Onyx™ for Broadcasters

Onyx™ is the end-to-end interactive TV solution built for broadcast.

Onyx is an interactive TV platform built to provide opportunities for broadcasters to insert interactive Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) events into their advertisements and programming. With Onyx for broadcasters, BCM provides a revenue-generating interactive TV service that:

  • Creates a new interactive inventory for local broadcast sales teams
  • Enables interactive local programming and/or news broadcasts
  • Capable of deploying multiple interactive applications beyond RFI
  • Provides a scalable solution that integrates seamlessly with all broadcast technology environments and existing station workflow needs
  • Works in a multi-channel environment, further monetizing .2 programming
  • Generates return on investment on hefty station investments into the DTV transition

How can interactive TV benefit broadcasters?

Interactive TV, having many forms over the past quarter century, is now becoming a reality for broadcasters following the transition to digital broadcast. BCM's Onyx system utilizes this new digital broadcast stream to deliver interactivity to viewers, engaging viewers with useful applications that allow them to indicate interest in programming and advertisements they see on TV.

One of the key accelerants to deployment of interactive TV in the US has been the adoption of the Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) standard by cable providers. EBIF is a commercially operating standard established within the cable industry to deliver interactive TV applications to cable set-top boxes, including older, legacy set-top boxes that might not otherwise have the horsepower to deliver rich applications. EBIF's primary advantages are significant, most importantly being that there is no additional in-home equipment required to be purchased or installed by consumers. It is very low cost technology for the cable provider, and operates in even the oldest of set-top boxes. Broadcasters have worked hard to "go digital," and cable providers have standardized interactive TV. BCM's Onyx system takes full advantage of these two key developments to bring new, rich applications to broadcasters.