Ireland’s Silicon & Software Systems (S3) and Sofia Digital, have teamed up to bring the Java Community Process interactive video handset API to an O2 handset as a proof of concept. It comes in the form of a Java Mobile TV client based on the JSR (Java Specification Requests) 272 Mobile Broadcast Standard and will be on show at IBC.
The API is only in its last rounds of draft approval and is not yet final, but the idea is to set a Java standard for what a J2ME client has to do to take video from a mobile TV service, like DVB-H, and allow the operator to create interactive applications so that viewers can respond to parts of the TV programming. In short it will enable downloadable, operator branded, mobile TV applications, something essential if Cellcos are going to get some pay back for investing in mobile TV.
The specification is for an optional API which allows the handset to receive, exploit, and interact via a cellular link, with content received over a digital broadcast link. It was thought up to give mobile customers the ability to search, play and schedule from an EPG, subscribe and purchase all from a starting point on a broadcast TV service.
The API offers service guide data, and data on how to acquire the service. For instance one operator might want to show the description of TV program in a different way from another or change when it can be updated, or put queries to the EPG data. It might also give on and off access to subtitles, tickers and hypertext links embedded in the broadcast.
JSR 272 makes it possible to interface with the underlying broadcast service implementation, so that users can access the Electronic Service Guide and interact with traditional game shows, sports, and shopping channels as well as rich media applications and mobile-specific, location-based content.
It will also allows handset makers to send data to be recorded in DVR styled applications.
The new software stack was put together by S3 on its existing onHandTV platform, on a J2ME provided by Sofia Digital.