Saorview EPG metadata

The Cush

Red Bee Media has been selected by RTÉ to supply the programme listing data for Saorview.

According to the press release they already provide RTÉ listings data to other platforms/publishers and listings for the RTÉ Guide (recent tender here).

I wonder if we'll see series link data included?

Red Bee Media to Power TV and Radio Listings for Saorview, Ireland's Free Digital Television Service

14/09/11

Red Bee Media, one of the world’s leading media management companies providing multi-platform technology and creative solutions to broadcasters, content rights holders, platform operators and brand owners, has been selected as the sole supplier of TV and radio listings metadata for SAORVIEW, Ireland’s free digital TV service.

Under the deal, Red Bee Media will create and deliver the rich electronic programme guide (EPG) for the eight TV channels and ten radio stations currently available on SAORVIEW, Ireland’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform.

“Helping consumers to discover content in an increasingly crowded marketplace has never been more important for clients looking to monetise their content across platforms” said David Padmore, Director, Access and Editorial at Red Bee Media. “Content discovery technology lies at the core of our business, which we recently enhanced through our acquisition of software company TV Genius. The addition of Ireland’s first digital terrestrial platform as a client continues our growth in this sector under a holistic content discovery proposition”.

SAORVIEW is Ireland’s first free DTT service and is owned and managed by RTÉ. It carries both RTÉ and non-RTÉ channels and services. The SAORVIEW service was launched in May with the following channel line-up: RTÉ One, RTÉ Two HD, TV3, TG4, RTÉ News Now, 3e, RTÉjr and RTÉ One+1. Radio services are also available on SAORVIEW: RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ lyric fm, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ Choice, RTÉ Pulse, RTÉ 2XM, RTÉ Gold, RTÉjr and Radio 1 Extra. The new service replaces the old analogue television service which will be switched off throughout Europe by the end of 2012.

Mary Curtis, Director, Digital Switch Over, RTÉ said: “SAORVIEW will bring viewers access to a broader range of channels with crystal clear pictures, better quality sound, on-screen programme menus and digital teletext. It therefore offers viewers a greatly enhanced television experience. It is of key importance that viewers are enabled make informed choices and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Red Bee Media to provide our viewers with the most accurate and comprehensive listings.”

For over a decade Red Bee Media has provided EPG services to RTÉ, delivering metadata to all platforms and publishers in the Republic of Ireland. Red Bee Media also provides all TV listings for the RTÉ Guide, Ireland’s best-selling TV magazine.

http://www.redbeemedia.com/news/red-bee-media-power-tv-and-radio-listings-saorview-irelands-free-digital-television-service

Carawaystick

Why weren't the epg metadata ready to go at the launch of saorview? incompetence? or laziness or just not taking the thing seriously?

The Cush

Carawaystick wrote: »

Why weren't the epg metadata ready to go at the launch of saorview? incompetence? or laziness or just not taking the thing seriously?

Its been there since the engineering tests (7 day epg) done by either Red Bee or RTÉ probably.

All thats happened now is they've entered into a formal contract with Red Bee.

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

Its been there since the engineering tests (7 day epg) done by either Red Bee or RTÉ probably.

All thats happened now is they've entered into a formal contract with Red Bee.

Why do we need a branded EPG, I assume that is what it is?

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

Why do we need a branded EPG, I assume that is what it is?

I believe it's for the listings contained within the current epg/guide but could also be used for any future MHEG-5 based Saorview epg.

byte

Is it up to Red Bee to provide Series Link flags?

Or even to identify HD programming on RTE2 from the SD stuff.

The Cush

byte wrote: »

Is it up to Red Bee to provide Series Link flags?

Is the CRID part of the metadata?

fat-tony

Red Bee is a BBC spin off and already look after interactive and other media management for the BBC and others in the UK. Hopefully, it will bring some structure and consistency to the whole EPG and maybe subtitling and audio description etc?

Potentially this paves the way for further MHEG services like those accessed on the "Red button" on Freeview and Freesat. Makes sense not to tie up RTE staff in looking after programme metadata. Will need triggers from RTE programme suites to the EPG system in order to synchronise accurate recording and other features of PVRs which monitor the metadata. I'd suggest that this will mean that the Series Link CRID data will be pretty comparable (if not exactly like) to the UK Freeview implementation.

fat-tony

The Cush wrote: »

Is the CRID part of the metadata?

Yes - it's contained in the EIT, alongside the programme start/stop data.

The Cush

fat-tony wrote: »

I'd suggest that this will mean that the Series Link CRID data will be pretty comparable (if not exactly like) to the UK Freeview implementation.

I believe this is pretty much standard throughout Europe under the TV Anytime standard, ETSI TS 102 323 - Signalling of TV-Anytime Information in DVB TS.

http://tech.ebu.ch/tvanytime

This from an Nordig discussion document earlier this year

NorDig PVR specification is based on broadcast-only services (distribution of metadata via DVB-SI),independent of video and audio formats , independent of API, Conditional Access and DRM systems and capable of operating in free-to-air and Pay TV modes.

NorDig PVR specification follows as closely as possible the DTG specification (latest version D-Book 6.2.1) for the UK market in order to encourage market standards harmonization and facilitate the expansion of the standard PVRs in Scandinavia. Both NorDig and DTG specifications are based on DVB standards, including a subset of the well-established TV-Anytime metadata standard, which has been in service in the UK for years.

http://www.nordig.org/pdf/NorDig_PVR_metadata_whitepaper_ver_1.0.pdf

fat-tony

It's probably going to be a relief for those who "took a punt" and bought Freeview+ PVRs in the hopes of them working with whatever flavour of Series Link which would be implemented on Saorview.:) With Red Bee in the metadata space, it's all the more likely that they will lift what they've done in the UK and apply it here. What might be on the cards also could be compression of the HD EPG metadata (as per Freeview) to limit the usability of non-branded PVRs for Series Link. Of course, if they use different compression tables than Freeview, it might limit those Freeview+ PVRs also:(

fat-tony

The Cush wrote: »

I believe this is pretty much standard throughout Europe under the TV Anytime standard, ETSI TS 102 323 - Signalling of TV-Anytime Information in DVB TS.

http://tech.ebu.ch/tvanytime

This from an Nordig discussion document earlier this year

I don't think it's implemented in many European countries, though. UK for sure and Australia, New Zealand and maybe some of the Nordics. The Nordig spec on which Saorview is based, certainly promotes the use of the TV-anytime formats. Certainly makes sense for us to have compatible standards with our near neighbours as it widens the base of suitable equipment.

sesswhat

fat-tony wrote: »

Certainly makes sense for us to have compatible standards with our near neighbours as it widens the base of suitable equipment.

Any sensible result seems to come about more by accident than design. Could the Saorview spec for receivers not have been aligned more fully with Freeview HD as soon as that platform was announced, to such an extent that Freeview HD certified equipment became the 'unofficial' standard? After all, this was at a time before Saorview certification had even begun.

Too late for that now of course. At least with this development, as you say, people may face fewer problems with Freeview HD boxes (retailing at half the price of their less advanced Saorview cousins). They may also have the chance of buying a fully functioning PVR, as a Saorview certified one could be a long time coming. In fact, is there even a PVR element to Saorview certification?

fat-tony

The UK specs for Freeview are governed by the D book, which is a closed document. At least the Nordig spec is in the public domain.

Follow the links the The Cush's post above and you will see references to the PVR specs. As to whether any are in test for Saorview - who knows?

sesswhat

fat-tony wrote: »

The UK specs for Freeview are governed by the D book, which is a closed document.

Could we have come to some sort of arrangement with the DTG? Don't they work with Freeview in New Zealand?

fat-tony

You could ask RTENL, but it's all water under the bridge now.