Belgian public broadcaster VRT is leading a trial of MPEG-DASH (dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP) during the London Olympics.
The DASH Promoters Group, supported by the European Broadcasting Union, is facilitating live MPEG-DASH streaming of the 2012 London Olympics, with DRM content protection, to demonstrate the benefits of this unifying standard for adaptive streaming.
The proof of concept was initiated by the EBU, which sees MPEG-DASH as a key enabler allowing broadcasters to use a single file and streaming format to deliver content to multiple devices on multiple platforms. “The EBU strives for open, efficient and interoperable broadcast services and we believe MPEG-DASH is a means to these goals,” said Lieven Vermaele, EBU Director of Technology & Innovation. “On a daily basis, our members face the challenge of distributing large libraries of audio and video to an audience that uses a multitude of devices and technologies. MPEG-DASH is a comprehensive solution for them.”
The demonstration features a live video stream encoded using the MPEG-DASH ISO Base Media File Format Live Profile, delivered through Belgacom’s Content Delivery Network to a range of device categories including tablets, smartphones and PCs running iOS, Android and Windows operating systems.
The demonstration is based on an early version of the DASH-264 interoperability guidelines, specifically developed by the DASH Promoters Group for interoperable deployment of the MPEG-DASH standard. DASH-264 provides a general interoperability framework aligned with the HbbTV 1.5 specification and other consortia recommendations.
HbbTV 1.5 will be widely used by European broadcasters for interactive services on connected televisions.
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