VBinet

Internet and Data Distribution System

Overview
The Norpak VBinet System combines Norpak's industry leading hardware with a family of software packages which enable distribution of data, such as World Wide Web pages and streaming audio/video, directly
to widely dispersed PC users over the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) of any standard TV signal. VBinet is
an end-to-end system developed to overcome the inherent access/response limitations of the Internet and
other more traditional forms of telecommunications. The system allows the gathering, scheduling, TV datacast delivery and local PC browsing of existing, new or enhanced content. With the addition of the IP
Multicast Bridge, the VBinet family supports superior IP Multicast features such as high speed,
uninterrupted video and audio streaming.
With VBinet, data is selected, encoded, broadcast via the TV Signal, received, decoded, stored and automatically updated on the end user's PC hard drive. The PC user can view the content instantly at any time
using, for example in the case of an Internet service, any standard Internet browser. The VBinet family
includes an IP Multicast Bridge, a File Transfer Software (FTS) package and a Subscription Management
Software (SMS) package. Additional packages will be added; consult our web site for currently
available packages.

Key Features/Benefits
Delivers Internet content at speeds of over
150,000 bps.
Lowers Internet infrastructure costs.
Browser independent - supports any standard
Internet browser.
Supports 525 or 625 line NTSC, PAL and
SECAM TV standards.
Subscription Management Software (SMS)
Add-On available.
Overcomes Internet access/response limitations.
Provides instant access/display of Internet
data on end user PC.
Automatically updates Web site on end user's PC.
Windows NT based Server Software resides on
any PC platform.

Service Provider Benefits

Proven Technology
The VBinet System is based on the
proven technology of Norpak's standard
TV data broadcast products. Norpak
is the world leader in TV data broadcast products, systems and software
for transmitting data over any standard
TV signal. Norpak's products and
technology have been adopted worldwide for use by major TV broadcasters,
cable TV system operators, news
agencies, systems integrators, value
added service providers and OEM
equipment suppliers. In addition to
the VBinet System, Norpak supplies
a complete line of TV data encoders,
data bridges, TV data receivers, and
system-level applications software
packages to meet specific user
requirements. Norpak equipment
operates worldwide in NTSC, PAL,
SECAM, 625-line and 525-line
standard systems. For current
information on VBinet or other
Norpak technology or products visit
our Web site at www.norpak.ca.

VBinet provides significant benefits to both service providers and end users. With VBinet, the
service provider does not have to add infrastructure to accommodate increasing demand.
VBinet provides a very cost-effective and timely
means to widely distribute Internet Web pages,
streaming video/audio, service advisories, software updates and other elements of an Internet
service that are better suited for broadcasting.
VBinet can be used by service and content
providers to:
provide IP Multicast based services,
broadcast existing or enhanced Web site data to
selected users,
provide subscription-based, value-added
Internet services,
simultaneously deliver high-demand data to all
users.

VBinet is ideally suited to any application

where there is a need to widely distribute content.
Typical applications include: Video/audio streaming,
Internet Web site distribution, electronic newspaper delivery complete with enhanced graphics
and/or video clips; stock quote services; software
down-loads; email and newsgroup transmissions;
and newswire services.

End User Benefits

VBinet frees end users from the access/
response restrictions of the Internet. With
VBinet, the PC users are provided a low-cost,
assured and less time consuming means to access
Internet information from their service provider. IP Multicast services
are assured continuous, uninterrupted delivery at high speeds.
Information that has been datacast to
the end user is automatically updated; no download time is required
to display the data - it's there at a
click of the PC mouse. The popularity
of the Web site or streaming service no
longer restricts user access. Data can be
received and stored in the background while the
PC is being used for other tasks such as word processing. The end user can access and browse/play
the data at any time with any Internet browser,
and without having to tie up a phone line.

VBinet Operation

The VBinet System consists of at least one

VBinet Server and TV data Encoder at the headend, and either a PC Card or a standalone TV Data
Receiver at the receive end. The VBinet Server
software packages are based on Windows
95/98/NT and reside on any platform. The Server
software packages enable the service provider to
select, create and/or enhance content, and
schedule it for delivery over the TV signal to
remote PCs equipped with a TV Data Receiver. The
VBinet Server can be used as the primary Web
site server. Any one of a number of readily available software tools can be used to generate
and/or enhance the Internet content for
distribution over VBinet.
The headend TV Data Encoder encodes, encrypts
and inserts the data into the TV signal, applying
an advanced Forward Error Correction (FEC)
technique optimized for TV data transmission to
achieve error-free reception. The encoded content
is transmitted everywhere the TV signal reaches
regardless of the medium used (off-air, cable or
satellite).
At the receive end, the TV Data Receiver and
associated VBinet Client software enable the
extraction, decoding, decryption and storage of
the data on PC hard disk. Streaming services are
played using existing industry standard products,
such as Netshow, RealVideo or RealAudio. The PC
user accesses and views the stored data using
Microsoft Explorer, Netscape Navigator or other
standard browser or player. An automatic telephone dial-up connection to the Internet is
established only as necessary for hotlinks to
data not resident on the PC.

Network Diagram
VBinet delivered by broadcast or cable VBI

TES VBI Encoder

I n t e r ne t

TTX71X
User's Connection
to the Internet
most likely by
Dial-up Connection

TTX74X

VBinet Headend Server

Existing Web Site Server

VBinet System Components

VBinet Server Software: One or more
VBinet Server software packages are used at
the headend to construct the content for distribution over the TV signal. These packages also
provide scheduling, file transfer and database
management functions needed to build and
maintain the content on remote PCs. For
streaming services the Norpak IP Multicast
Bridge interfaces directly to an Audio or Video
Server. An optional subscription control feature
is available as an add-on to enable subscription based services. Existing software tools can
be used with the VBinet Server to directly
mirror and/or enhance an existing Web site, or
to develop a new Web site specifically for distribution over the TV signal.

TES3 TV Data Encoder: The VBinet headend

TV Data Encoder is a standard Norpak TES3
Encoder/Inserter. The TES3 is a flexible platform
that can house up to four encoder software
modules for encoding/inserting up to four input
data streams into the VBI of any standard TV
signal. In the VBinet System, the basic
headend Encoder is equipped with one encoding module. Where data rates and available VBI
bandwidth allow, encoder software modules can
be added to the TES3 to enable additional
Internet or non-Internet services over the same
TV signal; up to four services per encoder.
(Note with the use of the IP Multicast Bridge,
up to 256 streams can be associated within
one service.)

TES5 TV Data Encoder: This device is the serial

digital equivalent of the analog TES3. It inserts
data into the ITU BT.601 specified 270 Mbs
serial digital stream.
TTX71X PC Card Receiver: The
TTX71X PC Card TV Data Receiver is
the latest in the Norpak family of
PC card receivers used to receive
and decode TV data. The
TTX71X fits in any IBM compatible personal computer.
The card connects to an
incoming TV signal and interfaces directly with
the PC internal bus to enable high-speed data
reception at speeds of up to 150,000 bps. The
TTX71X monitors all lines of the VBI to sense,
capture and deliver the raw data stream to the
PC bus for subsequent decoding and error correction by the PC processor under control of the
VBinet Client software. The Client software
also fully configures the TTX71X hardware; there
are no jumpers or switches for the user to set
up.
TTX74X PC Peripheral Receiver: The TV data
receiver can also be a standard Norpak TTX74X
standalone box receiver. The TTX74X features
the same software functionality as the TTX71X
PC Card Receiver. The TTX74X connects to a TV
signal source and interfaces with a COM port on
the receiving PC to provide a decoded data
stream as an input to the PC at rates up to
115,200 bps.

VBinet Client Software: The VBinet Client

software runs on the end user PC. This software
controls the TV data receiver, captures and
decodes the data, and performs other functions
for file transfer, addressing, subscription control
(option), decryption and error correction. It is a
Windows 95/98/NT program capable of running
in the background for data capture at speeds
up to 150,000 bps. The Client software automatically establishes a standard dial-up
Internet connection for HTML hot links to any
data that was not sent over the TV signal.
Internet Browser/Player: The VBinet System
is browser or player independent. The end user
can use any standard Internet browser or
audio/video player that may be specified by the
service provider.

Optional Subscription Management

An optional Subscription Management Software
(SMS) package is available as an add-on to the
VBinet headend software. The Subscription
Management Software (SMS) add-on provides
system level control of several key functions
required for implementing a subscription-based
commercial service. It enables the creation and
maintenance of a client database and provides
the system operator with complete control over
who gets what Internet information when.
The SMS add-on supports remote update of
access authority for individual clients via the VBI.
The control mechanism is based on the concept of
an expiry date associated with the end of a subscription period. Failure to renew a subscription
means the receive software will automatically disable at the end of this time period. To renew a
subscription the system user sends an authorization update over the VBI.

VBinet

Internet and Data Distribution System

NetShow and Microsoft Explorer are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Netscape and Netscape Navigator are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation.
VBinet and the VBinet logo are trademarks of Norpak Corporation.
RealAudio and RealVideo are trademarks of RealNetworks Inc.

tel: (613) 592-4164

norpak corporation 1998, PRINTED IN CANADA

10 Hearst Way, Kanata, Ontario, Canada K2L 2P4

fax: (613) 592-6560 email: sales@norpak.ca Web site: www.norpak.ca