Overview
ISO/IEC 16500-5:1999 - "Information technology - Generic digital audio-visual systems - Part 5: High and mid-layer protocols" is a DAVIC-oriented standard that specifies the high and mid-layer protocol components used to support digital audio‑visual flows (S1 through S5). Published in 1999, this part defines protocol stacks, option choices, interface requirements and initialization/management behaviors for DAVIC systems such as set‑top units, servers and delivery networks.
Key topics and technical requirements
- DAVIC flows S1–S5: Detailed protocol descriptions and stack overviews for each logical flow (media delivery, download/control, session and connection control, management).
- Media and stream formats: Usage and mapping of MPEG-2 PES, MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS), MPEG elementary streams, Program Specific Information (PSI) and various compressed/uncompressed graphics and monomedia stream types.
- DSM-CC: Options and User‑to‑User interfaces for download, remote procedure calls, file and application service functions (including download control and user‑user interaction).
- Transport and network layers: Specification of TCP, UDP, IP, IP over ATM, ATM layer considerations and ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5).
- Session and control protocols: Session control, interface initialization (DIIP), network state machines, switched video broadcasting channel control and network‑initiated channel change messages.
- Management & diagnostics: Management information flows, STU and Server MIBs, element capability profiles, status/diagnostic primitives and initialization messages.
- Local interfaces & connection descriptors: Connection Block Descriptors (CBD), A0 interface protocol stacks (downstream MPEG-2 TS bus, bi‑directional cell bus, local control bus), STU dataport and initialization procedures.
Applications and practical value
- Design and implementation of DAVIC-compliant set‑top units (STUs), network interface units (NIUs) and media servers.
- Specification of interoperable protocol stacks for broadcast, enhanced broadcast and interactive audiovisual services.
- Guidance for middleware developers implementing DSM-CC-based download, remote calls, and file/stream service functions.
- Network operator and integrator reference for ATM/IP transport considerations, channel change procedures and diagnostics.
Who should use this standard
- Standards engineers and system architects working on DAVIC or legacy digital audiovisual platforms
- Firmware and middleware developers for STUs and gateway devices
- Network operators designing delivery systems which combine MPEG-2 streams, DSM-CC services and ATM/IP transport
- Test and interoperability labs, regulatory bodies and product integrators
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 16500-2 - System dynamics, scenarios and protocol requirements (referenced by this part)
- Relevant MPEG-2 and DSM-CC specifications and ATM/AAL5 standards (referenced within the document)
Keywords: ISO/IEC 16500-5:1999, DAVIC, high and mid-layer protocols, MPEG-2, DSM-CC, AAL5, MPEG-2 TS, TCP UDP IP, STU MIB, connection block descriptors.