Java TV

Java TV is the software framework used for a set-top box, for which the software is written in Java. It currently is deployed only on the Connected Device Configuration, specifically for iTV applications development.

The API includes the Xlet classes in the package javax.tv.xlet . Other packages of the public API include

javax.tv.graphics - provides a simple rendering canvas
javax.tv.locator - provide a locator in the style of a URL for services and media, such as service:/SERV1
javax.tv.service - define a mechanism for service information (SI) database and APIs representing the SI elements; which amounts to TV channel and media available for playback.

Sun currently provides supports Java TV only on Java Platform, Micro Edition. The framework is quite general but for some subjects, such as locators, it is in effect superseded by other locator standards on platforms such as BD-J. ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Criticisms

While the framework is general, Sun currently provides support only on Java Platform, Micro Edition. The framework is quite general but for some subjects, such as media locators, it is in effect superseded by other locator standards on platforms such as BD-J.

Another point of confusion is that in platforms supported as of 2008, examples such as the SvcDispXlet example in this online introduction to Java TV circa 2001 are still not deployable because it uses AWT widgets such as java.awt.Button . Most such platforms and BD-J implement Personal Basis Profile with no AWT widgets, as opposed to Personal Profile which includes the widgets.

Sun's reference implementation for Java TV attempts to limit its exposure to support issues to the full Java Media Framework by having its own small version of JMF that it internally referred to as "jmflite".