Interactive television software from the company of that name.
Liberate Technologies provides server software and middleware for interactive television services and was a pioneering proponent of the use of HTML and Java in this context.
Liberate TV Navigator Standard middleware has been adopted by cable operators ntl and Telewest in the UK. This essentially provides a client-server system based on internet standards, enabling developers to produce applications and content using a limited version of HTML together with Javascript including custom extensions to support interactive television.
Authoring applications for this platform employs similar skills to web development. A key potential advantage of the cable platform is the ability to request content on-demand out-of band using standard internet protocols, enabling access to comprehensive information services. It is also possible to broadcast applications and data in-band as part of the broadcast signal to produce enhanced and multistream services comparable to other platforms.
The Liberate software platform consists of server software to transcode XML or HTML content and a Mediacast server to carousel broadcast data. Client browser software in the set-top box renders applications to the screen and manages user interaction.
Liberate has also developed software compatible with MHP and OCAP to provide an incremental migration path to these standards. This upwardly compatible approach will enable content created in HTML or using Java to run on both low-end set-top boxes and more sophisticated MHP and OCAP devices.