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Philips and Samsung spearhead new CEA-2014 (Web4CE) HTML-based standard for remote user interfaces to UPnP home-networked applications and Internet services (23/2/2006)

Philips and Samsung are announcing the development of a new Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) standard, CEA-2014 (Web4CE). This new standard specifies UPnP services and a new HTML-based standard called CE-HTML that are aimed at remote user interfaces for consumer devices in UPNP networks. Web4CE has two main applications. First it will allow consumers to remotely control applications on other UPnP devices over a UPnP home network. Second it will allow consumers to interact with Internet Services using consumer devices that are connected to the Internet. The user interaction takes place using just the remote control, the keys or the touch screen of the device containing a CEA-2014 compatible browser, e.g. a Media Adaptor, a TV or a mobile phone.

The CEA-2014 Web4CE standard allows a UPnP device or an Internet Service (acting as a CE-HTML web server) to transport a rich graphics-based interactive user interface in the form of CEA-2014 compliant HTML pages. Web4CE gives UPnP device vendors as well as authors of Internet Services full control not only over what functions can be remotely controlled but also over the look and feel of the user interface that will be shown to the consumer.

Philips, Samsung and other industry leaders have worked closely together to create this new standard that is now in final draft. They will also be proposing it to the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) where there is strong support for this functionality. It is expected that CEA-2014 will be approved by the CEA in February 2006.

Major suppliers of HTML-based software, such as ANT and Oregan, are closely following the development of the new CEA-2014 standard and are preparing to facilitate a quick deployment on embedded platforms for consumer devices.

The connected UPnP digital home will see users accessing a variety of features and applications from various products in the home. In addition, consumer products are extending their functionality by providing direct access to Internet-based News & Entertainment Services delivered to the home over broadband networks such as ADSL and cable. Currently, however, there is no single cross-industry standard that allows consumers easy access to such Internet Services.

By providing unified support across home and internet services, CEA-2014 makes life much easier for in-home product manufacturers, who will have to implement only a single standard to give consumers access to such Internet services as well as to applications on UPnP home network devices. It also offers important benefits to authors and service providers, who can be confident that their services will be directly accessible to the large installed base of compliant consumer products in the home. The major beneficiaries, however, are expected to be consumers because CEA-2014 will ensure access to a large number of applications and services in their homes and on the Internet.

A major component of Web4CE is the CE-HTML profile that uses XHTML content to define user interfaces that can be rendered on screens with different resolutions and sizes ranging from HDTV screens to mobile-phone displays. The use of XHTML as the base technology means content can be authored and rendered using widely accepted and existing web technologies and toolkits. In addition, this makes it very easy and cost effective for existing HTML tool suppliers and software vendors to support CE-HTML. Many of these vendors are currently closely following the CEA-2014 standardization to be able to deliver compliant software and products.

"The CE-HTML standard is a major contribution towards unifying and expanding Internet-based news and entertainment services on connected home devices," says Rob Timmer, senior business development manager for Internet services at Philips CE. "Philips has already taken important steps along this route with the introduction of its Streamium range of UPnP home network and Internet-enabled products. We regard the introduction of this new standard as an important next step towards expanding our Connected Planet product range in the coming years, including access to a wide variety of leading News and Entertainment Services over the Internet."

"Web4CE provides a key technology component for building on and enabling applications in UPNP/DLNA home networks, providing a unified and integrated means of leveraging existing web technologies while building in ease-of-use and convenience for the user is an area that Samsung believes can benefit home networks and the upcoming DLNA v2.0 standard," says Young Joo Kim, Vice President of Samsung Electronics. "By integrating with Internet services and content, the upcoming CEA-2014 standard expands the service available into the home by providing a common standard for remotely accessing services from consumer electronics."

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