Hybrid TV Standard Mheg Interaction Channel Published

A newly formed association of software manufacturers, MPALA, the International MHEG Promotion Alliance, has announced an important industry move.
ETSI - the European Telecommunications Standards Institute - has published the latest version of the market-leading public standard interactive TV middleware as a formal European standard.
Version 2.1.1 of ETSI standard 202 184 - to give it its official title - contains a raft of very significant updates to the original ETSI MHEG specification from 2004, representing the most important increase in the technology's capabilities since its inception.
These include support for the IP-based MHEG Interaction Channel, which enables hybrid broadcast broadband receiver operation via an IP connection - already being used by Freesat in the UK for catch-up TV services - and full support for HD graphics with increased colour depth and screen resolutions.
David Cutts, Managing Dirctor of S&T, a Founder Member of IMPALA, said: "The publication of the new version of MHEG by ETSI is a significant milestone for the world’s most popular open standard interactive TV middleware.
"These developments are a step change in the capabilities of the globally deployed technology providing broadcasters with a cost-effective route into a new world of hybrid service provision and therefore revenue growth."
The MHEG Interaction Channel uses a sophisticated 'Hybrid File System' that enables broadcasters to create common applications that can work on both IP-connected and unconnected receivers in a seamless and user-friendly way.
The MHEG-IC allows the application to determine whether or not an IP connection is possible (the receiver is equipped with the appropriate hardware and software) and whether or not it is actually available (if the user actually connected the receiver to the home network).
The system enables decoding of MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 streams using the same hardware used for broadcast content and can be used to deliver 'catchup' TV to a connected receiver or set top box.
The founder members of IMPALA are Strategy & Technology (S&T), Cabot Communications and Echostar Europe.
(BMcC/GK)