What is interactive digital television?
Interactive digital television (iDTV) enables a viewer to interact with TV content, respond to an ad or access Internet-based services. For example, viewers can take part in a TV programme, play games, make purchases and even send text messages and emails, all through their television set.
What are the different types of interactive television service?
The five main types of interactive television are:
- Interactive advertising
- Enhanced television
- Text services
- Interactive entertainment channels
- E-business services
What is interactive advertising?
An interactive ad enables the viewer to respond to an ad by pressing the red button and thereby find information that cannot be easily transmitted via a traditional 30-second linear TV ad.
What is a dedicated advertiser location, or DAL?
This is a visually rich site that enables advertisers to provide a greater depth of product information interspersed with dramatic video content, textual information and a built-in response mechanism.
What is a mini-DAL?
This is another type of interactive ad. It is a scaled-down version of a DAL and an effective mechanism for brand extension and data capture.
What does “impulse response” mean?
An impulse response ad enables viewers to interact with the brand while remaining in the broadcast stream. The interaction could include responding to offers, requesting a product sample or asking the advertiser to send more information about the product or service.
What does “jump to text” mean?
A jump to text ad enables viewers to jump to a static page within a text service by pressing the red button. The programme audio usually continues to play in the background.
What is enhanced television?
An enhanced television application offers viewers a simple way to interact with a television show. Programme enhancements can include voting, competitions, quizzes, exclusive video footage and episode and character guides.
What are digital text services?
Digital text services are traditionally used for short text-based stories, news, weather, sport and holiday offers. Depending on the digital platform, viewers can usually access the information while watching television at the same time.
What are interactive entertainment channels?
Interactive entertainment channels and services are becoming increasingly popular as they offer additional or alternative revenue opportunities to traditional advertising revenues. Standalone interactive channels and services create revenue streams that are driven not from traditional advertising but the monetisation of the interactivity; for example, paying to play games, search cinema listings, T-commerce and gambling.
What is e-business?
E-business allows web site operators to use interactive digital television services as a value add-on to their website, offering services to non-PC homes, or new audiences more comfortable with a televisual interface.
For consumers, e-business services delivered through the television provide a convenient and sometimes easier to use way of “dipping-in” to popular Internet services. The security and personalisation capabilities of iDTV platforms can often make transactional services quicker and more convenient.
Read the e-business FAQ for more information
What is WTVML?
Sky’s e-business services are developed using WTVML, an Internet-friendly mark-up language that provides a content authoring format for interactive television services.
Read the e-business FAQ for more information