Astrolabe Channel documents index.

William Overington

Copyright 2001, 2002 and 2003 William Overington

Although many of the visitors to this index page may already be interested in the DVB-MHP (Digital Video Broadcasting - Multimedia Home Platform) system, some of the visitors to this index page may have arrived at this index page serendipitously having found the link on the main index page and wondered what it is all about. Accordingly this index page now has some useful external links concerning the DVB-MHP system added at the bottom of the page so that people new to DVB-MHP may find documents.

Some useful external links that are not about the DVB-MHP system, but which are useful both generally and also in setting one thinking of application areas for the DVB-MHP system, are also added.

Contemporary introduction.

The introduction to these documents written on 10 July 2001.

Programming with colour buttons.

A Java applet written to run on the world wide web that seeks to simulate, as best I know how at present, a program that uses the colour buttons of the DVB-MHP minimum system.

More programming with colour buttons.

A development of the document Programming with colour buttons. that provides a test of effective button debouncing.

State tables for programs.

A setting out of the functionality of the program from the document "More programming with colour buttons." in tables.

Programming with twenty buttons.

A Java applet written to run on the world wide web that seeks to simulate, as best I know how at present, a program that uses the twenty buttons of the DVB-MHP minimum system.

Programming with a mouse unit.

A Java applet written to run on the world wide web that seeks to simulate, as best I know how at present, a program that uses the twenty buttons of the DVB-MHP minimum system and a mouse.

Programs producing questions about arithmetic.

Four Java applets written to run on the world wide web that seeks to simulate, as best I know how at present, four programs for producing questions about arithmetic for running on a DVB-MHP minimum system.

A computer simulation of a harmonograph.

A program that will run for a while so that it produces an on-going moving display.

1456 object code upon the DVB-MHP platform.

1456 object code provides the opportunity for programming some programs for use upon the DVB-MHP platform without needing to know Java and without needing to have a Java compiler available.

This opens the possibility of specialists in other subjects without the facilities for compiling a Java program, such as someone studying in a public library or in a computer room where only general computing packages are available, to prepare learning material for broadcast upon the DVB-MHP platform.

1456 object code is available for use on the web now, as a number of 1456 applet landscapes already exist. Some additional work is needed before 1456 object code can be used upon the DVB-MHP platform as a program written in Java that is a 1456 DVB-MHP landscape program is needed before broadcasts can start.

Sequential text files and their applications.

This document presents a web based simulation of using a data file in the format of a sequential text file as input to a Java program running upon the DVB-MHP platform. In addition, short overview introductions to Astrolabe Channel Presentation Language and to the eutocode system are presented.

Introducing the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer.

An introduction to a software concept specially invented for use with the DVB-MHP platform, the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer will enable end users who are using a DVB-MHP terminal that does not have mouse facilities to simulate having mouse facilities. Although slower to use than a real mouse unit, experiments show the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer to be quite effective and far better than having no mouse unit or no Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer at all. The Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer would be carried as software in a Java program that is broadcast and thus would be available to users of a telesoftware service without any alteration to the hardware of the existing DVB-MHP terminal that is being used. Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer will hopefully dramatically increase the range of distance education applications that it will be possible to run on a minimum configuration DVB-MHP terminal residing in a domestic television set.

Some notes about the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer.

The design of the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer is proceeding.

Recently, within the discussion thread "Code of practice for mouse units." at the http://forum.mhp.org website, I posted three items concerning the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer.

Transcripts of those three items are now included here as two of them provide additional information that has not previously appeared in this webspace at http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ngo and I feel that that information should also appear here.

In addition, there are some additional notes added into this webspace on 5 September 2001.

Colour codes, both generally and in conjunction with the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer.

Astrolabe Channel colour codes are regarded as a highly important aspect of the design of programs for Astrolabe Channel.

Original Art and the DVB-MHP platform.

The DVB-MHP platform is starting to get underway as a broadcasting medium. In this document, a collection of original art is suggested as an application to run on a DVB-MHP platform.

Some additional 1456 applet landscapes related to simulating the DVB-MHP system.

This document introduces some further 1456 applet landscapes that can be used for simulating a DVB-MHP system on a web based system.

The Astrogen program for generating 1456 object code programs that simulate the DVB-MHP system.

Astrogen is a program that can be used for generating 1456 object code based simulations of the DVB-MHP system in use, as seen by the viewer. For information on the limitations of these simulations and details of the important information regarding the fact that The Plateau System that is simulated in all but one of the 1456 applet landscapes that are presently available is not, at this time, and may never be, an accepted system, please study the document Some additional 1456 applet landscapes related to simulating the DVB-MHP system. that is available as part of the present series of documents.

Astrogen can be used either on-line on the web or downloaded to local storage for off-line use using a Java enabled web browser. On-line usage enables readers to experiment with using the 1456 object code system on-line on the web without needing to download any files to local storage. A Java enabled browser is needed. If used off-line, the Engine1456.class and the seven 1456 applet landscapes that simulate a DVB-MHP terminal should also be downloaded to the same local storage directory.

A learning document for programming in 1456 object code for use with the DVB-MHP platform.

A design study of writing a 1456 object code program.


Sequences of push button pushes to input information to Java Calculator Programs on the DVB-MHP platform using the minimum set of input events.

A method intended as a standard method for inputting information to Java calculator programs running upon the DVB-MHP platform. This document is presented in three parts. The first part contains a hyperlink to the second part and the second part contains a hyperlink to the third part.

Sequences of push button pushes to input information to Java Calculator Programs on the DVB-MHP platform using the minimum set of input events, with character codes.

Updated second and third parts of the previous document showing the Unicode Private Use Area character codes suggested for the sequences. It is suggested that readers first become familiar with the sequences using the original documents before studying the documents with the Unicode Private Use Area codes.


Additional options for the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer, together with not allowing memory location 0 to be used.

The adding of additional options to the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer is discussed.

The implication of this for the design of the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer is that storage of data in memory location 0 is not allowed and retrieval of data from memory location 0 is not allowed.

Entering numerical data: a suggested standard.

A transcript of my postings in the thread "Entering numerical data: a suggested standard." at http://forum.mhp.org from July 2001 until January 2002.

Chloe and Phil contribute to content for Astrolabe Channel!

Chloe and Phil, international characters that have featured in our family webspace since 1998, are to contribute to content for Astrolabe Channel. Chloe and Phil are protected by copyright. However, as Chloe and Phil were devised by the present author, their usage for Astrolabe Channel, in its current initial stages, has not presented any intellectual property rights problems, as the present author has simply used his own intellectual property from some of his creative writing activity to enhance his research on Astrolabe Channel.

Astrolabe Channel is now listed on www.yahoo.com

Astrolabe Channel is now listed on the www.yahoo.com website.

Copyright watermarking of Java .class files.

A transcript of my postings in the thread "Copyright watermarking of Java .class files." at http://forum.mhp.org in the first week of January 2002.

Colour strings.

A transcript of my posting in the thread "Colour strings." at http://forum.mhp.org on 16 January 2002.

Distance education upon the DVB-MHP platform.

This document addresses issues of tutorial support and assessment for free to the end user distance education upon the DVB-MHP platform.

An infrastructure to enable end users to enter 21 bit unicode characters for use on the DVB-MHP platform.

In this document a software based format for using 21 bit unicode on the DVB-MHP platform is suggested.

The optional additions to the unicode courtyard of the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer.

This document details some optional additions to the facilities of the unicode courtyard of the Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer so as to enable an Astrolabe Channel numerical pointer to be used for entering 21 bit unicode characters. This document is hyperlinked from within the document An infrastructure to enable end users to enter 21 bit unicode characters for use on the DVB-MHP platform. yet it is felt important also to index it from this main index.

A creative writing visit to a unicode courtyard under construction.

A creative writing imagined visit to a unicode courtyard with the new optional additions under construction. Hopefully this creative writing text will help readers to understand the use of the unicode courtyard.

The comet circumflex system.

A link to the comet circumflex index page. The comet circumflex system is my research on internationalization and localization, being carried out in relation to email conversations, creative writing, web publishing and DVB-MHP broadcasting.

Eutocode graphics.

Some transcripts from the forum at http://forum.mhp.org including some Java source code for producing a display from some eutocode graphics codes.

A eutocode graphics art festival.

Some transcripts from the forum at http://forum.mhp.org including the eutocode graphics encoding for the picture "Winter Night".

Using the U+FFFC character on the DVB-MHP platform.

A transcript from the forum at http://forum.mhp.org about using the Unicode character U+FFFC on the DVB-MHP platform as an anchor point for a graphic file in a plain text file. This document suggests the idea of the .uof file format.

Using Unicode characters on the DVB-MHP platform.

A transcript from the forum at http://forum.mhp.org about the display of some languages on the DVB-MHP platform. This document suggests the .etf eutocode typography file format and the .tff text font file format.

An email link to the author follows.

An email link to the author.


 

Some useful links concerning the DVB-MHP system.

http://www.mhp.org

The official DVB-MHP website for information. The DVB-MHP specification may be obtained free of charge as a download from this site.

http://forum.mhp.org

An official DVB-MHP organized discussion forum which anyone may join and, if one so chooses, participate in discussions. This is a very valuable facility.

http://www.mhp-forum.de

An official DVB-MHP website for marketing and publicising the DVB-MHP system. The website is in English with documents available in English and German. A good source of high quality information about the current DVB-MHP system. Providing one's email details allows one to receive press releases and user community information as email attachments as soon as they are released.

http://www.mhpdev.net

An independent site of high quality.

http://java.sun.com

The website for documentation of the Java language. While at the site, looking for Developer Connection, then Forums, then JavaTV is useful.


 

Some useful external links not about the DVB-MHP system, but which are useful both generally and also in setting one thinking of application areas for the DVB-MHP system.

http://www.free-ed.net

A marvellous collection of free educational courses, with lots of useful links as well.

http://www.brainbench.com

Certification tests, some of them free. The Written English test is a good introduction to Brainbench tests.

http://www.abstractgamesmagazine.com

An interesting site about abstract games.

http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/lab/MoonLab.html

Using the Moon as a Tool for Discovery Oriented Learning

This interesting article shows how students may make observations of the moon and learn about scientific method as well as about the moon.

Maybe free to the end user distance education on the DVB-MHP platform around the world could use the moon as an often readily available resource for practical scientific observation.

http://www.new-oceans.co.uk

Some interesting free on-line personality profile tests, including one about the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. I first learned about the Myers Briggs Type Indicator towards the end of 2000. It has radically influenced my way of looking at the world and of the way that people act and interact with other people.


This index page was last updated on Thursday 16 January 2003.

 

Astrolabe Channel

Copyright 2001, 2002 and 2003 William Overington

This file is accessible as follows.

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ngo/ast00000.htm