S&T to Demo MHEG-based TV Interactivity

Active-TV Ecosystem Developers,

The Issue: enabling TV interactivity via low-cost networked-STB technology.
Background: combing network access with STB MHEG-5 standard, improves support for interactivity.
Behind the scene: active-TV technology is similarly low-cost, but offers more advanced TV interactivity and access to networked-delivered TV-web video.


Contained in the S&T press release, is some interesting MHEG-5 and TV interactivity news.

S&T’s supply the tools needed to build carousel-style TV interactivity. The interactive material (the “broadcast file system”) is sent to the Set-Top Box in the MPEG2 transport stream. S&T also supply their RedKey MHEG-5 STB middleware; which seems currently supported by ST, ARM and possibly Zoran STB solutions.

A TV EPG (electronic program guide) is a typical MHEG-5 application. However, somewhat more advanced applications are possible, giving the TV user a limited amount of interactivity. Without an on-line return path, typically phone SMS based methods are used to complete any additional transactions.

A networked STB with RedKey MHEG-5 middleware can extend access from the “broadcast file system” to the “networked file system”. This improves its ability to support MHEG-5 compliant applications. The IP network eliminates the use of SMS for return path transactions.

MHEG-5 platforms are generally much less expensive than MHP (or OCAP) alternatives – which also typically have no return path. Given consumes’ rapid acceptance of broadband ISP service at home, this simple return path mechanism and expansion of MHEG-5 applications, may give these relatively low-cost STBs further market acceptance.

The RedKey middleware does not give the TV or STB, conventional access to the internet. The method does improve a STBs standalone capability, but MPEG-5 applications can not compete in complexity with active-TV technology’s PC-assisted applications. The STB also does not network with any home PC or notebook PC, enabling sharing of content.

Presumably, the interactive MHEG-5 STB can connect to the home router via wireless network support. I suggest consumers, would clearly appreciate wireless connection and interaction with the home laptop PC. At which point, support for TV-web channel applications, in advance of the more basic MHEG-5 applications, would be a much appreciated addition and add little to the cost of the STB.

Without this enhancement, the networked MHEG-5 STB does not allow the TV viewer to reach the increasing number of interesting TV-web channels. These “channels” give the TV user the freedom to access and share internet video and PC-resident content; A freedom, familiar to the PC user when accessing PC-web.

Feedback, corrections and comments welcome.