Freeview Australia MHEG platform EPG goes live with S&T and Magna Systems
S&T and its Australian reseller, Magna Systems and Engineering, are pleased to announce that the Freeview Australia EPG platform has launched nationwide.
Robin Parkes, CEO of Freeview Australia said: “The Freeview EPG will, for the first time, provide a consolidated platform for the consumer when navigating Freeview channels, and will also provide consistency of experience across multiple digital TVs in the home, so that the consumer only has to learn the navigation once. We have worked closely with S&T and Magna Systems to deliver what we believe is a world-class EPG.”
The EPG will provide eight day listings for all 16 Freeview channels and will be available on all services, providing Australian TV viewers a significant enhancement over the existing EPG services that only provide listings for the network they are watching.
The Freeview EPG is a customised version of S&T’s MHEG Guide product and will be available on all ‘Freeview EPG’ branded receivers that go on sale in Australia from July 2010. S&T has delivered the MHEG application for the EPG together with schedule data processing and playout at each of the Freeview broadcasters. Magna Systems has provided installation and integration of the EPG and S&T’s TSBroadcaster carousel playout systems at each of the broadcasters’ sites.
Colin Prior, Director of International Sales at S&T, says: “We are delighted to have completed this complex project for Freeview Australia, which comes after an extensive period of analysis and implementation. Freeview Australia has deployed a solution that will enable the free to view broadcasters to offer new and innovative services via both broadcast and also in future via the broadband internet connection using the MHEG Interaction Channel capability already built-in to the Freeview receivers.”
With the new Freeview EPG, HWW, Australia's leading provider of TV Metadata, will collate program data from all networks for simultaneous transmission in a consistent format.
Freeview’s EPG system is one of the most complex MHEG application systems delivered outside of the UK, managing schedule data presentation as well as integrated PVR booking, series links and accurate recording, for multiple broadcasters across multiple states and time-zones. The underlying MHEG platform enables other applications to be delivered to receivers in the future while the new technology also means that the Freeview EPG will have video streaming and text capability, including a live “boxed” TV display.
Other key features of the Freeview EPG are:
* Seven day program guide
* Program reminder functionality
* Detailed program information
* Ethernet connection
* Parental Lock system
* Common “buttons” for remote controls from each manufacturer
And with a PVR receiver:
* One touch recording
* Record a series using ‘series link’ functionality
* accurate recording of shows using CRIDs (Content Reference Identifiers)
* Watch and record different channels at the same time
* Pause and rewind live TV
S&T has also been working with Freeview during the past year providing consultancy input to the receiver specifications and Freeview Australia MHEG profile. This includes hybrid broadcast / IP support using the MHEG Interaction Channel as well as High Definition display capabilities, in common with the latest UK and New Zealand Freeview HD specifications. This will allow the Freeview Australia system to support ‘catch-up’ and ‘on-demand’ TV services delivered over the Internet to the Freeview EPG set top boxes, integrated TVs and PVRs.
David Bowers, CEO of Magna Systems said, “As with Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Freeview Australia project, the S&T solution we implemented for the EPG is very easy to operate. One significant difference between this and the original EPGs is that viewers are able to record material by genre or programme with the Freeview approved PVR. We are delighted to again be an integral part of this significant step in the Australian broadcasting landscape and look forward to Freeview Australia’s future innovation.”
Freeview is not-for-profit and owned by ABC, SBS, Network Seven, Nine Network, Network Ten, Prime, Southern Cross and WIN. Freeview-branded product conforming to published standards is already on sale through retail chains.
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About Freeview
Launched in 2008, Freeview is the free digital television service in Australia. It comprises all the channels from Australia’s free-to-view broadcasters. Freeview encourages Australians to switch to free-to-view digital television by promoting its benefits including more channels, more moments, better picture and superior sound, for free. Freeview is not-for-profit and owned by ABC, SBS, Network Seven, Nine Network, Network Ten, Prime, Southern Cross and WIN.
See www.freeview.com.au/epg for full details of the Freeview EPG.
About S&T
Strategy & Technology (S&T) is an international software and services company with offices in the UK, USA and Hong Kong. It has been developing and implementing technology based on public standards in digital TV since 1996 and has recently been awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise for International Trade.
S&T is the leading independent company in the broadcast industry that supports the MHEG interactive TV standard worldwide. The company provides interactive applications for electronic programme guides (EPGs), catch-up TV/video-on-demand (VoD), information services (digital teletext), as well hybrid broadcast/broadband TV connected TV solutions including MHEG Interaction Channel (MHEG-IC) and CI Plus (CI+) platforms. It also provides its RedKey™ 2 MHEG engine to manufacturers for use in receivers compliant with MHEG profiles such as those for UK Freeview HD (D-Book), Freesat, Freeview Australia, Freeview New Zealand, Hong Kong and CI Plus.
The company’s headend solutions offer DSM-CC carousel generation and playout for MHEG, OCAP/tru2way, ETV and MHP middleware standards as well as automated monitoring of interactive applications and subtitles.
About Magna Systems and Engineering
Started in 1968, Magna Systems & Engineering is a seasoned company, originating from the early days of television in Australia bringing together high-level expertise from senior engineering professionals. The company has a very select position in the marketplace of suppliers to the broadcast & communications industry.
Magna Systems & Engineering supplies individual products to plug into existing systems from a prestige range of over 40 quality brands and operates in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia with a common philosophy for all entities “a company big on experience but with the attention to detail of a specialist operation.”
The engineering and operation expertise of Magna Systems & Engineering extends to broadcasting, telecommunications, satellite earth stations, post-production facilities and station automation. Magna Systems & Engineering also provides complete service support for all hardware and software products supplied either as one-off or complete turnkey systems.
S&T media contact:
Jennie Evans
Manor Marketing
Tel: +44 (0)1635 44991
jennie@manormarketing.tv
S&T company contact:
Colin Prior
Strategy & Technology
Tel: +44 (0)7720 295540
colin.prior@s-and-t.com
Freeview media contact:
Rochelle Burbury or Simon Lloyd
Access Public Relations
Tel: +61 2 9279 4100
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