A new advanced test tool to ensure devices comply with the latest CI Plus specification has been released by CI Plus LLP. Testing of the MHEG-based CI Plus Browser is now a mandatory part of the CI Plus conformance regime, helping to ensure interoperability of interactive MHEG applications across all compliant receivers.
The move was welcomed by the industry association IMPALA as being great news for the market. “One of the key advantages of MHEG is the extensive testing and conformance regime that had been refined over many years of live deployments across the world,” said David Cutts, managing director of S&T and a founder member of IMPALA. “This latest development ensures that operators can have confidence that interactive CI Plus applications, such as VOD, will work reliably and consistently across compliant receivers from a range of manufacturers.”
The test tool enables end-to-end testing of CI Plus CAM interfaces, video and data paths and critical security features. The Browser test includes testing specific to the implementation of MHEG, as well as core tests derived from the industry-standard UK Digital Television Group (DTG) MHEG 1.06 profile.
The Common Interface slot is included in all IDTVs of 30 cm and above sold it Europe. The CI Plus technology has been picked up by a number of pay-TV operators including UPC, Ziggo and most recently Sky Deutschland.
