All the boxes have ethernet ports, and my colleagues at BBC Research and
Innovation have done some nice proof-of-concept trials of MHEG
applications picking up text content distributed via the internet - for
example, sourcing news stories off bbc.co.uk/news, putting twitter
updates on screen and doing flickr photo searches, and displaying the
results (for some reason, "Cow" was a favourite search of theirs!)
Unfortunately this was all done with what we term "reference recievers"
- basically Linux based PCs which pretend to be set top boxes. The
actual software in the Freesat set top boxes to handle text stuff is
unlikely to be fully functional yet - and streaming of video is a bit
away away!
It's all feasible long term though.
________________________________
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Butterworth
Sent: 06 May 2008 14:10
To: [email protected]
Subject: [backstage] Freesat: open platform AND iPlayer
I've just been to the Freesat launch event...
http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051369
A couple of interesting points for backstagers:
1. Mark Thompson said that the BBC was committed to BBC services
being open on all platforms;
2. He also said the iPlayer would be on Freesat as all Freesat
boxes (and idTVs) have Ethernet ports.
3. He said that Freesat was an 'open platform' for on-demand
content.
Result, eh?
Brian Butterworth
