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Content archived on 2024-05-27

Flexible And Intelligent (S)MATV Systems

Objective

FLEXIMATV Project will provide a flexible and intelligent mechanism: users connected to collective installations (SMATV/MATV or newly named TCI) will be treated as individual users. Through the development of innovative prototypes matching individual user demands for particular services, based on a tuneable head-end, the high amount of users connected to SMATV/MATV/TCI installations in Europe (more than 54 million) will be able to enjoy the FLEXIMATV results. FLEXIMATV is going to solve the problem of no reception of digital services in SMATV/MATV/TCI installations when the number of subscribers to a particular service is less than a given value (cost constrains or community decisions). The development of prototypes for satellite, cable and terrestrial (convergence and interoperability) will be done in consonance with standardisation: FLEXIMATV members are actively participating in the DVB recently created Group DVB-RCCL-SMATV.

Work description:
The Project will produce relevant and tangible outputs and results, obtaining substantial benefits for the users' right to receive digital services independently if they are connected to a collective network or not ("individual treatment").

In particular, the main work pursued by the Project will be:
To define, system requirements from contents (service provider) and technology (manufacturers and installers) point of view for the establishment of the Control Channel Solution in collective installations, considering market evolving needs.
To identify network convergence requirements for future-proof SMATV (TCI) installations, according to current trends to implement radio, television, telephone, data services coming from different alternative distribution media: terrestrial, satellite, cable, etc.
To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the existing and near future digital satellite services.
To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the near future digital terrestrial services.
To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the near future digital cable services.
To analyse and implement the implications in STBs in software and hardware and to integrate these adaptations in coherence with these implications.
To test the system in laboratory and real scenarios with commercial services and possible real users.
To produce technological inputs for a reliable business plan and associated cost analysis.
To actively contribute in standardisation in order to reach an open standard on the Control Channel solution for collective installations at DVB and to raise the future European specification to the international level (ITU).

Milestones:
FLEXIMATV project provides of a flexible and intelligent solution based on the implementation matching each individual user demands for particular services in a community, allowing the reception of the new digital services broadcast by satellite, cable or terrestrial. Standardisation. The FLEXIMATV consortium is composed of active and promoter members of the DVB-RCLL-SMATV Group; the activities to be carried out under the project complements the specification process to be made under DVB.
The Project has produced relevant and tangible outputs and results essential for the improvement of the community installation environment and in consequence has obtained substantial benefits for the users' right to access to digital contents.

In particular the main objectives pursued by the Project and achieved during this period have been the following:
1. To define, system requirements from contents (service provider) and technology (manufacturers and installers) point of view for the establishment of the Control Channel Solution in collective installations, considering market evolving needs and a convergent network indoor a building, where interoperability is the key driver factor considering that inside the distribution network different services are provided: radio, television, multimedia, data, telephone, cable, etc;
2. To identify network convergence requirements for future-proof SMATV (CIT) installations, according to current trends to implement radio, television, telephone, data services coming from different alternative distribution media: terrestrial, satellite, cable, etc;
3. To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the existing and near future digital satellite services;
4. To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the near future digital terrestrial services;
5. To develop first prototypes on the Controlled Head-ends for the reception of the near future digital cable services;
6. To analyse and implement the implications of a control channel solution in STBs in software and hardware and to integrate these adaptations in coherence with these implications;
7. To test the system in laboratory and real scenarios with commercial services and possible real users;
8. To produce technological inputs for a reliable business plan and associated cost analysis;
9. To actively contribute in standardisation in order to reach an open standard on the Control Channel solution for collective installations at DVB and to raise the future European specification to the international level. Now FELXIMATV guidelines were endorsed by DVB-TM and have been submitted to ETSI.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

HISPASAT, S.A.
EU contribution
No data
Address
CALLE GOBELAS 41
28023 MADRID
Spain

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Total cost
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Participants (9)