ATSC Publishes MPEG-2 Candidate Standard

Washington, DC--The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has published a new Candidate Standard that provides specifications for downloading software to terminal devices using an MPEG-2 transport stream. The Software Download Data Service Candidate Standard (CS/97) may be used to effect updates or upgrades of firmware, operating system software, device driver software, native application software, middleware, and other types of software that reside in devices such as consumer DTV receivers
"The Software Download Candidate Standard will allow receiver manufacturers to dynamically upgrade their products in the field," said Jerry Whitaker, ATSC vice president of standards development.
"CS/97 specifies the mechanisms for announcement, signaling, and encapsulation for the delivery of a download data service in the ATSC transport while allowing the specific details of the software download payload to be defined by each manufacturer," said Michael Dolan, chair of the ATSC Specialist Group on Data Broadcasting that developed the document.
The Candidate Standard stage is an explicit call for implementation and technical feedback. Candidate Standards are available at:
www.atsc.org/standards/candidate_standards.html .