Project: Hybrid Middleware Stack

This project is a cooperation between Ocean Blue Software Ltd (UK) and iP4.tv GmbH (Germany.)_x000D__x000D_The project is aimed at creating and deploying a complete software solution for ConnectedTV set-top boxes (STBs). It will be a pan European Hybrid (combining Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functionality with streaming of content over the internet (IP)) middleware stack. It will incorporate all the key Digital TV standards in order to meet the requirements of TV and STB manufacturers wishing to develop connected products for the European TV market._x000D__x000D_The broadcast software will be developed by Ocean Blue Software (OBS), whilst the IP software will be developed by IP4.tv (IP4). The browser will be a joint development effort with engineers from both companies. _x000D__x000D_This product will aim to be compliant with various Digital TV standards including HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV, http://www.hbbtv.org, which is rapidly becoming a leading international standard for the specification of such products and the content they play,) as well as OIPF, MHEG-5 and HTML-5 standards. It will also be fully compliant with broadcast standards DVB-S/S2, DVB-T/T2 and DVB-C._x000D__x000D_OBS and IP4 have experience in developing advanced STB products and have been in Pship for the past two and a half years. Over this time, the companies have jointly developed a totally flexible UI layer based on QML. This funding opportunity would further enhance the Pship and product by developing a total solution based on existing components such as the UI layer. It is important to note that this development will continue even if the funding is unsuccessful. Our primary aim is to launch this product into the market as soon as possible having aligned it with the key milestones to make it a realistic and achievable process between the two companies. _x000D__x000D_It is also important to note that our Pship is further strengthened by the fact that two key employees work for both companies; Phil Evans as a director of IP4 and OBS, and Jason Nash as a consultant for IP4 and OBS. It should also be noted that there is no financial/ownership connection between the two companies and while there are two employees shared between the two these are contract employees._x000D__x000D_To date there is no third party software that offers a complete solution to those manufacturers who lack the knowledge or resource to integrate a software solution of significant complexity into their products._x000D__x000D_Our aim is to solve this by offering a full turnkey solution with easy customisation that will allow manufacturers to offer lower cost products that enable access to these value-added features whilst reducing time to market, thus allowing the general market for connected TV to develop much faster across Europe. It will also ensure Europe COtains its lead in supplying these open standards across the full ecosystem._x000D__x000D__x000D__x000D_

Acronym	HMS_OBS (Reference Number: 8678)
Duration	01/09/2013 - 30/09/2014
Project Topic	The project is aimed at creating and deploying a pan European Hybrid (Broadcast and IP) middleware stack for Connected TVs and set-top boxes.
Project Results (after finalisation)	The overall objective of the whole project was to develop certain key technologies related to the implementation of the European Standards for interactive TV (HbbTV). The project was executed by two participants. Ocean Blue Software Ltd were developing and testing certain key software components. These components were then taken and integrated into a full Set Top Box by IP4.TV GMBH. Whilst continuing to work together each party was entirely free to commercially exploit the results with other parties._x000D__x000D_From IP4.TV's perspective we generated the following key results_x000D_ - A well tested HbbTV 1.5 product ready for commercial deployment_x000D_ - Enhanced knowledge of the technology and especially browsers._x000D_ - Documentation and test infrastructure
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 10

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
2	iP4.TV GmbH	Partner	Germany
2	Ocean Blue Software Ltd	Coordinator	United Kingdom