Advertising and Interactive Services activities have focused on developing the technology to support interactive, targeted and addressable advertising, including functionality such as voting and polling, request for information and ability to access ads stored as VOD assets.

The specific technologies that CableLabs has been active in supporting include:

Client-Based Ad Insertion

SCTE DVS 766 defines specifications for stream conditioning for switching of addressable content directly into digital TV receivers or legacy set-top boxes. CableLabs supported the development of DVS 766 and references the standard in its Tru2Way specifications as part of the client side (STB or TV) insertion functionality.

VOD Metadata

CableLabs has worked with its members and the cable TV industry to specify the metadata and interfaces for distribution of VOD material from multiple content providers to cable operators. VOD metadata is the electronically provided descriptive data associated with a content asset, such as a movie.

CableLabs issued version 3.0 with additional features that will enhance advertising opportunities. Version 3.0 allows for adaptation of metadata structures to allow repurposing of content for different contracted applications and between controls over content distribution. To facilitate the transition from 1.0 and 1.1 to 3.0, CableLabs is developing translation tools and migration strategies. It will host Interops to test the specs and compliance with them.

See the Metadata version 3.0 specification.

ETV (Enhanced TV)

ETV is video programming that has an interactive application bound to it and which executes concurrently with that program. ETV can be utilized in legacy set-top boxes to help enhance ads with applications such as voting and polling and ability to access ads stored as VOD assets.

CableLabs and its members developed the ETV specifications, which are intended to support a national cable footprint for interactive TV content delivery and management.

For more information, please see the ETV Project Primer

SCTE 130 and Addressable Advertising

SCTE 130 defines a set of interfaces between logical components of an advanced advertising system designed to support linear, on demand and DVR delivery platforms, and to enable a more granular level of addressability. The interfaces address various elements of the advertising system including: ad manager, ad decision server, content information service, subscriber information service and placement opportunity information service.

The Document Profile Architecture (DPA) Toolset is designed to encourage collaboration and development of advertising implementations tied to the SCTE-130 specification set. The SCTE-130 specification set prescribes techniques and approaches for the delivery of interactive and highly relevant advertising messages within cable-delivered video-on-demand and other media environments.

The publicly accessible resources for the DPA Toolset are now available dpatools.cablelabs.com.

CableLabs actively participated in the development of the specifications and in November 2008 hosted the first in a series of Interops to test compliance with SCTE 130.

See the SCTE Web site for more information.