Description

This book provides an overview of television set top boxes, their key parts, and how they work. You will learn about the different types of STBs, how they operate, what types of operating systems (OS) they use, the types of interfaces they can have. You will understand the common types of video and audio media processing capabilities they have, how they use application program interfaces to communicate with TV broadcast systems, and how applications are transferred into and operate on STBs.

Some of the key components inside STBs include a microprocessor, memory, device interfaces (analog and digital), conditional access module card (for certain types of systems), a network interface (tuners and transmitters), and a user interface.

Set top boxes operate by receiving and selecting broadcast signals, decoding and decompressing media signals, and converting them (rendering) into a form that can be used by end user devices (such as a television). The types of set top boxes include analog STBs, digital STBs, IP STBs, embedded STBs, and virtual STBs.

The operating systems (OS) used by STBs are somewhat different than those used by personal computers. STB operating systems must operate with limited resources (limited memory and processing power), must respond to services in real time, and be highly reliable.

Set top boxes can have many types of media processing capabilities. These can include decoding graphics, audio, video, and running software programs. Some STBs include hardware that can efficiently decode highly compressed media (such as MPEG-4) and others must perform the decoding using software which can limit the ability of the STB to provide for certain types of services.

Set top boxes can have many types of interfaces. Discover how a STB may be able to connect to several types of networks (such as a cable TV system, a TV broadcast system, or a satellite TV system like Direct TV or Dish Network.) Learn how STBs run software applications and how these applications can be developed.

Some of the important topics featured in this book include:

• • TV STB Functional Parts
• • STB Architecture
• • Functional Operation
• • STB Protocols
• • TV Applications
• • Application Development
• • Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

About the Author

Lawrence Harte is the president of Althos, an expert information provider covering the communications and media industries. He has over 29 years of technology analysis, development, implementation, and business management experience. He has setup, managed, and provided training for keyword advertising, search engine optimization, affiliate links, email broadcasting marketing programs. Mr. Harte has interviewed hundreds of Internet web marketing experts and tested many types of web marketing systems to discover the key success principles used for Internet marketing programs. He has setup and published several monthly printed and electronic magazines. Mr. Harte's combined knowledge and experience in business systems, communications technologies allow him to communicate well with all people within a company that have a need to understand marketing programs and communication systems. He has authored over 80 books on communications technologies and business topics including Internet marketing, business finance, mobile communications, IP telephony, and billing systems. Mr. Harte holds many degrees and certificates include an Executive MBA from Wake Forest University (1995) and a BSET from the University of the State of New York, (1990).