May2012
www.tvbeurope.com
“The presentation of 8K video on a 15m screen is accompanied by 3D audio, delivered via 22.2 channels in three spatial layers”
because of the audio, we might see scenarios where the audio of an action scene on one of a broadcaster’s channels lowers the bitrate on the video of another. Pike is part of a BBC R&D team in Salford led by Frank Melchior that seeks to expand the possibilities of 3D audio for broadcast. They also work with several British universities as part of the BBC Audio Research Partnership. Melchior explains there are
three basic approaches in transmitting 3D audio. The first is ‘channel-based’, like the NHK Olympics demo, in which a broadcaster transmits a signal for a specific loudspeaker layout, the way 5.1 surround is currently handled.
The second is a ‘scene-based’
approach, which transmits a representation of the sound field that can be adapted to an existing speaker layout or to headphones. Ambisonic surround sound is currently using this approach. An ‘object-based’ system is
the third approach and the most flexible, in which different parts of an auditory scene are transmitted separately. Object-based audio also offers interactivity. Levels could be adjusted for different sound elements or speech, or the viewer’s position could be adjusted and personalised within the sound field. In a concert scene, a viewer could choose to listen from the point of view of the audience, orchestra or the conductor. Melchior reiterates that audience immersion is not the only important aspect of a 3D audio future, 3D audio must be easy for customers to use if it is ever to be adopted. “The past has shown that flexibility is a very important issue for the audience, so you can listen in different environments with different devices. “With 3D audio, we have to
make certain you don’t have to stick to a certain loudspeaker layout, for example. You may want to watch a programme at home and then maybe carry on watching on your mobile phone with headphones, so it should be flexible.” It may be that some kind of object-oriented approach is the way forward with broadcast sound, but whether or not it will be eventually used to present full immersive audio is another question. As with any new technological innovation, it will be up to the audience to decide what it wants to hear and how it wants to hear it.
TVBEurope 17 News & Analysis Publish once, play anywhere
There are four main categories of service that content owners want to provide on connected TV. David Fox takes a look at nonlinear catch-up TV
THERE ARE at least 20 different Connected TV platforms in use, each technologically different. Some differences are subtle, but it still means having to develop a separate application for each one (and revising it each time there is an upgrade), which isn’t cheap or easy, “and it’s holding the market back,” according to Gordon Maynard, Connected TV specialist, SysMedia. Most mid-market TV sets are
now smart TVs, while much of what is called Connected TV is already available via most games consoles, which are connected to both the internet and the TV, and include some form of payment system. “A lot of what people use a
tablet for is very similar to Connected TV. It’s all lean back, browsing and media,” he added. Add that to the rise of iPlayer- type services, or movie services like Netflix, and “we’re talking about a very significant platform and a new route to audiences.” He sees four main categories of service that content owners want to provide on Connected TV: catch-up (like iPlayer); video on demand; interactive text/video information; and shopping – although probably not placing a whole inventory online, rather offering nonlinear catch-up
Gordon Maynard: “One of the great things about Connected TV is that the barriers to entry are very low”
fact is that if broadcasters do not move into this space then it will become dominated by internet brands. The real estate that Connected TV offers is simply too valuable,” he said.
“Once audiences start
recognising what this technology can do, and people start plugging in, we see massive potential,” he said. There are already a lot of Smart TVs in use, just not connected, but if they take off, it could happen quickly. “Once people realise they can get iPlayer on their TV set it will really drive awareness of Connected TV.”
There are also different navigation methods (games controllers, touch, even jumping around the room with Kinect), making it difficult to transfer apps. Some systems use MHEG, such as Freeview boxes in the UK, which is “very good for developing lightweight Connected apps, but it’s not compatible with other platforms.” Some barriers are coming
down. Video standards are getting simpler, coalescing around Flash and H.264, although there are different Flash profiles, and not all platforms support HTML5 in
“The simple fact is that if broadcasters do not move into this space then it will become dominated by internet brands. The real estate that Connected TV offers is simply too valuable” Gordon Maynard, Connected TV specialist, SysMedia
access to a day’s offerings from a shopping channel.
Connected TV will also make it easier for broadcasters to create niche channels that wouldn’t make commercial sense on DTT, satellite or cable, and may only operate for a few hours per day. “If you group together all the homes with some kind of Connected TV receiver you get a very big platform: you just have to overcome the technical and commercial obstacles to addressing that audience in one go. The simple
Jumping platforms The key problem is too many platforms, which splits up the audience and increases development costs — while uptake is at a very early stage, making it difficult to make this money back. Most platforms are HTML
based, but many aren’t (the iPad uses Objective C). Even if they are HTML, there may be differences, such as screen size, video codecs or content protection systems. “If you develop for Samsung there is no guarantee it will run on Sony.”
the same way (Android needs extra tags). HbbTV is a key standard in
Europe, as it integrates well with broadcast, “but it is a lowest common denominator solution. It’s not a very attractive browser,” while the WebKit browser, used by iOS, Android and Samsung, is not backwards compatible with lower quality platforms. Some argue that HbbTV will
ultimately dominate. “While we believe that this will happen, at least in part — and we support this — even in a best case scenario
there will always be legacy technologies out there and there will be platforms (iOS/games consoles) that will continue to plough their own furrow. There will also be more advanced platforms developed in the future that will need to be supported. Those who plan their infrastructure to be flexible and engage with technology companies who can deliver adaptable publishing solutions will succeed,” said Maynard. “As well as the apps themselves, there also needs to be an overall management tool that can access the applications for all platforms rather than having an individual control tool for each and every app. If every application has a separate control tool for simple manipulation then the user is faced with a hideous confusion of interfaces and protocols.” Platforms need to approve
apps prior to hosting them, so they must adhere tightly to each platform’s requirements — and these can change. SysMedia has introduced
ScreenConnect, for publishing to Connected TV, which it hopes will solve some of these problems. It will allow content owners to rapidly develop apps and deliver multiple platforms as a single project. It is a content management system that allows users to create and control a Connected TV service whether it’s standalone or complementing existing broadcast- delivered content. “One of the great things about Connected TV is that the barriers to entry are very low.” There is no need to buy transponder space or transmitters. “So, we are aiming to price this very competitively,” he said. “We want to get people on multiple platforms for less than the cost of a bespoke app on a single platform.” It will probably be about £5,000 per platform, per service, so a project might cost about £50,000 including hosting. SysMedia is offering it both
as a product and a service. A prototype system has been trialled by shopping channels and mid- range public service broadcasters, in the UK, but it should go live worldwide during the summer.
www.sysmedia.com
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