DigiSoft has launched a range of shareware applications for the MHP Multimedia Home Platform, together with an online service to provide a support community for those developing and deploying interactive television services.

The selection of applications can be customised and localised to allow new operators to launch an initial set of services with reduced time to market and minimal development costs.

The service will also provide details of licensed system integrators that offer development services. Operators will also be able to issue online requests for proposals for custom development and integration.

“The knowledge-sharing engendered in this new community will save operators from trying to reinvent the wheel each time they have to overcome common issues,” said Fintan Mc Kieman of DigiSoft.

The extranet service will provide DigiHost customers with a repository of shareware MHP applications, authoring tool components, software support and a technical knowledge base.

Based in Cork, in Ireland, DigiSoft has deployed a number of applications in Italy, where MHP has been widely adopted, partly due to set-top box subsidies. They are also looking to provide services in Australia, where MHP has been nominally adopted, and in the United States, where the cable industry is aiming to support OCAP, a standard based largely on MHP.

www.digisoft.tv