TV Puls, Poland’s third-largest commercial broadcaster, has introduced new HbbTV-based interactive television features in partnership with DTT operator Emitel.
The latest addition to the HbbTV-based PlayPuls service, known as ‘Puls na żądanie’ (‘Puls on Demand’), enhances viewers’ ability to control their television experience with features such as pausing and rewinding live broadcasts (timeshift), restarting ongoing programmes (startover), and accessing past content on demand (catch-up).
These improvements, supported by Emitel’s advanced content distribution network (CDN), ensure high-quality, seamless streaming for audiences, according to the company.
PlayPuls provides viewers with an extensive catalogue of films, series, cartoons, and entertainment content. The application enables users to watch their favourite programmes up to seven days after their original broadcast, restart them from the beginning, and pause or rewind content using the TV remote control.
Emitel’s CDN infrastructure plays a crucial role in maintaining smooth transmission and fast content access, with security features such as geo-blocking and single-use links ensuring controlled distribution.
Dariusz Dabski, President of TV Puls, highlighted the broadcaster’s commitment to leveraging internet capabilities for enhanced viewer experiences: “We are maximising the potential of digital technologies to offer our viewers even greater access to Puls’ diverse programming. HbbTV PlayPuls and its new features are just the beginning – we will soon be announcing additional projects.”
Maciej Staszak, Vice President of Emitel, added: “The way we consume television is evolving. By implementing these solutions for TV Puls, we are providing viewers with greater flexibility and convenience. The ability to pause, rewind, and watch content at any time is the future of television, and we are proud to be part of this transformation.”
Mariusz Kolodziejski, Technical Director at TV Puls, emphasised the user-friendly nature of the service: “Together with Emitel, we have launched a service designed to be intuitive and accessible. We are pleased with the results and are actively working on expanding our content offerings, with more exciting features in development.”
These innovations are available to households using Poland’s DTT service, which remains one of the most popular and cost-free ways to access a broad range of TV channels. By introducing on-demand content capabilities, Emitel and TV Puls are further enhancing the appeal and functionality of free-to-air television, offering a level of convenience previously associated primarily with streaming platforms.