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2. How
BBC Hull works
The Kingston
platform is an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) system that delivers
live video streams, video-on-demand (VOD) and basic HTML, JavaScript and
MySQL/PHP. Video-on-demand is formatted as MPEG video.
All services
are delivered to the viewer via a set top box (STB) and keyboard supplied
by Kingston Communications, linked to an ordinary television set.
Unlike most
VOD systems, the STB communicates information to and from the servers
via your telephone cable.
However ADSL
is unique because the service does not disrupt your telephone service
or does not require a call up to a modem for connectivity.
The BBC Hull
trial has enabled the BBC to push the boundaries of modern broadcasting,
freeing the viewer from the constraints of television scheduling and use
of new services and technologies.
The trial
has empowered viewers giving them the ability to watch what they want
when they want, with the full functionality of being able to fast forward,
rewind and pausing of MPEG video streams, without a hard drive or video
cassette in site.
The BBC is
currently testing the future of Broadband using HTML, Java, JSP, Perl,
MySQL/PHP and of course ADSL technology.
The BBC will
continue to trial new public service applications and present new ideas
in innovative ways.
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