Overview
IEC 62455:2010 - Internet protocol (IP) and transport stream (TS) based service access - specifies the terminal requirements for the 18Crypt service purchase and protection system for digital broadcasting and multimedia distribution. Applicable worldwide where compliant broadcasting/IP delivery systems exist, the standard covers hybrid broadcast architectures (pure broadcast with optional interactive return channel) and supports IP datacast over DVB-H, DVB-T/C/S, MPEG-2 TS-based IP systems and non‑MPEG2 TS IP systems. The 2010 edition updates compatibility with recent DVB and OMA developments, corrects technical errors, and refreshes normative references.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Four-layer protection model: traffic layer, key stream layer, rights management layer, registration layer - defines key hierarchies and authentication approaches for service protection.
- Traffic-layer security: support for IPsec, SRTP, ISMACryp and MPEG-2 TS cryptographic mechanisms to protect streamed and downloadable content.
- Key stream management: format and signaling of Key Stream Messages (KSM), descriptors, and broadcast/group addressing (including zero-message broadcast encryption schemes).
- Rights management: definition and formats for rights objects such as broadcast rights objects (BCRO) and interactivity channel rights objects (ICRO), asset/permission/action/constraint objects.
- Registration and domain management: procedures for device/domain registration, token handling, domain joining/leaving, and mixed-mode (interactive + broadcast) operation.
- Signaling and service guide: requirements for service guides, KSM signaling, and service purchase/presentation metadata.
- Purchase and subscription workflows: interactive and out-of-band purchase protocols, XML message schemas for subscription and entitlement management.
- Rights issuer services: design and delivery of rights issuer streams/services across DVB-H, DVB-T/C/S and IPTV.
Applications and who uses it
IEC 62455:2010 is intended for:
- Broadcasters and content distributors deploying conditional access and service purchase systems across DVB and IPTV networks.
- Consumer electronics and set-top box manufacturers implementing compliant terminals (18Crypt-enabled).
- DRM and conditional-access vendors integrating key management, rights objects and KSM signaling.
- Network operators and service integrators managing service guides, subscription flows and rights-issuer streams.
Practical use cases include secure broadcast pay-TV, mobile IP datacast services (DVB‑H), IPTV content protection, hybrid broadcast/broadband services and standardized purchase workflows.
Related standards
- DVB and OMA specifications (referenced for signaling, delivery and interoperability).
- MPEG-2 TS and IP streaming security specifications (e.g., SRTP, ISMACryp, IPsec) - these technologies are referenced within IEC 62455 for traffic-layer protection.
Keywords: IEC 62455:2010, 18Crypt, IP-based service access, transport stream protection, DVB, IPDC, MPEG2 TS, rights management, key stream message, service purchase.