Humax has joined IMPALA – the International MHEG Promotion Alliance. IMPALA promotes the widespread adoption of MHEG-5 for interactive digital TV by broadcasters around the world. MHEG-5 is a cost-effective and efficient, public standard interactive TV middleware that is used to both send and receive interactive TV signals. It allows a wide range of TV-centric interactive (iTV) services to be deployed.

MHEG-5 also has an active technology roadmap enabling the rollout of new products driven by the need for broadcasters to provide better interactive services. From its early days of providing basic teletext-like services and enhanced interactivity, MHEG-5 now incorporates support for HD, push video-on-demand and support for broadband/IP return channel functionality.

From IMPALA: IMPALA, the International MHEG Promotion Alliance, is delighted to announce that leading receiver supplier Humax has joined as Humax is globally recognised for its pioneering efforts in the digital TV industry, particularly in the digital TV recorder (PVR) market.

Bob Hannent, Chief Technologist, Humax, says:

As a long time user of MHEG and a participant in DTG standards definition for MHEG, Humax is keen to demonstrate its support for this very useful middleware by joining IMPALA

Hannent adds:

After a period overshadowed by much larger interactive middlewares, the smaller size and simplicity of MHEG is now being seen as an advantage by far more than just the UK market. While MHEG has a history of existing in very small footprint boxes it is not just for small applications; its continuing extension for HD and the UK’s Freesat has shown how flexible it can be.

Hannent highlights the interest from international groups in high-end products with embedded MHEG at IBC
2008. And concludes: 

The Humax demonstration of MHEG running on an HD set-top box attracted great interest and the industry is keen to see what else can be achieved with the potential of the broadband interaction channel and other extensions

 Giri Valliappan, Director of Market Development, IMPALA, says:

Humax is a major player in the international receiver market with a tremendous reputation for innovation and quality. We are delighted that the company has joined IMPALA and is highlighting such strong commercial reasons for doing so.

MHEG-5 is a public standard with country or region-specific profiles. Both free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters are now looking into and deploying MHEG-5 as a low-cost middleware solution for rollout over terrestrial, satellite and cable platforms. IMPALA’s continues to provide guidance and advice to ensure the  standard is adopted and implemented correctly and to expand its reach globally.

The founder members of IMPALA are Strategy & Technology (S&T), Cabot Communications and EchoStar
Europe.