Sofia Digital and Agena Launch Personalized EPG for MHP

Reprinted from a Sofia Digital press release:

Sofia Digital in collaboration with Agena is introducing a personalized EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) for MHP, Multimedia Home Platform. This next generation version of Sofia Access EPG includes features based on TV programme selection software developed by Agena. The new Sofia Access 2.0 will be launched at IBC 2002 in Amsterdam on September 13.

Sofia Access 2.0 passively learns the TV programmes watched by the viewer and recommends future programmes that best match that viewer’s individual tastes. This feature helps the viewer to find programmes that match their own viewing profile, even when there are a large number of channels and programmes available. Unlike other technologies, this personalized EPG does not require any active involvement of the viewer.

The privacy of the viewer profile data can be assured in Sofia Access 2.0 because all computations are carried out locally and do not require uploading to a central server.

The first generation MHP EPG - Sofia Access 1.0 – is already used by all Finnish digital TV channels.

Sofia Digital provides interactive TV solutions across the world. The iTV solutions are provided using six modular products for different kinds of iTV services. The products of Sofia Digital consist of tools for content providers, server applications for operators, MHP applications for receivers, and applications for return channel services. Sofia Digital has made the world’s first MHP services in regular use.

Agena provides software products to solve complex risk assessment and decision support problems. Agena’s TV personalisation system has been developed using highly sophisticated algorithms based on Bayesian Networks, Fuzzy Logic and an original approach to programme classification.