developers.smarttv-alliance.org

What Im really missing is a list of platform differences:

How to get a unique, permanent device id?
What DRMs are supported?
How to implement DRM video players?
How to switch to 3D mode?
How to quit an app (go back to app screen or television)?
Which keys (and key codes) are supported by the different platforms?

As far as I know these things are handled very differently between the platforms of the Smart TV Alliance, but I cant find any support regarding this important data.

Hello,

Regarding your questions:

At the moment there is no way to get a unique device ID.

DRM documentation is currently under review and will be available on this website shortly. PlayReady DRM support is mandatory for all Smart TV Alliance platforms.

Switching to 3D mode happens using H.264 SEI signalling. In case this is not present the user has to switch manually.

Back navigation is used to exit an app. What this means is that you use window.history.go (-1); to navigate to the previous page. At the moment the history stack is empty and you navigate past the landing page your app will exit. This is covered in the Development Guidelines. Please be aware that exiting the app is not allowed on all platforms. See the Diversity Handling Guidelines how to handle this.

Supported key codes are found in the Diversity Handling Guidelines. For all platforms except LG these VK constants are directly available. This document also gives an example on how to define the VK constants on an LG platform.

Regards,
STA QA

Thanks for you answer. That was fast!

Since Panasonic still does not support DRM in HTML (even it is mandatory) and theres no unique device ID, it seems to be impossible to develop a Video on Demand app using the SmartTV Alliance Specifications.
That is really too bad.

Hi,

At the moment there are several video on demand apps being developed for the Smart TV Alliance platform. I don't see why not having a unique ID would stop you from developing a VOD app. The DRM implementation does not require such an ID.

regards,
STA QA

Hi,

What martinvc wrote is true - Panasonic SmartViera does not support DRM, so any VoD platform (unless the content owners approve that the unencrypted movies can be played, which might be true for some Bollywood or old content...)

Also how is the LG \"https://developers.smarttv-alliance.org/list-devices\" compatibility with STA 2.0? You stated 2012 models are supported, but for OIPF DRM message object which has described on STA documentation has compatibility with LG smart TV NetCast 4.0 only, isn't it?

BR
STeN

Hi,

Compliant devices are listed on \"https://developers.smarttv-alliance.org/list-devices\">https://developers.smarttv-alliance.org/list-devices.

Regarding LG OIPF DRM Message, it is supported on LG 2012 models, link: \"http://developer.lgappstv.com/TV_HELP/index.jsp?topic=%2Flge.tvsdk.developing.book%2Fhtml%2FAPI%2FAPI%2FDRMAgent+Plugin+and+API.htm\".

Regards,
STA QA

Support_STA wrote:
> I don't see why not having a unique ID
> would stop you from developing a VOD app. The DRM implementation does not
> require such an ID.

Obviously you never developed a VOD app and you never had to deal with movie production companies and their licenses. The DRM implementation is not the big problem. But you have to identify the device to see if the device is allowed to play a rented movie (you are not allowed to rent on one device and continue to view it on another, e.g. in Germany), or if your account uses more than 5 devices for purchased movies. These are things you have to show the customer even before he starts to play the movie.
But an unique ID is not only important for VOD. Imagine network games!

I see a lot of reasons for having a unique ID. And every manufacturer I know has such an ID (LG, Samsung, Philips, Toshiba, etc). But I really would enjoy a standard way to get this ID. I hoped the alliance would build a standard for getting device data, playing (DRM) videos and so on

You could make use of cookies for example, or local storage to create an identifier. That might be an option for you.

Thank you for your feedback. If there's a need, we will address the topic.

Hi there.
I am afraid having a unique deviceID is a mandatory feature for any premium VOD content, so from my perspective it definitely should be addressed rather sooner than later, and defining the retrieval of such unique deviceID in a standardised way would definitely make things a lot easier.
And using local storage or even cookies is something that could be spoofed too easily so it is not a valid way.

Cheers