10.00 Update: The Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV protocol (HbbTV) has taken its first steps towards standardisation. Munich-based Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT), which is fostering the development of the technology, has become an applicant member of the standardisation body ETSI. A draft version of HbbTV (1.1.1) can be found on the HbbTV website.
Representatives of over 20 different companies involved in the HBBtv project recently met at the IRT to evaluate current HbbTV applications and implementations.
The number of companies involved this week demonstrates the momentum that we’ve witnessed since HbbTV was formally announced in August 2009,” said IRT MD Dr Klaus Illgner-Fehns. “While we’ve already seen excellent implementations at IFA, IBC and Medientage München, the interoperability workshop gave further support to those involved in getting further HbbTV products and services to market.”
Live satellite feeds containing HbbTV signaling and test feeds, generated by IRT, provided the framework for 10 companies to host their applications.
The HBB specs will be known as ETSI Technical Specification TS 102 796. ETSI has received the draft from the DVB Project and it is currently being processed before being sent to the Broadcast Joint Technical Committee (ETSI/CEN/EBU) for approval. If the processing (ie final editing and formatting) runs smoothly, it should be with the Joint Technical Committee before the end of January.
If the committee approves it, publication of the specs can be expected by early March.
