[opendtv] Software updates for DTV sets
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:02:10 -0400
This is essentially an ad, however it does repeat the strange notion
that somehow ATSC "doesn't do" software updates, at least not without
their solution.
ATSC does software updates every bit as well as TCP/IP does software
updates. Meaning, they will not happen by magic, but anyone who
understands how software updates are implemented can use ATSC to provide
software updates. As these folk are doing, by the way.
Perhaps the ATSC could *mandate* that software updates be conducted in a
particular way, for all manufacturers, but that's another matter
entirely. You don't see any such mandates in the computer industry, for
example. The way Microsoft updates its software does not have to be the
same as other software companies. Even if occasionally Microsoft
includes the updates of some other popular software that Wintel machines
use (like, for instance, device drivers), in the Microsoft Update web
site.
In principle, each manufacturer of ATSC/digital cable equipment could
implement a software update scheme of their own choosing, as manual and
cumbersome, or clever and automatic, as they please. This company wants
to use PBS spectrum and National Datacast for the service. And no, they
aren't interested in using NTSC/Dotcast and depending on 40 dB of SNR,
minimum, by the way.
(The same general comment on what ATSC "does" applies to use of
H.264/AVC. There is nothing more "AVC-friendly" in DVB than there is in
ATSC. Certainly, Euro DVB-T has a good incentive for adopting AVC, just
as US DBS companies have. They are trying to add HDTV where it
previously didn't exist, and are having major bandwidth issues in
accomplishing this without degrading their existing SD service. If
serious bandwidth issues don't arise from offering HDTV, obviously the
incentive to migrate to AVC is *reduced*. Somehow, the constraints that
force some systems to adopt AVC sooner rather than later are touted by
the hype-meisters as a "feature." But I digress.)
I like to see this sort of piece because it shows that the problem is
being addressed.
Bert
---------------------------------
http://www.digitaltvdesignline.com/howto/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=3D18=
8
100873&pgno=3D1
May 23, 2006
Software solutions helps Digital TV manufacturers comply with FCC
Mandate
By Patrick Sansonetti, Founder and Vice President of Business
Development, UpdateLogic
Recent action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and
Congress has the television industry scrambling. At the request of the
FCC, Congress established February 14, 2009 as the hard date for the
shut-off of analog television broadcasts. As a result, manufacturers are
busily converting their existing product lines and creating new digital
television (DTV) receivers, while over-the-air broadcasters and cable
operators are installing new digital equipment that is compatible with
the receivers at stations throughout the country.
But, the digital television technology being implemented is still
maturing. Unlike analog-based television sets, today's digital
televisions are chock full of complex software. Like computers, digital
televisions have operating systems and software applications with
high-speed processors and system-level software that makes them run.
While the digital and high-definition technology advancements result in
ultra-crisp picture quality and blow-your-mind sound, digital
televisions are a lot less stable than the old time picture tube analog
TVs. Just like a computer, digital TVs will inevitably require software
updates to fix bugs and support the latest changes in the still maturing
DTV specifications and standards.
The Need for TV Software Update
Software updates are a fact of life for complex computing devices. For
more than 50 years, the television industry has been operating on analog
technology. Analog televisions contain little or no computational
abilities, and have been sold and marketed much the same as any other
home appliance. Thanks in part to FCC mandates and low cost digital
circuitry; the digital age is reaching the most powerful of all home
appliances - the TV. Digital televisions will easily compete with home
computers as the most complex device in the home.
Just like computers need updating, evidence exists to verify the need to
reliably and routinely deliver software updates to televisions.
Currently, manufacturers deliver updates to a consumer's TV using media
devices (such as, USB drivers, compact flash cards, and/or memory
sticks) or by sending technicians to a person's home. These methods are
costly; ranging from $30 for a mailing to $250 for a visit.
Beyond televisions, companies have routinely updated the software within
other types of electronic devices. TiVo, for instance, downloads a new
software patch to its customers DVR devices about once every three
months. Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta update their set-top boxes every
two months on average. PC users know that Microsoft distributes Windows
XP patches weekly.
US Falls Behind
It seems other geographies have a jump on the US when it comes to the
issue of DTV software maintenance. In other parts of the world, DTV
manufacturers, broadcasters, and technology providers have worked
together to address the problem. In Japan, for example, these groups
have created a solution based on the ISDB/ARIB standard and most DTV
manufacturers use it to send regular software updates to DTV devices in
the field. In the United Kingdom, where they've adopted the Digital
Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard, a similar method is used to
distribute updates to deployed DTV devices. Television manufacturers use
this service on average 2.5 times a year to deliver software updates to
their customers.
In the United States, DTV manufacturers rely on what seems like archaic
methods by comparison - either mailing out the update or sending a
technician to visit the consumer's home. Still, others put faith in what
are hopefully technology savvy consumers and provide web based download
facilities, instructing the user on how to manually update the software
on their own TV. All-in-all, even with these methods in place, DTV
consumers have get a raw deal when it comes to dealing with issues that
naturally occur in these complex television products.
Take for example what happened to a major television manufacturer in
February when they announced the existence of a critical software bug
which affected hundreds of thousands of sets worldwide. The embarrassing
bug prevented users from shutting off the set - unless it was unplugged.
In order to fix the problem, the manufacturer offered to pay for a
technician to visit affected consumers' homes. The manufacturers also
alternatively provided a Web site where consumers could download and
manually install the software patch.
It's clear that the situation in the US needs a remedy. What's missing
is a low cost, widely distributed alternative solution that can deliver
software patches easily to consumer sets. In turn, the solution will
protect the manufacturer from product recalls or a device failure and
protects consumers from faulty TVs and expensive repair charges.
The UpdateTV Solution
Until now, there was no cost effective means through which new software
could be delivered to digital TV devices. As an independent company,
UpdateLogic Inc., has worked diligently to create a better solution to
the issue of distributing software updates in the United States. Its
solution, called UpdateTVTM, consists of a nationwide network for both
terrestrial and cable distribution of software updates in the U.S.
UpdateLogic has developed tools which manufacturers can use to enable a
DTV device to receive software patches as they are released. Using
UpdateTV, manufacturers can keep DTV devices in the U.S. market
up-to-date as software bugs arise and standards evolve. UpdateTV
mutually benefits consumers, manufacturers and network operators alike
and ultimately helps assure a successful transition to digital
television within the U.S.
Single-Point Ubiquitous Distribution
UpdateTV uses terrestrial broadcast bandwidth from Public Broadcasting
System (PBS) stations nationwide as the point of entry for distribution
to maximize the reach of the UpdateTV network. Terrestrial broadcast
allows direct access to DTV receivers with antennas and, perhaps more
importantly, direct entry to cable networks (via legal contracts)
without the need for additional infrastructure. To enable the
terrestrial network, UpdateLogic will place data insertion servers and
other related equipment at major terrestrial stations in the PBS network
throughout the U.S. UpdateLogic already has completed an agreement with
National Datacast Incorporated (NDI), a subsidiary of PBS, to lease
bandwidth from the terrestrial PBS stations. Through a network
operations center (NOC) owned and operated by UpdateLogic, data is
delivered to all terrestrial servers simultaneously. These servers
generate a data carousel that is multiplexed with video and audio data
at each of the PBS stations - all of this information is delivered
directly to terrestrial receivers.
National Datacast and PBS are the optimal terrestrial network providers
for "datacasting" - the act of delivering electronics data across
communication network infrastructure. PBS has the greatest number of
digital broadcast stations, covering the vast majority of the U.S.
population. PBS and NDI are working on several other datacasting
initiatives including distribution of electronic programming TV guide
data. As a result they have applicable knowledge and experience to help
UpdateLogic establish and maintain the UpdateTV solution.
Leveraging PBS's extensive network allows the UpdateTV data to reach the
greatest number of terrestrial DTV receivers. Through legally binding
carriage contracts, the UpdateTV data signal can also be carried forward
on cable networks. Ultimately, this assures that the UpdateTV data
carousel can be distributed to the greatest number of television sets by
UpdateLogic for the benefit of consumer electronic vendors, cable
network operators and consumers alike.
Leveraging Industry Standards
UpdateTV is based on the ATSC A/97 Software Data Download Service (SDDS)
standard. The A/97 standard was defined through the cooperative efforts
of DTV manufacturers and broadcasters, and leverages many other
methodologies developed by the ATSC organization since its inception. As
a result, UpdateTV can be (and has been) easily integrated into existing
DTV platforms. UpdateLogic will license the tools it has developed to
simplify the integration of this technology with DTV manufacturers.
Since the A/97 standard was created with cable carriage in mind, the
efforts and the infrastructure necessary to use this same solution in
cable networks is simplified and reduced. The standard was created
primarily for one-way networks (terrestrial and uni-directional cable
products - UDCP), obviating the need for any back channel
communications. However, the software update data can also be
efficiently delivered across bi-directional cable networks, where there
is an even greater need for software updates due to the increased
complexity of the bi-directional DTVs.
Appropriate Tradeoffs
UpdateTV is implemented using a data carousel methodology, which
provides optimal delivery of the same data a multitude of times to
increase the likelihood of reception. Additionally, the UpdateTV data
carousel can vary in length, maximizing the usefulness of all
transmitted data. The maximum size of the carousel is capped to ensure
minimum distribution frequency requirements are met. UpdateTV will
deliver all updates for a multitude of devices within a reasonable
timeframe. This allows UpdateLogic to keep the network costs as low as
possible, without compromising the data delivery times unreasonably.
UpdateTV Technology Overview
UpdateTV is a suite of products and services that allows digital TV
manufacturers to distribute software updates to TVs using the same
broadcast network that currently distributes video and audio content. To
achieve this, a television receiver must be enabled with a special
"agent" that monitors the broadcast streams for available software
updates.
At the appropriate time, specified by the UpdateTV Network, the enabled
receiver will tune to that appropriate broadcast stream and perform a
software download. The UpdateTV Agent will then re-assemble, decrypt,
and authenticate the software image. The image is then installed on the
system as an upgrade to the current software.
Infrastructure has been built into the network and broadcast protocol to
ensure TVs receive only the software images targeting that receiver. The
network and agent verifies the receiver's make, model, version and other
descriptions provided by the network. UpdateLogic acts as an aggregator,
receiving software updates from TV manufacturers and scheduling them on
the network for distribution. Unlike other software distribution models,
end users don't need to be involved or even notified that a software
update is available or has occurred.
The UpdateTV Network physically consists of a collection of networked
data insertion servers and related broadcast equipment used to
distribute software updates to UpdateTV enabled receivers. The Network
provides for distribution via over-the-air and Open Cable digital
networks environments. A high level view of the entire distribution
system is shown below.
Upon completing a brief test certification process by UpdateLogic, the
software patch is distributed from the UpdateLogic central network
control to broadcast facilities via a proprietary protocol. The data is
received at UpdateTV enabled PBS stations throughout the United States
and stored for distribution in the UpdateTV Servers. The UpdateTV
Servers then reformat this software patch in accordance with ATSC A/97
specifications and insert the data into the broadcast stream for
terrestrial distribution. The terrestrial signal is then received by
UpdateTV enabled receivers with antennas. Cable TV operators, via
contract with UpdateLogic, simply rebroadcast the PBS-based signal for
distribution to UpdateTV enabled devices connected to the cable network.
Acting as an Independent Solution Provider
Though tradeoffs had to be made in order to keep the costs low, UpdateTV
was created to work for all manufacturers without prejudice. UpdateLogic
created most of the necessary technology to completely implement this
solution, including the network infrastructure and the solution to be
embedded by DTV manufacturers. All of this combines to create the ideal
solution for the industry, keeping in mind the needs of the network
operators, manufacturers, and consumers. UpdateTV provides a seamless
delivery mechanism from the manufacturer all the way to the DTV
consumer. Because the integrated receiver solution is intelligent, the
consumer does not need to be involved in the update process. And, the
fact that updates can be delivered proactively, quickly, and efficiently
leads to a very good consumer experience which allows the DTV transition
in the U.S. to continue unfettered.
UpdateLogic is a cooperative partner in the industry's efforts to form
standards-based solutions that make good business sense to Consumer
Electric Manufacturers (CEMs). As part of a comprehensive software
update strategy, UpdateLogic's open business model approach provides
CEMs with the security that the network will always be there at the
minimum cost. Additionally, the Company will continue to work with the
standards committees, cable operators, and CEMs to extend the usages for
the network such that the initial investment can be maximally leveraged.
A cooperative model, like UpdateTV, provides standardized solutions at
enterprise speeds.
UpdateLogic's goal with UpdateTV was to maximize the number of DTVs that
could be reached using a single distribution point and create a
standards-based network distribution mechanism that could balance
bandwidth, delivery speed/time and cost. Further, the solution had to be
independent from manufacturers and network operators, allowing a new
level of synergy to be reached between these industries, for the good of
both.
Based on negotiations by UpdateLogic and with the support of cable
operators, UpdateTV solution is provided to the industry at a reasonable
cost. The adoption of this technology helps to assure the seamless
transition from analog to digital televisions and the continued growth
of the DTV industry within the US.
About the author
Patrick Sansonetti is a founder of UpdateLogic, Inc., which includes
relationships with device manufacturers, semiconductor vendors and other
third parties. Prior to UpdateLogic, Inc., he was a member of the
management team and Vice President at Vibren Technologies, an NEC
subsidiary, which provided consulting services to the consumer
electronics and personal computer industries. Sansonetti holds a B.A. in
Math and Computer Science from the College of the Holy Cross. He can be
reached at patrick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
All material on this site Copyright 2006 CMP Media LLC. All rights
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