The BBC is making daily programme schedule information available in TV-Anytime format as part of an experimental trial service. The data set provides details of programmes for a seven day period and is currently updated as a daily snapshot, rather than a realtime feed. The data will initially be available for three months and usage is limited to non-commercial purposes. The pilot is being provided as one of the data services on the BBC Backstage web site, which provides data, resources and support for users who wish to build prototypes and proofs of concepts using BBC material. The result of over five years of development by the TV-Anytime Forum, the TV-Anytime specifications provide standards for the rich description of radio and television programmes for use in products such as digital video recorders. The TV-Anytime specification can be downloaded from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute as TS102822. Also, after more than two years of work by the "Registration Taskforce" of the TV-Anytime Forum, the TV-Anytime CRID has become an RFC -- the Internet community's version of an International Standard -- Its number is RFC4078.
What was once a simple, unidirectional flow of electricity from centralized power plants to passive consumers is evolving into a complex, intelligent network where millions of distributed resources actively participate in grid operations. This transformation, powered by smart grid technologies, represents one of the most significant infrastructure shifts of our time. It promises to reshape how we generate, distribute, and consume energy. At its core, the smart grid represents far more than mere digitization of existing infrastructure. This bi-directional capability is fundamental to understanding why smart grids are becoming the backbone of modern energy systems, facilitating everything from real-time demand response to the integration of renewable energy sources. Smart Grid Market Development By 2030, smart grid technologies are projected to cover nearly half of the global electrical grid, up dramatically from just 24 percent in 2025. This expansion is underpinned by explosive gr...