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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of (a) the differences between the MHP and MHEG digital standards and (b) the implications of one being preferred for use in the UK. [198260] Mr. Mike O'Brien: MHEG-5 and MHP are closely related open API (application programming interface) standards for interactive digital television. MHP is a more advanced, complex and capable API which was developed several years after MHEG-5 was chosen by the UK free-to-air terrestrial TV broadcasters for the launch of their digital TV services. To enable the kinds of advanced interactive service which MHP can offer (but MHEG-5 cannot), the TV set needs to be connected to a telephone line, or other telecoms network. MHP receivers are more expensive than MHEG-5 receivers; the MHP suite of standards is not yet complete or stable. To date, very few MHP applications have been developed and interoperability problems are beginning to surface in countries (eg Italy) which are early adopters of MHP. MHEG-5 is much more mature. Almost all digital terrestrial TV receivers in the UK incorporate MHEG- 5, whereas other countries are seeing their market split between relatively expensive MHP receivers and simple "zapper boxes" without any API at all. A DTI-commissioned study on the technical issues of coexistence of MHEG-5 and MHP based services and on migration to MHP was completed in May 2002. Since then, further investigations, supported by DTI, have led to demonstrations of interactive services receivable on both MHEG-5 and MHP receivers. Work to align the two standards more closely is nearing completion. Manufacturers can now easily produce receivers supporting both standards. This MHP/ MHEG capability is expected to be incorporated in "baseline" MHP receivers available across Europe. The UK is well-placed to switch over to digital terrestrial TV, with MHEG-5 in the vast majority of receivers providing support for a raft of desirable interactive services. As MHP matures and becomes established in other markets, there is the prospect of the widespread adoption of MHP/MHEG-capable receivers in UK, particularly when the "main" TV comes up for replacement. This would open the way to an organic extension of simple interactive services based on MHEG-5 to advanced applications using MHP, taking advantage of a telecomms connection which users may well be persuaded to extend to their main receiver over the next few years.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

198260; 426 c1301-2W;426 c1305-6W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Digital broadcasting Digital technology ICT Standards Television

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk