DTV 4 All Project Dr Takebumi ITAGAKI Coordinator

DTV 4 All Project Dr Takebumi ITAGAKI Co-ordinator of DTV 4 All Project School of Engineering & Design Brunel University (UK) E-mail: T. Itagaki@brunel. ac. uk

DTV 4 All Project - introduction DTV 4 All is a project funded by the European Commission, under the CIP ICT Policy Support Programme, to facilitate the provision of access services on digital television across the European Union.

DTV 4 All Project - introduction Consortium Brunel University (UK) project co-ordinator Red Bee (UK) content provider Danish Radio (DR) national public broadcaster IRT (DE) research institute for broadcasting RBB (DE) local public broadcaster TVC (ES) local public broadcaster Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona (ES) trial co-ordinator – RAI (IT) national public broadcaster – – – –

Main Aims of the Project • Offer and evaluate mature subtitling, audio description, audio subtitling and signing services in a minimum of four territories within the EU for at least 12 months >> Results from Pilots will be presented by Prof Pilar ORERO • Identify improvements in existing access services and ways of addressing the key technical, organisational and legal obstacles to the sustainable take-up of these services in the timeframe 2008 -2010 throughout Europe. >> A case study will be presented by Ms Bettina HEIDKAMPTCHEGLOFF • Test Results and Recommendations are available on http: //www. psp-dtv 4 all. org/

Current Situation in EU (1) • Most EU member countries started their digital TV deployment with or without access service provisions. • Some high-end manufacturers have started using “pan. European” platforms with minor localisations in their own versions of middleware. • Private Subscription Operators managed to implement access services ← in full control throughout the delivery chain (content production – broadcasting – receivers) • Public Broadcasters may not be in the same position ← not in control of the receivers (Set-Top-Box, Integrated DTV), funding and resource issues.

Current Situation in EU (2) ITU Technical, Regulatory Issues ** Radio Frequency Allocation ** Representations at ITU could only be done through a member state. a joint forum – e. g. DTG (UK) ITU Member State Regulatory Bodies Funding TV License Taxes RF License Technical Issues ** Manufacturer Broadcaster TV Content Viewers Digital. Europe EBU

Current Situation in EU (3) • DVB subtitles and audio access services could be available without drastic changes in transmission. ← DVB and MPEG standard are in place. • STB may need some changes, but high-end STBs are ready for access services. ← Production Cycle, Consumer Regulations – need a clear road map • Some EU member countries managed to implement access services with a help of a “technical forum” with regulator(s), broadcasters, manufacturers and user representatives. – UK: DTG, Nordic Countries: NORDIG… c. f. Japan: ARIB – Issuing “implementation guidelines”, checking “compliance”

Short Term Road Map • Need for a “technical forum” with regulator(s), broadcasters, manufacturers and user representatives. • Need for a “user forum” – prioritising access services, setting “quotas” and imposing “quality control”

Mid/Long Term Road Map • Need to consider “production cycle” for a functionality update – “reasonable” STB/DTV replacement cycle (every 5 – 10 years) – 5+ year old products may not be covered – need legal backing • Need to prepare for “next generation TV” deployment – New standard / technology deployment (10 – 20 year span) – Switch over scheme and Switch off planning >> Mr Nick TANTON of BBC will present on “UK digital switchover support scheme”

Standardisation Moves • ITU-T/-R >> Details will be presented by Mr Peter LOOMS • Digital Europe >> Details will be presented by Mr Frank KAMPERMAN of Digital Europe • DTG (Digital TV Group – UK) http: //www. dtg. org. uk/ UK technical specification for digital terrestrial television (known as the DTG D-Book) includes receiver requirements for accessibility to subtitles, audio description and text to speech for both standard definition and high definition programming.

Workshop Agenda (1) • Results from Pilots (DTV 4 All Project Pilot Co-ordinator, Prof Pilar ORERO – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) • Recommendations for mature and emerging access services (DTV 4 All Project WP 4 Leader, Mr Peter LOOMS – Looms Consulting) • Case study "How subtitles for Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) should look like? How text service can be made barrierfree on Hybrid Broadcast Broadband Television (Hbb. TV)? " (DTV 4 All Project, Ms Bettina HEIDKAMP-TCHEGLOFF – Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg)

Workshop Agenda (2) • accessible DTV value chain – Manufacturers perspective (Mr Frank KAMPERMAN, Philips Consumer Lifestyle Advanced Technology, on behalf of Digital Europe) – Users perspective (Ms Mia AHLGREN, Swedish Disability Federation, on behalf of European Disability Forum) – Broadcasters perspective (Mr David WOOD, European Broadcasting Union) • UK digital switchover support scheme (Mr Nick TANTON, BBC Switchover Help Scheme)