Globally Executable MHP

Globally Executable MHP (GEM ) is a DVB specification of a Java -based software platform for interactive services in digital television, such as equipment for the internet television IPTV, set- top boxes and Blu- Ray players. GEM is a standard of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI TS 102 819, ETSI TS 102 728 ) and a recommendation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU- T J.202 ). GEM defines common Application Programming Interfaces ( API) and functionality for different device classes that are independent of the network protocols and the signaling in a specific transmission network and thus enable interoperable Java applications.

GEM is not implemented directly but forms the basis for terminal equipment specifications for specific networks (eg American cable networks, IPTV ) or classes of devices (eg Blu- ray Disc player ). GEM defines profiles for different classes of devices (targets ). These set the available functionalities for the associated device class. Currently, GEM defines device classes for Broadcast, Packaged Media (Blu -Ray), IPTV and OTT (Internet). These classes of devices can be combined to a hybrid platform which devices having different network interfaces, such as a combined broadcast / Internet set-top box are possible.

History

Several years ago, the DVB Project developed a Java-based software platform called MHP, which made it possible to develop software applications for digital television platforms. Examples of such applications include Electronic Program Guides ( EPG), video on demand ( VOD), news ticker, teletext, interactive applications, email, etc. The specifications of MHP define the transmission of MHP applications ( Xlets ) over DVB -based transmission networks (eg terrestrial networks via DVB -T, satellite networks via DVB -S, DVB- C cable networks ). After other standardization organizations such as CableLabs and the Blu -ray Disc Association decided to build their own standardized software platforms for DTV to MHP, it was necessary to create a basic specification for such cases, the abstraction of the protocol and transfer specific elements of MHP, but the application programming interfaces ( APIs) maintains and enables broad interoperability of applications on different devices.

Meanwhile GEM is the primary middleware specification of the DVB and a standalone version of GEM was published in ETSI TS 102 728, the latest version of MHP ETSI TS 102 727 is derived from GEM.

Platforms

Currently, the following standards are based on GEM:

  • The Multimedia Home Platform ( MHP), the open multimedia software platform by the DVB Project
  • The OpenCable Application Platform ( OCAP / tru2way ), a software platform for cable networks in North America, which is standardized by CableLabs,
  • The Advanced Common Application Platform ( ACAP ) which is standardized by ATSC in North America,
  • GEM - IPTV, a GEM - variant for telecommunications networks;
  • ARIB B.23, which is standardized by ARIB in Japan,
  • PAE, the Java -based procedural middleware of the Open IPTV Forum,
  • BD -J, the Java Platform for Blu -ray.

Since all of these platforms are based on Java and a common GEM - core, it is possible to write applications that are interoperable for these platforms.

Set-Top-Box Blu-ray Disc Association Association of Radio Industries and Businesses BD-J
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