Marriage of Broadcasting and Internet to Enhance Viewer Experience

Posted on March 1, 2012 in ATSC News

ATSC INTERNET-ENHANCED TELEVISION STANDARDS WORK PROGRESSES

The ATSC’s Internet-Enhanced Television standards activities has moved to the next phase with the completion of the final report of the ATSC Planning Team 3 (PT-3), which was charged with exploring options and making recommendations for broadcasters’ use of Internet-connected ATSC receivers.

“Internet-Enhanced Television offers the unique opportunity for consumers to access value-added content that complements broadcasting and can enhance the viewer experience. PT-3 has identified and explored components of this environment, many of which should be considered by the ATSC and the broadcast ecosystem at large, and some of which may warrant future ATSC standardization activity,” according to the report’s executive summary.

ATSC President Mark Richer applauded the year-long efforts of Planning Team 3 and reported that the ATSC Board has accepted the group’s general recommendations about “hybridcasting” standards, specifically integration of Internet-Enabled TV work into the current ATSC 2.0 standardization effort and future ATSC 3.0 activities. The final report, which is available to ATSC members, details the extensive work of the planning team and provides a strong foundation for ongoing standards work that will now incorporate Internet-Enhanced TV.

The planning team’s summary hybridcasting observations indicate that Internet enhancements to broadcast TV can be most useful in providing personalized additional content at the user’s option, either on the main television screen, or on a user’s secondary screen (e.g., handheld or tablet device, used simultaneously with TV viewing).

Consistent with the planning team’s recommendations, the ATSC is focused on systems and services that leverage the Internet as an adjunct to broadcast television operations, which PT-3 refers to as Internet-Enhanced TV. While the possible scope here is vast, it does not include pure Internet delivery of television content, with no direct association to broadcast services – often called “Over-the-Top” TV and which PT-3 refers to as Internet TV.

The complete 27-page PT-3 Report is available to ATSC members.  Membership information can be found at atsc.org.

Posted in ATSC News