CableLabs to Provide ETV Test Suite, Launch ETV Lab

CableLabs announced today the alpha version of the Enhanced TV (ETV) Test Suite to support user agent development. Based on the Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) specification, the test suite comprises a set of test EBIF applications, a test plan, and test controller software (with source code). ETV user agents are the software components that process an ETV application on a set-top box. The test suite is designed to provide preliminary test coverage for developers of ETV user agents. CableLabs will continue to expand test coverage and provide updates to the suite in the coming months.

In conjunction with the availability of the ETV test suite, CableLabs also announced additions to its laboratory facilities that include support for the ETV platform. The ETV Lab includes a collection of ETV user agents for both legacy set-top boxes and tru2way devices from the major cable operators, as well as test applications, example commercial applications, and various test tools. The ETV Lab is open to application developers, programmers, cable operators, and device manufacturers. For details, see http://www.cablelabs.com/certqual/development/.