The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing an open standard for the delivery of broadcast and broadband services through connected TVs and set-top boxes, today announced its selection of suppliers for the HbbTV 2.0 specification test suite.
The HbbTV 2.0 specification and the tender process for the supply of HbbTV test suite were announced in February 2015. HbbTV has placed contracts with Digital TV Labs and RT-RK for 500 test cases to be included in the test suite. These are in addition to all applicable ones from the HbbTV 1/1.5 test suite and other sources. Test cases have been carefully selected to be the most important ones for the various features in the specification.
Suppliers are expected to begin delivery of the test cases in September 2015 and continue through January 2016. The review process will begin immediately upon their reception and will be handled by both HbbTV members and external third parties.
New test cases will be bundled with the current test suite as they become available and will be listed as ‘additional test material’ pending final approval. This is to ensure that the new tests are visible as soon as possible.
Digital TV Labs has won a competitive tender from the HbbTV Association to develop the tests covering key new technologies for the forthcoming HbbTV 2.0 test suite.
The contract is for the provision of tests for companion screen discovery using DIAL, remote launching of companion screen applications, and remote application to application communication. It also includes tests related to the synchronisation of applications and content across devices, multi-stream synchronisation, and improved support for applications to synchronise to video in HbbTV 2.0.
HbbTV 2.0 is the latest generation of the DVB broadcast hybrid standard for the delivery of broadcast and broadband services, through connected TVs and set-top boxes. HbbTV 2.0, which also includes HTML 5.0, HEVC and DVB DASH among other technologies, enables richer consumer services and new opportunities to monetise content for broadcasters and operators. Such services could include Ultra HD, rich second screen companion applications, push-VOD and ad-insertion, as well as broadcast video synchronised with broadband delivered audio or subtitle tracks.
“This important contract is vital to ensure the HbbTV 2.0 ecosystem is free from interoperability issues and it augments the UK Freeview Play HbbTV 2.0 test suite already available to manufacturers,” commented Andy Hickman, CEO of Digital TV Labs.
“This latest contract reinforces Digital TV Labs as the leading provider of connected TV test tools for the industry.”
Digital TV Labs expects a HbbTV 2.0 Test suite full release towards the end of 2016, ready for 2017 products, although individual test cases will be made available earlier as they are released to HbbTV members.
