MHP-KDB - Interactive TV Knowledgebase

Project Overview

Eleven European partners, known for their competence in broadcasting, IT manufacturing and technology research, have joined forces to establish the collaborative MHP-KDB project. It will tackle one of the most pressing issues in the field of digital interactive television: the harmonised usage and implementation of DVB-MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) by establishing, for all MHP-related issues, a single "point of call" (the MHP Knowledge Data Base, or short: MHP-KDB) for know-how and best practice solutions to all companies and organisations active in this field.

The prime focus of MHP-KDB is to improve the interoperability of MHP implementations and MHP applications. Progress in the interoperability of MHP is the crucial factor for the deployment of interactive digital TV in Europe. This progress will guarantee freedom of expression and cultural pluralism as well as access of all European citizens to the services of the Information Society (eEurope 2002 and 2005 Actions Plans).

MHP interoperability will lead to a wide adoption and usage of the MHP standard and pave the way for a whole range of new e-content formats and e-services - including T-Commerce and T-Learning - accessible via the most commonly used media device world-wide: television (with local and remote interactivity)! The results will be beneficial for the whole media industry as well as for the end-user in fostering a standardised API (i.e. digital gateway) to ensure the development of horizontal markets for services and receiving equipment, in line with Directive 2002/21/EC.

Knowledge Base

The project resulted in the creation of the following resources:

• The MHP-KDB website
• 3 test centers that allowed to upload MHP applications into a testing environment that allowed for remote control of different hardware platforms. The test centers have been in service until 2009, but were disabled since the hardware was outdated.
• A wiki for interactive exchange of knowledge with respect to MHP.
• A guide for application development with MHP, now integrated in the wiki.

Theses

Based on the foundation of the MHP architecture, the following these have been under development by students of our working group:

Involved Persons

• Prof. Dr. Michael Goedicke
• M. Sc. Simon Pfeiffer
• Dipl.-Wirt.Inf. Carsten Köllmann
• Dipl.-Wirt.Inf. Moritz Balz