Interactive Tv Demystified

The first-ever, fact-filled introduction to the brave new world of interactive TV: what it is, its services, and the across-the-board impact on television, cable, and computer industries. It covers the basic standards. Offers state-of-the-art coverage of interactive TV business models, the hype and reality of media convergence, TV datacasting, PC-based receivers and other smart appliances, case histories, and more.

Interactive Television Production is essential reading for all broadcasting and new media professionals - whether in production, marketing, technology, business or management. It will also be of interest to media students and anyone looking to get an insight into the future of television production. It provides a practical, step-by-step guide to the processes and issues involved in taking an interactive television idea through to being an operational service - based on the knowledge and experience of leading interactive television producers. This book can be used as a quick-and-easy reference guide, with each chapter containing a 'Chapter in 30 seconds' summary for easy reference, or read from cover to cover. Using accessible language, the author provides detailed descriptions of iTV software technologies (OpenTV, MHEG-5, TV Navigator), delivery technologies (cable, satellite and terrestrial) and production tools. There are also entire chapters devoted to key issues like the commercial side of iTV and the latest work on usability and design. The accompanying web site www.InteractiveTelevisionProduction.com contains useful links designed to help with common iTV questions and issues. There are also entertaining quizzes for each chapter that let you test your knowledge of the concepts introduced in the book.

This international bestseller and essential reference is the "bible" for digital video engineers and programmers worldwide. This is by far the most informative analog and digital video reference available, includes the hottest new trends and cutting-edge developments in the field.Video Demystified, Fourth Edition is a "one stop" reference guide for the various digital video technologies. The fourth edition is completely updated with all new chapters on MPEG-4, H.264, SDTV/HDTV, ATSC/DVB, and Streaming Video (Video over DSL, Ethernet, etc.), as well as discussions of the latest standards throughout. The accompanying CD-ROM is updated to include a unique set of video test files in the newest formats.

"Television Technology Demystified" is written for non-technical television production professionals. Journalists, program producers, camera persons, editors, and other television professionals need to know how equipment works, which performance levels are achievable, how to evaluate the technical quality of picture and sound, and other aspects of production; this book presents these and other essential concepts in a simple and non-mathematical way. Aleksandar-Louis Todorovic, a highly respected and well-known figure in the broadcasting community, has succeeded in making complex technology understandable.

TV viewers today are exposed to overwhelming amounts of information, and challenged by the plethora of interactive functionality provided by current set-top boxes. To ensure broad adoption of this technology by consumers, future Digital Television will have to take usability issues thoroughly into account. In particular, serious attention must be paid to facilitate the selection of content on an individual basis, and to provide easy-to-use interfaces that satisfy viewers' interaction requirements. This volume collects selected research reports on the development of personalized services for Interactive TV. Drawing upon contributions from academia and industry in the US, Europe and Asia, this book represents a comprehensive picture of leading edge research in personalized television.

Recent years have brought many changes to the world of mass media. The In ternet and mobile communications technology have provided consumers with interactive digital services. Television is catching up with this trend through the digitalization process. Digital television is a hybrid platform combining elements from classical analog television and the Internet, providing modern multimedia services on a familiar platform. In short, digital TV is a gateway to the world of interactive digital media. Digital TV brings consumers into the television service arena and offers them new degrees of freedom. However, as the service and multimedia content types diversify and the services and their content increase, television is facing many of the same challenges of complexity and information overflow faced by other digital media. Metadata can handle the diverse services and content of digital TV effi. ciently and in a consumer-friendly way. Metadata means that the data are accompanied by other data which describe them. As data about data, meta data can provide an insight into syntactically and semantically complex data by distilling their essence to a set of simple descriptors. Metadata also helps to structure and manage information in diverse settings. The use of metadata in broadcast multimedia should not be restricted to being merely a tool for coping with the challenges of a complex networked multimedia environment. Instead, metadata ofTers new opportunities for the development of innovative services.

This practical technical guide to embedded middleware implementation offers a coherent framework that guides readers through all the key concepts necessary to gain an understanding of this broad topic. It integrates big picture theoretical discussion with down-to-earth advice on successful real-world use via step-by-step examples of each type of middleware implementation. It demystifies core middleware, such as networking protocols, file systems, virtual machines, and databases; more complex middleware that builds upon generic pieces, such as MOM, ORB, and RPC; and integrated middleware software packages, such as embedded JVMs, .NET, and CORBA packages. Technically detailed case studies bring it all together, by providing insight into typical engineering situations readers are likely to encounter. * The only complete guide to middleware, one of the most important AND most widely misunderstood aspects of embedded systems - hundreds of devices, from digital TVs to smart phones, can't function without it! * Offers thorough middleware coverage, including basic theory and core middleware, as well as complex implementations and integrated packages * Detailed case studies, real-world examples, hundreds of diagrams, and a free CD-ROM provide context and aid understanding of embedded middleware

Learn cutting-edge MULTIMEDIA skills! Discover how to create impressive multimedia projects using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. Multimedia Demystified is filled with information on the latest technologies, as well as design and production guidelines. This practical guide provides a background on multimedia and then delves into the elements that make up a successful multimedia project. You'll learn about software and hardware tools, digital photography, sound editing, web authoring with HTML, vector graphics, file formats, computer animation, and much more. Detailed examples and concise explanations make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce key concepts. It's a no-brainer! You'll learn about: Graphics, images, text, and typography 2D and 3D animation Music, sound effects, and video Authoring for multimedia functionality Software and hardware Delivering the final project to the intended audience Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Multimedia Demystified helps you master this marketable skill.

"This forward-looking book focuses on interactive television (ITV), and illustrates how it is changing the face of TV broadcasting. The book provides professionals with important technical, strategic, and creative expertise to help in the development of ITV systems and with the assessment of their future business potential. Interactive TV Technology and Markets explains how bandwidth limitations associated with analog TV signals are eliminated as cable, satellite, and terrestrial TV network operators switch to digital bandwidth."--Jacket.