Apple ends TV remotes rather than replace them ?

The new Apple TV has received some disappointing remarks from commentators. In part this is due to its lack of direct support for iPhone-like apps or apparent inability to get rid of the tangle of boxes and wiring behind the TV. As well as not providing the one-TV-remote that does everything, and gets rid of the rest. But maybe these criticism are unfair and resulting from Apple's strategy having not fully emerged.

However, Apple may think their is no need for UI apps to run on the TV. Clearly, the TV is not going to support a touch-based interface. It is likely all the UI controls a TV requires can be better accomplished using an iPod, iPhone, or iPad. Consequently, the TV's UI could be provided by apps running on multiple mobile devices used around the home.

We can see this direction emerging with Apple's AirPlay which enables mobile devices to stream video and audio to any AirPlay connected devices, such as an Apple-TV connected TV. This is a bit like using an iPod touch to stream music to a Hi-Fi system connected using a wireless AirPort Express. The AirPort acts as a bridge between the Hi-Fi and the home network. The Apple-TV could be used like an AirPort Express for Video. The relatively low $99 cost and power requirement of the new Apple TV would fit with this operation.

The Apple TV web site shows how in the future an iPod can be used to switch its output from the mobile display to a wirelessly connected TV (see How it Works). Video could be discovered or organized with a mobile app, but ultimately viewed on the TV. Maybe we will soon see an update to the iPhone SDK to support an AirPlay icon and menu for switching video output to any connected TV. This would enable developers to better build "TV apps".

Video stored on an iPod could be streamed to the TV, but it is also likely the iPod could alternatively just send the storage location of the video to the TV, along with the play-back position. This would reduce network traffic. A mobile app may find or select a video for TV viewing, but it need not have to be actually stream to the TV. Once given the video's network address, the Apple TV alone could deal with the decoding and presentation.

Now consider the tangle of boxes and multiple remotes. One solution would be a relatively simple video receiver box with no remote controller or built-in TV UI. In effect, a NAS-like box (Network Attached Storage) sitting next to an Apple TV and network-wired to the Apple TV. The box could receive ATSC, DVB-t or cableCARD-type CA-protected broadcast video. The UI for accessing the video would be on the iPod or other Apple mobile device. It would be easy and network-efficent for the UI on the user's mobile device to have the video "sent" to the TV for display, as the video's network address is close (wired) to the TV.

Such a system would easily support video time shifting and TV access to any video reachable on the home network, such as video stored on a laptop computer. All the TV-remotes are gone, replaced by the iPod of the like. Missing from the story, is the ability to control the graphics engine inside the Apple-TV. AirPlay only provides a means of switching the location for video decode, there appears no means for a UI application to incorporate such things as graphics transition animation between video playback. But maybe that's a future Apple demo.

Daniel Mann

Use your iPhone or iPod to watch big-screen TV

The latest "Navigate YouTube" iPhone/iPod touch app brings news reports, entertainment highlights or full-length movies directly to your TV -- no mouse clicks or monthly service fees required.

Full-screen video appears on the TV when it is connected to an iPhone or iPod touch via an Apple AV Composite Cable. Apple’s cable design does not replicate the entire mobile screen. The touch screen is used to start-stop-pause-step play or return to normal iPhone/iPod operation.

Thousands of individuals and companies such as Independent Television News (ITN), PBS, PBS NewsHour, Associated Press (AP), Discovery Networks, Film Movement, France 24, France 24 (English), Lionsgate Films, and OpenFlix, to name only a few, have YouTube channels. These channels contain a dizzying amount of uploaded videos, playlists and connections to other interesting video.

“Navigate YouTube” enables playlists or video channels to be watched in sequence with TV-like freedom -- no need to continually click a mouse or screen. It also makes it easy to find and subscribe to new channels. You can also exchange video recommendations with friends, or piggyback on their playlists and channel subscriptions.

The iPod touch in my home has effectively been turned into a Set-Top Box for watching TV.

So, lean back in front of the TV and sswatch the latest internet-delivered video, uninterrupted by mouse clicks. All without any monthly service fee.

Daniel Mann

What could friends know about your YouTube viewing ?

The updated version 1.3 of the iPhone and iPod touch app, Navigae YouTube, makes it easy to review the activity history of your friends and enjoy what they enjoy.

When someone adds your User ID to their YouTube address book (easily done with the Navigate YouTube iPhone app), you will receive an email request to become a friend of the requestor. If you accept the request, then you are promoted from an ordinary contact in their address book to a friend.

Similarly, you can easily use Navigate YouTube to request that a contact be converted to YouTube friend status. You can then look at their activity and better share your interest in YouTube video.

Navigate YouTube makes it easy to use the iPhone/iPod Touch to review the YouTube activity of one’s friends. In the example screen shot below, Pam is a friend. It is easy to review some of her recent YouTube activity. This is a great way to find interesting new video.

This feature, along with other interesting YouTube access features, is now part of the new version 1.3 update. The app makes it easy to be a YouTube expert-user.

There is more info at the iTunes App Store or at the user instructions webpage.

Daniel Mann

Navigateur pour YouTube pour iPhone et le iPod touch

Regardez Une app facile à utiliser pour le iPhone et iPod qui permet au débutant ou au utilisateur confirmé de YouTube d’obtenir le meilleur de YouTube.

Revisez les vidéos standards, les catégories, les canaux et les listes de reproduction. Organisez alors les nouvelles vidéos en vos propres favoris et listes de reproduction. Rendez la Playlist privée ou publique. Souscrivez aux listes de réproduction et aux collections de vidéos d’autres abonnés pour votre accès futur. Souscrivez aux vidéos pertinentes avec des mots de recherche.

Regardez les vidéos préférées publiquement visionnées, les listes de reproduction et les abonnements basés sur vos amis, famille et contacts de YouTube. Envoyez et recevez des recommandations de vidéos de vos contacts de YouTube par l'intermédiaire des messages de vidéo de YouTube.

Recherchez les nouvelles vidéos marquées pour votre région géographique, utilisant le clavier local. Explorez-les pour de nouvelles vidéos par l'intermédiaire de la commutation facile de l'identification de l'utilisateur au propriétaire des vidéos intéressantes - explorez alors leur monde.

Toutes les actions sont maintenues synchronisées avec le PC, l'accès Mac ou Apple-TV à YouTube.

Somaire:

• Regardez toute les catégories de vidéos: musique, nouvelles, sport,…
• Revisez les classements de vidéos : Évalué supérieur, les plus populaires…
• Changez la région géographique : États Unis, France, Japon, Brésil,… regardez alors les catégories et les normes standards pour la région.
• Écrivez des mots de recherche et trouvez des nouvelles vidéos pertinentes.
• Ajoutez les nouvelles vidéos aux favoris ou aux listes de reproduction.
• Créez et éditez les listes de réproduction ou les favoris. Rendez les listes de reproduction privées ou publiques.
• Souscrivez aux vidéos compatible avec les mots de recherche - de nouvelles vidéos sont trouvées sans recopier votre requête.
• Recherchez les listes de réproduction d’autres abonnés et souscrivez pour votre accès futur.
• Recherchez les canaux édités par National Geographic, BBC ou tout autre uploader de YouTube.
• Souscrivez aux canaux pour un accès futur facile et pour tenir à jour avec leurs derniers téléchargements.
• Regardez votre abonnement aux canaux, listes de reproduction, vidéos compatibles avec des mots de recherche ou à tous les favoris des autres abonnés.
• Regardez un sommaire des dernières vidéos ajoutées à votre abonnement de vidéos.
• Ajoutez ou enlevez d'autres utilisateurs de YouTube sur votre liste de contacts.
• Accès facile aux messages de vidéo de YouTube reçus de vos contacts.
• Envoyez une vidéo intéressante à un contact, et ajoutez un message court.
• Commutez l'identification de l'utilisateur à un de vos contacts pour accéder leurs favoris et listes de reproduction publiquement visionnées.
• Commutez l'identification de l'utilisateur à l'identification employée par un uploader de vidéos intéressantes.
• Regardez vos propres vidéos téléchargées.
• Découvrez une nouvelle vidéo, puis trouvez les vidéos pertinentes.

Daniel Mann

iPhoneとiPod Touch向け、YouTube向けナビゲーター

初心者から上級のYouTubeのユーザー向けに、YouTubeに最適化したiPhoneとiPod Touch向けの使いやすいアプリケーションです。

YouTubeの標準のフィード、カテゴリー、チャネル、そしてプレイリストに手軽にアクセスし、新しく見つけた画像を自分のお気に入りやプレイリストとして管理することができます。プレイリストの公開、非公開の設定できます。他のユーザーのプレイリストやビデオコレクションを後で見るために購読に加えることができます。また、検索ワードに合致した動画を購読する機能があります。

あなたのYouTubeの友人、家族、コンタクトが公開されているお気に入りビデオ、プレイリストや購読を見る事ができます。YouTubeビデオメッセージを使ってYouTubeのコンタクトとお勧めのビデオの送信、受信ができます。

画像検索に地域を設定してサーチできます。ユーザーIDに切り替える事により、画像オーナーの興味ある分野の画像を見られます。

全ての作業は、YouTubeに接続できるPC, Mac, またはAppleTV等他の端末で同期されます。


















概要
• ビデオ・カテゴリーを見る：Music, News, Sports, ...
• 標準のフィードを見る：Top Rated, Most Viewed
• 地域の設定を変更する：United States, France, Japan, Brazil, ...そして、その地域のカテゴリーや標準フィードを見る。
• 検索ワードを入れ、それに該当した新しいビデオを見つける。
• 新しいビデオをお気に入り、またはプレイリストに追加する。
• プレイリストやお気に入りを作成、編集する。また、プレイリストを公開、非公開を設定する。
• National Geographic, BBCやその他のYouTubeの動画提供者が公開したチャネルを検索する。
• あなたの定期購読するチャネル、プレイリスト、検索ワードに合致した動画、または他のユーザーのお気に入りを視聴する。
• あなたの定期購読に追加した最新の動画のまとめをみる。
• コンタクトリストの追加、または削除を行う。
• コンタクトリストからのYouTubeビデオメッセージを簡単にアクセスできる。
• 興味のあるビデオをコンタクトに送ったり、短いメッセージを追加したりできる。
• ユーザーIDをあなたのコンタクトに切り替え公開されているお気に入りやプレイリストにアクセスする。
• ユーザーIDを興味のある動画を提供するIDに切り替える。
• 自分が公開した動画を見る。
• 見つけた新しいビデオに関連したビデオを見る。

Daniel Mann

Navigator for YouTube available for iPhone

An easy to use iPhone and iPod touch App that enables both new and advanced YouTube users to get the best from YouTube.

Browse video Standard Feeds, Categories, Channels and Playlists. Then organize new videos into your own favoritists and playlists. Make plalists private or public. Subscribe to other user's playlists and video collections for future viewing. Subscribe to videos matching search-words.

Look at publicly viewable favorite videos, playlists and subscriptions based on your YouTube friends, family and contacts. Send and receive video recommendations with YouTube contacts via YouTube video messages.

Search for new videos tagged for your language or geographical region, using local keyboard. Explore for new videos via easy switching of user ID to the owner of interesting videos - then explore their world.

All actions are kept in sync with PC, Mac or Apple-TV access to YouTube.

Summary:

• View video Categories: Music, News, sport, ...
• View Standard Feeds: Top Rated, Most Viewed, ...
• Change geographical region: Unites States, France, Japan, Brazil, ... Then view Categories and Standard Feeds for the region.
• Enter search-words and find new videos with matching description.
• Add new videos to Favorites or Playlists.
• Create and edit Playlists or Favorites. Make Playlists private or public.
• Subscribe to videos matching search-words - new videos are found without reentering search-words.
• Search for other user's Playlists, and subscribe for easy future viewing.
• Search for Channels published by National Geographic, BBC or other YouTube uploader.
• Subscribe to Channels for easy future access and keeping up-to-date with their latest uploads.
• View your subscription to Channels, Playlists, video matching search-words or other users' Favorites.
• View a summary of latest video added to your video subscriptions.
• Add or remove other YouTube users to your list of contacts.
• Easy access to YouTube video messages received from contacts.
• Send an interesting video to a contact, and add a short message.
• Switch User ID to one of your contacts to access their publicly viewable Favorites and Playlists
• Switch User ID to the ID used by an interesting video uploader.
• View your own uploaded videos.
• Discover a new video, then find related videos.

Developed by Active-TV Technology. Currently available in English, French and Japanese at the iTunes App Store. User instructions are available in English. Feedback, corrections and comments are welcome.

Daniel Mann

An "iTunes moment” for the TV ?

The Issue: Speaking at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, the well informed Ashley Highfield’s remarks imply that the TV industry has as little as two years to create a viable digital businesses or face the TV equivalent of an "iTunes moment”. Which others have described as record labels ceding control over digital asset distribution to the Apple juggernaut.

Background: After years of effort by many companies to combine TV and Internet, no widely accepted video appliance or networked-TV has emerged. Does Highfield see that this is about to change? Is Apple now positioned for a dominant position in the TV platform and service business? Or is Highfield referring to something other than Apple technology?

Behind the scene: Apple is rumored to soon introduce a new ‘iPad’ (i.e. large Apple Touch). A new Apple-TV is also expected. Are these the platforms that will finally bring convergence between web and TV? Highfield opines, "Once this happens the shift of spending from TV to web will accelerate even more".

It has been two years since blogging began on possible next-steps for the Apple-TV. In this time Apple has made great strides in feeding expectations for extensive software application support on smart phones. This has caused the established hardware-oriented phone builders to scramble to develop their own software application infrastructure. Efforts, such as Android and Ovi are manifestly attempts to protect against further erosion of the high-end mobile phone market to the iPhone onslaught. This erosion has initially been most noticeable in the US market but soon to follow elsewhere.

The iPod has also developed into a software application platform in the form of the Apple Touch. Both Touch and iPhone support a “full browser” experience based on WebKit, and also application software programs built using the Apple SDK. Building a Pad-like device based on the same technology would enable Apple to build a lower-cost web access or web-browsing device without underselling its existing MacBook market and with access to the extensive catalogue of iPhone applications (some 60,000+ strong). What might be called an ‘iPad” could not support the full range of applications supported by a Mac or MacBook, but would nevertheless offer a compelling Internet and application enhanced appliance.

The original Apple-TV was based on PC technology. This has a much higher hardware cost than a Touch. The Apple-TV does not make use of this additional hardware capability; it’s a cost tax without major benefit. Now, however, Apple would appear to have the technology to build a next-generation Apple-TV based on Touch technology instead, which would likely require better graphics resolution for the larger TV screen. This development step is likely required for an iPad device as well.

A lower-cost Apple-TV could make headway in the US market where consumers are accustomed to subsidized Set-Top Boxes from service providers, and hence are very price sensitive. Following the recent U.S. transition to digital ATSC from analog NTSC broadcasts, Apple may decide the time is now right to introduce a Touch-based Apple-TV with ATSC support. This hybrid box, would meet demand for media convergence capabilities within a relatively low-cost appliance. Clearly, the European market would require a DVB-t hybrid, but Apple is likely to lead with US products first.

The lower cost hardware would also better support a co-branded networked Apple-TV with Touch technology “built into the glass” (as they say in “industry-speak”). With these steps, Apple will have moved the modern TV to a software application platform, much like it is moving the mobile phone to a software platform. Many of the existing TV and STB suppliers would struggle to respond. I suspect a large portion of the “window in which to respond” that Highfield refers to would be consumed while waiting for company accountants to confirm loss of market share. Thus making it safe in these difficult career times for product managers to engage in reactive-product development. Apple would have lit the green light, signaling the rush of competitive new products.

Highfield stated, "So, realistically, I think the industry has about two to three years to adapt or face its iTunes moment. And it will take at least that long for media brands to build credible, truly digital brands. But, importantly, I do believe TV does have a small, two to three year window in which to respond…"

Software application developers benefit from the efficiencies of a common platform such as the PC. The PC’s dominance is why we see new applications such as the iPlayer first appearing on the PC, even before the Mac. It is simply a matter of quickly reaching the greatest number of users. A common TV platform based on some form of Apple-TV would rapidly gain the attention of application developers. This assumes the new Apple-TV supports iTunes store-enabled applications. Albeit, with Apple having the final say on what applications are acceptable - this is likely to lead to some conflicts. Without some degree of support for independent application developers, the new Apple-TV would not be considered a common platform. Consequently, it would have a slower market acceptance and pose less threat to its competitors, and therefore extend the window in which to respond.

An Apple-TV which only supports iTunes would give Apple greater control over revenues generated by web-TV convergence. It would also simplify any competitor’s ability to rally the software community to support an alternative approach and platform. This might be based on a WebKit- or Adobe Flash-based range of boxes and TVs. However, the industry’s reluctance to embrace software technology has resulted in years of waiting for the ideal convergence TV platform. The failure to make do with technology now readily available is now likely a greater problem than mastering the business changes inherent with convergence. Again, this may well play to Apple’s advantages by keeping the software community fully occupied developing new applications for the iPhone, Touch, ‘iPad’, or any new Apple-TV.

Apple also has the opportunity to combine the operation of the iPhone or Touch with the PC or Mac and the Apple TV. Ecosystem-enabled smart application software holds the promise of finding relevance with web-savvy consumers and service providers. It will be interesting to see how Apple balances decisions regarding conflicting agendas for openness, exclusivity, and inclusion of non-revenue generating features, such as digital recording and ATSC tuners, or DVD playing. To achieve market dominance it has to ease new ideas into a wide audience which still finds value in existing, low-cost and well-understood TV-related appliances. Both Microsoft and Sony have not found this an easy nut to crack, despite major undertakings using their game platforms.

We should know soon whether the iPad is launched and the Apple-TV receives a refresh, and if Ashley Highfield’s predictions prove correct, the clock is ticking for competitors to make the next move.

Daniel Mann

TV access for YouTube Movie Categories

YouTube has improved it support for Movies and TV Shows. It is reported that this may be part of an expanding plan for micropayments and viewing of longer-format or full-episode video typically found on increasingly popular sites like Hulu and Veoh.

YouTube’s PC landing page now has tabs for “Shows” and “Movies”.



To support TV viewing of these categories, there is now an updated version (16x9 youtube_beta_19.zip) of the active-TV TV-webpage available from this blogsite. As can be seen from the TV image below, some of the full-episode shows and movies have been “marked” by their up-loaders, as only viewable from a PC.



Daniel Mann

Fix for change in YouTube streaming

Very recently YouTube made an engineering modification to their service which changed access to their video. This caused the active-TV TV-web page for YouTube to stop working. We have determined a fix and included it in the new youtube_beta_18.zip file available from this blogsite.

This update is slightly slower initially accessing YouTube video; but we wanted to make a quick solution available for all those that have reported the problem. We will likely release a faster version later.

Receiving a Video Message at the TV

There have been a lot of web articles lately, such as “Social networkers want TV airtime”, discussing the demand for PC and mobile phone messaging to be supported at the living room TV. Some companies, such as Sky have indicated this is on their roadmap.

Video sharing and distribution sites already support sending messages between site users. For example, Youtube PC-website users who find a video they like can send a link to a Friend in their Contact List. This is done via the Send Video button which appears below the video display area – as shown below.

After clicking on Send Video, a Friend from the contact list is selected (daniel78746 for the example above), and the PC keyboard is used to type in a message to accompany the Video.

The YouTube developers’ API supports receiving Video Messages. But to access messages the user must first enter their account password. The YouTube TV-website supported by active-TV enabled TVs and STBs, such as the D-link DSM-520, has been extended to enable a YouTube password to be entered using the TV remote. The TV menu now includes the menu option “Messages in Inbox” which is used to access message at the living room TV screen.

The example above shows that a Video Message was received from YouTube user “alt34ab”. The message text typed in at the sender’s keyboard, now appears on the receivers TV. In the menu entry just below the message is the video link associated with the Video Message. This is shown below.



Using the YouTube supported scheme, it is possible to send a message from a cell phone or PC to a TV. With some more development it will be possible to send messages from the TV to another TV, PC or cell phone. A beta version of the TV-website will be made available for testing at this blog-site. Look for the youtube_beta zip file with version 17 or higher.

On the right side of the TV screen is the “related” icon which moves up and down the screen, positioned next to the currently selected menu entry. Pushing “enter” on the TV remote while highlighting the “related” icon, causes the menu to be filled with video entries which relate to the current entry. For example, the Video Message delivers a link to the “Rory Gallagher ..” video. Using the “related” button provides a list of videos which Youtube report to be related. See the example TV screen below.

Feedback, corrections and comments welcome. Please make contact if you would like more information about TV-website development.
Daniel Mann

Adding Live Internet TV streams to my Living Room TV

The prior blog entry “Build your own TV channel from torrent-delivered video sources” did not adequately cover the details of adding more than torrent formatted video sources, such as Live TV streams.

As explained, a users’ torrentSites.xml file describes the video feeds to be presented at the TV. Each <item> in the torrentSites.xml typically contains the url address of an XML-formatted RSS video feed. But it can alternatively contain the address of an XML-formatted listing of Live TV channels. Assume the <item> below is included in the torrentSites.xml file.

<item>
<title>My Video Feeds</title>
<description>Video feeds defined in my PC file myVideoFeeds.xml</description>
<link>myVideoFeeds.xml</link>
<image> </image>

</item>

Following the torrentSites.xml entry above leads to the myVideoFeeds.xml file; which is also, given the example file address, located on your networked PC and not on a networked server. Below is an example of myVideoFeeds.xml.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<rss>
<channel>

<item>
<title>BFM TV, France </title>
<description>French 24-hour television news channel, defined in my PC file myVideoFeeds.xml</description>
<enclosure url="mms://vipmms9.yacast.net/bfm_bfmtv" type="application/video" />
<image>http://www.satgok.be/sat/images/chaine/bfmtv.gif</image>
<pubDate>Live TV</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vesti 24, Russia</title>
<description>Russian TV feed, defined in my PC file myVideoFeeds.xml</description>
<enclosure url="mms://video.rfn.ru/vesti_24" type="application/video" />
<image>http://s3.amazonaws.com/mogulus-channel-logos/vesti-small.png</image>
<pubDate>Live TV</pubDate>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

The torrentSites.xml has a menu entry entitled “My Video Feeds”. This appears on the left-side TV menu, as shown below. The myVideoFeeds.xml file contains two <item> entries; these now appear in the right-side TV menu. By adding your own entries into your myVideoFeeds.xml you can build a menu enabling access to a video feed you have obtained the address for.



To further demonstrate the system I have build a menu item "Live TV Streams" which is currently streaming Live TV from the following internet channels: BFM TV, France; Reel Good TV, USA; Vesti 24, Russia; TV RB, Russia; RTR Planeta, Russia; Canal 7, Sweden; 4E TV, Greece; ERT 3, Greece; Folketing TV, Denmark; Omega TV, Netherlands; Omroep Zeeland, Netherlands; Teleradioerre, Italy ; Tiziana Sat, Italy; Yomiuri News, Japan; FMI, Japan; TV Argent, Canada. More channels can be easily added.

Given this ease and flexibility, it is easy to see how the sytstem is well suited for deliverying foreign language TV channels to the living room TV -- via the internet. A beta version of the above TV-website is available for download and testing from this blogsite (see utorrent_beta.zip under Free TV-web Channels).
Daniel Mann

Build your own TV channel from torrent-delivered video

There are plenty of sources of torrent-delivered video available, but how can a person with little or no engineering skills get these videos delivered directly to their living room TV? Well, it is now possible to do so with a new configurable TV-website that is viewable on any Active-TV-enabled networked TVs, such as those TVs connected to a D-link DSM-520.

For those among you who have the right to download video torrent files (i.e. peer-to-peer sharing, P2P), and find it convenient to view and select available torrents from the TV rather than the PC, the new TV-website makes it possible to select and start a torrent, monitor its progress, and finally watch the downloaded video – all from the TV. Hence, there is no need for a PC keyboard to browse and select a particular torrent, let alone attach a PC to the TV.

As discussed in a previous blog article, when accessing P2P video, the system relies on a networked-PC using uTorrent to assist the TV with torrenting. In other words, the TV UI remotely drives the PC’s uTorrent engine.

Available videos are listed at the TV according to an XML configuration file, 'torrentSites.xml'. A user must build their own torrentSites.xml file which is stored on their PC. An example is provided to help with understanding the layout and syntax.

Possibly following a broadcaster trend, Norwegian Broadcaster (NRK) makes programmes available for free via torrent distribution. US channel Democracy Now! also distributes programmes via torrent. Canada’s public broadcaster CBC distributes the “Canada's Next Great Prime Minister” shown. Partnering with CBC, the bittorrent aggregation site Mininova supplies a DRM-free copy of the video torrent file. The required torrentSites.xml entry for the NRK and DN! video is below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<rss>
<channel>

<item>
<title>Norwegian (NRK)</title>
<description>Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) Nordkalotten 365, defined in my PC file torrentSites.xml</description> <link>http://nrkbeta.no/torrent/monsen/nordkalotten365.rss</link> <image>http://www.nrkbeta.no/torrent/monsen/nrklogo.png</image>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democracy Now!</title>
<description>Democracy Now!, defined in my PC file torrentSites.xml</description>
<link>http://ewheel.democracynow.org/rss.xml</link>
<image>http://images.democracynow.org/dn-logo-for-podcast.png</image>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

The two entries or items in the above torrentSites.xml file, appear in the TV menu as shown in the screen-shots below. They are shown on the left-side menu.



Torrent sites make their torrents available via lists which are distributed via RSS. These lists generally conform to a similar format. This similarity enables torrenting tools such as uTorrent to generally access RSS data. Similarly, the TV-website has managed to “read” the RSS address provided by the XML <link> element and so lists the available torrents on the right-side menu.



Some torrent distribution sites support searching for a particular torrent. This requires search-words to be passed to the torrent site. To support searching, an XML entry such as the example below must be used.

<link search="MATCH" >http://www.site_address/MATCH/more_address</link>

The use of "search=" in the <link> entry indicates that a pop-up keyboard will be used when the menu entry is selected. This enables search-words, such as "election news" to be entered on the TV screen. The keywords replace the XML token “MATCH” in the formation of an RSS url which will list, in our case, only torrents containing the name “election news”.

Before the TV can “talk” to the uTorrent engine running on the PC, it is important that they both be configured correctly; set-up the PC first. As previously described, uTorrent “Preferences” must be set to support an “incoming connection”.



Conveniently for us, the uTorrent Web UI interface enables remote login to the torrent PC. The remote login ID must be set to “active-TV” with password “pass”. This is the initial password used by the TV-website, but it can be changed to your own preference; however, make sure the ID on the uTorrent TV-web is set to the same password. Use the TV menu entry “Change uTorrent Pass” to accomplish this – change the PC-side password first.



Before using the “My Active uTorrents” TV menu entry, make sure the PC and TV-side uTorrent passwords are set correctly. The “My Active uTorrents” enables reviewing the progress of currently active torrents. When download reaches 100%, the video can be viewed on the TV by simply using the TV’s IR remote to click on the torrents menu entry.



For convenience, the TV UI reports if a video has already been viewed after prior download completion. This helps keep a track of what you have been watching,



The uTorrent TV-website is very flexible given the ability for a user to define their own torrentSites.xml. Note that it is entirely the responsibility of the user to ensure that they have the legal right to access any video or content made available by the torrentSites.xml file they make use of. For more information about a users’ copyright responsibilities and DSM-520 operaton, please see the D-link support site. A beta version of the above TV-website is available for download and testing from this blogsite (see Free TV-web Channels). (Also see newer blog entry "Adding Live TV streams to my living room TV".)
Daniel Mann

Combining cell phone and TV UI support for internet video

As mobile phones grow increasingly sophisticated and are open to third-party applications and services, they can be used for both productivity and entertainment. If the screen is large enough, they are a convenient platform for viewing Internet-based video. They can also serve as a device to coordinate the storing and forwarding of video, both throughout and from the home. That is to say, a mobile device can be made to communicate directly with a home-based video devices, such as a networked TV. These innovations are all due to the flexibility of Web 2.0 technologies, which which interconnects the User Interfaces (UIs) appearing on the cell phone, PC and TV.

Below is a screen shot showing an Active-TV Technology UI for YouTube video.

In collaboration with CoreCodec, Active-TV Technology is developing mobie phone applications to coordinate the viewing of of video suitable for networked-enabled TVs. CoreCodec is known for its CorePlayer, which supports “multimedia content on your desktop, mobile phone, portable media player, PDA, GPS, or convergence device”. CorePlayer is widely used across the cell phone industry.

Here are more cell phone screen images of the Lua-based prototype for YouTube. A number of cell phones now support YouTube video and these early developments are just a proof-of-concept of this new technology.

The next step is to show how the phone, TV and PC UIs can interoperate to support social networking, sharing, navigating, organizing and discovering video and audio entertainment, from both Internet-broadcast and conventional-broadcast TV media.

Here is a link to a BBC-Microsoft TV example, shown in the YouTube window below, where social networking and instant messaging features are combined to enable video recommendations. Further prototypes will be available soon.


Daniel Mann

Anouncing a UI for an internet TV using Lua run-time support

Active-TV Technology now offers an internet TV UI based on the Lua language and run-time support routines from CoreCodec. The Lua scripting tools currently enable a UI with abilities somewhere between MHEG5 and Adobe Flash.

CoreCodec is known for its CorePlayer, which supports “multimedia content on your desktop, mobile phone, portable media player, PDA, GPS, or convergence device”. It is widely used in the cell phone industry. Now, CoreCodec are in the process of retargeting their new Lua run-time environment to customers’ TV system-on a chip (Soc). They have already provided Lua run-time support for BroadQ’s Sony Playstation 2 project. Lua has particularly light-weight support requirements, and is popular in the video game industry.

Adobe’s Flash is widely used in the PC industry, when building web interface applications. Its availability for TV UI development would be greatly appreciated; given its productivity, capability and familiarity. The new CE3100 TV SOC from Intel has an advantage when supporting Flash due to the CE3100’s X86 processor core. Other, possibly lower cost TV SoC, will have a harder time supporting Flash. Using Lua may be the answer to competing with the CE3100.

Below is a TV screen image of the current Lua-based YouTube interface.
Daniel Mann

PlayStation 2 supports internet video

For some time BroadQ has been working on adding internet video viewing to the Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2). The project has taken longer than expected; but I can now report that I have accessed YouTube video from the PS2 console.

BroadQ partnered with CodeCodec to add advanced video codec support to the PS2. Till now CoreCodec have been a supplier of codecs and media players for cell phones. The partnership enables the PS2 to display YouTube video using the H.264 video format. The superior performance of CoreCodec’s codec enables decode of near HD quality video resolution. BroadQ will be demonstrating their QTV branded TV interface running on the PS2 at CES January 2009. Below are some early screen-shots of the QTV UI.



Note that these are not screen shots of the Flash version which BroadQ has previously shown during demonstrations. The images are from a new Lua Script implementation developed by Active-TV Technology for BroadQ. The Flash version required run-time PC assistance. This Lua version enables the PS2 to operate “standalone”, without any PC assistance being required. The UI implementation shown here is not complete; please expect changes before the CES showoff.



The application of the PS2 to view internet video from the living room TV is significant, given the greater than 120M units sold by Sony (see America Still Plays More Ps2 Than Xbox 360 and Wii Combined) . BroadQ plans for QTV, include support for video distributed by the emerging key suppliers such as YouTube, Hulu and more.
Daniel Mann

Now watch Google Video on the TV

Use Google Video to search for internet videos, then watch them at the TV, all without touching your PC or the keyboard.

Google Video enables access to longer format video than typically available on YouTube. The YouTube channel (currently available for testing), has been extended to include searching for Google Video. A TV screen image is shown below.

The TV-web formatted channel can be used with the D-Link DSM520 or other active-TV technology-enabled TVs. Note: the TV remote 'info' key can be used to toggle 'on-off' auto-play, resulting in uninterrupted TV-like viewing of one video after another...

This latest update to the YouTube channel includes improvements to the IR remote text-input, a larger preview image, and the ability to temporarily switch User ID to that of the author of the current video. This last feature, along with switching User ID to that of friends and family, makes it possible to explore a network of ‘connected’ videos.

Additional changes and improvements will be made pending user feedback or other technical refinements.

Daniel Mann

New YouTube channel for DSM-520

Following recent changes in the way YouTube streams video, DSM-520 owners are reporting that they can no longer play YouTube videos.

Now there is a new YouTube TV-website for the DSM-520 which works with the latest YouTube video. A link to a 16x9 test version is provided here. This new channel is also available in the “TV-web channel” listings on the side of this page.

After downloading the YouTube_testing.zip file, extract all contents to the c:\ directory. The new “testing” channel will appear under TV menu “My Media & Programs”.

The new YouTube TV-web channel for the DSM-520 is completely different from any previous ones. It is fast loading and there is support for video search, Playlists, Subscriptions, Categories and Favorites (all of unlimited size). There is also flexible access to Standard video feeds. As an added feature, it is now simple to view any public videos of your YouTube friends. The 'info' key can be used to toggle on-off auto-pay of next video.

Please send feedback to daniel@active-TV.org, in the event further tweaks are required during the evaluation period. Or add comments to this blog entry.

(Note about prior versions: some bugs were reported by users, but all seems to be working with the current youtube_testing_2.zip version.)

Daniel Mann

x86 software for the living room TV

The Issue: Intel revealed more details at IDF about its TV chip based on an integrated x86 CPU, which lowers the barriers for networked TVs utilizing PC-like software

Behind the scene: I expect many high-end TV developers to closely consider the new Intel TV chip. Has any lack of clear leadership or innovation from the traditional TV chip suppliers left them vulnerable to market share loss? Or do they know something about the home TV user that new entrants have yet to grasp?

Solution: There are many competing technical and business approaches in support of digital convergence for the TV. Introducing a cost-effective Intel TV chip is clearly some kind of milestone. However, given Intel’s experience with Viiv, it should be aware that there are still critical and necessary development steps ahead: developing infrastructure, partners, and customers, and most importantly communicating the value to end users – these remain paramount and time-consuming steps to be undertaken.

Intel provided more information last week at the San Francisco Intel Developer Form (IDF) about their efforts to bring the software advantages of the x86 architecture to the living room TV. Prior approaches branded as ViiV had little success and partially relied on Microsoft Media Center technology. The new approach is very different and based on incorporating an x86 ‘Pentium M’ processor into a TV System-on-a Chip (SoC).

The x86 CPU architecture has a software advantage because of its use in the PC. This has lead to a long history of extensive and complex software being developed for the PC, which is frequently not made available (“re-targeted” as the technical types say…) for other CPU architectures. A good example of this is Adobe’s Flash, that essential plug-in to the PC browser. For non x86 CPU-based devices, Flash is either not available or available several generations removed from the current offering.

As digital convergence proceeds, consumer appliances are required to support software applications, which have thus far been the domain of the PC. It has proven difficult for traditional TV SoC suppliers, who do not rely on an x86 CPU core, to develop software to enable a TV to perform PC-like tasks, such as web browsing.

Intel documentation provides a block diagram of their CE3100 TV SoC family. Coupled with “aggressive” pricing, Intel is on course to have a significant influence on the initially high-end TV and Set Top Box (STB) markets. Using the CE3100 family, devices such as the Apple TV, which currently uses a PC-like architecture, can carry a lower hardware component cost. In fact, the CE3100’s support for processing a broadcast digital Transport Stream (TS) enables support for features currently beyond Apple TV.

As well as building a new range of TV chips, Intel will provide much of the software infrastructure supporting a CE3100-based networked TV. For this, they have to combine networking and web processing software with traditional TV software (what the engineers call dual software stack operation). Intel press releases indicate that they have worked with Futarque on this task. Interestingly, Futarque also collaborated with AMD on active-TV technology STBs.

No matter how enthusiastic technologists and business analysts are about the potential of TV convergence, it s is not clear how much technology the TV user really wants. Maybe a 3D UI with Flash animation is not desired by many? Maybe something much simpler, such as the very successful MHEG5 deployment in Europe, will continue to satisfy most TV users? That said, MHEG5 may not be left behind: there are companies working to add Ethernet and social network support for simpler MHEG5 TVs. If the CE3100-derived TV remains open (like the PC browser, for example) then it will gain the attention of many software developers, who will experiment and find hybrid software combinations that meet with TV user approval. However, if TV OEMs close their TVs -- like the Apple TV -- to “monetize” all convergence features, then the uptake will be much slower.

Increasingly, efforts such as MHP, OCAP or tru2way appear dated before they even have their day-of-success in the market. Their inability to deliver acceptable software solutions has left the market open to the CE3100, which draws upon software with a proven PC history.

Both the Intel Viiv and AMD Live!-branded projects, promoted as supporting digital convergence, met with little success. Interestingly, as Intel finds a new way forward via an x86 based TV SoC, AMD announces it will sell to Broadcom the TV SoC business it acquired with the ATI merger. AMD’s analysis of digital convergence would appear quite different from Intel’s

Technically Speaking
Requests by the networked TV to access an Internet webpage or widget are sent to the home router; and then on via the router’s broadband connection to the webpage or widget server. A TV must process the webpage or widget when it arrives. This requires complex software, which has traditionally been incorporated into the PC’s browser. A TV based on the Intel CE3100 has an advantage when stepping-up to perform these complex software tasks.

The active-TV technology approach relies on the router handing off much of the software task to a proxy in the form of a networked home PC: It enables a TV SoC not equipped with an x86 processor to access a PC’s software processing advantage. The TV’s request is first processed by the PC assisting the TV, and then simplified data is sent by the PC proxy to the TV for display. Some TV developers may prefer this approach as it reduces the prospect of TV obsolesce. The TV “borrows” the PC’s browser in support of its Internet access. This reduces the task of maintaining the TV’s browser software. TV purchasers expect a 10 or greater-year lifespan from their TV, as they would like to avoid the 3 year replacement cycle of traditional PC ownership. Conversely, TV manufacturers likely feel differently and would like to shorten this lifecycle.

More than Networking
Pioneer, Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic and others have introduced TVs with network support. Sometimes they are described as DLNA- or UPnP-enabled TVs. These TVs can access photos, music or video stored on a PC, which are also connected to the home network. Partly due to lack of simplified standards, these TVs are often poorly equipped to access Internet broadcast video directly.

Using an approach similar to active-TV technology, these TVs can use PC assistance to gain access to Internet video. MediaMall, a supplier of active- TV technology components, has announced a Beta version of its PlayOn software. This software runs on a PC that then acts as a proxy for the TV trying to access broadband-delivered video. Typically, a PC is used to access video from Hulu, YouTube or the like. But by using PlayOn, a PC can forward the video to any TV within the home network. The PlayOn software greatly extends the usefulness of a “simple” networked TV. A user can completely control video search and viewing using the TV IR remote, without requiring any contact with the PC assisting the TV.

Active-TV technology is more advanced than PlayOn, as it enables the PC to serve as a proxy for the TV accessing TV-formatted web pages that likely contain Adobe Flash. However, using active-TV technology requires a TV with middleware support beyond DLNA-UPnP. The simpler PlayOn software works with existing DLNA or UPnP-enabled TVs. Similar DLNA-TV supporting software from TVersity has been widely used for much the same task (2 Million downloads). TVersity is currently a more mature product, with reviewers indicating that, “at the moment PlayOn’s list of supported devices is much smaller than TVersity’s”. However, PlayOn is at the Beta-release stage. Their initial support for only online services indicates a focus on premium video services (such as Hulu), versus local PC-stored media.

Don’t forget the game platforms
For some time now, game platforms such as the Xbox, Playsation and Wii have included network support. This has enabled them to offer limited access to Internet broadcast video. Powerful as these game platforms are, they are not equipped to access the Internet with a browser as up-to-date as those used by the PC. This restricts their use for TV-web browsing.

Interestingly, in an effort to extend its audience reach, the BBC recently introduced a website tailored for the limited Wii browser. This enables access to BBC’s iPlayer catch-up video service. But to deal with current Wii limitations, the BBC must serve-up the video in the older Flash 7 video format, rather than the more efficient H.264.

We can expect to see versions of TVesity and PlayOn which further extend the types and variety of game platforms able to access video. These will no doubt rely on a PC assisted approach. Unlike the BBC, the PlayOn team can’t change the format of the served-up video, but they can use a PC to massage the video into a format digestible by simpler devices. The PlayOn website already indicates there will shortly be an enhanced version of PlayOn for the Wii.

Also relating to game platform developments, BroadQ had been working on PC-assisted software for the Playstation 2 (PS2). Recent developments indicate they have shifted to a method wherein the PS2 can access Internet video directly over a network connection – no PC assistance is required. BroadQ’s PS2 software is developed in Lua , much like some Sony PSP applications. Reports indicate the Qtv-branded software can directly play Internet video in FLV, H.264 and DivX formats. To simplify the Qtv PS2 software, the system relies on an Internet-accessed BroadQ server. This should prove interesting competition to the Wii when used to similarly access internet broadcast video.

What next
There are other platforms that avoid using networked PC-assistance, by supporting only simplified browsing -- such as the Syabas Digital Media Player box. Their DMP (also know as the Popcorn Hour A-100) supports most of the CE-HMTL format. Several sites are available for use with the DMP. The sites are accessed via a Media Service Portal (MSP). Maybe it would be better to call them portal plug-ins rather than websites.

Observers of digital convergence can only be impressed by the relentless efforts applied to bring Internet technology or interactivity to the TV. The CE3100 TV SoC is Intel’s best effort yet to make the x86 CPU architecture affordable for deployment within new TVs. On the one hand, it leverages a software installed base that includes support for Adobe Flash and other vital video entertainment software building blocks; on the other, it requires a new set of tools (and perhaps complexity) traditional TV manufacturers are not familiar with, as well as somewhat higher initial costs and perhaps the risk that consumers are not ready to embrace ‘full-on’ Internet-broadcast TV. Moreover, it is not the only technology or approach available, and some of the incremental approaches (with or without ‘borrowing’ PC browser assistance), may be just as valid, at least in the short term.

We will have to wait and see how the roll-out of the CE3100 TV SoC affects the evolution of the TV convergence market. To be sure, there will be business pressures to use it in only closed system. In view of competing and perhaps equally compelling approaches, however, I suggest Intel will gain the most traction in the market if it offers an ‘open’ platform for any software developer wishing to reach the TV screen.

Feedback, corrections and comments welcome. Contact me for more information or support with active-TV technology development.
Daniel Mann

Google to support the living room TV

The Issue: Google and others want a role to play in support of the living room TV. But how are TVs developing such that Google can have a role.

Behind the scene: Most if not all TV manufacturers are developing models with network support. These UPnP TVs enable media to be transferred between the TV and other networked PCs, appliances and servers.

Solution: The likely next-step after adding UPnP networking is for TVs to support browsing of TV-formatted websites. The life expectancy of a TV is long. This is why a TV may have Ethernet built-in but wireless networking technology, which changes more frequently, is likely left to an external add-on. Will browser technology be built-in or will it be left to as an external support role.

Efforts to get the PC and TV to work together continue. There is a desire to have PCs, TVs and hand-held devices, cooperate with each other. But as reported by the Wharton Business School, it is proving difficult to develop solutions which gain broad market acceptance.

One solution which has emerged with broad acceptance is the inclusion of Universal Pug and Play, UPnP, in new networked TVs. Further evidence of this is Google’s recent announcement of a PC UPnP server – Google Media Server. As mentioned in the NYT, a key point in their announcement is: “Google can offer a hardware maker a very easy way to add Internet video capability to a television”.

The last100 blog reports the Google server “works in conjunction with Google’s desktop search application - Google Desktop - to locate various media (photos, music and video) stored on your PC and make it available for streaming over a home network to any UPnP compatible or DLNA ‘certified’ device, such as a PlayStation 3” or TV.

There are already plenty of PC UPnP servers available, so why is Google entering the game? The Google PC sever can process information about media - know as metadata - in interesting ways. This can remove the TV from the burden of organizing media. A PC user can search and arrange media which is later enjoyed at the TV.

The information provided by the Google UPnP server need not relate to only PC-stored media, but also include information about web-accessible media. Perhaps the PC server is only a piece of the Google plan. A TV accessing web-video could be assisted by the PC’s UPnP sever, and make use of the media information organized at the PC.

A TV connecting with a Google server via broadband to the home can use the existing YouTube video library API to access video directly via the TV’s internet connection. Of course a broadband connected TV could also access some other video severs’ video resource. If Google extended its API it could upload meta-data from the PC sever to a Google web-sever. A broadband connected TV could then make access to the media meta-data without requiring networked PC assistance.

In all cases, the UPnP TV User Interface (UI) is determined by local TV firmware and not sent over the network connection. The media may be sent to the TV over the network, but it is up to each TV manufacturer to decide how to present the media on the TV screen. A UPnP TV is a step forward but it is not equipping a TV with the browser capability of a PC; where PC-webpages are sent over the network and used to format the PC display. So what is the next step for the UPnP TV?

It is clear that TV owners want some things built-into their TV and some things left out. They don’t want a VCR built-in, they don’t want a DVD player built-in, they do want a digital broadcast tuner built-in. With next generation TVs, customers want home network support, including UPnP access to media held on a PC.

TV purchasers want to also view video and photos delivered over the web; But it is not clear if the web browser and its plug-ins should be built into the TV or supported by an external box of some kind. Maybe TVs will be built both ways. One clear option is to use an existing networked PC as the “external box” supplying the TV with browser support.

Internet video broadcasters and TV-website developers, should be required to build a single TV-oriented TV-website which works with, both, a TV using a built-in browser, or a TV using an external browser. In the same way a VCR tape works with a built-in player or external tape player.

Flash is the most widely used browser plug-in. It seems essential that a browser built into the TV must support Flash. However, embedded browser developers are still finding it hard to integrated Flash into a TV-sized browser. (Apple TV has the internals and cost structure of a PC, not a low-cost TV chip.) Until this task is accomplished, it is much easier to use active-TV technology to support the TV with an external browser which does have Flash support. In fact for some TV purchasers may continue to prefer this approach. We don’t yet know.

The recent Adobe announcement regarding removing licensing fees when embedding Flash into non-PC video play-back devices, will help ensure Flash as the next “standard” beyond UPnP. TVs and STBs using Flash and AJAX (web 2.0 technology) can accomplish much more than a TV only utilizing UPnP.

Feedback, corrections and comments welcome. Please Contact me for more information or support with active-TV technology development.
Daniel Mann

BBC News channel restored, via RTMP support

The Issue: Web and internet technology are always advancing. PC users are familiar with getting software updates enabling support for the latest and greatest features. TV-website support for BBC News video was recently interrupted due to a BBC technology upgrade; but now service has been restored following some rapid PC-side software improvements.

Behind the scene: A TV intended to support internet video browsing must deal with the continual change in internet video broadcasting technology. This is much more difficult to achieve using low-cost embedded microprocessor technology than a PC. This leads to the temptation to tie a networked TV to a managed portal service. But who wants a TV than can’t ‘tune’ to any internet broadcaster’s ‘channel’.

Solution: Active-TV technology pushes the burden of supporting software complexity from the TV to the networked PC assisting the TV. This simplifies the task of keeping a networked TV updated with the latest features being used by an internet broadcaster. Importantly, this ensures a long and useful life for the networked TV.

There are several free-to-download TV-websites available at this blog. One of the most popular has been the BBC News channel. Recently and unexpectedly the BBC channel stopped working. This was a result of technical changes at the BBC. I am pleased to report that a new TV-website has been developed and living room TV access to the BBC video has been restored.

The BBC maintains RSS video feeds for access by internet users. The RSS information is in XML format and contains links to individual videos. After examining the XML document, the TV-website software selects an individual video and a request for transportation over the internet is sent to the BBC. Until recently, the BBC was ‘sending’ the video via a protocol known as HTTP, but now they are using Adobe’s RTMP protocol.

A number of other internet video broadcasters are also using RTMP, notably Hulu. Active-TV technology collaborator MediaMall has been working on a new Hulu TV-website – it was mentioned on their blog. To enable access to Hulu video (and other RTMP streaming) they constructed a software module supporting RTMP. Recently they have been offering this optional module to TV and Set-Top Box developers.

Networked TV and STB developers have been relying on UPnP communication stackware from a verity of suppliers. MediaMall has not been one of these suppliers. This was the case with D-Link, but in support of Hulu video, D-link will be incorporating MediaMall’s RTMP extensions into their PC-side software. (The RTMP video is translated into the familiar HTTP before being sent over the network to the DSM-520). This will be included in a larger software update soon to be issued for the D-Link DSM-520.

I have tested my new TV-website using an early version of the new software bundle. The TV-website makes HTTP formatted requests for RSS data, and RTMP formatted requests for individual videos. D-link undertakes their own testing and will release a version of the updated PC-side software from their PC-website. Those who feel they can’t wait can download the current beta version.

Feedback, corrections and comments welcome. Contact me for more information or support with active-TV technology development.
Daniel Mann