DTG and Project Canvas
The BBC Trust gave Project Canvas a provisional green light in December, to go ahead with the BBC’s involvement following a lengthy consultation period. Given their industry involvement to date, the digital TV Group (DTG), which is made up of over 140 trade organizations including broadcasters, hardware manufacturers and platform operators, has raised concerns about Canvas’s plans and intentions. The DTG is working with members toward a ‘Connected TV’ standard which has similar goals as Canvas to create an internet-connected television service which will become available within their ‘D-Book 7’ specification.
A spokesman for DTG stated, “Many DTG Members have expressed concern that, while the DTG Membership have demonstrated a willingness to develop a Connected TV specification through the normal DTG process, the proposed Canvas [joint venture] members appear to have not fully engaged with industry.”
“A significant number of DTG Members fear that the published Trust Provisional Conclusions making only a ‘best endeavours’ requirement on the Canvas JV to engage with industry to achieve consensus is insufficient and unlikely to deliver an industry agreed specification.
“Many DTG Members believe that it would be a great shame if this were allowed to happen and a major departure from the processes that have delivered the successful platform that Freeview is today.”
The DTG is obviously going off of their experience so far with dealing with the Project Canvas team, but it should be noted that on the Canvas website it does state they intend to work with the DTG and to the Connected TV standard.
“As part of its submission to the BBC Trust, the BBC asked for permission to develop the technical specification for devices in conjunction with the industry. The BBC Trust granted permission for the partners to begin this work with standards body the Digital Television Group (DTG) in July 2009. “The DTG’s work to establish a standard for ‘connected TV devices’ will be published as an industry standard (DBook 7) in early 2010. “All ‘Canvas compliant’ devices will meet this standard.”