ATSC Issues RFP for Advanced Electronic Program Guide (EPG) Functionality Specifications
2001
Mentioned:
Mark S. Richer, Christy Kehlbeck
Summary
The ATSC Specialist Group on Transport has issued a request for proposal seeking specifications to support advanced EPG functionality, including channel logos, program browsing, multimedia descriptions, and web links. The effort builds on the existing PSIP standard (A/65-A) and reflects ATSC's ongoing work to extend its broadcast metadata specifications.
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 30, 2001 The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) Specialist Group on Transport (T3/S8) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for specifications of metadata to support advanced electronic program guide (EPG) functionality.
This effort builds upon the ATSC Program and System Information Protocol Standard PSIP (A/65-A), which specifies metadata to be carried in an ATSC broadcast stream to support tuning and EPG functions. The RFP seeks proposals for specifications that can support advanced EPG functionality such as display of channel and event logos, browsing and searching for TV programs by various attributes, multimedia descriptions of TV programs, and links to other sources of information such as web sites. The RFP is available at www.atsc.org.
This effort is another example of the extensibility of ATSC standards and of our ongoing efforts to incorporate new functionality in our specifications, said Mark S. Richer, ATSC executive director.
As always, whether a proposed methodology is incorporated into an ATSC Standard is determined in accordance with the due process procedures of the ATSC. In reaching its conclusions, the ATSC may combine various aspects of multiple proposals into a final specification.
The Advanced Television Systems Committee is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for the entire range of advanced television systems. The ATSC has 200 member organizations representing the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries.
