|
[[Image:Sky_EPG.jpg|frame|right|The Sky Digital EPG in the UK.]]An '''electronic programmeprogram''' (or '''programprogramme''') '''guide''' ('''EPG''') or also an '''ínteractiveinteractive program(me) guide''' or ('''IPG''') is a on-screen guide to scheduled broadcast television programs, allowing a viewer to navigate, select, and discover content by time, title, channel, genre, etc., using theirhis or her remote control.
The technology is based upon [[broadcasting|broadcasting]] data to an application usually residing within [[middleware]] in a [[set-top box]] which connects to the television set and enables the application to be displayed. The technology is predominant in the [[digital television]] and [[digital radio|radio]] world, but equally EPGs exist that rely upon analogue technology (using the VBI - —or [[vertical blanking interval]]). These signals may arrive via [[cable television|cable TV]], [[satellite television|satellite TV]], [[cable radio]], [[satellite radio]], or via over-the-air terrestrial [[broadcast station]]s.
By navigating through an EPG on a receiving device, users can see more information about the current program and about future programs. When EPGs are connected to [[digital video recorder|PVR]]s, or Personalpersonal Videovideo Recordersrecorders they enable a viewer to plan theirhis or her viewing and record broadcast programs to a hard disk for later viewing.
Typical elements of an EPG comprise a [[graphical user interface]] which enable the display of program titles, descriptive information such as a synopsis, actors, directors, year of production, and so on, the [[channel (communications)|channel]] name and the programmesprograms on offer from [[virtual channel|subchannel]]s such as pay-per-view and VOD or [[video-on-demand]] services, program start times, genres and other descriptive [[metadata]]. The information is typically displayed on a [[grid]] with the option to select more information on each program. Radio EPGs offer simpler, more [[text]]-based displays of artist, album and track title information.
An EPG allows the viewer to browse programmeprogram summaries, [[search]] by genre or [[television station|channel]], immediate access to the selected program, reminders, and [[parental control]] functions. If the device is capable of it, an EPG can enable one-touch [[television recording|recording]] of programs, as some [[DirecTV]] [[IRD]]s can do with a [[VCR]] using an attached [[infrared]] [[emitter]] (which [[emulate]]s a [[remote control]]).
EPGs are typically sent within the broadcast [[transport stream]] or alongside it in a special [[data]] channel. The [[ATSC]] standard for DTV uses tables sent in each station's [[PSIP]], for example. These tables are meant to contain the program start time and title, and additional programmeprogram descriptive ´"metadata´". In the U.S., these devices receive [[time signal]]s from local [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] [[TV network]] [[affiliate]]smembers, so that they can record on time. Most systems, however, rely upon third party ¨"metadata aggregators¨" (companies such as Tribune TV Data or Gemstar TV Guide in the USU.S. and Europe), to provide good quality data content.
An exapmle of an EPG system is [[Guide Plus]]+.
|
