Digital Television - is rapidly
changing the nature of television as we have known it for the past 50
years. Today's media consumer has a myriad of choices. These choices are
partially based on advancing technology, partially based on new transmission
schemes, and partially based on interactivity. In concert these forces
have the power to fundamentally changebroadcast content and significantly
alter the business case for television broadcasters. They also provide
a foundation for new forms of information and entertainment content, requiring
a new layer of skills for content creators who choose to take advantage
of opportunities in these new mediums.
The Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab — At
Ryerson University has been established for applied research in the area
of converging digital broadcasting. The lab, located in the Rogers Communications
Centre, is at the crossroads of Canada's most prestigious undergraduate
programs in Radio and Television, Journalism, New Media, Motion Picture,
Business and Information Technology Management.
The Lab Operates — in conjunction with the
research component of the Rogers Communications Centre and the graduate
program in Communications and Culture. It provides faculty researchers,
master's students and doctorial candidates with a living "state-of-the-art"
lab for research and advancing their understanding of the interplay of
the change agents currently affecting the communications industry.
The
Applied Knowledge — that stems from the Interactive
Broadcast Learning Lab is then transferred, via the faculty researchers,
to Ryerson's undergraduate programs in the schools Communication and Design
and Business. In addition the research undertaken in the lab is operated
in a collaborative nature often partnered with industry and other research
organizations. This "virtual" research approach rapidly radiates advanced
interactive broadcast knowledge among the members of specific research
projects and into society as a whole.
Envivio Inc, Canadian Digital Television Inc. and Ryerson's
Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab (IBLL) - have teamed up to
develop interactive applications using MPEG-4. MPEG-4 is a new interactive
streaming technology that can stream interactive video to cellphones,
PDA's, networked computers and digital set-top boxes. The IBLL will work
with local content providers to develop applications that will include
broadcasting from CDTV's Toronto test transmitter that will demonstrate
MPEG-4's capabilities in digital broadcasting. Click
here to visit our news link. (May 14,02)
This website serves as an information base about the
lab, the technology in it and the activities that surround it.
