Pioneering Freeview Application launches The Space

The Space service, launched by Arts Council England and the BBC, uses S&TPlayer, an advanced interactive TV application, built by London-based specialists Strategy & Technology (S&T) to bring the service to the latest Freeview TVs and set-top boxes.

Users who have Connected Freeview HD TVs that work to the latest UK standards can select The Space service directly from the Programme Guide on channel 117. The application starts from there and connects to the Internet to display the index of content available on The Space service. Using a normal remote control, the user can select video material with a single click. The application then connects to the selected stream of video delivered over the Internet, on demand allowing the user to pause and skip forwards and backwards through the content.

S&TPlayer has been designed to be easily transformed to meet the needs of different broadcasters or content owners for Video On Demand services on Freeview and Freesat. David Cutts, Managing Director, said “We were very happy to work with the BBC to enable them to get this cultural content delivered“.

S&T Player is also in use on Freesat and can be deployed in a number of countries where the interactive TV specification includes the same technology as the UK D Book published by the DTG.