Thomson Multimedia SA and Sun Microsystems Inc have announced the first deployment of their end-to-end interactive digital television offering in a distance learning pilot project developed and funded by Sprint Corp. OpenTV is specifically designed as an interactive television operating environment, and is the basis of the offering from that Thomson Sun Interactive Alliance that provides Sprint video-on-demand to 103 classrooms in eight schools in the Laguna Salada Union School District in Pacifica, California. The Sun MediaCenter 1000E server, being used to deliver more than 200 hours of digital video programming, is providing the first known application of video server technology in an elementary school classroom. With an interface designed so that the teacher can easily choose the grade level and subject matter, each classroom has an RCA 32 television and a Thomson digital decoder that enables the teacher to interact with the programming using a standard remote control. With the full VCR-type controls provided by OpenTV, teachers can customise their lesson plans to the needs of the students – rewinding and repeating complex material or pausing the video to allow for discussion time or a closer look at a particular screen. Also announced at the show was an agreement with Ikonic Interactive Inc under which Ikonic will develop application software for OpenTV, as well as integrate the OpenTV technology into their line of interactive television software – Ikonic Navigator, IkonicTV Ikonic Remote and Ikonic Propagation Manager.
