1. News from the Commission on NAVSHP. (Bartolomé Arroyo)
On behalf of the Commission, Bartolomé Arroyo-Fernández, D2 Deputy Head of Unit, made a presentation about last news from the Commission on NAVSHP (ppt 316 Kb).
Mr. Arroyo reminded to the projects the need of preparing the annual reviews. The projects should contact their Projects Officers for details on reporting procedures and templates.
Additionally, the IST 2004 Conference and Exhibition was announced. It will take place in The Hague on 15-17 November, 2004. The contact person for exhibit is Leo Van Noorden ( Leo.van-noorden@cec.eu.int ).
Regarding next phases of IST R&D, Mr. Arroyo reminded the Call 3 is to be published in June 2004, the submission of proposal deadline will be September 22 nd , 2004 . This call will facilitate the participation from New Member States and Associated Candidate Countries, stimulate the international co-operation and the preparation of networking with National Activities.
Some tentative future plans about IST R&D related to amendments to the work programme (currently in discussion at EC) and concerning future calls were advanced by Mr. Arroyo.
2. Presentation of the overall NAVSHP projects portfolio analysis (Gerhard Stoll)
The NAVSHP projects portfolio (doc 2.236 Kb) analysis was presented by Mr. Gerhard Stoll (AVISTA Project).
The analysis has been already made for all those projects which made available to the AVISTA and BIP projects a public version of their Technical Annexes, on time for analysis. Documentation from the following projects still need to be incorporated: MCDN, METACAMERA, SIVSS, SEMANTIC HIFI, VISNET and PULSERS.
The analysis carried out has taken into account the layers model (xls 110 Kb) proposed by AVISTA. It means a 3 layers scheme (content, transport and terminal) with different sub-layers included in each layer to reflect the main technical aspects of the NAVSHP value chain. The overall scheme with the projects allocated in the layers model was shown. Examples of the analysis made were introduced for several projects.
As a second step in the projects analysis, the projects were classified into five groups regarding their technological approach. The Networked Audiovisual Systems landscape resulting would be the following:
• Network/Transport: UNI-VERSE, OLGA, WCAM, INSTINCT, MHP-KDB, DANAE, ENTRHONE, E-NEXT, TIRAMISU
• Terminal Middleware: TEAHA, INSTINCT, WCAM, MHP-CONFIDENCE, MHP-KDB, DANAE, TIRAMISU
• Terminal Application: COHERENT, UNI-VERSE, OLGA, WCAM, INSTINCT, DANAE, TIRAMISU
• Home Networking: EPERSPACE, TEAHA, MEDIANET
• Service/Applications: UNI-VERSE, OLGA, WCAM, MHP-CONFIDENCE, MHP-KDB, DANAE, ENTHRONE, E-NEXT
The final analysis will constitute a deliverable of the AVISTA project which is extremely relevant for all the FP6 projects and ongoing FP5 projects. It will be a useful tool to find complementarities and synergies among NAVSHP projects, to implement the grouping, to identify focused and thematic specific areas relevant for projects and to identify potential events for Concertation.
3. Presentation of the NAVSHP projects portfolio analysis focused on In-home Networks and Platforms (Roger Torrenti)
A focussed NAVSHP projects portfolio analysis on In-home Networks and Platforms (782 Kb) 
was introduced by Mr. Roger Torrenti (BIP Project).
The FP6 projects have been classified taking into account different parameters: cost and funding, duration, number of partners, type of organizations and partners' region of origin.
Four basic questions considered as important for the portfolio analysis were addressed:
• Analysis background
• Portfolio description
• Expected conclusions of the analysis
• Methodology
A one-page summary per project introducing its characteristics has been prepared. Additionally the TEAHA market background has been chosen as a reference document to describe technological and market trends, standardization perspectives, etc.
The FP6 projects were required by Mr. Torrenti to review the summaries and the reference document as well as the first conclusions drawn.
The objective is to finalise the analysis by early December 2004. The conclusions of the analysis will address the following issues:
• Key technological and market issues in the field
• Complementarities between funded projects
• Standardization
• Projects explotation
• Recommendations concerning priorities of next Calls
4. Brief on the launch of the European Technology Platform (ppt 606 Kb) (David Wood)
Mr. David Wood, Chairman of the NAVSHP New Media Council (N2MC), reported the progress and next miles ton es of the high level committee as well as its possibility of becoming a Technology Platform. It would be a way to foster effective public-private partnerships and a mechanism to bring together all interested stakeholders in the NAVSHP field.
Aiming at provoking a definitive finding with respect to the establishment of a private-public partnership around a NAVHSHP Technology Platform, a short term work-plan was agreed, which should result in a definitive decision to be taken at the next meeting of the N2MC to be held in September 2004. Discussions held so far have allowed to identify a number of challenges that Europe has to face, which justify the efforts to work towards a European Technology Platform (TP) on the New Networked Media.
Three Working Groups were defined and their convenors proposed:
• WG 1 : Key issues and problems for EU intervention. Why we need the European New Networked Media Platform Initiative (ENMCI)? For each one of following themes defined, a description of the problem and the situation today and the potential benefits if cooperation in a Private-Public Partnership have been set up and described in a document, bearing in mind the overall high level goals of a TP (Growth, etc.).
Convenor : Avista Team (Richard Nicol - Coordinator -)
E-mail : richard.nicol@btinternet.com• Theme 1.1: DRM (doc 67 Kb)
Convenor : Simon Perry (DIGITAL-LIFESTYLES)
E - mail : simon@digital-lifestyles.info• Theme 1.2: Metadata (doc 61 Kb)
Convenors : Jean Pierre Evain (EBU) and Dietrich Westerkamp (THOMSON)
E - mail : evain@ebu.ch and dietrich.westerkamp@thomson.net• Theme 1.3: Media formats. Content Competition. Mobile delivery (doc 70 Kb)
Convenor : Torsten Herfet (INTEL)
E - mail : torsten.herfet@intel.com• Theme 1.4: Reference architecture ( doc 105 Kb)
Convenor : Robert Havas (THOMSON) and Stephen Pattenden (TAHI/CENELEC)
E - mail : Robert.havas@thomson.net and telemetra@telemetra.com• Theme 1.5: The New Media Value Chain (doc 65 Kb)
Convenor : Renaud Di Francesco (SONY)
E-mail : renaud.difrancesco@eu.sony.com• Theme 1.6: Application Interfaces (doc 49 Kb)
Convenor : Christoph Dosch (IRT)
E-mail : dosch@irt.de• Theme 1.7: Interoperability issues. Convergence (doc 81 Kb)
Convenor : Denis Abraham (TDF)
E-mail : denis.abraham@tdf.fr• Theme 1.8: International cooperation within EU and beyond (doc 91 Kb)
Convenors : Avista Team and EC
E-mail : jsesena@rose.es and bernard.barani@cec.eu.int• WG 2 : Membership of the ENMCI.
Convenor : Jean Gelissen (PHILIPS)
E-mail : jean.gelissen@philips.com
Deadline : 15th Sept 2004A preliminary list of ENMCI members has been set up, aiming at checking the willingness of stakeholders to be represented at the highest possible level.
• WG 3 : Draft ToR of the ENMCI.
Convenor : Avista Team
E-mail : jsesena@rose.es
Deadline : 15th Sept 2004
Additionally, the official launch of the ENMCI has been tentatively envisaged for October 2004 (IST 2004).
The projects attending this Concertation Meeting were invited to comment and suggest ideas about the Working Groups and Themes defined before end of June 2004.
5. Briefing on the activities being conducted at the High Level Group on DRM (ppt 606 Kb) (David Wood and Julián Seseña )
David Wood and Julian Seseña (AVISTA Project), representatives of the NAVSHP New Media Council in the "High Level Group" and "the sherpas" group respectively, on Digital Rights Management launched by Commissioner Liikanen informed to the projects about the progress of the High Level Group (HLG).
The HLG-DRM is assisted by a "sherpas" group with the following schedule of meetings: 25 May, 9 June and 23 June 2004. The final HLG meeting will be held on 8th July 2004.
The group was announced in the Communication of the Commission: “Connecting Europe at High Speed”, issued on 31st March 2004 . It is chaired by Commissioner Liikanen and the members (from the econtent value chain) are: GESAC, IFPI, Vivendi, Eurocinema, FEP, BBC, TF, Vodafone, Fast Web, Philips, Nokia, Alcatel, HP, NMC and BEUC. The main goal of the HLG is to review the actual obstacles linked with DRM.
Four key issues are being addressed:
• Acceptance and trust by consumers. Security and piracy issues.
• Migration towards legitimate services. Implications for existing rights.
• Interoperability requirements, including standardization developments.
• Assessment of applications of DRM on the European markets (success stories).
The current work of the High Level Group on DRM is focused on:
• Expectations of users
• Concept of DRM and interoperability
• Policy requirements
• Actions required
6. Presentation on TV-Anytime (ppt 7.055 Kb) (Jean-Pierre Evain)
Jean-Pierre Evain (European Broadcasting Union) introduced the current state and future plans of TV-Anytime, a worldwide international consortium dedicated to producing standards for storage-based TV receivers (e.g.: Personal Video Recorders / PVRs). This has been the first of a series of key presentation from well reputed experts worldwide on topics of relevant interest to the NAVSHP projects.
The TV Anytime consortium, founded in September 1999, is formed by Consumer Electronics Manufacturers, Broadcasters, Telecom Operators, etc.
The advantages and reasons why TV-Anytime is proposed to be used are:
• Unidirectional broadcast and access to bidirectional ancillary metadata services
• It represents an alternative data format to proprietary solutions
• Interoperability, flexibility, scalability, upgradability
• Open standard for all markets
• It is transport agnostic
• It is middleware agnostic
Some examples of services were described as well as the TV-Anytime situation around the world. Finally, Mr. Evain summarized the current situation by drawing the following conclusions:
• TV-Anytime and DVB have now published a complete set of ETSI specifications for PVRs/PDRs.
• A solution designed to meet the most stringent requirements such as for digital terrestrial broadcasting for delivering rich EPGs and driving PVRs/PDRs.
• TV-Anytime is in a preliminary implementation phase in the UK but full seamless digital end-to-end operation from production to delivery would require further investment over years.
7. Coordination Groups parallel streams
The three Coordination Groups, established so far, worked in parallel sessions:
• CG-1 (Digital Rights Management) (49 Kb)
• CG-2 (End-to-End QoS in a convergent environment) (427 Kb)
• CG-3 (In-home Networks and Platforms) (782 Kb)
Notes on each CG can be found separately.
8. Summary of Coordination Groups discussion
The closing session of the plenary meeting was aimed to summarize the work of the 3 parallel streams in order to allow all the Concertation meeting attendees to access to an overall vision of the achievements obtained in the different Coordination Groups. The three CG Convenors reviewed the main aspects addressed in their sessions.
• Leonardo Chiariglione (CG-1 Convenor) showed the definitions of interoperability given by the different projects involved in the DRM Coordination Group. He announced the organization of a workshop on Digital Rights Management among four projects: TIRAMISU, MEDIANET, ENTHRONE and DANAE (VISNET project would be additionally invited). The objective of this workshop should be the establishment of an FP6/IST DRM requirements document. The meeting could be organized in Barcelona on October 2004 (date to be agreed). Miguel Dias from MEDIANET project will be responsible of the organization of this workshop and will coordinate the drafting of the DRM requirements document. The draft should be reviewed (and approved if decided) during the next Concertation Meeting to be held on December 2004..
• Denis Abraham (CG-2 Convenor) showed the relationships among projects involved in Quality of Service issues. The matrix defined after the last Concertation Meeting (March 11 th ) was completed and updated.
The creation of an e-mail reflector, similar than that already created for CG-1, was agreed during the session. Representatives from FP6 projects related to this Coordination Group will be included in the reflector.
• Roger Torrenti (CG-3 Convenor) summarized the In-home session and presented the plans for the next Concertation Meetings.
Mr. Torrenti recommended the consideration of a specific business case on reference home architecture. Projects involved in this business case should be identified. Then, a pertinent workshop may be held.
The possibility of inviting projects from the D1 Unit to further CG-3 sessions was proposed because some synergies between D1 and D2 Units' projects could be found.
Additionally, a specific session on ‘User requirements' could be organized during the next Concertation Meeting within CG-3.
The creation of an e-mail reflector, similar than that already created for CG-1, was agreed during the session. Representatives from FP6 projects related to this Coordination Group will be included in the reflector.
A presentation by the ELIN project (FP5) about ‘t he usage of MPEG21-DIA for delivering content' was introduced during the CG-3 session.
The possibility of creating additional Coordination Groups was proposed in the course of this discussion.
The launch of a new Coordination Group on 'Media processing and content related matters' was proposed. Projects interested in this CG were invited to circulate its draft approach and depending on the reaction from other projects, it will be set up formally at the next concertation meeting.
David Wood proposed the additional creation of a new CG on ‘Metadata', but no Convenor has been suggested so far. The option is open to proposals from interested projects or individuals to conduct this tentative CG.
9. Presentation from PULSERS (ppt 3.675 Kb) project about UWB activities (Ian Oppermann)
Ian Oppermann, from the PULSERS project, introduced the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) activities within PULSERS project. A briefing about the project and its objectives was presented. The main goals are:
• Work towards the vision “Optimally Connected Anywhere, Anytime”
• Scientific investigations and innovative development of short-range wireless systems and architectures based on Ultra-wideband Radio Technology (UWB-RT)
• In particular:
xxx- development of new PHY/MAC concepts and
xxx- development of flexible hardware/software platforms.
Mr. Oppermann said that the PULSERS project will take a medium and long term view on UWB R&D. The project is intended to advance the state of the art for UWB in Europe. The work has already started and initial assumptions have been developed. PULSERS is technology “ agn ostic”: the best and most appropriate technology will be supported. The project does not want to develop solutions in isolation, but contribute to the development of existing or emerging standards and regulations.
10. Presentation about the E-NEXT (2.371 Kb) Concertation Strategy (Arturo Azcorra)
Arturo Azcorra (E-NEXT Project Coordinator) introduced the concertation strategy as well as the main objectives, the technical focus and current achievements of the E-NEXT project.
Mr. Azcorra proposed, on behalf of E-NEXT project, to form an intra-SO (Strategic Objective) cluster among the following projects:
• MEDIANET: end-user AV services and applications
• ENTHRONE: end-to-end QoS provision
• MUSE (D1): fixed wired broadband access
• DAIDALOS (D1): mobile wireless broadband access
• E-NEXT: horizontal expertise provider
These projects have been identified as complementary and the roles of each project in the cluster were explained. Joint meetings at every NAVSHP Concertation Meeting were proposed as well as additional specific meetings called to target problems and opportunities.
The impact and benefits pursued with this Concertation proposal would be:
• Dissemination of results in different forms
• Maintaining relations with the other projects, by minimizing the fragmentation generated by working in restricted domains
• Synergies will be exploited, and as a consequence, the generated impact will reach a larger audience
Christoph Dosch (Concertation Chairman) and Julián Seseña (AVISTA Project Coordinator) suggested, as a consequence of the Concertation strategy proposed by E-NEXT, the possibility of creating an additional Coordination Group by integrating the five projects mentioned.
Denis Abraham (CG-2 QoS Convenor) pointed out that this strong cooperation among projects is a first result of the Coordination Group on ‘End-to-End QoS in a convergent environment'. Mr. Abraham stated that he did not see the need of creating an additional CG for these five projects at this point in time. A pertinent cluster could be formed within the CG-2. In conclusion, the proposal will be further developed by Mr. Azcorra by taking into account the responses from the projects involved.
11. Presentation about the ENTHRONE Consultative Expert Panel (Simos Menexis)
Simos Menexis, representative from ENTHRONE project, introduced the proposal to create a Consultative Expert Panel for that project.(ppt 267 Kb).
ENTHRONE is working on an integrated management solution which covers the entire audio-visual service distribution chain, from content/service generation to user terminals, using heterogeneous networks and based on the end-to-end QoS approach.
A high-level goal of the ENTHRONE project is to bridge the divide between the content provision and the networking worlds, resulting in cross-industry co-ordination on both network and content management issues, and bringing focus to standards such as MPEG-21.
The Consultative Expert Panel will serve as an external mechanism to validate ENTHRONE's development against the project's objectives, as to assure a successful industrial impact. The panel will be a market and policy driven mechanism rather than a technical assessment tool.
The panel should be composed by industry stakeholders, research and academia as well as policy formulators. The main activities of this panel will be: the m arket assessment and analysis the feedback for the market, technology and regulation monitoring; the validation of market scenarios and the mapping of services to environments with potential; the validation of project development; and the validation of business models.
Mr. Menexis stated that NAVSHP Concertation activity represents an excellent opportunity for both Panel set-up and meetings ground. The panel formulation is scheduled for October 2004. After that, two workshops are planned to be held, possibly joined to Concertation Meetings.
The proposal of the Expert Panel was welcomed by Mr. Dosch (Concertation Chairman) and further participation and suggestions from FP5 and FP6 projects were requested.
Next Steps
1. Events, conferences and exhibitions
A list of events, conferences (ppt 606 Kb) and exhibitions related to the NAVSHP field was shown to the attendance in order to inform the projects and to identify those of special relevance to the FP5 and FP6 projects. To consult the complete and updated list, please visit the AVISTA website (http://www.rose.es/navshp/ ).
Special attention was paid to the following events:
• IBC 2005 (9-13 September 2005)
• IST 2004 Exhibition (The Hague, 15-17 November 2004)
• Net@Home 2004 (Nice, 1-2 December 2004)
Concerning IST 2004, the Chairman announced that exhibition space would still be available. Interested projects would have to contact Leon Van Noorden at the commission. Concerning big events the projects were required to express their interest in these events in order to book common space as AVISTA project. This may imply an important reduction of cost to the projects with needs of exhibition. For IBC-05, firm decisions should be taken by the next Concertation meeting, at the latest.
EPerSpace Project (ppt 1.039 Kb) sent a constitution on its partitipation at the Euro-China Workshop
2. Future Concertation Meetings and venues
The next Concertation Meetings planned are the following:
• Nice ( France ), December 2 nd and 3 rd , 2004. (Hosted by BIP project in association to Net@Home 2004 Conference)
• April/May 2005 (TBC)
3. Directory of Projects' Meetings
It was decided to set up a directory of meetings of the FP5 and FP6 projects. This information could be voluntarily sent to the AVISTA Team ( avista@rose.es ) by the NAVSHP projects. Such directory intends to be merely informative and could help to better understand the progress of the different projects involved in the NAVSHP field.
4. Requested information from projects
Each project shall provide to AVISTA staff ( avista@rose.es ) information and comments as regards the following topics:
• Comments about the two tentative Coordination Groups (‘Media processing' and ‘Metadata').
• Suggestions on additional themes for Coordination Groups.
• Suggestions on new subjects for Concertation.
• Proposition of projects key people as coordinators of new Coordination Groups.
• Key experts to participate/animate any of the identified areas for Concertation.
• Preferences about dissemination activities (interest to participate in national or international events -such as conferences, workshops, trade shows, specialized events, etc.).
• Suggestions for the AVISTA website.
• Suggestions for the AVISTA Newsletter (Note that the newsletters of any NAVSHP Project may be disseminated via the AVISTA website)..
• Information regarding projects' meetings.
IMPORTANT: Those projects which have not yet sent public documentation for the AVISTA portfolio analysis are requested to do so without further delay.
Final notes:
During the Concertation Meeting, Telefónica I+D showed its premises to the attendees interested. A demonstration of Video on Demand services over DSL technology was exhibited to the visitors. This trial belongs to the IMAGENIO project, currently in commercial deployment in the Spanish market.
The AVISTA Team expressed special thanks to Telefónica I+D and the University Pompeu Fabra for their kind and warm hosting of this Concertation Meeting.