TechniSat MultyText® for interactive digital television

TechniSat, in cooperation with the German Weather Service and Strategy & Technology (S&T) of the UK, is pleased to present the TechniSat Germany & Regional weather service – the first MHEG-5 application in Germany – at this year’s IFA show in Berlin (4-9 September 2009).

As Germany’s leading manufacturer of digital receivers, the company is committed to equipping all of its digital receivers and IDTVs with Technisat MultyText® technology, thus paving the way for MHEG-5 to gain access to the German TV market.

TechniSat MultyText® is based on the successful open MHEG-5 standard used by the extremely successful Freeview digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) and Freesat digital satellite platforms in the UK. Freesat already carries HDTV, while Freeview is to begin HD broadcasts later this year.

Interactive multimedia television

Technisat MultyText® allows providers to broadcast interactive multimedia applications together with the TV or radio programme, including news, weather, financial data, sports results and much more.

Interactive content can be displayed in an attractive graphical form, and linked with individual information pages. From the pocket calculator with a screen to the interactive weather report with automatically updated, data-base-based information – the viewer uses selection lists and numeric entries to conveniently control the MultyText® applications received via the remote control.

Many MultyText®-ready units already available

Some existing TechniSat digital receivers – such as the digital satellite receivers DIGIT MF4-S Plus and DIGIT MF8-S – can be fitted with MultyText® functions retrospectively by means of automatic software updates. Viewers owning these products can already benefit from the interactive MultyText® features now available.

TechniSat Germany & Regional Weather Service

The application shows an overview of the current weather situation for the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, including a three-day forecast. In addition, acute weather warnings/advisories issued by the German Weather Services can be easily accessed with the remote control.

The proprietary service allows all customers owning a TechniSat MultyText® receiver to enjoy an added value service immediately, free of charge. As TechniSat broadcasts this service via its own transmission facilities, the Germany & Regional Weather Service can be received and called up directly via TechniSat’s own programme information service SiehFern INFO, independently of the TV channel selected.

“MultyText® is an open MHEG-5 standard that enables us to implement a multitude of interactive multimedia applications,” says Reinhold Zanoth, the project manager responsible at TechniSat Digital GmbH. “MultyText® provides an additional benefit to customers, but also to programme providers and manufacturers.”

“We are therefore particularly pleased to present the first interactive MultyText® service in Germany, developed in collaboration with the German Weather Service. In achieving this, S&T has proved to be a valuable technology partner whose extensive experience has enabled us to implement the technical conditions required to implement MultyText®,” adds Zanoth.

Says Uwe Kirsche, press spokesperson of the German Weather Service: “Providing the population with prior warnings of severe and dangerous weather conditions is one of the most important duties of the German Weather Service. In order to avoid or at least reduce damage caused by weather, it is important to make detailed warnings of storms and severe weather conditions available swiftly and in the simplest form possible.”

“The new service provided by TechniSat means that in future television viewers will have the opportunity, after first having followed initial alarming reports in news broadcasts, to simply switch over and obtain detailed information about dangerous weather conditions in their district or county.”

Colin Prior, Director of International Sales at S&T, says: “We are delighted to facilitate the introduction of MHEG-5 services in Germany with such an important service for TechniSat customers, and look forward to the increasing deployment of this powerful interactive TV technology by German broadcasters.”