Re: looking for tv-related URI use cases/application scenarios

Tim,

Your clarification is very helpful.

As I understand it, you are now sending an "http:" URI, which refers to a
resource on a Web server in the usual way. Thus, for your current operations
you do not need a TV URI scheme at all; the already standardized "http:"
scheme works just fine. However, a key feature of that scheme which you are
taking advantage of is that the same URI can be included in line 21
regardless of which local broadcast affiliate or cable provider is carrying
your program. It does not need to be modified to remain valid.

As I understand it, in the future you would like to be able to refer in the
same way to a resource contained in the broadcast stream. I interpret that
to mean -- and correct me if I am wrong -- that (a) you would very much like
to preserve this property that the URI does not have to be modified for each
local affiliate or cable operator who carries your program, (b) you would
like the syntax of the URI to be as similar to the syntax of an "http:" URI
as possible, and (c) in fact, it would be useful to be able to use exactly
the same URI to refer to either an HTML page on a Web server or an HTML page
included in the broadcast, so receivers with a back channel could retrieve
it one way and receivers without one could retrieve it the other.

I am assuming that in your case the actual HTML page would always be
contained in the same channel as the trigger. Please correct me if that is
an incorrect assumption.

A lot of these details may seem pretty picayune, but they are essential to
gain a full understanding of the requirements on syntax and universality of
binding of any broadcast TV URI scheme.

Gomer Thomas


Chambers, Tim wrote:

> Thanks, this is an example of a project that we're currently working on.
>
> To answer these questions below:
>
> Building with todays tv systems in mind, we are not relying on the
> ability to send data on all the lines of the VBI to send URI triggers
> *and* web data, which would be the ideal. So we are currently NOT
> sending anything but a URI trigger with the TV signal.
>
> This is because the VBI is often stripped out as the signal moves from
> the television network (or cable provider) to the local distributor.
> There is no clarity over who has the "rights" to the VBI. As I work for
> a company that is the copyright holder to many great TV brands, we like
> to think that the same way we provide the "traditional content" of the
> show, we should be providing the "enhanced content."
>
> Anyway, a solution of sorts to the VBI issue is that line21 has been
> deemed "must carry" by the FCC, with the idea of sending closed
> captioning there. Thus we send the URI trigger down line21 along with
> the captioning, which would send the set top box user to a "enhanced tv
> jump page" that is an normal HTML page on our servers. For all of this,
> we are planning to use the modem-line backchannel that the set top box
> would support.
>
> The ideal would be that a section of the VBI, or later, of the MPEG
> stream becomes fully standardized for sending additional data, and that
> there are guarantees that this area could not be removed. If that were
> the case, we would send everything through the television signal.
>
> Tim Chambers
> Director of Technology and Production
> Columbia Tristar Interactive
> tchambers@sonypictures.com
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Gomer Thomas [mailto:gomer@lgerca.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 1998 9:33 AM
> > To: Chambers, Tim
> > Cc: 'www-tv@w3.org'
> > Subject: Re: looking for tv-related URI use cases/application
> > scenarios
> >
> >
> > This looks like an excellent use case. Can you provide a little more
> > detail? Where is the actual "jump page" which is to be loaded
> > up? Is it on
> > an Internet web site? Or is it also encoded in line 21 of the
> > VBI? If it is
> > encoded in line 21, is it in the same channel as the trigger,
> > or can it be
> > in a different channel?
> >
> > Chambers, Tim wrote:
> >
> > > Let's start this off with basics:
> > >
> > > It would be a trigger encoded into the line21 of the VBI
> > (which is must
> > > carry for broadcasters) of a tv show that loads up a "jump page" of
> > > enhanced tv content that supplements the television program.
> > >
> > > Tim
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Philipp Hoschka [mailto:Philipp.Hoschka@sophia.inria.fr]
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 12:46 PM
> > > > To: www-tv@w3.org
> > > > Subject: looking for tv-related URI use cases/application
> > scenarios
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > To better motivate the requirements, and evaluate their
> > priorities,
> > > > the URI telecon this morning decided that we're lacking
> > application
> > > > scenarios how tv-related URIs would be used
> > > >
> > > > So, if you have a particular idea of how tv URIs will be used,
> > > > please send it to this mailing list
> > > >
> > > > We have an editor (Craig Finseth) who will summarrize these
> > > > scenarios in a coherent document
> > > >
> > > > -Philipp Hoschka, W3C
> > > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Gomer Thomas
> > LGERCA, Inc.
> > 40 Washington Road
> > Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
> > phone: 609-716-3513
> > fax: 609-716-3503
> >
> >



--
Gomer Thomas
LGERCA, Inc.
40 Washington Road
Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
phone: 609-716-3513
fax: 609-716-3503

Received on Wednesday, 16 December 1998 13:29:17 UTC