Surfing the Web on TV: the MHP approach

Abstract

In last decade, we have seen the first steps to the end of passive television. Thanks to continuous advances in hardware and software, digital TV technology is now mature enough to enhance traditional TV sets (limited to content reproduction) with computing capability to run multimedia software integrating richer formats. A significant example of this progress is Internet access through television, which is becoming a reality in the last generation of digital set-top boxes. However, both media (computers and TVs) are different enough to require noteworthy modifications in their respective computing models. The MHP (multimedia home platform) standard is the first one that tries to define regulations in that sense. We comment on some technical aspects of the MHP solution.