subject: Huang Qilong: The Development Of Several Set-top Box Technology Direction - Set-top Boxes, Digital [print this page] Of: Huang Qilong Nineties from the last century began, Telecommunications Network and the Internet have experienced a magnificent period of great development and integration in the development of each other, their development and integration of people's lives has a huge influence. Today, mobile phones and computers have changed the way people lived, and to a colorful personal life into the digital age.
2004 12 28, Hangzhou, digital TV has announced: Hangzhou digital TV users has reached 100,000, an average of every five families in Hangzhou have a digital TV users. March 28, 2004, Hangzhou launched digital TV. Not long ago, appearing distant digital television, has officially entered the Hangzhou people's lives. TV shows clearer pictures, watching more TV channels, video on demand can also be ... ...
As a "triple play" of another network, digital television is still in the early stages. Digital television signals after the birth of set-top box to solve this problem analog TV to watch digital TV. If this role is only starting from the set-top box can determine the set-top box is a transitional product, the popularity of digital TV set-top box will be eliminated. But the set-top box is not easily exit from the stage of history, set-top boxes will be given more and more features, and even beyond digital television in this area.
More features, more interfaces, more personalized set-top box design will gradually form a diversified product line. Set-top box or even a family Multimedia , To meet the diverse needs of the digital home. In addition to developing its own characteristics, set-top box business other than the integration of a growing number of telecommunications services and data services to various business penetration.
The long run, the expense of set-top box software and hardware features to reduce the set-top box price is certainly not the set-top box way out. Attractive features and services to allow users to find value for money, to give operators bring good returns. The following set-top boxes to explore a few of the more attractive direction.
1, high-quality audio and video output
Now generally support standard-definition set-top box video output, support for MPEG-2 audio decoding standard, with composite video and audio output interfaces, compared to the previous analog cable, users in the visual and auditory effect, do not feel to the nature of change. Digital TV operators claim clearer than analog TV, there is no "snow" phenomenon, in fact, a good place in the signal, analog TV is equally clear.
To support high-definition and Dolby digital set-top box, the video and audio effects have improved greatly. If the front-end digital television with high definition video encoding technology and Dolby Digital audio encoding format, then through the set-top box audio output to Dolby Digital Home Theater System, coupled with high-definition TV, users can experience the multi-channel digital home Stereo And clearly show the shock realistic. This pursuit of high-quality end of life has great appeal to users.
To achieve high-quality audio and video output, set-top box client needs to support high-definition decoding and Dolby Digital audio decoder chip, the software features and compared to the current set-top box is not much difference. Now the problem is the lack of HD programming front-end sources and Dolby Digital program source, making high-end set-top box just to stay on display at the exhibition stage.
II program recording If the user wants to show collections of interest, you can section catalog down. For example, users can fans World Cup Football game recorded for future gradually appreciate. Achieving program needs set-top box with recording capabilities Hard disk And set-top box software to achieve the corresponding functions. If users want to watch the program A, while recording program B, then also need to set-top boxes to support two-way transport stream end of the demodulation: the way for programs to watch, one is used to program recording.
Many set-top box chips support the IDE hard disk interface, set-top box manufacturers can easily extend the functionality in set-top box. Can even consider allowing set-top box through the USB interface to support external Mobile Hard drive to store recorded programs to facilitate the user or other information.
On the set-top box program recording and a lot of interested users, but at present there is not much choice, because carriers generally do not purchase the set-top boxes with hard drives, do not have the program recording.
3, the storage and playback of multimedia files
Users can use Digital Cameras , Mobile phones, digital Video camera So take digital photos, digital video through a standard interface to input to the set-top box store, a person can sit here or watching at any time. Users can also MP3 And other music file formats stored in the set-top box.
Storage requirements of these multimedia files set-top boxes with hard drives, and external interfaces to support the appropriate standards. To view or play multimedia files stored, set-top boxes also need the appropriate software features support, such as image viewer, video player, MP3 player; even consider CD Or DVD Features into set-top box that allows users to directly set-top box or DVD disc CD player.
Rich multimedia features will enable set-top box into a family entertainment center.
4 video on demand Two-way platform-based video on demand service, will fully meet the needs of the user's personalized program. Users at home can enjoy watching the show on demand, no longer have to show no interest in wasting time.
For operators, video-on-demand programming resources will maximize the development and use of different types of programs will be reasonably assigned to the different needs of users. And, according to the number and the frequency of statistics on demand, operators can control what programs local users on the type of demand is large, the demand on which types of programs is relatively small, and thus more reasonable to adjust program resources. At the same time, to facilitate the retrieval, the need to provide appropriate information.
Enable interactive features, requires a two-way set-top box functionality, Cable can be used as a return path information can also be considered forms of using Ethernet (through ADSL Or other return information). In the front end, need to provide VOD services.
Five, interactive TV game
For game lovers, sitting in the living room Sofa Interactive video games to play on the fun too hard to resist. Then the game market size that be? Just chess game, in China
