brief introduction:
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Based on the Sanyo Semiconductor software and hardware separation platform, two-way CA, two-way data broadcasting and other applications have been developed, and functions such as VOD, karaoke, TV lottery, general browser, and stock broadcasting have been realized. In addition, the basic functions of the set-top box and OSD can also be developed by third-party software companies on their hardware platforms. These functions are no longer integrated by the set-top box manufacturers as before, and can be independently developed by different companies, placed separately in the set-top box, and can be replaced separately. This independent software development is almost impossible if hardware and software separation is not achieved.
Foreword:
At present, the software and hardware of the set-top box platform are closely combined and inseparable. All the software is integrated by the set-top box manufacturers. In order to cope with the various interfaces and applications of different operators, the set-top box manufacturers have to pay a lot of software development costs, resulting in the price of the set-top box. No high.
The digital TV software and hardware separation set-top box platform is a very open digital TV application technology platform, on which the third-party software companies can be allowed to independently develop applications for use by operators. Even after the set-top box is distributed to users, new functional modules can be developed separately and downloaded to the set-top box for operation, instead of passing the set-top box manufacturer integration test, breaking the traditional digital TV closed software development mode and reducing the software development of the set-top box manufacturers. pressure. Over time, new functional modules can be easily added depending on operational needs.
It is worth mentioning that on this platform, it is easy to support the development of any standard CA, as well as the integration of any standard batch CA. The CA library file does not need to be spread a lot, which can improve the security of the smart card CA.
First, the necessity of separation of digital TV software and hardware
The development of the previous digital TV technology is a very closed development mode: chip manufacturers provide chipset and software development environment for set-top box manufacturers, and then set-top box manufacturers develop applications on this platform. Any integration and modification of almost all third-party applications such as CA and data broadcasting requires the participation of set-top box manufacturers. It is difficult for other professional software developers to intervene, which limits the source and choice of software, greatly increasing the software development pressure of set-top box manufacturers. It also creates a technical model of high software and hardware bundles. The more software, such as CA and data broadcasting, integrated by set-top box manufacturers, the more types of set-top boxes, the more operators customers are facing, the greater the pressure. In this case, the upgrade work will become very complicated. Set-top box manufacturers can only satisfy the software requirements before the panning set-top box is issued. After batch use, even if you find a problem, you can't help it, let alone add new features.
The separated software and hardware CA, data broadcasting, middleware and other application software can be developed by different software companies. These application software can be provided separately to the operators. Each software can be independently replaced and upgraded. The set-top box manufacturers only produce basics. Functional bare metal, based on the set-top box software platform under the separation of software and hardware, software development has become a process of long-term improvement and increased functionality, unlike the set-top box bundled with software and hardware that has been translated in the early stage, almost once after delivery. lifelong.
In the original mode of software and hardware bundling, the maturity of the software has slowed down the replacement of the chip. The earliest set-top box chips that entered the market have been used on a large scale, but they are not the most advanced. After the separation of software and hardware, more chip manufacturers can compete, and cable operators can fully benefit from the rapid development of chip technology, allowing the latest chip technology to serve radio and television, instead of paying more. Set-top box chip products that were backwards even five years ago.
Second, the choice of set-top box hardware platform
A set-top box is like a building. The hardware platform is the foundation and frame of the building. Once it is formed, it cannot be replaced. The software is the decoration and the residents in the various rooms of this building. If the foundation is not good, the building cannot be built high, the grade is low, and the number of people living is naturally small. Like the foundation of the building, the hardware of the set-top box determines the performance of the set-top box and how much the function expands. Therefore, operators and set-top box manufacturers should pay attention to the following points when focusing on selecting a cost-effective set-top box hardware platform:
1. Using advanced semiconductor processes, for example, chips using the 90-nm process have higher performance than chips using the 130-nm process, and
The price reduction space is large and the power consumption is low.
2, the chip clock and processing speed is high enough, so that in the future you can expand more applications that require high processing speed.
3. Select a set-top box chip with a more general-purpose CPU, such as the ARM series.
4, considering the safety factor, we must use the well-known international big brand set-top box chip.
The following compares the performance of Sanyo LC74189 with ARM core and STM5105 with ST:
As can be seen from the above comparison, Sanyo's LC74189 has a very obvious advantage. It has been tested in large-volume use, using the most widely used ARM9 CPU in embedded systems, and is using advanced 90nm technology to demodulate QAM. The device is directly integrated with the backend decoding. Therefore, this design takes the software and hardware platform based on the set-top box chip as an example to introduce the principle and implementation of the separation of the software and hardware of the set-top box. At the same time, the chip also has the Great Wall cardless CA security management hardware module, and can also support any other standard CAS.
Third, the composition of the software platform
The software platform is a software part between the hardware application API, including the operating system, hardware driver, MMU management, security management module, vector management and application interface modules. It is a powerful open software platform for programming. Provides a rich software interface that allows different software companies to develop applications based on the platform, including more important CA applications. The framework of the entire software platform is as follows:
Fourth, the role of the software platform
The software platform after the separation of the software and hardware of the set-top box is between the hardware and the application. In a certain sense, it can also be called a middleware, but it is different from the traditional middleware that people understand. Because of the implementation of CA, browser and other functions, so that some parts are closer to the hardware, it is also necessary to provide an interface related to the hardware driver. For example, the reception of DVB CA information, as well as functional interfaces for serial port transmission and reception for troubleshooting. If you must understand this software platform as a middleware, then it should be very close to the underlying middleware. The software platform is an open software platform interface standard entrusted by Japan Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Shandong Taixin Electronics, combined with the actual application of Guangxi Broadcasting and Television Network Co., Ltd., in order to reduce the threshold of software development for set-top box software.
Operators develop their own applications such as CAs that involve their own interests and take the initiative. Because each module is individually increased or decreased, it is possible to gradually increase the functional modules according to the needs of the operation over time, and these functional modules are difficult to think when the operator starts to pan. In this way, the functional modules that need to be added can be developed by the operator to select different professional software companies, and do not need to be found by the set-top box manufacturer. For example, it is easy to improve after discovering the security issues of the CAs used, rather than being helpless as it is now.
It is worth mentioning that this structure allows middleware developed by third-party software companies to be placed in a set-top box as a separate module, which can be replaced independently in the future. Operators don't have to worry about upgrading middleware in the future. On this platform of software and hardware separation, there are modules such as browser and JAVA-based middleware, which further shield the hardware-related parts. Shandong Taixin helped Guangxi Broadcasting and Television Network to develop two-way data broadcasting and other applications, and realized VOD and Kara. OK, TV lottery, universal browser, stock broadcast and other functions. These functions are no longer integrated by the set-top box manufacturers as before, and can be independently developed by different companies and placed separately in the set-top box. There are nearly ten companies involved in this kind of development in Guangxi, and Shandong Taixin assisted Guangxi Broadcasting and Television to do total integration. This collaboration is almost impossible if hardware and software separation is not achieved.
5. Example of implementing CA under the software and hardware separation platform
CA is the most important part of the set-top box. In the past, it was also part of the integration of the library files provided by the CA manufacturer by the set-top box manufacturers. Not only is the integration test complicated and time-consuming, but also an important cause of the proliferation of CW. With the LC74189-based software and hardware separation technology, this integration can be completely completed by the CA manufacturer side, without providing any library files to each other, avoiding the need for time-consuming and laborious work such as confidentiality and joint testing in the integration process. The CW sharing situation can be largely avoided, and operators can also get a cost-effective set-top box.
Because the LC74189-based development platform already integrates the basic functions required to design a CA, developing a CA based on the separation of hardware and software based on LC74189 requires only the following work:
1. Use the operating system interface provided by the system to create various threads and establish a running environment.
2. If it is a smart card CA, use the SMART card board driver provided by the system to develop the related functions of the SMART card. It is also possible to directly apply protocols such as T0 and T1 provided by the system.
3. Use the DEMUX driver provided by the system to complete various actions of receiving the watch.
4. Provide the required interfaces for the system, such as: start, stop decoding, set age level, working hours, obtain authorization information, etc., in order to complete various functions of CA.
5. Compile on the software and hardware platform to generate executable files, which are separately downloaded by the operator to the set-top box and run without the set-top box manufacturer.
As can be seen from the above work, not only the work at the time of transplantation is much simpler than the traditional integration, but also the key is that the integrated environment is very independent. The CA and other software of the set-top box can be independently completed and tested by different companies. The integration can be done independently by the CA manufacturer or the operator, downloaded to the set-top box through the operator front-end download server, and the original smart card can also be used.
Because it provides a high-level interface for developing CA, it is very convenient to redevelop the CA or transplant the ready-made CA. Since even the most complex CA applications can be developed on the basis of software and hardware separation, other applications, such as stocks, browsers, interfaces, etc., are easier to implement on hardware and software separation platforms.
Sixth, the realization of the separation of software and hardware
The separation of digital TV software and hardware has fundamentally broken the old model of long-term imprisonment of broadcasting and television into a benign development of hardware and software bundles. Let software development continue to improve with the changes in operational needs, add new functional modules, not just to limit the business to a network with almost fixed functions, and will greatly reduce the cost of translation, which is the desire of many broadcasters.
In the post-conversion era, many radio and television companies have made a profound summary of the network that has been translated. How to operate is a topic of common concern for radio and television people.
Operators who have not yet converted can learn from the lessons of the pioneers. It should be said that the software and hardware bundle of the set-top box cannot independently improve and upgrade each software. It is more difficult to add new applications, and compressing the space for operators to carry out value-added applications is the biggest lesson that operators have already translated. In addition, in terms of CA, after discovering security risks, it is impossible to make technical measures to make up for it, making operators feel unsafe, and it is another big problem after the software and hardware are bundled. These lessons are worthy of being taken by operators who have not yet panned to avoid taking the same detour.
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