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 TV or radio programmes, 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. The viewer uses selection lists and numeric entries to conveniently control the MultyText® applications using 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 upgraded 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 ten-day forecast. In addition, severe weather warnings 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.
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 promptly 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 warning 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.”
For more information on TechniSat Digital, please contact press@technisat.com or visit www.technisat.com.
Picture material related to this press release is available for downloading at our media portal http://media.technisat.com/
About TechniSat Digital GmbH:
TechniSat Digital Group is a leading consumer electronics organisation with headquarters in Daun, Germany. Specialising in premium DVB products, TechniSat designs, develops and manufactures a range of Set Top Boxes, PVRs, PC cards, CA Modules and IDTVs with embedded Conditional Access and Common Interface for SD and HD services. TechniSat is the market leader in Germany in the field of digital receivers.
TechniSat has production facilities in Germany and Europe as well as R&D in Germany, Poland and the UK. The products are designed and developed by TechniSat Digital’s hardware and software engineering teams which have in-depth DVB expertise. Many CA vendors, such as CONAX, Cryptoworks/Irdeto, Nagravision, Viaccess, NDS and others, have licensed TechniSat Digital as a preferred business partner.
TechniSat Automotive has for more than 10 years been developing and producing high-quality products in the field of car infotainment, particularly car radios and radio navigation systems. This business division is certified in accordance with ISO/TS 16949, and supplies, among others, Volkswagen, Škoda, Seat and other well-known automobile manufacturers.
About the German Weather Service
The German Weather Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst – DWD) is the national weather service, and as such provides scientific and technical services, and is also a reliable and competent partner in meteorological matters for both institutional and private partners. The German Weather Service was established in 1952 as the national meteorological service of the Federal Republic of Germany, providing information on matters of weather and climate as part of the essential services provided by the state. This is its core objective. This includes providing essential meteorological data to ensure the safety of air and sea traffic, and to warn of meteorological events that may endanger public safety and order.
The spectrum of duties of the DWD covers a wide range. There is hardly anybody who is not interested in the weather, and there is hardly any field in our lives that is not affected by weather and climate. The DWD records, evaluates and monitors the physical and chemical processes in our atmosphere, and is the reference for meteorological matters in Germany. It is the first partner to be contacted in all questions related to weather and climate. It provides information on the whole field of meteorological events, providing a large spectrum of services to the community in general, and also maintains the national climate archives.
About S&T
Strategy & Technology (S&T) is at the forefront of interactive TV creation, distribution and reception technologies. By focusing on public standards – MHEG-5, OCAP/tru2way, MHP and ETV, which are now viewed as the way forward for both free-to-air and pay TV markets – this allows S&T to provide a wide range of cost-effective solutions for both broadcaster and consumer.
With years of experience in successful platforms including Freeview and Freesat in the UK as well as Freeview New Zealand, S&T is now helping broadcasters around the world to take advantage of the benefits of interactive TV. The company is focused on providing cost-effective, reliable and technically elegant solutions to broadcasters large and small across the global market.
Further information for press:
TechniSat Digital GmbH · Press Office · TechniPark · D-54550 Daun/Vulkaneifel
press@technisat.com
press@technisat.com
Further information for consumers:
For further questions and information you can contact our Customer Hotline:
Monday-Friday from 09:00am - 6:00pm by phone at +49 1805 005 907 (0.14 € per minute from a German landline, mobile and international call rates may vary).
Monday-Friday from 09:00am - 6:00pm by phone at +49 1805 005 907 (0.14 € per minute from a German landline, mobile and international call rates may vary).