVRs, broadband, digital as participation is limited. DVB-SCENE : 15

Furthering its commitment to the COM Brazilian and Latin American FUTURE broadcasting and telecommunication industries, DVB participated at the recent Futurecom in Florianopolis, Brazil with a number of activities designed to demonstrate the technological and economic advantages of its globally successful open standards for digital broadcast services including DVB-H, the exciting new specification that combines the excellent mobile performance of DVB-T with IP datacasting technology extending the range of DVB-T services into the mobile handset market. In an opener to the main conference and exhibition, DVB took part in a well attended pre-conference workshop on the DVB-RCS (Return Channel Satellite) interactive satellite standard sponsored by ETSI under the @LIS programme. DVB WORLD 2005 ‘From HD to Handheld’

Mark a date in your diary now... 2 – 4 March, 2005 – Dublin, Ireland

For further information visit the DVB & IAB websites: www.dvb.org – www.iab.ch