Bristol, UK-based digital TV software developer, Ocean Blue Software, says that it has developed the first set-top box software to enable full interactive TV services on DVB-T broadcast platforms, including the UK's increasingly popular free-to-air digital terrestrial platform, Freeview. The company is the first to implement the BSI/ISO 13522-5 standard--generally known as "EuroMHEG"--which includes a return path that will enable interactive voting, tcommerce and VOD via a phone or broadband connection (note: the EuroMHEG standard requires set-top boxes and television sets to incorporate a modem that can be connected to a phone line or broadband connection; MHEG-5 is both an ISO and ETSI standard).
Ocean Blue says that the new software will be available to set-top box and TV manufacturers this year. "Availability of full seamless interactive services via a remote control on Freeview has been limited due to the lack of implementation of the return channel," Ocean Blue managing director, Ken Helps, said in a prepared statement. "The failure of the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) to gain traction in the market and its high cost means the ISO version of the MHEG-5 software standard is now a viable solution for emerging digital terrestrial broadcasters. This has allowed us to start the development of the first fully interactive middleware for DVB-T, which could be adopted by any digital terrestrial broadcaster, such as the Freeview consortium. Owners of Freeview set-top boxes have been missing out on interactive services since its introduction. All too often viewers, who wished to vote, buy product or play with Freeview would use a mobile or landline phone as the return channel. That will change with the new EuroMHEG standard."
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