I'd keep an eye on a thread over at digitalspy from others are experimenting with the Freesat EPG data currentlty being transmitted.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=751053 Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Matthews" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk> Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 11:29 AM Subject: Re: [backstage] Freesat info for open source projects > Hi Matt, > Thanks for taking the trouble to find out. I rather thought that there > would be some issue of exclusive access to the specs. At least Freesat > are aware of the issue. > > From the MHEG side I can at least experiment with the test streams that > are already being transmitted and try to reverse engineer them. It > mostly works already with the current code and I was actually alerted to > the test streams by someone noticing the "Press Red" banner. What would > be really nice would be to have some information that would allow MythTV > to use the EPG information in Freesat. There have been hints about > where the test transmissions might be found but nothing substantive. > > Clearly the success of Freesat depends on the involvement of the set-top > box manufacturers. However, open source projects also have a role to > play in providing testing and feedback. After all, at the moment > probably the only people who can view the MHEG test transmissions, > outside the labs, are MythTV users. > > Thanks again, > David > > Matt Hammond wrote: > > Hi David, > > > > The Freesat platform is being set up and managed by a separate company > > (of the same name) that has been set up by those participating (BBC, ITV > > etc). > > > > I've asked around the team at R&D who are working with them on the > > technical infrastructure and specifications. Unfortunately it looks like > > the information you're after will not be widely available (at least not > > yet). > > > > What I've been able to establish is that Freesat identified the need to > > guarantee a supply of compliant set top boxes at launch. A group of > > manufacturers have agreed to do so, but only in exchange for a limited > > term of exclusive access to the specification. I have no idea what the > > length of this exclusivity arrangement will be. > > > > Personally, I would very much like to see these specs eventually opened > > up - we've certainly benefited from many of the open-source developments > > for DVB-T / Freeview. I believe Freesat are aware of this consideration, > > so I'm hoping it will be something they eventually choose to do. > > > > This is as much as I have been able to find out for you. Apologies for > > it taking a little while. > > > > Matt > > > > > > On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:58:55 -0000, David Matthews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > >> I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I was wondering if > >> there was information available about the technical details of Freesat > >> that could be used in open source projects. > >> > >> Specifically, I wrote and maintain the MHEG engine that is used in > >> MythTV. It appears that the BBC has started test transmissions on > >> satellite of the MHEG interactive service. It's possible to view much > >> of this using the current code in MythTV but it seems that the profile > >> on Freesat is a superset of the Freeview profile so not everything > >> works. Presumably information about this is available to the builders > >> of set-top boxes but it would be nice if it could be available for > >> open-source projects. There have also been references to the EPG > >> information being transmitted but again there is nothing publicly > >> available about how to decode it. > >> > >> Incidentally, I've been working on a translation of the MHEG engine > >> from its original C++ into Java to produce an application/applet for > >> viewing MHEG offline or via HTTP. I'm rather short of MHEG test > >> programs although I have recorded some of the carousels off air. Does > >> the BBC have some test programs available? > >> > >> David. > >> - > >> Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, > >> please visit > >> http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > >> Unofficial list archive: > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > > > > > > > > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
