Datacasting allows you to receive additional information that corresponds to the television program. For example course materials, software, transcripts, photos and additional information about topics covered in the broadcast, this information is transferred directly to your TV or computer.<p> A datacasting service is broadly defined as a service that delivers content in the form of text, data, speech, music or other sounds or visual images to the appropriate reception equipment, which includes the delivery of radio and television programs. However, datacasters must abide by content regulation to restrict the different genres and content of programs and audio. The development of technology and the advent of digital TV have increased the capacity of television's datacasting and therefore datacasting technology may meet the requirements of the video-on-demand service proposed by Disney.<p> The Datacasting Charge (Imposition) Act, 1998 imposes an outline of the rules and regulations datacasting service providers must abide by. It also outlines the amount of the charge and the conditions surrounding payment of the charge.<p> A transmitter licence must be provided by datacasting service providers, including commercial and national broadcasters. Datacasting is subject to rules which restrict the provision of the transmitter licence.<p> The process of receiving datacasting in your home or workplace involves using a TV tuner card which is inserted in a computer, a digital television, a set-top box attached to a standard television, or a DAB receiver. The devices mentioned are designed to receive the data signal and categorise the data information from the TV or radio program information. Once the data has been categorised the information will either be displayed immediately on the screen or saved to a hard drive for future use.<p> The datacasting transmission process may assume various forms and purposes. Material associated with a television program may be transmitted. For example biographies, statistics, Web sites, interview transcripts, still images. Another alternative might be material that is not related to the television program. For example information that could be extracted from a CD or downloaded from the Internet like educational materials, public agency documents, weather reports, software programs, or video clips of public meetings.<p> Datacast information is highly flexible and may be saved to a hard drive, copied, pasted, and manipulated in a word processor, spreadsheet, photo editor, database, or other software program, similar to a computer.<p> See also:
1. The Australian Broadcasting Authority (2004) Digital TV - Datacasting [on-line] Avaiable at: http://www.aba.gov.au/tv/licensing/datacasting/index.htm Accessed: October 15, 2004.<p> 2. Jackson, K. (2003) The Parliamentary Library: Digital TV and Datacasting [on-line] Available at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/INTGUIDE/SP/Digital_television.htm Accessed: October 15, 2004.<p> 3. Quinion, M. (2000) World Wide Words - Datacasting [on-line] Available at: http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-dat3.htm Accessed: October 15, 2004.<p> 4. Anderson, H. (2004) Video on demand on the horizon. Network World. Framingham: Oct 4, 2004. Vol. 21, Iss. 40 [on-line] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=0&did=000000715018251&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1098920477&clientId=14394 Accessed: October 15, 2004.<p> 5. Nandhakumar, N., Gomer, T. (2001) Datacasting provides opportunities and challenges. Television Broadcast's DigitalTV. New York: Mar 2001. Vol.24, Iss. 3 [on-line] Avaiable at: http://proquest.umi.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=26&did=000000071035103&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1098920478&clientId=14394 Accessed: October 15, 2004.<p>
Amy Harbrow 10:27, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)