Abstract

Alongside partners on P2P-Next, BBC R&D worked on synchronising timed metadata with live streamed video over the web using lightweight interactive media objects (LIMO) and a modified browser supporting the HTML5 audio and video elements. By implementing the HTML5 media element startOffsetTime attribute they showed that live synchronisation becomes possible, which validates the emerging HTML5 spec and opens up new possibilities for enriching live media related interactive events. This is generic and supports basic interactivity such as timed events (eg subtitles), actions (eg clickable chapter points), and links (eg web links for further information). The demonstrator showed synchronisation of a live audio/video stream played within a browser to the timed metadata (eg LIMO events) streamed alongside it. These included subtitles, chapters and further information panels on top of video on demand using a combination of HTML5, JavaScript and JSON developed specifically for the project Wherever possible, existing open source libraries and UI components were used, and they contributed code back where appropriate.

Biography

BBC Research & Development is the core of the BBC’s effort to be at the cutting edge of media technology and drives the exploration of new tools for the production, distribution and consumption of media. It is a department of engineers, scientists, developers and designers with 160 staff across three labs. In existence since the 1920s, BBC R&D has developed a wide range of technologies for sound, radio and music. More recently it has been developing 3D and SHV video footage, creating a UAV for the Olympics, working on a universal remote control API, researching new services for hybrid radios and chairs the W3C Audio Working Group for audio in the browser.