Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

LADL Conference

1st LOGOS Open Workshop

20 September 2007

Budapest

Dr. Sándor Bozóki, András Gnandt, György SogrikAntenna Hungária Corp.

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

E-learning infrastructure based on digital television networks planned in the framework of the LOGOS project

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

DVB Data Broadcast Configuration- enables delivery of e-learning material as files and packages

Data broadcast

server

Content server

User management

and billing

Data broadcast

management

ISDN/Leased line/

Internet

Content providers

IP/DVB gateway

Video/audio signals

QPSK modulator

QAM/QPSKmodulator

OFDM modulator

MUX

Data broadcast provider Multiplex provider

Data broadcast

server

Content server

User management

and billing

Data broadcast

management

ISDN/Leased line/

Internet

Content providers

IP/DVB gateway

Video/audio signals

QPSK modulator

QAM/QPSKmodulator

OFDM modulator

MUX

Data broadcast provider Multiplex provider

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP based interactive television• MHP is an open standard API, standards for

interactive television.• MHP works across all DVB transmission

technologies (DVB-S, DVB-T, DVB-C, IPTV).• MHP has a core based around a Java virtual

machine – DVB-J.• The innovation will result in MHP

applications which run as fast as native ones.

• MHP-based iTV technology enables e-learning applications accesible for all digital TV subscribers

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP API

• Resources are provided to MHP transparently• Portability: no direct addressing of resources,

System software provides an abstract view• Application Manager manages the lifecycle of

applications• API is the interface between applications and

System software

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP versions• MHP 1.0: Broadcast applications; Data via IP;

Satellite, Cable and Terrestrial support (commercially introduced)

• MHP 1.1: Applications via IP; Smartcard support; VOD support; DVB-HTML support (commercially introduced e.g. in Austria)

• MHP 1.2: DVB-IPTV profile; non-DVB IPTV profile (commercially not available yet)

• The latest versions allow for more sophisticated e-learning applications

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP profiles• Enhanced Broadcast Profile

– local interactivity, using remote control to interact with broadcast applications

– No return channel• Interactive Broadcast Profile

– IP over the return channel – TCP, UDP– DNS forward resolving protocols

• Internet Access profile– HTTP 1.0 with persistent connection support and not using Keep-Alive

when talking with proxies that doesn’t understand Connection– HTTPS

• IPTV Profile– RTSP– IP Service discovery (checks the signalling of services, no request to do

this more frequently than once per day)• The Internet access through television enables web-like e-learning

experience (but, of course, the processing and presentation capabilities are still lower than in case of PC’s)

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP profiles considered for e-learning

Enhanced Broadcast Profile Interactive Profile

Standalone learning Available, however only according to the broadcast schedule

Course limitations: * Mainly movie* Some text and pictures, at the same

time with the broadcast* Self-checking (test with Java)Records cannot be created about the

students’ test resultsSelf-educated learning

Available, however only according to the broadcast schedule

Course limitations: * Mainly movie* Some text and pictures, at the same

time with the broadcast* Self-checking with interactive testRecords can be created about the

students based on their test results (can help enhancing the course)

Self-educated learning

Collaborative learning (Instructor-led, facilitated, etc.)

Not available with pure MHP, because there is no communication among the students, nor with the facilitator.

Not available with pure MHP, because there is no communication among the students. Communication with the facilitator is possible through the return channel.

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP in broadcasting services• Typical applications:

– EPG– Information services (superteletext, running

banners)– Applications synchronized to the TV programs,

like voting, games, (questioning tests for LOGOS) etc.

– Electronic commerce and secure transactions• The methodology of the development and the

basic components of the above applications can be reused for iTV-based e-learning applications

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP based interactive television head-end systemwhich can serve the delivery of e-learning applications

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP content formats essential for e-learning

• Picture formats:– JPEG– GIF– PNG– MPEG-2 I-frame

• Text formats:– Monomedia text with UTF-8 character

encoding– DVB-HTML - optional

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

MHP capabilities for e-learning

• Dynamic HTML pages using scripts and return channel

• Interactivity with defining actions for the remote control

• Sending back information via return channel

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

Return channel technologies

• PSTN/ISDN, ADSL, GSM, GPRS – most common return channels for DVB services.

• DVB-RCT (Return Channel Terrestrial) – due to lack of frequency, it is not available on the market.

• DVB-RCS (Return Channel Satellite) – terminals capable of two-way satellite communication are still rather expensive.

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

IPTV infrastructure for e-learning

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

Set-top-box capabilities

System

Content formats and services supported by the set-top-boxes and handsets on the market

Video Audio Interactive application Supported services(AV decoding, presentation,

VOD, PVR storage)

DVB-T MPEG-2/H.264 MPEG-1 Layer 2/AC-3

MHP AV decoding, NVOD (Near Video On Demand), PPV, EPG, STXT (SuperTeleteXT), voting, chat, shopping, banking

DVB-S MPEG-2/H.264 MPEG-1 Layer 2/AC-3

MHP

DVB-C MPEG-2/H.264 MPEG-1 Layer 2/AC-3

MHP

DVB-H H.264 AAC/AAC+/eAAC HTML (HyperText Markup Language)

AV decoding, PPV (Pay Per View), NVOD

IPTV MPEG-2/H.264/WMT9

MPEG-1 Layer-2/MPEG-1 Layer-3 (MP3)/AC-3

ANT Fresco(sometimes Espial, Opera

and Internet Explorer 6) offering HTML 4 and JavaScript.

A/V decoding, NVOD, PPV, EPG, TSTV (Time Shifted Television), STXT, voting, chat, shopping, banking, VOD

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

Conclusions• We have designed and integrated a DTV content

delivery platform in the framework of the LOGOS project.

• The limitations of DTV comparable to PC must be taken into account when developing e-learning applications.

• Content distribution via broadcast to many users is more cost-effective than via telecommunication channels.

• Content delivery platform should be assessed with real t-learning content during the tests planned for the next phase of the LOGOS project.

LADL 2007 Utilization of Digital Television Technologies for E-learning

Thank you for your kind attention!

András GnandtAntenna Hungaria Co.

http://www.ahrt.hugnandta@ahrt.hu