HbbTV is an industry standard that provides an open and business neutral technology platform, which seamlessly combines television services delivered via the broadcast signal, with services delivered via broadband. With the HbbTV® standard, broadcasters are able to provide interactive service and content to the viewers on the TV screen.

HbbTV is short for, Hybrid Broadcast Broadband Television and was initiated by European broadcasters as they witnessed viewers churning from television to the Internet. HbbTV® was developed, as a way to turn the threat from the internet, into an opportunity by combining the two in one platform.

The hybrid set-top box or iDTV’s is simultaneously connected to the broadcast network and the Internet. In areas where Internet connection is not available, services like Enhanced EPG, Super teletext and other services with non-heavy content (text, images) are still possible and delivered via the broadcast network (Data-over-broadcast).

When connected to the Internet the hybrid devices can download non-linear content e.g. catch-up TV, Video-on-Demand, etc., receive linear content (TV/Radio), and get additional services and data from web servers. The Internet acts as a return channel and allows the device to interact with services hosted over the Internet to request content or send user data.

The main uses of the broadcast connection are the following:

• Transmission of standard TV, radio and some data services.
• Signaling of broadcast-related applications.
• Transport of broadcast-related applications and associated data.
• Synchronization of applications and TV/radio/data services.

The main uses of the internet connection are the following:

• Carriage of On Demand content (VOD, catch-up TV).
• Transport of broadcast-related and broadcast-independent services and associated data.
• Exchange of information between applications and application servers.
• Discovery of broadcast-independent applications.

Red Button

The Red button on the remote control acts as the launcher for all HbbTV services. E.g. A viewer is watching a travel TV program when the Red button information appears on the screen.

The viewer press the Red button on the remote control, and this takes him/her to the “linked” information. In this example a SONNENKLAR.TV a German travel portal.

The viewer can also access HbbTV® services available on the particular TV station via a portal, by pressing the Red button at any time. All navigation is handled from the TV remote control, which makes it very easy to use thus having a low learning curve.

HbbTV Service Examples

A wide variety of HbbTV® services and applications can be deployed including:

SERVICE PORTAL

The portal is the window to all the available services. The portal can also include content like News, advertising, weather, trailers, sports news, etc.

ENHANCED ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE (EPG)

EPG is used on daily basis by most of the TV viewers. The normal EPG provides text and time for the program, while with an HbbTV® Enhanced EPG images, catch-up content and video trailers can be added.

CATCH-UP & VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

Catch-up TV and Video on demand are solutions that allows viewers to select and consume video content on-demand i.e. when they want. The Catch-up application can be integrated with EPG.

START-OVER SERVICE

Viewers with internet-connected boxes can access HbbTV® based time-shifting features. These include Start-over TV for catching up on the start of a program already broadcasting.

RATING/VOTING – GET FEEDBACK FROM VIEWERS

Rating/Voting application is for broadcasters that want to get feedback from their viewers. It enables them to do polls and voting, that are synchronized with the TV program.

HbbTV GAMES

Games offers a great way to keep viewers in front of the screen and spend that extra time on the channel. The games can be branded and include advertising.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

Integration and interaction with social media networks services to keep viewers on TV instead of moving to other screens plus share, like, discuss (Viral marketing)

E-COMMERCE

E-commerce either as standalone services or used as link to the TV programs “Red button” option, as “buy now, push the red button, to place your order”. I.e. together with shopping-TV.

OTHER SERVICES

As HbbTV® services is build-using standards known from the internet, it opens a whole range of additional services, already known from the internet, including the integration of external information via XML or http.

• News, weather, sports.
• Regional & Local TV.
• E-Government.
• E-Learning.
• E-Payment.
• E-Health.
• Games.
• Music.
• Radio.

Example of HbbTV Enhanced EPG and Catch-up from Arte a Franco-German TV network

Other Video Examples of HbbTV (Playlist)

This is the first part of our mini-series on HbbTV, in case, you are interested in the two other articles, they are: “Revenue streams and benefits with HbbTV” and “HbbTV Devices, Growth, Footprint and Standards”.

References

Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) | Wikipedia

HbbTV.org

HbbTV Video Examples (YouTube)

• HbbTV association Freesat – Freetime
• HbbTV ARD Das Erste EPG Example
• HbbTV ARD News and Wetter Example
• Freeview Australia How to Browse and Search
• Freeview Australia Using The EPG
• Freeview Australia Catch Up TV
• HbbTV ProSieben EPG, Highlights and HbbTV Games Example
• ARTE’s HbbTV EPG and Catchup Example
• HbbTV ZDF EPG Example

Introduction to HbbTV – Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV
Allan T. Rasmussen HbbTV presentation at Thailand’s Engineering Expo November 29, 2014

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