The Digital TV Group (DTG) has given its approval to HbbTV-based connected TV hybrid products and services as part of the 7th edition of the D-Book, the detailed interoperability specification for UK digital terrestrial television.
Following its approval by the DTG Council and DTG Technical Council, Version 1 of part B of the specification (for Connected TV products and services) has now been published to DTG members.
Published in draft earlier this year, D-Book 7 defines the critical interoperable coexistence of broadcast and broadband services and devices.
D-Book 7 also enhances the current UK DTT broadcast specification that was published as D-Book 6 by the DTG in 2009. D-Book 6 introduced DVB-T2 MPEG-4 services enabling the launch of the Freeview HD service.
The DTG has been worked closely with its members with the manufacturing and broadcast sectors to meet the requirements of the BBC’s HTML applications, including the latest version of the BBC iPlayer, and other broadcaster’s catch-up TV players.
Already Freesat is planning to use HbbTV as part of its G2 range of receivers, slated to appear early in 2012.
To ensure international harmonisation of standards the DTG is in liaison with HbbTV, ETSI, the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) and DECE (Ultraviolet).
