Multimedia Home Platform 357821 215015182 2008-05-26T09:35:44Z 193.43.93.1 /* External links */ '''Multimedia Home Platform''' (DVB-MHP) is an open [[middleware]] system [[standardization|standard]] designed by the [[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB]] project for interactive digital television. The MHP enables the reception and execution of interactive, [[Java (programming language)|Java]]-based applications on a TV-set. [[Interactive TV]] applications can be delivered over the broadcast channel, together with audio and video streams. These applications can be for example information services, games, interactive voting, e-mail, SMS or shopping. For all interactive applications an additional return channel is needed. == Deployment == By mid-2005 DVB-MHP largest deployments are in [[Italy]] ([[DVB-T]]) and [[Korea]] ([[DVB-S]]), with trials or small deployments in [[Germany]], [[Finland]], [[Spain]], [[Austria]] and [[Australia]]. The [[USA|U.S.]] cable industry has specified its own middleware system referred as [[OpenCable Application Platform|OCAP]], which is largely based on MHP. Currently, [[Belgium]]'s largest cable provider [[Telenet (Belgium)|Telenet]] is rolling out their DVB-MHP system, called DigiBox. Norway's upcoming terrestrial digital TV network [[Norges televisjon|NTV]] will also use the DVB-MHP standard. == Technology == [[Image:MHP-software stack english.png|frame|right|MHP software [[stack]]]] The MHP specifies an extensive application execution environment for digital interactive TV, independent of the underlying, vendor-specific, hardware and software. This execution environment is based on the use of a [[Java platform|Java]] [[virtual machine]] and the definition of generic APIs that provide access to the interactive digital TV [[Computer terminal|terminal]]'s typical resources and facilities. The interoperable MHP applications are running on top of these APIs. A so-called Navigator-application, which is part of the terminal software, allows the user the access to all MHP applications and other DVB services (like TV and radio). The MHP is just a part of a family of specifications, which all base on the [[Globally Executable MHP]] (GEM)-Standard, which was defined to allow the world-wide adoption of MHP. == DVB-HTML == {{main|DVB-HTML}} MHP applications come in two flavours. The first type are [[DVB-HTML]] applications. These are not very popular, partly because the specification for DVB-HTML was only completed with [[MHP 1.1]], and partly because many broadcasters, box manufacturers and content developers find it too complex and difficult to implement. DVB-HTML applications are a set of [[HTML]] pages that are broadcast as part of a service. The spec is based around a modularized version of [[XHTML]] 1.1, and also includes [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]] 2.0, [[Document Object Model|DOM]] 2.0, and [[ECMAScript]]. == DVB-J == The second, and by far the most popular flavour is [[DVB-J]] ([[DVB-Java]]) applications. These are written in [[Java (programming language)|Java]] using the MHP [[API]] set and consist of a set of [[class (computer science)|class]] files that are broadcast with a service. DVB-Java applications are known as "[[Xlet]]s". These are a concept similar to [[applets]] for Web pages that has been introduced by Sun in the [[JavaTV]] specification. Like applets, the xlet interface allows an external source (the application manager in the case of an MHP receiver) to start and stop an application. == Return channel == The MHP [[set-top box]]es may provide a [[backchannel]] for applications that wish to communicate with the outside world, for example a voting or shopping application. Typical upstream backchannels are phone line or [[broadband]] Internet connection ([[Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line|ADSL]], using a simple ADSL modem included in the set-top box). [[DVB-RCT]] (Return Channel Terrestrial) is a wireless technology utilizing the DVB infrastructure. It provides a VHF/UHF Wireless Return Channel back to the broadcaster for Interactive Terrestrial TV. It provides a data-rate of several kbit/s per user, for voting, polls, email, teleshopping, etc. == See also == * [[ARIB]] * [[BD-J]] * [[Interactive television]] * [[IP over DVB]] * [[IPTV]] * [[MHEG-5]], competing standard * [[Set-top box]] * [[OSGi]] * [[Zapper]] * Internet protocol [[datacasting]] (IPDC) * [[DVB-H]] * [[DVB-S]] == References == * Ulrich Reimers: DVB, The Family of International Standards for Digital Video Broadcasting, Second Edition, 2005, ISBN 3-540-43545-X (chapter 14, MHP) == External links == *[http://www.mhp.org/ Official MHP website] maintained by the DVB Project Office - redesigned May 2008. Includes all of the latest MHP and GEM technical specifications. *[http://www.mhp-interactive.org/ MHP tutorials] *[http://www.mhp-knowledgebase.org MHP Knowledge Database] *[http://www.openmhp.org/ OpenMHP] - MHP-Open Source Project *[http://java.sun.com/products/javatv Sun Microsystems' Java TV] *[http://xletview.sourceforge.net/ xleTView] - xleTView, MHP-Open Source Emulator at Sourceforge *[http://www.interactivetvweb.org Interactive-TV-Web] - MHP/OCAP Website from Steven Morris *[http://www.dvb.org/(RoxenUserID=5fac63d0cfe60e3c5b157acb99095c88)/technology/fact_sheets/WP03_RCT.pdf dvb.org - DVB-RCT Return Channel Terrestrial] *[http://www.interactivetvforum.org/ Interactive TV Forum] *[http://www.jvrb.org/4.2007/1110/index_html?set_language=de&cl=de Exploiting OSGi capabilities from MHP applications] [[Category:DVB]] [[Category:Interactive television]] [[Category:Java platform]] [[Category:Java virtual machine]] [[ca:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[de:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[es:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[fr:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[it:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[nl:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[ja:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[no:MHP]] [[pl:Multimedia Home Platform]] [[fi:MHP]] [[sv:MHP]]