Interactive TV software architecture design and implementation
ORF is the public broadcaster in Austria providing 3 TV channels (ORF 1, ORF 2, TW1) and national/regional radio channels.
ORS – a subsidiary of ORF responsible for the operation of transmission of analog and digital media on satellite and terrestrial networks – operates a digital playout center and is offering satellite capacity for public and commercial TV stations in Austria. In February 2006 ORS has been granted the multiplex license for the nationwide operation of the digital terrestrial network (DVB-T) in Austria. The digital terrestrial network will be launched in fall 2006.

In preparation for the roll-out of interactive TV services enabled by the transition to digital TV, ORF is the main actor in digital TV pilots and trials in Austria. Beside the pure digital transmission of TV channels the most important goal is to enhance the TV content with DVB MHP based interactive services. MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) is a DVB standard, which specifies an API for digital set top boxes (cable, satellite, terrestrial) in a horizontal market approach.

BearingPoint INFONOVA, a local Austrian subsidiary of BearingPoint, has been selected by ORF for the design and implementation of an interactive TV architecture on MHP enabled Set Top Boxes which should comply with a number of requirements:

• Flexibility.
  The software architecture must offer flexibility in a way that allows the ORF to offer new interactive services in a very quick manner. The consequence is a component based architecture.
  
  
• Open software architecture.
  While BearingPoint was responsible for the service implementation, a requirement was to create a specification of the ORF iTV architecture, so that co-developers are enabled to contribute easily.
  
  
• High level of control to editorial staff.
  A practicable  workflow for the editorial staff was considered to be an important requirement. BearingPoint defined the workflow in all subsystems, always keeping in mind the needs of the editorial staff and existing technical limitations.
  
  
• Usability of MHP applications.
  iTV applications are only used if the interaction performance is very high and not a tedious process. Especially, in the ORF interactive applications with its rich information offering, the only chance was to very efficiently code the software on the MHP enabled Set Top Boxes.