PS3 Web Browser Discussion - big upgrade rumoured for long time, but no concrete news

[jeff_rigby]

No, I am not "acknowledging" anything like that. These things run as daemons, not "parts of the main loop". That expression is completely irrelevant and meaningless here. It is a term *specific to event driven architectures*. Unixes are NOT structured that way. And apart from you, I've never heard anyone calling systemd core processes a "main loop".

The "main event loop" is *specific to event driven software architectures* like GTK. This a software architecture where the dynamic operation of the system is approached through the concept of routing and handling "events". "Main loops" take messages from a queue or wherever and they process them (dispatch them to other processes or do something else based on them). They are overwhelmingly used on the higher levels of the architecture (typically GUIs). The Windows GUI, for example, was already "event driven" even in 3.1. I wrote message-handling "main loops" for Windows 3.1 programs already.

Unixes work differently. They are made up of several concurrently running but otherwise absolutely traditional programs ("processes"). From their own point of view, these can act as if they were completely separate and independent and access resources independently. There is a central scheduling and process management component (which is *not* called a "main loop") that can assigns resources (processing time and memory) to these different processes. This scheduling component does not receive and dispatch events between these processes in the way event driven systems do. But you *can* add *other processes* to the system (like a dbus daemon) that can take on such tasks.

There actually *are* things in Unix that are somewhat like events and they are called "signals". These are used to signal extraordinary situations (like someone pressing ctrl-c in a console). Unix programs can watch for and handle these signals.

OK, I think I understand where I went wrong in using the term "main" loop for the dbus event loop and calling it the Main Event loop. Thank you for explaining.

Edit: years ago Gnome developers removed the GTK+ GUI parts from Glib so it could be efficiently used with other toolkits and projects. Prior to that point the reference I quoted that "anything calling Glib was Gnome (GTK+)" was accurate. Gnome = GTK only which I didn't understand. Glib still contains multiple libraries that have the G prefix for Gnome but not the GTK UI routines. Using those libraries required for Gnome allow other applications to share APIs with Gnome programs/libraries which makes them nearly Gnome except for the GUI. So Sony moving to a Sony styled POSIX GUI but still using GTK (GNOME) APIs and Glib is even closer but by definition not Gnome.

Edit on Edit: WebMAF is used for apps on the PS3 and PS4 and that is based on Mozilla/Firefox which is again based on Gnome. Sony is using the Webkit version of WebMAF not the Gecko version.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Anyone notice:

PS3 PS Home closes it's doors March 31 2015 which is a Firmware update Tuesday

Music unlimited becomes Spotify on both the PS3 and PS4 (March 29, 2015 Music Unlimited ends and likely March 31 Spotify begins with a firmware update) in 41 different markets with multiple languages which requires new apps. Are they to both be HTML5/openGL based or different. One of the things that should happen if the UI software stack changes on the PS3 is that current apps would have to be rewritten at least in part. Is this why Home closes it's doors on the same date?

Tidex states the PS4 is getting a major firmware update March 29, 2015. Is he speculating on the above or does he have inside information. Sony's blog states that a Major PS4 firmware update is coming soon. http://www.worldsfactory.net/2015/02/24/rumor-big-ps4-firmware-update-around-29-march

The latest PS3 firmware update added Closed Caption Text to the DVD and Blu-ray player and of course stability updates. Adding text to the DVD and Blu-ray player means the "Video player" core was touched which I expected with Playready DRM being integrated into the OS. Will the XMB soon be Cairo with Harfbuzz like the PS4 (Pango was depreciated)? This is what is used in latest versions of Firefox, GNOME, ChromeOS, Chrome, LibreOffice, XeTeX, Android, and KDE, among other places.

The OS if using Harfbuzz makes the PS3 a easy to support international OS (remember 41 different Spotify markets need multiple text (right to left, left to right and vertical) and languages ). The target language should automatically change in all apps rather than software packages being targeted for countries. The PS3 had separate DVD and Blu-ray players and separate language packs for those apps and this is why closed captioning waited till now...my opinion.

Note: This possible XMB change to Cairo-Pango is an on-going gentleman's disagreement between androvsky and myself from late 2011. Harfbuzz (pango depreciated) can be used with OpenVG rather than Cairo if Sony still feels there is a security issue in using Cairo. Point that favors the use of Cairo is that HTML5 and W3C webGL is required for Vidipath certified platforms. RUI requires a standard across all certified platforms. The PS3 is still missing accelerated (GPU with Cairo/OpenGL) text in the browser..

Past threads that are part of this:

191 Jobs postings at Sony this month (June 2014) point to something massive happening end of 2014 ramping up through 2015 with HTML5 apps and services..
Sony Plans to Expand Game Division into Media Hub
Game Consoles to replace Cable boxes and the connected home starts 2014 June 2015

 

[Infernostew]

Tidex states the PS4 is getting a major firmware update March 29, 2015. Is he speculating on the above or does he have inside information.

Errrr

 

[bakedpony]

maybe giantbomb's video player will finally work with the ps3 browser

 

[jeff_rigby]

Home Network sharing of Media

Quick overview of things to come.

DTCP-IP paper and authorized protection for: Output from AACS-enabled HD DVD & Blu-ray players. Which means we will soon have Blu-ray players that stream over the home network to certified platforms.. PS4, XB1 and maybe the PS3 can support this. This was also an example I found in 2012 in a paper to the EU power boards for a game console accessing and controlling a blu-ray player over the home network and requiring IPTV power modes.

Samba network file server and remote Blu-ray later this year can support diskless game consoles like the rumored Xbox 360 Mini or a PS3 (no rumors).

DTLA CVP‐2 Volume1 Specification
Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., Intel Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, Toshiba Corporation

 

[peace]

It really is an awful browser. My PC was out of commission for a few weeks last December and I was basically left to choose between an awesome browser on a low-tech system, a shitty browser on a high-tech system, or a shitty browser on a low-tech system that I could use while taking a shit.

I'm Interested to know what the systems actually were here heh

 

[jeff_rigby]

SCEA’s Research and Development Organization is looking for a senior level engineer to support its PSVR SDK (Playstation Voice Recognition) development for all PlayStation games for current and future platforms.

To help handle/compile standard web based grammar support for multi-languages for voice recognition grammar and dictionary.

To provide the PSVR SDK support, coordination, and improvement for all games and to PS4 system for multi languages, particularly for Japanese. Including AEC support, VSH integration, and performance debugging for applications.

Notice it's web based and in the PS4 the Webbrowser and native support libraries are always loaded (WebGL desktop). For Games a SDK for game developers and of course for the PS4 UI just expand on what we have now.

Note that I expect the browser to have Voice Recognition and since DLNA CVP2 = Vidipath is a HTML5 browser app then it will have Voice Recognition also.

As to timing, Voice recognition is via the Tensilica Xtensa HiFi DSP which is in the Southbridge and it appears Sony is now working with routines in the Southbridge. I expect Sony to target the casual user making the PS4 one of the easier CE platforms to use with Media.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Bringing Virtual Reality to the Web: VR, WebGL and CSS – Together At Last!.

WebGl, WebVR and the Metaverse

The PS4 Open Source list includes Lua which was used by the PS3's Home as the scripting language. Could there be a webGL 3D "Home" in the PS4's future? 3D on 3D TVs and VR head mounted displays...

use something cheap like in this video to head track (most phones already have a camera and middleware that can head track but for game console cameras, sitting further from the camera you may need stripes or lights on eyeglass frames) and you can support a form of VR on a 2D TV and more on 3D TVs and HMDs.

Facebook, a web based social network, buying Oculus is now understandable and everyone assuming VR will require very powerful platforms is debunked.

Found this based on Nintendo partnering with DeNA and DeNA has a VR game prototype running on a Samsung Samsung Note 4.

January 6, 2015 - DeNA, a global leader in developing and publishing mobile games, today launched Protocol Zero, an innovative stealth-shooter for Samsung Gear™ VR Innovation Edition powered by Oculus technology. The first immersive first person action game released for Gear VR, Protocol Zero engages players in an intense, heart-pumping 360° experience. A demo version is available now for free on the Oculus Store exclusively for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

The Samsung Note 4 has Tensilica Xtensa processors as does the XB1 and PS4 and I expect the Nintendo NX will also. A Xtensa processor of sufficient power can do Voice and gesture, Codecs, DRM and can post process video frames for a Oculus display.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Official Confirmation in the Playstation blog: PS4 Update 2.50 “Yukimura” Preview: Suspend/Resume and More

Q: Forward thinking console? Can we have online friend alerts and DNLA?! Something your last console had th should’ve been present at launch!

A: + Scott McCarthy on March 11th, 2015 at 5:28 pm said: We want PS4 versions of these features, not a cut/ paste from last gen. Stay tuned.

= DLNA 2 with metadata support, Three box model and more like Plex Client and metadata compatibility ?

Q: Can we get an update to play videos from our external hard drives like the ps3 already does? Or the ability to stream from our wd external cloud devices?

A: + Scott McCarthy on March 11th, 2015 at 5:43 pm said: We want PS4 versions of these features, not a cut/ paste from last gen.

The PS4 will be a media hub and will use DLNA to stream a Blu-ray disk over the home network, Playready sideload and serve media over the home network again using DLNA and much much more. What's planned for the PS4 can be seen in numerous Sony patents.

Game streaming as well as DLNA Client and Server features in the PS4 are in part how Playstation Vue, Now and Store get accessed by other platforms in the home.

The Connected home and all this home network sharing gets a kick in the ass with the FCC mandate requiring Cable company DVRs to support streaming this June 2015.

Keep cable but lose the box with VidiPath, a new wireless way to watch

DLNA-Vidipath

Moore told us the first approved VidiPath devices will begin hitting the market as early as the second quarter of this year.

“there are (game) consoles that I know of that will be VidiPath certified as well.” With Sony in the mix, it’s not a stretch to assume the PS4 could incorporate the technology. And DLNA Marketing Manager Katie Gengler also hinted that TV manufacturers are looking into firmware updates that could potentially make some existing smart TVs compatible with VidiPath. While we’re still waiting for the VidiPath veil to be lifted, it appears the protocol will hit the ground running once it premieres in the next few months.

Now that suspend/resume will be here with Firmware 2.5, DLNA which comes last is now possible.

Examples:

Plain old PS3 client DLNA could be easily implemented but the following are going to be supported.

DLNA three box model where the PS4 is able to be controlled by a phone or tablet requires AOAC network standby support where the phone can turn on the PS4 and have the PS4 turn on a stereo or TV using CEC depending on media to be played (Music or Video) and control the PS4 DLNA Player/renderer.

The PS4 as a DLNA server on the home network, the same network standby but not turning on a local TV or stereo and transcoding as well as DASH (adaptive streaming) media using DLNA over the home network with DTCP-IP DRM. DASH is needed because it could be a WiFi network.

Consolidating multiple DLNA RUI server menus in one Menu on the PS4 (patent). Churn which is described as customers leaving your UI (with access to your store and services) to use another services UI is to be avoided....you want the customer to always have easy access to your service where you make money.

ooVoo is going to accept calls while the PS4 is in "rest mode" and turn on the PS4 and TV which also needs Network standby and CEC functionality...Some DLNA and ooVoo functions will be written at the same time. What bothers me is I expect DLNA Blu-ray server ability won't occur till after Oct-Nov or when enough certified platforms are on the market to make it practical.

Spotify has a off line music playing feature which requires the music to be downloaded and saved on the PS3 and PS4. This I think requires Playready sideload and uses OGG Vorbis for audio file compression which is already in the PS4. Spotify could be streamed to other certified platforms in the home from the PS4 and PS3 along with blu-ray disks and other media Payready sideloaded to the PS4 Hard Disk.

OGG Vorbis is used for Spotify, HTML5 <audio> and Video chat (ooVoo). Since Spotify is coming to the PS3 we should expect OGG Vorbis in the PS3 and likely a HTML5 update. ooVoo for the PS3 is also possible. Edit: at this time on the PS3, Spotify is a self contained app at 43 MB. On the PS4 at 8MB it's using the PS4 software stack.

 

[i-Jest]

Sony better start supporting they're console browsers. What was the point in enabling browser functionality if your not going to update the damn thing.

 

[OverBlood 3]

This thread is legendary.

 

[Joe Molotov]

A cut/paste of the PS3's DLNA support would be better than what we've got now, which is fucking nothing. I don't wanna pay $50 a year for a Plex Pass just because Sony doesn't want to get off their ass and provide last-gen features.

 

[androvsky]

A cut/paste of the PS3's DLNA support would be better than what we've got now, which is fucking nothing. I don't wanna pay $50 a year for a Plex Pass just because Sony doesn't want to get off their ass and provide last-gen features.

Plex should be a one time fee of around $5 once it's out of beta, like it is on other platforms. I'm just surprised it's been in beta this long. So one way or another we'll get DLNA or something like it eventually.

 

[Massa]

A cut/paste of the PS3's DLNA support would be better than what we've got now, which is fucking nothing. I don't wanna pay $50 a year for a Plex Pass just because Sony doesn't want to get off their ass and provide last-gen features.

Well, it would make no sense to spend $50 on a year of Plex when you could buy a dedicated media streaming box for that much.

 

[i-Jest]

Plex should be a one time fee of around $5 once it's out of beta, like it is on other platforms. I'm just surprised it's been in beta this long. So one way or another we'll get DLNA or something like it eventually.

By that time people would have already moved onto PS4 and how shitty it's browser is. Don't mind me, the subject of PlayStation 3 and 4 browsers makes me salty.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Plex should be a one time fee of around $5 once it's out of beta, like it is on other platforms. I'm just surprised it's been in beta this long. So one way or another we'll get DLNA or something like it eventually.

Sony is planning to support multiple DLNA servers on the home network as ONE RUI menu on their platform; Cable TV DVR, DLNA Server, Blu-ray player, Playstation Vue....etc.

Application running device to personalize the rui

AUTOMATIC DISCOVERY AND MIRRORING OF SERVER-CLIENT REMOTE USER INTERFACE (RUI) SESSION ON A COMPANION DEVICE AND SYNCHRONOUSLY CONTROLLING BOTH SESSIONS USING RUI ON COMPANION DEVICE

METHOD TO CREATE A COMPOSITE RUI FROM MULTIPLE RUIs

The Plex client will eventually be replaced by the Sony PS4 client if they have two or more DLNA servers on their home network. The number of Sony patents to accomplish this makes me believe it's a big issue they will spend time on to get it attractive to us.

So only one DLNA RUI menu on the PS4 with everything consolidated. Search, E-program guides, DVR and reminder built in.

 

[rothbart]

The Plex client will eventually be replaced by the Sony PS4 client if they have two or more DLNA servers on their home network. The number of Sony patents to accomplish this makes me believe it's a big issue they will spend time on to get it attractive to us.

I'm a fan of Sony's work as well, but if you're going to sit there with a straight face and tell me that Sony's upcoming DLNA enhancements will outdo a Plex setup (with remote transcoding), then I'll believe it when I see it. Part of the beauty of Plex is that it takes all sorts of media (and formats) and spits them out in a compatible manner for whichever device you're using.

That said, if you're ONLY referring to Plex's DLNA component (which nobody should use at this point since the Plex clients are available natively), then it's possible, but I still doubt it since the Plex DLNA server is quite featureful compared to other DLNA implementations I've seen.

I'm all for DLNA enhancements (enough of you are clamoring for it) but until/unless this new DLNA addresses many of the existing DLNA pitfalls (iffy media support, no access controls, typically simplistic user interfaces, etc.)... solutions like Plex will still lead to a better experience when you're able to run your own Plex Server.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Spotify has a off line music playing feature which requires the music to be downloaded and saved on the PS3 and PS4. This I think requires Playready sideload and uses OGG Vorbis for audio file compression which is already in the PS4.

Spotify uses its own custom DRM

 

[jeff_rigby]

I'm a fan of Sony's work as well, but if you're going to sit there with a straight face and tell me that Sony's upcoming DLNA enhancements will outdo a Plex setup (with remote transcoding), then I'll believe it when I see it. Part of the beauty of Plex is that it takes all sorts of media (and formats) and spits them out in a compatible manner for whichever device you're using.

That said, if you're ONLY referring to Plex's DLNA component (which nobody should use at this point since the Plex clients are available natively), then it's possible, but I still doubt it since the Plex DLNA server is quite featureful compared to other DLNA implementations I've seen.

I'm all for DLNA enhancements (enough of you are clamoring for it) but until/unless this new DLNA addresses many of the existing DLNA pitfalls (iffy media support, no access controls, typically simplistic user interfaces, etc.)... solutions like Plex will still lead to a better experience when you're able to run your own Plex Server.

Most older DLNA servers provide a RVU bitmap picture of a menu for the DLNA client (PS3). New DLNA servers will provide a HTML5 RUI menu. The Plex server transcodes for the Plex browser client as it is generally just the codec supported by HTML5 <video> in the browser and in the browser can use a RVU or HTML5 RUI.

I'm not saying the Plex server will be replaced...just that the Sony DLNA RVU/RUI Client will implement the patents providing one HTML5 RUI for all DLNA/RUI servers on your home network including in the short term your Cable TV or OTA DLNA Network tuner and in the long term, the Cablemodem serving IPTV via again DLNA discovery with HTML5 RUIs. It can't do this for the older DLNA RVU bitmap pictures of menus.

There also has to be a standard format for metadata across all DLNA servers if the Patents are to be implemented. The Metadata is also encrypted along with DRM usage rules and media content. So media you own downloaded to the PS4 as well as Cable TV DVR media, Media on Network DLNA servers and Network drives need to show up in the PS4 DLNA UI along with E-Guides for Live TV. This requires RUI (HTML5) menus and standards for metadata which are part of DLNA 2 as sponsored by Cable Labs and the W3C and a reason it's been delayed.

Plex as you mention formats the Meta data as the client requires and eventually will format in an industry standard which Sony can use to provide ONE RUI UI for all DLNA server on the home network. I mentioned earlier that I think this is why Sony supports Plex.

How well the DLNA Client is done determines to a large extent whose platform gets used thus who owns the living room. This is the reason for the Sony RUI patents as well as Voice and Gesture control having been or will be implemented in both the PS4 and XB1. All TV and Phone will be served by a Cable modem starting sometime after 2017 and all TVs will be Vidipath smart TVs or have something like a PS4 as Vidipath STB connected to them.

Since a RUI DLNA UI is HTML5, WebGL needs to be the basis for the Vidipath STBs UI as seen with the PS4 and XB1 (Windows 10) and as seen in the PS3, the DLNA player is always loaded and part of the XMB (PS4's DLNA should be the same). For the PS3 to be a Vidipath certified platform requires Playready DRM embedded in the PS3 (Coming), DLNA upgraded to DLNA 2 and likely a WebGL XMB to upgrade from RVU to RUI....that's still up in the air depending on PS3 OpenGL security issues.

The PS4 lack of DLNA support and PS3 XMB DLNA not being upgraded are tied to the same issue...DLNA 2 but it makes it seem like the PS3 is dead and Sony doesn't consider DLNA important. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Sony needs consumers with PS3, PS4, Sony Smart TVs and Blu-ray players to expose them to Playstation services. Since there are more Playstation platforms able to support DLNA RUI...Sony is associating these services with Playstation. A PS4 on your home network will be the Playstation Vue DLNA server. It will transcode from h.265 to h.264 and DASH stream to other vidipath platforms.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Spotify uses its own custom DRM

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm pre-mature or totally wrong on that (Playready for Spotify DRM). Very shortly Vidipath Certified platforms will be on the market able to share media both streamed and saved locally and this is supported by Playready as the DRM standard across all Vidipath Certified platforms. By 2017+ all TVs will be Vidipath connected to the home network.

Spotify allows downloading of songs and I can see a PS4 with Hard disk as the best platform to store the music on and streamed in the home or copied in the home from Certified platform to certified platform just like movies and TV programs. This more likely as we move to larger higher fidelity 22 channel music.

 

[jeff_rigby]

In the near future TV will be delivered as a HTML5 <video> stream with Discovery based on DLNA. You can see a discussion of features and requirements at W3C Web TV. It's world wide and we will see critical features like DLNA added to the PS4 soon and many many stability updates as HTML5 is updated. 5.0 has been rec (recommended status) since Oct 2014 but Sony still hasn't implemented HTML 5.0 completely in the PS4 and PS3. "Thousands" of TV APIs for Javascript are being defined. Expect many stability updates and TV features being added with TV and home network accessories on Sale by your major retailers. I.E. It's a work in progress.

Example; Network TV tuner APIs reach REC status after April 2015 so a Network TV tuner able to be called and used by Javascript comes sometime after that date. A Cable TV DLNA server/media gateway (which does not require Network TV tuner control APIs, it's handled by the Cable TV DLNA server) is already a part of Vidipath = DLNA CVP2 and Cable TV DVRs required by the FCC to be able to Vidipath stream this June with 20 Vidipath certified platforms in the vidipath ecosystem coming soon (Q2 2015 to Nov 2015). Edit: Network Tuners will come later and probably mainly for US OTA and EU DVB.

http://www.w3.org/2011/webtv/wiki/Main_Page

Web&TV IG f2f meeting in Santa Clara 27 Oct 2014

[DLNA update]
... DLNA has been working on CVP2 for some time, now renamed to VidiPath. Presenting slides from Amol Bhagwat, from CableLabs and DLNA board.
... Works with any service provider for video. If the service provider has some gateway (e.g. set-top box), the idea is to use that gateway to connect all different devices available and deliver the video to all users devices.
... If TV supports this, the TV will do discovery across the network, and discovers which gateway(s) it can use.
... The Gateway gives the TV a URL to the program that it can interact with. The guide is HTML5. At this point on, the TV is running an HTML5 application.
... As opposed to the approach taken in the Home Networking TF, the TV does discovery initially, and then just runs HTML5 content.
... Requirements are diverse, 2 sets of requirements in practice: Application model is fully based on W3C, IETF, and related Web standards.
... We believe that the TV Web should be part of the Web. No non-standard Web API in the spec!
... Then there are a lot of requirements on the user agent, including support for MPEG-DASH, media formats, discovery protocols.
... All these things are implemented by the underlying user agent.
... There's a 1.1 version that is coming along for cloud guidelines, to be completed next month, on DRM and MSE, as these things are becoming more stabilized.
... A certification program was launched this September.
... Certified products expected to hit the market in December.
... CableLabs is doing a lot of work towards certification. In addition to that, they are also providing a full open source reference software stack.
... Now, looking at it from a Comcast perspective: From 2011 Web and TV workshop keynote, there were a lot of efforts ... done to embrace and extend existing specs.[Showing the list]

UNKNOWN_SPEAKER: Too many of them.
Mark_Vickers: HTML5 came along and did not use any of them.
... We thought it wise to abandon all these references and fully embrace the Web platform.
... Comcast efforts are to use HTML5 as defined by W3C, without extension. For instance, CEA-2014 was in the first DLNA RUI, but is not in VidiPath, to ensure that people would stop using it.
... If we find new APIs that are missing, we push for the work to be addressed here. ... Ongoing works on reference design kit (RDK).

ddorwin: Is it a goal that browsers can run VidiPath?

Mark: Browsers can decide to go through certification process. Yes. We want to make these things available to browsers.

Giridhar_Mandyam: Lots of discussion on Network Service Discovery API within this work. Assuming it's not part of RDK since Chromium expressed concerns on privacy/security issues. Your point of view?

Mark_Vickers: APIs that expose servers in the local network for me is a problem. Every company in the world can offer Web services on your local network, assuming that the home network is somewhat safe, because it is protected by a firewall
... One way of exposing network services for me is to do it at the chrome level. That's safer.
... Same as "window.print". The app does not even know if you're going to use a real printer in the end, how many printers there are in your network.
... Another example is photographs, using a dedicated DLNA server. If you give permissions to an external site to your DLNA server, you have no way to ensure that the external site will not pull out all the content.
... I feel it's too dangerous.

Jean-Claude_Dufourd: So, basically, we're looking at an API that says: "give me a photo server" and you get a pointer to it without knowing anything about its location or inner properties.

<ddorwin> The statement "We want to make these things available to browsers." was actually Comcast's position on the content, not necessarily via VidiPath.
Jean-Claude_Dufourd: I hear you want something like the Presentation API.

Mark_Vickers: Yes, I think, that's a very good example.

<ddorwin> There are a variety of reasons that it's very unlikely browsers would support VidiPath.
Alex: Is VidiPath constrained to the home network?

Mark_Vickers: DLNA has always been scoped to home networks, so that's the main focus, yes. But you can imagine using the cloud. I don't know if the organization is going to define that part though.

<ddorwin> Providers supporting VidiPath will likely also need a pure W3C-based solution to reach browsers on both desktop and mobile.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Eventually a Global iTV = IPTV convergence based on HTML5 and W3C extensions

http://www.globalitv.org/newsletters/nov14/HTML5-is-a-W3C-Recommendation.html

The W3C published HTML5 as a W3C Recommendation (in other words as a Web standard) on 28 October 2014. HTML5 brings to the Web video and audio tracks without needing plugins. Its publication as W3C Recommendation marks a major milestone toward the convergence of Web and TV. Web-based iTV platforms that reference HTML5 can run rich media applications using Open Web Platform technologies without having to rely on custom media players.

The HTML5 specification does not address all iTV platforms requirements in itself. On-going standardization efforts at W3C have been started to fill remaining gaps. For instance, the Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) specification extends HTML5 to control playback of protected content (DRM), a much needed feature to bring premium video content to the Web and allow Web technologies to be used in iTV platforms. Similarly, the Media Source Extensions (MSE) specification enables the generation of media streams for playback, making it possible to implement and control adaptive streaming mechanisms, insert ads, and propose time-shifting functionalities directly from JavaScript.

- The Sourcing in-band Media Resources Tracks from Media Containers into HTML specification, developed by In-band Media Resources Track Community Group, provides guidelines for the creation of video, audio and text tracks and their attribute values as mapped from in-band tracks from typical media resource types (MPEG-2 Transport Streams, MPEG-4 ISOBMFF) and explains how the browser should map in-band text track content.

- The TV Control API, developed by the TV Control API Community Group, will enable a web-based application to provide EPG information, including the list of TV programs and related information such as channel number, producers, directors, actors, synopsis, rating etc., as well as control and switch the TV sourcing based on the channel identifier from EPG data.

- The Presentation API, developed by the recently created Second Screen Presentation Working Group, will enable web content to access external presentation-type displays and use them for presenting web content, at the heart of all the companion screen scenarios that existing iTV platforms describe.

These standardization efforts are directly relevant to the architecture of the GLOBAL ITV platform that embraces the Open Web Platform to provide a new advanced scheme for future services and applications in a global environment, where Web and TV merge at last for the benefit of content creators, broadcasters and end users.

 

[jeff_rigby]

https://community.cablelabs.com/wiki/download/attachments/102532992/CEDIATraining CVP-2-VidiPath_FINAL-Amol.pptx?api=v2

The FCC output requirements will come into effect on June 1, 2015. The requirements are designed to enable connectivity with the multitude of IP devices in consumers&#8217; homes and comply with an open industry standard.

The FCC has determined that&#8230;
DLNA produces open industry standards
VidiPath meets the output requirements that come into effect on June 1, 2015.

Reference:
Implementation of Section 304 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996; Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices, CS Docket No. 97-80; Audiovisual Output Requirement of Section 76.640(b)(4)(iii). https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-12-1910A1.pdf

HTML5 RUI: RENDERS SERVICE PROVIDER USER INTERFACE ON Vidipath DEVICES
Enables service providers to render their UIs (e.g. program guide) onto VidiPath Clients.
HTML5 RUI profile for DLNA Clients conformant to commercial browsers plementations.
HTML5 provides a consistent user experience.
HTML5 allows for a single unified user interface adapted to screen resolution.
Discovery is based on UPnP Remote User Interface specification.
Pixel-accurate relies on CANVAS, a HTML5 tag for dynamic, scriptable rendering of 2D shapes and bitmap images.
Supports the same mandatory trick modes and media format profiles as DLNA Device Classes DMS/DMP/DMR.

DTCP-IP: Protecting Streaming Content
Under this reliable technology content can be shared securely between products in a consumer&#8217;s home and not accessible by third parties outside the consumer&#8217;s home network.
DTCP-IP is automatically negotiated between DLNA Certified Protected Streaming products and has been designed to protect content as it moves across the local home network.
Legal protection provided by chain of licensing where DTCP-IP license mandates robustness (tamper resistant enclosures, no clear text on user-accessible buses, buried traces, secure key storage, tamper resistant software for host/client software).
Licensing that perpetuates protection on all home network devices and links together a chain of protection technologies that permits a variety of marketplace technologies that support current and future content delivery business models.
Utilizes well known/standard cryptographic algorithms which provides the following functionality:
Authenticated Key Exchange (AKE)
Mutual authentication using public key crypto
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
Copy Control Information (CCI) integrated
Revocation (SRM)
Strong license provisions
Motion picture studio support with three studios as &#8220;content participants&#8221; and others relying on DTLA&#8217;s &#8220;IP Statement&#8221; to require use of DTCP-IP through their content licenses.

DLNA looks ahead to second screens after VidiPath

This focus on HTML5 for second screens is in line with VidiPath. HTML5 has become more than just a web mark-up language but the effective video OS (operating system) for IP devices including smart TVs. VidiPath meanwhile is the DLNA&#8217;s new brand unveiled in September 2014 for its set of standards designed to enable video streams to be shared among and transmitted between connected devices such as TVs, PCs, tablets and game consoles with a common UI.

The reason for PS3 and PS4 slow HTML5 and DLNA updating is found below:

The task of assembling VidiPath might have been easier if all these constituent standards had been fully defined at the outset but in the event many of them were still evolving themselves. This was particularly the case with HTML5, which has evolved in parallel with VidiPath. For that reason DLNA started out working with the preceding version HTML4, but this never really saw the light of day and in any case HTML5 was being designed specifically for video with many of the features DLNA would otherwise have had to develop anyway. So DLNA was quickly re-aligned with HTML5, although this brought complications because the standard was very broad in order to cater for all possible use cases and scenarios. &#8220;Due to the large scope of the HTML5 specification, and the need to fill open gaps in previous generations of DLNA technology, client and server devices had to be fairly complex,&#8221; said Palm. An additional complication was that DLNA had to incorporate authentication handshaking and encryption in order to provide sufficient protection for high-value video content and this made debugging of implementations especially complex. &#8220;There are also significantly more mandatory features in VidiPath than in earlier Guidelines, to help drive the consistency of experience that paying subscribers expect from their service providers,&#8221; Palm added.

This meant HTML5 itself was only addressing a subset of the use cases DLNA was envisaging and this meant the VidiPath certification program had to be even larger and more complex still. &#8220;The owner of HTML5, W3C, had a few basic HTML5 test cases, but DLNA had to create and optimize many for VidiPath,&#8221; said Palm.

The bulk of this work has been done in collaboration with CableLabs, the R&D body for the cable TV industry. &#8220;We hosted a number of interoperability events and tutorials to allow a large number of entrants to make progress on their implementations,&#8221; said Palm. &#8220;This accelerated progress toward the end goal of a set of product guidelines that would best support content and service delivery and an optimized subscriber experience.&#8221;

When the PS3 and PS4 are updated (by sometime around June) they will get both HTML5 and DLNA updates with the PS3 also getting Playready EMBEDDED updates. Since the following job posting is March 23 2015, expanded voice recognition will come later this year as HTML5 updates. I'd guess a voice recognition feature for the Browser is coming.. which will also be used for Vidipath since it's a HTML5 app. (A Sony employee mentioned there will be more updates at shorter intervals this year and so far the last two were 6 months apart.)

SCEA&#8217;s Research and Development Organization is looking for a senior level engineer to support its PSVR SDK (Playstation Voice Recognition) development for all PlayStation games for current and future platforms.

To help handle/compile standard web based grammar support for multi-languages for voice recognition grammar and dictionary.

To provide the PS VR SDK support, coordination, and improvement for all games and to PS4 system for multi languages, particularly for Japanese. Including AEC support, VSH integration, and performance debugging for applications.

 

[jeff_rigby]

From a 2012 article in how Sony slipped.

But for Sony to turn itself around - to become meaningful again in the lives of its consumers - it must shed its self-perception. It must stop thinking like a device maker and start thinking like an experience creator, one that builds platforms for consumer engagement, one that freely enables consumer choice rather than tying it down.

I think they are well on their way to being a experience creator for Games but what about Media; XTV, Playstation Vue, movies, Music etc? Can we speculate that Sony has learned a valuable lesson by how well games have been supported? Were they waiting for Standards before implementing HTML5 media apps on the PS3 and PS4? I think yes but for the last three years the prevailing opinion on this and other sites has been no.

The Sony DLNA RVU/RUI Client will implement the patents providing one HTML5 RUI for all DLNA/RUI servers on your home network including in the short term your Cable TV or OTA DLNA Network tuner and in the long term, the Cablemodem serving IPTV via again DLNA discovery with HTML5 RUIs. It can't do this for the older DLNA RVU bitmap pictures of menus.

How well the DLNA Client is done determines to a large extent whose platform gets used thus who owns the living room. This is the reason for the Sony RUI patents as well as Voice and Gesture control having been or will be implemented in both the PS4 and XB1. All TV and Phone will be served by a Cable modem starting sometime after 2017 and all TVs will be Vidipath smart TVs or have something like a PS4 as Vidipath STB connected to them.

Kazuo Hirai, the games, entertainment and the image sensors division head, has been in the process for pushing the company to get its profit stream back, which has not been seen in the past seven years. The company recorded its sixth loss this year. Sony has cut down on its TV production, and is focusing on the products that are its specialty, such as sensors, which help make cameras better.

Moreover, the investment has led Sony to forecast sales of about 1.5 trillion yen by March 2018; these sales will come from sensors, camera components, and memory storage solutions. By that time, Sony is expected to have a 10-12% operating margin.

The forecasted operating profit is expected to touch 500 billion yen by March 2018. This is the first time that the margin is expected to go this high since 1998, when the company&#8217;s margins were 520 billion yen. This was mainly due to the success of Sony&#8217;s Walkman CD players, and the profits from release of first installment of &#8216;Men In Black&#8217;.

The author above is not touching on Playstation Vue and other Playstation services as part of the Sony predicted profit margin which I think is a mistake given China and Sony's world wide media ambitions; they hired a international film and TV boss. For the first time ever, TV networks can be served/delivered by a Cable modem to STBs and Smart TVs. The world wide convergence (VOIP, IPTV and IP) and HTML5-Vidipath standards are creating a new playing field that GetTV and Playstation Vue will use and that supports Sony must be a "experience creator, one that builds platforms for consumer engagement, one that freely enables consumer choice rather than tying it down". Sony Smart TVs supporting Playstation Now and streaming games from the PS4 is just the start.

 

[jeff_rigby]

We Know How You Feel
Computers are learning to read emotion, and the business world can&#8217;t wait.

Affectiva is working with a Skype competitor, Oovoo, to integrate it into video calls. &#8220;People are doing more and more videoconferencing, but all this data is not captured in an analytic way,&#8221; she told me. Capturing analytics, it turns out, means using the software&#8212;say, during a business negotiation&#8212;to determine what the person on the other end of the call is not telling you. &#8220;The technology will say, &#8216;O.K., Mr. Whatever is showing signs of engagement&#8212;or he just smirked, and that means he was not persuaded.&#8217; &#8221;

ooVoo is coming to the PS4 in a few months. According to a CES 2015 video, it will be integrated into the PS4 allowing it to be called from inside games. I wonder if ooVoo and Sony will use the facial emotion recognition for a in game SDK and to track commercial and movie acceptance/enjoyment

Add emotion analytics to this: Website Analytics Next generation: Event-based analytics. Improve business with real customer data. Sony could get instant feedback on the PS4 UX and Playstation services with this allowing them to be a "experience creator, one that builds platforms for consumer engagement".

 

[jeff_rigby]

This is not a Xbox is better than PS4 post so read carefully.

New Xbox features now in preview builds: Some of these features (TV tuner control) are part of soon coming Cable Labs and W3C extensions to HTML5 and others are features a Media Hub will support to the coming Vidipath ecosystem. They are supported now by Microsoft inside it's ecosystem (They can control the DRM and insure content providers that their media is secure). I.E. the same thing will eventually be supported by the PS4 and XB1 to the entire Vidipath ecosystem. Microsoft as a software company is getting W3C TV features in the XB1 before the PS4.

Live TV streaming and PIP (picture in picture) support &#8211; For preview members with an Xbox One Digital TV Tuner (in 16 European countries and Australia) or a Hauppauge 955Q TV Tuner (available in the U.S. or Canada) attached to their Xbox One, you can now stream live TV within your home from your Xbox One to Windows 10 PC running the Xbox app. This feature is also available in Xbox One SmartGlass on Windows 8 PCs, Windows Phone 8, iOS, and Android devices. The OneGuide on mobile devices now also provides PIP (picture in picture) support, so you can continue to stream and watch TV while you are using the OneGuide.

Over-the-air TV for the U.S. and Canada &#8211; Earlier this month, we announced the preview for an Over-the-Air Tuner for the U.S. and Canada. With this preview update to Xbox One, a new screen has been added after the initial channel scan to show a sorted list of channels and channel logos so you can tell what channels you receive. You can also choose to scan again from this screen, if you want to move your antenna and give it another try.

Edit:

Miracast (Handheld screen to TV screen) is also an up-coming feature. It requires encryption and encoding at the handheld and decryption and unencoding at the Xbox1 using Xtensa Stream processors. Since the PS4 has the same in Southbridge, the PS4 should be able to do the same with slightly more efficiency.

If you have looked at a list of WiFi SSIDs in your home and have a PS4 you will notice it's listed even if you are using a wired Eithernet connection. So WiFi direct is possible, the rest is software and certification. Think of Miracast as a wired HDMI connection with HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) with out the wires and because it must use a limited bandwidth WiFi radio channel, it encrypts and decrypts too.

When, after DLNA like with Microsoft and part of the second screen and media server update.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast&#8482; is a groundbreaking solution for seamlessly displaying multimedia between devices, without cables or a network connection. Users can do things like view pictures from a smartphone on a big screen television, share a laptop screen with the conference room projector in real-time, and watch live programs from a home cable box on a tablet. Miracast connections are formed using Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct®, so access to a Wi-Fi® network is not needed &#8211; the ability to connect is inside Miracast-certified devices.

Miracast is an industry-wide solution, so the technology works well across devices, regardless of brand. Connections are easy to set up and use since the devices choose the appropriate settings automatically. Miracast supports premium content&#8212;like Blu-ray feature films, live television shows and sports, or any other copy-protected premium content&#8212;allowing you to watch what you want, where you want.

 

[jeff_rigby]

If you dig enough some interesting details:

Next generation dGPU = ARTIC is a new 2016 14nm Finfet dGPU with HBM Artic Islands GPU family (Cold reference)

Next Generation CPU = Zen is built with packages of 8 CPUs each that speculation has KGD (known good die) assembled on an Interposer or MCM with the top configuration having 2 CPU packages = 32 CPUs. Notice again 8 CPUs = what the PS4 and XB1 have.

Next generation APU/SoC = Summit Ridge Family

AMD Zen To Be Featured Inside Summit Ridge Family of 14nm Processors &#8211; Rumored To Feature FM3 Socket Support and DDR4 Memory Compatiblity

Greenland (cold reference largest Artic Island) stream processor is the GPU in the largest? of the Summit Ridge Family and it uses up to 16 GB of HBM on interposer. The Summit Ridge APU/SoC with Greenland will have 16 Zen CPUs (2 packages). HBM means Interposer and 2.5D assembly and again Zen packages KGD on interposers is likely and possibly Greenland is also assembled of multiple KGD.

We can expect a next generation Game Console or PC will be a scaled down version of the above using VISC for increased single thread IPC. Guess 8 Zen CPUs, scaled down version of Greenland with 8 GB HBM and 32 MB L3 similar to the XB1. This puts a next generation game console at 2017 or later, likely later but before 2020 when the CE industry and FCC moves to ATSC 3 and 4K becomes mainline. 2017+ a move to all IPTV becomes mainline.

Hinted at but not referenced by anyone is Cryptographic co-processor and trusted boot on an ARM bus using Cadence IP where the Northbridge, HBM controller and more will be ARM IP and again using Xtensa stream processors.

From what I can understand, next generation....ALL Soc/APUs with 8 or more CPUs (ARM and AMD X-86) will use VISC and Intel has it's own version called MorphCore

 

[jeff_rigby]

Xfinity and Other VidiPath Demonstrations at INTX 2015

Television Expo (INTX) 2015 showing the latest developments for VidiPath products and services that will enable consumers to seamlessly view subscription TV content by the automatic discovery and execution of service provider applications by VidiPath browsers on multiple interoperable TVs, smartphones, PCs and tablets throughout the connected home. VidiPath is the first certification program for HTML5. It is also the first certification program for a collection of technologies requested by service providers for content protection, authentication, remote diagnostics, network power save, and adaptive delivery -- all based on the following industry standards: DTCP-IP, X509, UPnP, IEEE 1905.1, DASH and HTML5.

The companies are preparing for VidiPath product certifications and service deployment during 2015... while also complying with RVU 2.0 specification.

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

Have they updated the PS3 web browser yet?

 

[jeff_rigby]

How valuable a Connected Game Console depends on the connected to the internet part. The first two features below depend on a fast internet connection.

Comcast set to release a 4K UHD cable box later this year

Comcast&#8217;s Xfinity Share lets you stream content (Pictures and Home Movies) via apps from Android and iOS phones live or on-demand to X1 set-top boxes.

Comcast to offer 2 gigabits per second to the majority of its nearly 22 million subscribers by the end of 2016. That&#8217;s about twice as fast as the ultra-high-speed service Google is now offering in three US cities, and 80 times as fast as Comcast&#8217;s standard broadband internet plan.

&#8220;We&#8217;ll first offer this service in Atlanta and roll it out in additional cities soon with the goal to have it available across the country and available to about 18 million homes by the end of the year,&#8221; the blog post says.

These features (4K and picture/movie sharing) are no brainers and I expect them to be offered by Sony and Microsoft. Game streaming, PS Now and Playstation Vue also benefit from 2 Gb/sec.

 

[Circinus]

Lots of interesting information in this thread. Thanks for all the documentation jeff_rigby.

 

[jeff_rigby]

I try thanks.

There is a Cable industry roadmap (worldwide) to implement all IPTV called the three network convergance (TV as IPTV, Phone as VOIP and Internet) where everything is delivered by a cable modem. The roadmap in several papers referencing Comcast has this starting in 2017. There are multiple technologies needing to be in place and one is the DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem to provide a minimum of 200 Mb/sec to every TV customer. Other technologies needed are HTML5, h.264, Multi-stream and HEVC (h.265). Sony needs these same technologies in place to support Playstation Vue.

Sony and Microsoft knew this was coming for YEARS! Windows 10, Android L, Linux Gnome Mobile, Khronos and the W3C with HTML5 and Netflix-Microsoft-Google proposing the HTML5 ME (media extension) years ago are part of this.

Vidipath platforms have a DRM certified hardware and software stack using HTML5 with Khronos-W3C extensions that provides an ecosystem that can support all IPTV as well as ATSC 2.0 and since they support DRM and a common software stack...applications, WebGL, WebVR and more. This is HUGE!!!!!!!!

Khronos standards make their way into HTML5 and those standards will be in Game Consoles. ALL game consoles with hardware able to support Vidipath should be firmware updated. This was planned for the PS3 and is the reason it has the Cell processor and can support Network standby. It's also part of the PS4 and XB1 design and firmware updates are coming for them to support Vidipath, HEVC, Multi-stream and more with a HTML5 browser and WebGL desktop.

 

[hesido]

Comcast to offer 2 gigabits per second to the majority of its nearly 22 million subscribers by the end of 2016. That&#8217;s about twice as fast as the ultra-high-speed service Google is now offering in three US cities, and 80 times as fast as Comcast&#8217;s standard broadband internet plan.

This is mega bomb. A gigabit service (let alone 2 Gb service) would offer 125MB's/sec. It's faster than my hard drive!

They'll be able to roll this out so quickly to so many millions of people. Wow.

 

[TheSeks]

This is mega bomb. A gigabit service (let alone 2 Gb service) would offer 125MB's/sec. It's faster than my hard drive!

They'll be able to roll this out so quickly to so many millions of people. Wow.

I'll believe it when I see it. This is the Comcast that had to be dragged kicking and screaming to doing/proposing something like this. The fact that Google was doing it before the FTC laws meant nothing to them.

Watch them charge $100 a month to get this service or something.

 

[RedAssedApe]

Eh. Doesn't Comcast have bandwidth caps? Price and caps on the standard tiers make this a meh.

Also...5 year thread. Has any of this stuff actually come to pass yet?

 

[hesido]

I'll believe it when I see it. This is the Comcast that had to be dragged kicking and screaming to doing/proposing something like this. The fact that Google was doing it before the FTC laws meant nothing to them.

Watch them charge $100 a month to get this service or something.

Looking back, my post seems like an astroturfer's!

Indeed, the promises are open to skepticism.

 

[jeff_rigby]

To answer the last three posts:

This has been in the works for years. Comcast upgraded their last copper mile to support a wider frequency (to 1+ GHZ) with a greater S/N in my neighborhood 1.5 years ago. This was necessary to support DOCSIS 3.0 and then 3.1. DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem designs are now going through testing and will be widely deployed in 2016. Comcast couldn't support Gb/sec until DOCSIS 3.1 Cable modems were available so any statements like "had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support this" are in error and the fault of Public relations and News Organizations.

Yes you will pay extra to get 2Gb/sec but with the upgrades, as in the recent past, the bottom tiers are upgraded at no cost. I went from 50Gb/sec to 120Gb/sec at no extra cost when I upgraded to a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem. I suspect I'll go to 200 Gb/sec at no extra cost with DOCSIS 3.1.

EVERY cable TV system will be supporting Gb/sec by 2017+ as it's necessary for the transition to all IPTV.

January 5, 2015 &#8211; STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, is previewing a new high-performance DOCSIS® 3.1 platform in a live demonstration in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show.

Next generation DOCSIS3.11 cable modems will help Multiple System Operators CABLE TV (MSOs) satisfy surging consumer demand for high-speed data services such as 4KUltra-HD, multi-screen video-streaming services, Cable IPTV, gaming, file sharing, and home security.

DOCSIS 3.1 delivers up to 5Gbps downstream and 2Gbps upstream, better network capacity and energy efficiency, as well as lower latency to offer outstanding end-user experiences. Backward compatibility with legacy DOCSIS 3.0 network equipment provides operators with smooth migration paths.

As operators plan to trial and introduce DOCSIS 3.1 equipment to their networks during 2015, ST is among the first to demonstrate a working platform. The demonstrations highlight flawless interoperability with infrastructure equipment from major vendors, as well as successful integration of the RDK-B broadband-enabled software stack. The emerging RDK-B open-source distribution managed by RDK LLC contains common components that streamline data-gateway product development while preserving freedom to innovate through easy integration of additional services.

Comcast Commits to RDK-B

The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is a pre-integrated software bundle that provides a common framework for powering customer-premises equipment (CPE) from TV service providers, including set-top boxes, gateways, and converged devices. The RDK was created to accelerate the deployment of next-gen video products and services. It enables TV service providers to standardize certain elements of these devices, but also to easily customize the applications and user experiences that ride on top.

The RDK is supported by more than 200 licensees including: CE manufacturers, SOCs vendors, software developers, system integrators, and TV service providers. It is administered by the RDK Management LLC, a joint venture between Comcast Cable, Time Warner Cable, and Liberty Global. The RDK software is available at no cost to RDK licensees in a shared source manner, and RDK community member companies can contribute software changes and enhancements to the RDK stack.

Comcast developed, with the co-operation of Cable labs, a Reference Design Kit for Vidipath STBs and helped create the RDK Org. Cisco is donating code to RDK with RDK the reference design for STBs we can own and RDK-B the infrastructure that Cable operators provide. Sony Playstation platforms are using GTKwebkit APIs (since 2010 with the PS3 Javascript engine disclosure) which is essentially the Comcast RDK for Vidipath STBs.

Comcast is a LEADER and is not dragging their heels.

 

[jeff_rigby]

5/11/2015

Live Xfinity X1 DVR Platform Vidipath demo with RUI on Samsung TV, Broadcom STB and AWOX reference Tablet

JetHead VidiPath on LG WebOS TV at INTX 2015

 

[jeff_rigby]

Some interesting fact and supported speculation:

1) The PS4 should be able to play 4K blu-ray
2) DTLA is planning on streaming blu-ray over the home network
3) 4K blu-ray plans call for a bridge to home and portable players where media can be copied and played on tablets and TVs.

Playready 3.0 DRM (requires hardware enabled trusted boot and TEE level DRM) supports the use cases in the Digital bridge slides. In this proposal for Digital bridge, again a Sony proposal it mentions C-ENC (Common encryption) which supports multiple DRM schemes but requires the same format used by Playready as does HTML5 <video> ME which will also be used by Vidipath for in home streaming with WMDRM10 (DLNA with DTCP-IP), a subset of Playready.

One of the use cases supports the blu-ray disk menu allowing the entire disk functionality not just the movie ( MKV container which will also be a standard supported by HTML5). That requires Java in the player and Java as well as Javascript are required for XTV and IoT apps and will be in Vidipath clients.

Again; Vidipath platforms have Playready certified DRM and plans are to stream and copy movies and games between platforms. Notice the Sony media SERVER in the following picture is blocked out but you can see it's mounted upright on a stand like only a PS3 or PS4 can be mounted. Notice in the above 4K Digital Bridge slide it's from Sony pictures. The digital bridge will allow copying a Blu-ray disk to hard disk and allow it to be SERVED to a player or TV. Everyone missed this. The 4K digital bridge is also for media serving and copying to local and remote Hard Disks.

Vidipath and the digital bridge allow access to media from any DRM secure platform in the home. No longer do you have to insert a disk into a player to watch the movie or have the blu-ray player in the same room connected to the TV. This June you can watch TV or access Cable TV DVR Movies from any TV provided it supports Vidipath or has a Vidipath STB or Game Console attached to it.

1TB PS4 model incoming

 

[jeff_rigby]

The PS4 Plex app is a WebMAF app. store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-gb/apps/plex/cid=EP4544-CUSA01703_00-WEBMAF000000PLEX

Mozilla Application Framework WebMAF framework (I first found this in 2012)

The Mozilla application framework is a collection of cross-platform software components that make up the Mozilla applications. It was originally known as XPFE, an abbreviation of cross-platform front end. It was also known as XPToolkit. To avoid confusion, it is now best referred to as the Mozilla application framework.

While similar to generic cross-platform application frameworks like GTK+, Qt and wxWidgets, the intent is to provide a subset of cross-platform functionality suitable for building network applications like web browsers, leveraging the cross-platform functionality already built into the Gecko layout engine.

Sony writes apps for their platforms using a framework called WebMAF. That was created by Mozilla/Firefox very early on (2007) using Browser native libraries. Firefox is built using Gnome GTK elements but Mozilla used Gecko for their browser and developers found many bugs and issues.

About 2009 a firm called Nuanti ported webkit to WebMAF replacing Gecko but Sony waited from Oct 2010 when they ported a webkit Javascript engine for IPTV UIs to the PS3 till 2012 when they firmware updated the PS3 and Vita to have a webkit browser. At that point they moved to WebMAF apps but they still didn't have embedded Playready in the PS3 because Playready didn't reach 1.0 status till Oct 2013. Playready 3.0 has been announced but hasn't been released. A few months ago Sony hired people to port Playready to the PS3 and help developers with including playready in their WebMAF apps.

Both the PS3 and PS4 use a combination of C++, WebMAF and Trilithium to write apps. Trilithium is primarily a video player writen with AVM+ (Adobe actionscript) and some routines that are found in Cairo for manipulating basic video windows and animation ( The PS3 "about" trapazoids are likely Trilithium and make it appear that CairoGL (pixman) was implemented by the XMB confusing me) . Trilithium was created in 2008 but not used till late 2010 in Hulu. It was created for IPTV apps because HTML5 <video> was not part of the PS3 browser. Trilithium followed the Flash 3.5 server standards/features and was in the PS3 Firmware 3.5. Trilithium must be replaced with a player that supports HTML5 <video> MSE EME = supports the C-ENC format that Vidipath and Ultraviolet also use.

WebMAF is based on tools (APIs) used to support webkit and the latest Gnome Desktop is a browser desktop just like the PS4. Gnome uses GTKwebkit and the PS3 and PS4 use GTKwebkit APIs.

WebMAF was developed before Cairo was released and can use XML for the UI just as the PS3 does so this proves that my early speculation that the XMB would be rewritten to use Cairo and all apps would be updated and rewritten is only half right.

DLNA 2.0 for the PS4 needs to be written in a form acceptable to W3C and will be used by WebMAF apps and the HTML5 browser. It's been a moving target because of 4K media (HEVC and Playready 3). The PS4 will be a 4K streaming player for IPTV, a 4K blu-ray player and media hub/server for the home.

Research links:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ian-arundale/28/167/640 "PlayStation® 3/PlayStation® 4 (WebMAF/Nuanti Webkit)"

Investagating Nuanti webkit brings up this:Case studies: Porting from Mozilla® Gecko to WebKit

This report chronicles some of the community work we've done at Nuanti to restore and enhance functionality in GNOME applications that were limited by the Mozilla Gecko browser engine. [Gnome applications can be ported to WebMAF]

In some cases, the issues were severe enough that the applications were dropped by distributors, leading to popular and successful software failing to reach end-users &#8212; a worst-case scenario for any Open Source project.

For each of these applications, Nuanti engineers were available to replace (or assist in replacing) the faulty Gecko component with WebKit GTK+, restoring full functionality as well as introducing new capabilities and enhancing application performance.

http://www.nuanti.com/gecko-to-webkit
I mentioned many years ago that Sony was using GTKwebkit APIs (2010) and Nuanti ported WebMAF from the Gecko Javascript engine to Webkit in 2009. This site again proves Sony is using GTK GNOME APIs with the webMAF framework.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost...&postcount=410

Cable Labs uses Gnome/GTK webkit for reference software they developed for Vidipath servers and clients.

WebMAF is a framework and standard for using webkit/Javascript and native libraries that support webkit. You can
write the application like a C+ program, call C routines or webkit/APIs and sign the application so that it is allowed
to run on the PS4 or PS3.

It uses XML rather than GTK/cairo for the UI (CEA-2014) but you can call Cairo too (CEA-2014B) (Sony rewrote the GTK webkit chrome
and renamed it POSIX). The PS3 UI is XML while the PS4 is Cairo WebGL. Gnome applications require glib which has been
disclosed in the PS4 but not the PS3. Do a Google search using the keywords: Linkedin webmaf




So Sony using the native libraries needed to support the WebGL browser also has a set of APIs to support a subset called WebMAF. These are always loaded since the PS4 has a WebGL desktop that is always loaded. DLNA CVP2 = Vidipath is a HTML5 app that requires W3C extensions like DLNA always loaded.

There is currently no DLNA/uPNP on the PS4 (it looks on the network for it though, just does not make it visible) The code to support the old style DLNA (assuming the player is already supported) is about 2 MB but the new DLNA 2.0 needs Metadata and DRM support. Playready 3.0 is required for 4K Blu-ray and that requires TEE level DRM (in Southbridge) but it hasn't been published yet?

Reading a FCC paper between the lines, a TEE level (hardware) DRM with embedded encryption hardware (both in Southbridge) would be required as a Downloadable DRM replacement for the cable card (2016). This would work with network or USB tuners which are being addressed as W3C extensions a few months ago. a DLNA CVP2 DVR manages it's own tuner and has it's own Cable TV DRM. The DLNA.org is very interested in the DSTAC talks.

Sony always waits for standards to be published before they implement them. In the case of the PS4, it will be a 4K blu-ray with support for the digital bridge and include DVR and media hub features to Vidipath platforms. How it's to be implemented I can't imagine. Sony also wants to consolidate all RUI DLNA server menus on the home network. One will be the Cable TV DVR, a second will be a 4K Blu-ray, a third possibly an older DLNA server or Tablet/phone....That's not as we have them now on the PS3 with the individual servers listed but as the menus/UIs from all the servers on the home network in one place.

 

[ClearData]

Rigby, your posts are epic but they make my head spin if I try to read too many.

 

[jeff_rigby]

Rigby, your posts are epic but they make my head spin if I try to read too many.

The native libraries needed for the W3C DLNA extension to HTML5 seen in Sony's WEBMAF are already in the PS4 to support Plex, except possibly DRM/Metadata. Run HTML5test.com and HTML5 <video> ME DRM hasn't been implemented and that in the PS4 should be Playready embedded. Vidipath, the 4K digital bridge and HTML5 <video> ME use the same C-ENC format which is based on the Playready model.

Q: Forward thinking console? Can we have online friend alerts and DLNA?! Something your last console had th should&#8217;ve been present at launch!

A: + Scott McCarthy on March 11th, 2015 at 5:28 pm said: We want PS4 versions of these features, not a cut/ paste from last gen. Stay tuned.

How Sony will expose DLNA on the PS4 UI is not known...they have plans to support the 4K digital bridge, older DLNA servers and DLNA 2 = DLNA CVP2 = Vidipath which is a HTML5 app.

Vidipath must support the FCC's emergency alert but I suspect support for the FCC EA may be required even if the Vidipath HTML5 or WebMAF app isn't running. It may also be required from Network standby so ooVoo incoming call detection and the FCC EA will be part of the AOAC network standby.

ooVoo will likely also be a WebMAF app but it needs integration into the PS4 to support other features in games. A library to support FACE emotion detection, a feature ooVoo is supposed to support, using the Xtensa IVP routines in the southbridge could also be called by games. Voice and gesture Recognition are also coming and will be used as control schemes for ALL WebMAF apps so the APIs for them need to be thought out and hooks to use them included in WebMAF apps.

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

Rigby, your posts are epic but they make my head spin if I try to read too many.

 

[jeff_rigby]

X1: XFINITY for VidiPath Overview

Comcast has complied with the FCC mandate and now offers Vidipath service.

To use XFINITY for VidiPath, you will need:
An XG1 DVR set-top box connected to the home network via a MoCA network adapter
MoCA network adapter must be purchased separately
Pace XG1v1s do not support XFINITY for VidiPath
XFINITY Internet service
XFINITY for VidiPath-compatible Smart TV connected to the home network

Note: There are currently no consumer-ready devices that are compatible with VidiPath; however, several manufacturers may have these devices ready by the end of 2015.

CableLabs® VidiPath Interoperability Event June 15-19, 2015

In conjunction with CableLabs&#8217; ongoing publicity efforts, CableLabs may digitally record certain aspects of this Interop event. While every effort to maintain your company&#8217;s proprietary technology will be respected, you may be photographed or videotaped as a participant and may be requested to provide voluntary commentary or testimonial remarks.

What this means is that there is very little chance that Vidipath will be implemented this June but we should finally get an idea of WHO and WHAT is being certified and will be part of the rollout. My guess is that the CE industry will have a coordinated rollout of Vidipath at the same time to share Customer education/advertising.

1) Playready 3.0 is required on Windows 10 for 4K streaming and blu-ray player support.
2) Playready 3.0 requires something like a ARM Trustzone processor (In AMD APUs, XB1 and PS4)
3) The PS4 is designed to be a 4K blu-ray player and client for 4K on-line streaming and will have Embedded Playready
4) Playready 3.0 has not been released yet
5) The PS4 DRM requires Playready 3.0 which likely means it can't be implemented yet and this explains some of the delays.

There is now a Vidipath site which is another checkmark on the roadmap for a rollout...it was part of DLNA.org.

 

[jeff_rigby]

ATSC 3.0 UHD TV is also going to support HDR (High Dynamic Range) and by accounts can support everything coming for UHD Blu-ray and vice versa. UHD Blu-ray is not just for movies.....3D and Multi-view for Augmented Reality tours of Museums which require HFR and S3D etc. and Multi-view with HFR (High Frame Rate) for Live sporting events via UHD TV is coming.

Including the audio (true audio in the PS4 and XB1 support this and game middle ware has to downscale to 7.1 audio) there are 140 planned features for UHD TV. http://www.audioholics.com/hdtv-formats/atsc-3.0

If you remember the discussions early 2013 on Sony stating the next generation console would need to support 300 FPS and some of us quoted another Sony employee stating glassless 3D or Multi-view on UHD TVs needed 5 video streams...that will be supported by UHD blu-ray and TV and can be used by VR glasses. (With VR glasses, as your head moves from side to side the view switches from stream to stream and with Glassless 3D UHD TV you have to move your whole body and head right to left or left to right to see the different views.)

This is why Virtual Reality is coming in 2016, because UHD Blu-ray is coming in 2016 and it supports the same features needed by VR. UHD TV will use the same features UHD Blu-ray uses and only the Tuner and Transport layers need to be added to a STB that supports UHD TV or Blu-ray to receive ATSC 3.0.

Tuner and Transport (QFDM) layer for ATSC 3.0 are essentially the same as in Cell Phones. In other words there is a synergy in everything coming that is UHD. It explains why Facebook would buy Oculus Rift as it can be supported for media not games on every connected to the internet with browser UHD STB for blu-ray or TV not just PCs. When the internet can support UHD IPTV it can support VR with a browser. The STB would need a camera it likely will have for Skype and Gesture recognition and that will provide much of the head tracking for the VR goggles.

The problem is chicken and egg....getting people to buy the Vidipath STBs be they on Cable or Antenna TV so that the majority of the cost to move to ATSC 3.0 features is pain free. Most of the UHD Blu-ray players will be connected to the home network and will have a HTML5 browser. If they support the UHD Blu-ray digital bridge they will likely support Playready and are de facto Vidipath servers and Client. All they need is a Network tuner to support TV. This, I understand, is the plan for the PS4 and XB1.

• A solution for streaming 4K/Ultra-HD TV profiles will be included in the DLNA guidelines by Q3 2015,

Blu-ray 1080P (2006) was supposed to be a few years in advance of ATSC 2.0 which uses the same codec to support 1080P, S3D NRT and XTV (Java and Javascript). The PS3 was designed to support (except for USB or Network tuner) ATSC 2.0. The PS4's UHD blu-ray is supposed to be a few years in advance of ATSC 3.0 which will use the same HEVC codec and for XTV the same javascript and Java. It just requires a USB or Network tuner.

ATSC 2.0 has been delayed and it looks like ATSC 3.0 will be released early. Korea wants to broadcast the 2018 Winter Olympics Feb 2018 in UHD using ATSC 3.0. There are several additional factors that might make ATSC 3.0 come early.

1) Phone TV tuners. Phones use the same modulation scheme that ATSC 3.0 will use and the same UHF frequencies TVs used to use. With minor changes and firmware updates a Phone could support ATSC 3.0 mobile with very little additional cost. The FCC may require phones support ATSC 3.0 Mobile TV for emergency alerts. TVs will be required to be AOAC and turn on with an emergency alert (both the PS4 and XB1 support this AOAC network standby).

2) The FCC wants to auction off additional TV spectrum. In some markets this means not enough channels are available. ATSC 2.0 and 3.0 use h.264 and h.265 (HEVC) respectively which allow 2 to 4 times as many channels with the same bandwidth.

3) Requiring the consumer to buy a ATSC 2.0 STB and then two to three years later a ATSC 3.0 STB and possibly a new antenna does not make sense. Most of the Vidipath STBs being released in 2016 will support HEVC so with a network or USB tuner they can support both ATSC 2.0 and 3.0.

4) ATSC 3.0's primary short term use will be to support Mobile TV and 1080P channels. I suspect that sometime in 2016 DLNA network tuners will be on sale that support both ATSC 1/2 and 3.0. The current UHD TVs will require the same Network tuner and 1080P Smart TVs will require a DLNA server that transcodes to 1080P. All dumb 1080P TVs will require in addition a Vidipath STB with HEVC support.

The PS4 and XB1 have multi-stream codecs and are designed to be the HD and UHD DVR/DLNA server and transcode from HEVC to 1080P (Media Hub) as well as Vidipath client for 1080P and UHD TVs. All they need is a USB or Network tuner.

W3C extensions to HTML5 include USB and Network tuner control based on Hauppage USB and Silicon dust HD Homerun. HD Homerun prime is a DLNA tuner which serves a RUI for a Vidipath STB. No tuners currently support ATSC 3.0.

ATSC 1.0 supporting 480i to 1080i
HD Blu-ray was released in 2006 supporting 1080P
IPTV streaming in about 2010 along with Blu-ray S3D
ATSC 2.0 was supposed to release 2013-2014-2015-2016 supporting 1080P, S3D (using blu-ray codec), Non Real-time Transmission, S3D and XTV
UHD streaming about 2015
UHD Blu-ray 2016

2013 (PS4 and XB1) to 2015 for other Vidipath and HEVC capable STBs enter the market but no firmware support.
2016 the FCC no longer requires a Cable Card for Cable TV and DSS (Downloadable Security Scheme) starts. This allows Network tuners connected to PCs, XB1 or PS4 to support their being DVRs and servers to other platforms in the home.
2016 Vidipath STBs with HEVC codec and Firmware updates
2016 the PS4 and XB1 get firmware updates to support UHD blu-ray

UHD (ATSC 3.0) TV 2017 and Broadcast early 2018 in time for the Feb winter olympics in Korea. Supporting NRT, 1080P, S3D, UHD (using Blu-ray's HEVC), XTV and 140 planned protocols/features and is extensible