Jonathan Thomas Bell
Senior Software Developer
jontbell40
Profile
Experienced Software Developer with 30 Years in Consumer Product Development
I have extensive experience across all stages of product development, from requirements gathering to product testing, final approval, and customer support. I believe strongly in integrating testing and development from the initial concept stage to ensure the final product meets customer satisfaction.
During my time at Panasonic, working on both television and set-top box products, I developed customer-facing applications as well as low-level supporting daemons. I possess a strong knowledge of both Linux and FreeBSD operating systems, which I used extensively in embedded products and to create test applications that ensured comprehensive end-to-end testing.
I also developed front-end applications in HTML5 and Vanilla JavaScript for use in embedded browsers. Working as part of a small team of four developers, I contributed to the first television implementations of the Freetime, Freeview, and Freeview Play broadcast systems. In this role, I collaborated closely with broadcasters, often helping shape industry standards, and held sole responsibility for maintaining the applications throughout their product lifecycle.
Before transitioning to software development, I held roles in hardware design and factory support, which helped me adapt to rapidly evolving technologies. Following the closure of Panasonic’s development center in Cardiff, I joined Airbus.
Area of Expertise
• Linux/FreeBSD
• C/C++ programming and debugging
• HTML5/Javascript development
• Ruby
• Ruby on Rails
• Lisp
• Docker
• Accessibility
• GIT
• L.A.M.P. Systems
• Extensive Digital Video Knowledge.
• SQLite
• Embedded Electronics
• Kernel debugging
• DVB
• Third party library integration/support
* Python Development for test support. including using Flask/torch etc.
Accomplishments
• Developed applications for the first TV implementation with the Freesat,
Freeview and Freeview
Play Television systems, including responsibility of applications
such as the Channel list Management and meta data daemons, using both IP and broadcast data sources.
(Over 1 Million products sold for
Freeview TV’s alone)
• Creation of end to end testing tools for confirmation of
emerging standards.
• Software lead for the development of Panasonic Olympic TVs
used at the 2012 Olympics.
• Development of both the decoder and the TV application
for the first broadcast of the DVB
system software update system.
• Supported the introduction of DVB into Panasonic’s UK
TV development factory.
• Electrical Design of DVB Common interface circuits for
Panasonic Product.
• Customer and factory support both in the UK and abroad.
• Member of Technical standards steering groups, such as the DTG
group on Broadcast record
lists and the operation of the engineering channel.
• Introduced first TV with Text to Speech EPG to UK Market,
working closely with the RNIB to identify issues.
Employment History
Employment History
Senior Software Engineer - Airbus Space & Defence, Newport
March 2022 - Present
Involved in various products both restricted and research based.
Software Specialist (DVB) – Panasonic-IDSC, Cardiff
June 2012 – March 2022
At Panasonic, I developed software for a range of IPTV solutions, both within the products and for external test systems. My work involved using C, Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, SQLite, and HTML5. I was responsible for creating daemons and user applications that processed metadata for the Freesat and Freeview Play product lines.
Senior Software Engineer (Team Leader) – Panasonic Manufacturing UK Ltd, Cardiff
March 2002 – March 2011
As Technical Lead for the Middleware team and Team Leader for the Application Development Team, I spearheaded software projects including DVB SSU and the development of driver and package encoders. I represented the company on government technical committees and played a key role in the Digital TV project. My responsibilities included developing applications for UK-specific features and providing general IT support, such as generating auto-build scripts and managing server operations.
My work covered a broad range of areas including Linux/BSD kernel, driver and application development, GUI and user interface design, and DVB-T, DVB-C, and DVB-S technologies. I utilized languages such as C, Lisp, MHEG, SQL, Ruby/Rails, and various scripting languages. I applied SCRUM methodologies for project management and oversight, including requirement gathering, and was involved in the full software lifecycle from concept through coding to verification and validation. I also provided support for third-party vendors, integrated code, and analyzed system faults using Linux and BSD kernel debugging.
Design Engineer at Matsushita Electric UK Ltd., Cardiff
March 1998 — March 2002 Digital Hardware Design. Design of DVB common interface circuits, creation of on-board test code. Linux based development work on TV and set top box projects. Boot-loader development for set top box. Design and specification of automated test system used in the production of Television receivers. Factory Support both locally and abroad. Overseas sales samples visits and customer/market support.
Technical Engineer at Matsushita Electric UK Ltd., Cardiff
August 1991 — March 1998 Introduction of Digital TV product to the UK, Technical interface to Factory and Japan, Production support, specification and test. Automated test generation. Using Labview/C.
Additional Training undertaken
• Compliance/Competition law/Data protection.
• Broadcast security
• MPEG DASH
Education
MSc Computing for Commerce and Industry, The Open University, Cardiff
2007 — 2011 Msc (CCI). My dissertation investigated the transfer of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) described accessibility barriers between the PC and connected TV (HBBTV) domains. I researched how the barrier walkthrough method could be used to investigate transfer, implementing voice guidance on a TV browser using the Web Speech API. (2018). Postgraduate Diploma in Computing for Commerce and Industry (2007-2011). Modules studied to gain qualification:- Software Requirements for Business Systems. Managing the Software Enterprise. Relational Database Systems. User Interface Design and Evaluation. Project Management. Analysis and Design of Enterprise systems: An object orientated approach. Architectures of computing Systems. System Engineering.
BTEC National Diploma in Engineering (Electronics), Llandaff Technical College, Cardiff 1987 — 1991
Hobbies And Interests
I enjoy jogging, and gardening. During the Covid lock down I experimented with seeing how much of my own food I could grow in the limited area of our garden. I hope to document my successes and failures of growing food in this way and will document the present year on my website: TheDrownedGardener.com
References
Available upon request.