The HbbTV Association has updated its core specification to allow HbbTV applications to take advantage of new Ultra High Definition technologies.
HbbTV 2.0.2 supports High Dynamic Range, High Frame Rate and Next-Generation Audio delivered through streaming services such as MPEG-DASH.
There are also enhancements to HbbTV content with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which significantly increases the contrast ratio in video content, producing crisper and livelier video. The specification supports both Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) and Perceptual Quantizer (PQ) coding; High Frame Rate (HFR), which increases the current 50/60 frames per second to 100/120 fps. HFR offers sharper images of moving objects. This is especially useful in fast-moving sports content; and Next Generation Audio (NGA) technologies, which support object- or scene-based audio for a much more immersive audio experience. The specification supports both AC-4 and MPEG-H.
HbbTV Vice-Chairman Jon Piesing said: “With this new release of our core specification, we fill a gap in delivering broadband services to connected TVs and set-top boxes. We enable the use of new, exciting audio and video technologies to deliver HD and 4k content with much better pixel quality to HbbTV-compliant devices”.
The HbbTV 2.0.2 specification has been under development since October 2017, and it builds on significant work done in DVB during 2017.
The HbbTV Association is now planning a series of tests that will allow for products to go on sale in spring 2019.
