Overview
IEC 62298-1:2005 - TeleWeb Application – Part 1: General Description defines the core concepts behind the TeleWeb application, an innovation that enables broadcasting of Web-style text and graphics to compatible decoders over various broadcast platforms. As a successor to Teletext, TeleWeb aims to enhance the television viewing experience by merging the interactivity and visual presentation associated with the World Wide Web with traditional and digital broadcasting environments.
TeleWeb allows transmission of content such as text, images, and simple web elements, making them accessible on TVs, set-top boxes, portable decoders, and even personal computers. The standard outlines both the structural framework and the foundational requirements necessary for the effective delivery and display of TeleWeb content, supporting multiple delivery technologies including VBI (Vertical Blanking Interval), DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting), and DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).
Key Topics
- Service Delivery and Decoding: TeleWeb services are designed to be transmitted across a variety of broadcast platforms and received by diverse decoder types. These protocols and compatibility are discussed for optimal flexibility and scalability.
- Profiles: Two main profiles are defined: the Superteletext profile (providing enhanced teletext capabilities using fixed layouts, multiple fonts and styles, bit-mapped images, and navigation options), and the Hyperteletext profile (which adds increased interactivity and support for advanced web technologies).
- Display Model: TeleWeb introduces a multi-plane display architecture, separating content into layers such as video, background, text/graphics, and optional cursor layers, with prioritization for effective user interface rendering.
- Control and Navigation: The user interaction is designed to be intuitive, employing color-coded and numbered keys to facilitate movement through TeleWeb pages, selection of links, and activation of service functions.
- Content Management: Supports service menus, "home" pages, bookmarks, and history features. Content can be filtered based on themes, services, or available memory.
- Compatibility and Efficiency: Focuses on cost-efficient implementation, enabling manufacturers to produce user-friendly decoders while minimizing processing complexity.
Applications
- Enhanced Television Services: TeleWeb is primarily used to provide an enriched TV viewing experience by overlaying web-style content such as news, weather, sports, or program-related information directly on-screen.
- Interactive Broadcasts: The Hyperteletext profile enables interactive features, such as viewer participation or live updates, leveraging return channels when available.
- Broadcaster Flexibility: Allows broadcasters to reuse existing infrastructure (like Teletext transmission) while introducing high-definition graphics and richer navigation.
- Multiple Platforms: The specification supports not only TVs but also portable decoding devices and PCs, facilitating content delivery beyond traditional TV viewing.
- Internationalization: With multi-language support (East and West European Latin-1 languages), TeleWeb is suitable for global deployment.
Related Standards
- IEC 62298-2: Specifies TeleWeb delivery methods.
- IEC 62298-3: Details the Superteletext profile, including technical parameters for content formatting and presentation.
- IEC 62298-4 (in preparation): Will define the Hyperteletext profile for interactive applications.
- IEC 62297: Covers trigger messages for broadcast applications.
- ETSI EN 300 231: Pertains to Programme Delivery Control (PDC).
- ETSI EN 300 468: Specifies service information in DVB systems.
- ETSI EN 300 707: Describes protocols for electronic program guides using data transmission.
- ITU-R BT 1379-1: Addresses safe areas for wide-screen and standard aspect ratio productions.
IEC 62298-1:2005 provides the foundational guidance for integrating web-style applications with broadcast technologies, ensuring future-proofed, flexible, and interactive content delivery across markets and platforms. For organizations seeking to leverage broadcast web content, this international standard is an essential reference for design, implementation, and interoperability.