Documentation Structure

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

The Broadcast Architecture Programmer's Reference contains the following sections:

• Overview, including these topics:
  • Introduction to Broadcast Architecture, which covers basic concepts of Broadcast Architecture.
  • How Broadcast Architecture Works, which briefly describes the hardware required, the software to be designed, and the software standards to follow for Broadcast Architecture.
• Broadcast Client, illustrating how to develop software for the broadcast client on the Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system. This section includes these topics:
  • Broadcast Client Architecture, outlining the subsystems included in the broadcast client.
  • Television Services, describing the WebTV for Windows component, Television System Services, the Show References data format, and Show Reminders, which remind a user to watch or record a broadcast.
  • Program Guide Services, documenting services that support the Program Guide provided by Broadcast Architecture. This section presents an Overview of Program Guide Services, followed by sections on Guide Data, Guide Database Loaders, Loadstub, Guide Data Objects, the Guide Database Schema, and Program Guide Registry Entries.
  • Streaming Video Services, documenting the streaming video services of Broadcast Architecture in the sections Video Control, Enhancement Video Control, and DirectShow Filter Reference.
  • Data Services, describing the broadcast data support provided by Announcement Listener, Video Enhancements and the Microsoft® Internet Channel Client.

  In the Microsoft® Platform Software Development Kit (SDK), the Broadcast Client section also includes Client Hardware Requirements, describing hardware and operating system requirements of a broadcast client.

• Broadcast Server, covering development of broadcast server software. This section includes the following topics:
  • Broadcast Server Architecture, providing an overview of the server architecture used to broadcast data to clients in the home.
  • Writing Content Server Applications, discussing design and programming issues to address when creating a data service system for Broadcast Architecture.
  • Working with the Microsoft Multicast Router, documenting the Microsoft Multicast Router (MMR), which enables content servers to send data over a broadcast head end.
  • Internet Channel Server, briefly discussing the Microsoft® Internet Channel Server, which supports Internet channel broadcasting in Broadcast Architecture.
• Using Broadcast Architecture, providing information on how to develop software for Broadcast Architecture. This section includes the following topics:
  • Displaying Video, discussing how to present audio and video on a computer and how to manage devices associated with video.
  • Writing a Custom Guide Database Loader, covering how to write programs that load information into the Guide database.
  • Scheduling Show Reminders, describing how to schedule show reminders using your applications.
  • Recording Shows, discussing how to write programs that automatically record shows that a user selects from the Program Guide.
  • Creating Controls for WebTV for Windows, discussing how to extend the Broadcast Architecture user interface by writing custom controls to be hosted by Microsoft WebTV for Windows.
  • Building Enhancement Authoring Tools, covering how to develop enhancement authoring tools for users to produce interactive video.
  • Writing and Testing Server Applications, describing how to write applications that send data to the MMR for routing to the broadcast network.
• Glossary, defining Broadcast Architecture terms.