Question 13/16 - Multimedia application platforms and end systems for IPTV
(Continuation of Question 13/16)
Motivation As the lead study group on multimedia applications, terminals and systems, including ubiquitous applications, Study Group 16 continues to make advances in multimedia communication systems that are pertinent in the fast moving market and continues to respond to the demands of the market by taking advantage of emerging as well as existing technologies.
In this regard, Study Group 16 has been successful in producing numerous Recommendations that address topical areas such as multimedia terminal design, home networking, multimedia architecture, audiovisual communications, multimedia conferencing, media coding, multimedia content, multimedia security, metadata, multimedia directories, multimedia service description and multimedia delivery systems.
As broadband services over various access technologies have evolved and with the advent of the next generation network technology, the desire and need for the enhanced multimedia services has gained momentum and, as is typical when there is rapid evolution in a new technology area, proprietary multimedia service solutions precede standard interoperable solutions. Specifically with the surge of multimedia services such as video streaming and the desire to offer IPTV services, the market is in serious need of standardized interoperable solutions, especially at the multimedia applications layer. Interoperability will provide benefit for all the players in the value-chain, especially at the multimedia applications layer, and encourage growth of this market.
IPTV is a multimedia service encompassing television, video, audio, text, graphics and data delivered over IP based networks which are managed to provide the required level of QoS and QoE, security, interactivity and reliability. Standards for IPTV, especially those for application and terminal aspects, are of immediate relevance to ITU T in general and to Study Group 16 in particular. Study Group 16 is interested, among other things, in the associated multimedia (including IPTV) application and terminal aspects.
This Question is intended to produce deliverables related to study IPTV platforms, including, but not restricted to middleware, applications, content formats and their uses, which will facilitate effective and interoperable use of the IPTV systems.
Study items Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- identify the use cases and requirements of IPTV application platforms and end system aspects;
- review and analyse existing standards and Recommendations to find any gaps seen against the requirements of IPTV application platforms and end systems, and to identify those requirements where new standards or changes to existing standards are recommended;
- help coordinate, harmonize and encourage interoperability among existing systems and standards for IPTV application platforms and end systems;
- investigate functional architectures of the IPTV terminal;
- identify services and applications relevant to IPTV application platforms and end systems;
- based on the analysis of requirements and existing standards, create Recommendations covering the relevant areas, including but not limited to:
- metadata, i.e. the descriptive data about content and environment;
- service navigation, channel and menu processing;
- service discovery;
- content presentation and rich media;
- multimedia content delivery services such as VoD, linear TV, signage, video information system, and kiosk;
- interactive services;
- multimedia content for IPTV from multiple sources and integration of them;
- terminal devices for IPTV that support multiple sources of content and delivery, such as hybrid terminals;
- applications using IPTV, such as audience measurement and "e-everything" (e.g. as e-health);
- IPTV middleware and application frameworks;
- required aspects of security on IPTV applications;
- IPTV end system and devices, and interworking between them (such as companion screen or multi-screen.);
- conformance and Interoperability of IPTV systems and services;
- considerations on how media accessibility may be enhanced;
- consideration on how digital divides may be mitigated by applying already existing mature and stable technologies rather than only on future advanced technologies;
- identify the use cases, requirements, services and applications of IP-based TV-related multimedia services, such as Connected TV and Smart TV;
- considerations on how to help measure power consumption and mitigate climate change.
Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- required aspects of IPTV end systems and devices;
- required aspects of platform and end system of IP-based TV-related multimedia services, such as Connected TV and Smart TV;
- required aspects of IPTV middleware, application and content platforms;
- required aspects of IPTV delivery;
- configuration of IPTV services;
- content adaptation for IPTV;
- IPTV audience measurement;
- IPTV widgets and widget service;
- multiple IPTV terminal devices and their interworking;
- video information system over IP and e-kiosk;
- 3D-IPTV;
- IPTV metadata;
- conformance and interoperability testing on IPTV;
- enhancement and maintenance of ITU-T H.700-series, T.170-series, T.180 and H-series Supplement 3.
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is found in the SG 16 work programme (
http://itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sp=15&q=13/16).
Relationships - Recommendations
- F, G, H, I, Q, T, V, X, Y-series Recommendations under the responsibility of SG 16
- Questions
- 1/16, 2/16, 3/16, 6/16, 7/16, 10/16, 14/16, 20/16, 21/16, 25/16, 26/16, 28/16
- Study groups
- ITU-T SGs 2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17
- ITU-R SG 6
- Other bodies
- ATIS, CEA, DLNA, Broadband Forum, DVB, HGI, OASIS, WHO, Continua Health Alliance, DTG
- ISO, IEC, ISO/IEC, ETSI, IETF, W3C
