The Digisoft interactive program guide (IPG)

The Digisoft Interactive Program Guide is available with the DigiHost Service Delivery Platform, and manages and powers the viewer experience through a ground-breaking, configurable interactive program guide (IPG). The Digisoft IPG is a next generation guide that allows the operator to configure and fine-tune exactly how viewers interact with TV and revenue-generating services.

The IPG is the primary portal for viewers to navigate to a service they want to use-from live TV to VOD to application launching. Advanced features such as VOIP, video conferencing, USB device management, Emergency Alert System (EAS), targeted advertising, and more are easily included as required by operators.

Innovative, next-generation services, and third-party interactive applications are easily and readily integrated with the Digisoft IPG while remaining intuitive and easy-to-use for the viewer. The Digisoft IPG can be downloaded or can be made resident on set-top boxes and client devices. Featured visual elements of the IPG that are fully customisable by operators include:

• HD or SD versatile IPG interface
• Fully skinnable IPG
• TV guide (EPG) and channel bar for as many channels as needed
• On-demand shop front
• nPVR interface
• Application launching
• Viewer settings
• Parental controls
• Multi-lingual support and viewer
• language selection
• Telescopic advertising Go to the top

Fully skinnable electronic program guide

Both the user interface and the functionality of the Digisoft IPG are easy to customise, allowing operators to present their distinctive style on the IPG. The Digisoft IPG is developed using dynamic Java components that are furnished with the Digisoft SDK enabling operators to brand and re-skin the IPG in a variety of ways. Furthermore, operators can offer “skins” to their viewers who can personalise their iTV environment much in the same way as users can change wallpaper on their PCs.

The IPG provides a dynamic electronic listing of what’s on TV, offering viewers a 24-hour overview of programming over several days. Program scheduling and information are aggregated at the operator’s head-end facility from a variety of sources and then pushed to the TV guide through the DigiHost server. Viewers use the TV guide to tune to programs and to purchase pay-per-view programs. From the TV guide, viewers can view extended descriptions of a selected program as well as access recording functions.

The on-screen channel banner is a mini-version of the TV guide listings and displays at the bottom of the screen. The channel bar lets viewers know what they’re watching now, what’s on other channels, plus several days worth of program listings for planning ahead.

Operators can configure the IPG to allow viewers to set reminders. Go to the top

On-demand shop front

The on-demand shop front delivers the “True Digital TV Experience” that allows viewers to easily navigate VOD titles, read reviews, watch trailers, and order VOD assets. Operators can customise the presentation of the VOD titles, terms and conditions, pricing, and more upon viewer login authentication and set-top box identification. Operators have full control and traceability for diffused content as the Digisoft solution ensures that all assets are made available only through secure and entitled sessions with authenticated viewers.

All VOD assets support full trickplay features and operators can configure the speed of rewind and fast-forward operations. As with the TV guide, the VOD shop front can be branded and re-skinned.

nPVR interface

The networked personal video recorder (nPVR) service is available from the IPG and is fully interoperable with the TV guide. Viewers can record the current show they are watching or record an upcoming show as well as schedule the recording of entire series if access is provided in areas without legal restrictions. Operators can also configure “reverse” TV programming which allows viewers to view previously-aired TV programs and then watch them as unicast assets on demand.

The Digisoft IPG provides the nPVR interface as its own screen (My Recordings) whereby viewers can manage and view their existing library of recorded shows. Shows can be added manually by the viewer or a show can be added automatically if a viewing session is interrupted. Go to the top

Application and game launching

Viewers can launch applications directly from the IPG, and in addition, operators can configure applications to start automatically when a viewer tunes to a particular channel. Operators can make applications available on a subscription basis or on a pay-as-you-go basis depending on the targeted audience thereby significantly increasing the ARPU.

For example, operators can use a games channel or portal to launch games whereby revenue can be generated by attaching a cost to each game or by allowing extra game sessions based on a viewer’s performance at playing a game. Go to the top

Flexible settings, parental control, and multi-lingual support

The Digisoft IPG is fully configurable for supporting multiple languages and enabling viewer language selection. One of the more popular features is parental controls. The Digisoft IPG includes options for viewers to enable, disable, and change the PIN, as well as restrict access to specific channels, movie ratings, and time periods that household members can watch.

Telescopic advertising

The Digisoft IPG allows for the creation and display of telescopic advertising allowing operators to generate additional revenue in conjunction with partner advertisers. Targeted advertising occurs when viewers tune to a particular channel and a pertinent product or service is displayed in the IPG. The viewer can choose to find out more about the advertised product by viewing a VOD clip for example. Go to the top