June 3, 2025

DVB-I UI Competition: A new horizon for HbbTV developers

The DVB Project has launched a global competition to redefine how audiences discover and interact with television services over the internet. If you’re an HbbTV developer looking to showcase your skills, this is your chance to shape the future of next-generation TV interfaces and to do so in collaboration with the HbbTV developer community. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the DVB-I UI Competition, why it matters for HbbTV, key dates, and how we’ll share resources and updates via the HbbTV Developer Slack channel.

Full details of the competition can be found here.

What is the DVB-I UI competition?

DVB-I is an open-standard framework that allows broadcasters to deliver TV services over the internet. While technical demos of DVB-I have demonstrated its robustness, the DVB Project now wants to turn the spotlight onto the user experience. The DVB-I UI Competition invites designers and developers worldwide to submit innovative, visually compelling, and user-friendly DVB-I clients, across any device or platform.

• Who can enter?
  Anyone from individual students and freelance developers to startups, academic teams, and established organizations. Consortiums are welcome, too.
• What’s at stake?
  A total of €17,000 in cash prizes:
  
  • 1st Prize: €10,000
  • 2nd Prize: €5,000
  • 3rd Prize: €2,000

Top submissions will also be showcased throughout 2026 at major industry events like IBC and DVB World.

Why HbbTV developers should join

As an HbbTV developer, you already understand the importance of combining broadcast services and broadband to create engaging TV experiences. DVB-I extends that concept by offering a standardized service-list approach to internet-delivered TV. Participating in the DVB-I UI Competition will enable you to:

1. Leverage existing HbbTV expertise
   HbbTV apps already run on most modern televisions. By building a DVB-I driven HbbTV client, you can demonstrate how seamlessly HbbTV can integrate with dynamic, internet-based service lists and EPG data.
2. Expand your skill set
   The competition encourages experimentation with different UI paradigms, whether traditional grid-based EPGs, voice-driven interfaces, or AI-personalized recommendations. Use your HbbTV knowledge to push new boundaries in content discovery and accessibility.
3. Gain visibility
   Winning entries will be showcased at IBC, DVB World, and other high-profile events. An HbbTV-based DVB-I client that impresses the judges can spotlight your skills to broadcasters, platform providers, and technology partners.
4. Collaborate with the HbbTV community
   As resources become available, such as the DVB-I Central Service List registry (CSR) endpoint, reference code, webinars, and FAQs, we’ll share them in the HbbTV Developer Slack channel. You’ll be able to ask questions, exchange tips, and get feedback from fellow HbbTV and DVB-I enthusiasts.

Competition highlights & requirements

Key dates

• Competition Launch: 28 May 2025
• Competition Webinar: 19th June 2025 (14:00 CEST)
• Expression of Interest Deadline: 30 June 2025
• Entry Submission Opens: 1 September 2025
• Submission Deadline: 31 October 2025 (23:00 CET)
• Judging Period: November 2025
• Winners Announced: Mid December 2025
• Prize Giving: March 2026 (DVB World)

Tip for HbbTV Developers: Even though you can submit your final entry any time before 31 October, we strongly encourage you to complete the Expression of Interest form by 30 June. That way, you’ll receive early access to support resources and an opportunity to preview your interface at IBC 2025.

What to build

Your entry must be a fully functional DVB-I–driven user interface. In practice, that means:

1. Dynamic DVB-I service lists
   Your UI should pull from the live DVB-I competition Central Service List Registry (CSR) at https://competition-csr.dvb-i.tv. It will provide sample service lists and real-world data sets for testing.
2. Core functionality
   • Service Browsing: Let users navigate offerings, channels, stations, or service groups.
   • Programme Guide: Display schedules, EPG data, or related metadata.
   • Playback: Enable seamless audio/video playback—whether via HbbTV APIs (for your HbbTV app) or native integration on other platforms.
3. Walk-through video
   Include a short demonstration video showing your UI in action. This helps judges, who can’t interact directly with your applcation, understand workflows and key features that might not be obvious from screenshots alone.
4. Cross-platform or experimental UIs
   While a traditional grid-based user experience is perfectly valid, you’re also encouraged to explore:
   • Voice or screen-reader–driven experiences.
   • AI-powered personalization.
   • Multiscreen or second-screen integrations.
5. Accessibility & innovation
   Judges will score entries on these five criteria (each worth 20%):
   • User Experience & Usability
   • Accessibility
   • Usage of DVB-I Specification
   • Innovation
   • Design & Visual Appeal

Make sure your HbbTV client adheres to HbbTV best practices for accessibility (e.g., high-contrast modes, subtitle support, screen-reader compatibility) to score well in those categories.

The competition is open to both OpApp and standard HbbTV applications. While DVB-I based application may more naturally be OpApp, building similar experiences as standard HbbTV applications is acceptable and expected. 

Building an OpApp will require that a developer has access to an HbbTV OpApp development environment. 

Resources & support

To help HbbTV developers get started and stay on track, the DVB Project has committed to providing the following resources. As soon as each becomes available, links, documentation, or reference implementations will be posted in the #dvb-i-competition channel on the HbbTV Developer Slack:

1. Competition Central Service List (CSR) endpoint
   A dedicated registry at https://competition-csr.dvb-i.tv containing live and trial data sets from broadcasters worldwide. Use this for real-world testing within your HbbTV client.
2. DVB-I reference application
   An open-source, HTML5-based DVB-I reference client on GitHub. Even if you’re building a pure HbbTV app, examining the reference code will help you understand how to parse DVB-I playlists, interpret EPG XML, and handle service-list updates.
3. Webinars & guidance
   • Informational Webinars: Live sessions to walk through competition requirements, demonstrate the CSR endpoint, and answer technical questions. The first will be held on June 19th from 14:00 to 15:00 CEST, register for it here.
   • Documentation & FAQs: Step-by-step guides, API references, and “Frequently Asked Questions” documents to help you troubleshoot common integration challenges.
4. Dedicated email support
   Once the competition is underway, you can send questions to competition@dvb-i.tv. General answers to frequently asked questions that are relevant to HbbTV solutions will also be reposted in the Slack channel, so everyone benefits.
5. Early previews & feedback
   If you submit your Expression of Interest by 30 June 2025, DVB may invite you to showcase your work at IBC 2025. 

How to participate

1. Join the HbbTV Developer Slack
   If you haven’t already, sign up for the HbbTV Developer Slack and locate the #dvb-i-competition channel. This is where we’ll post all competition-related updates, answer questions, and facilitate peer discussions.
2. Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI)
   Head over to the DVB-I competition page and fill out the brief EOI form by 30 June 2025. It takes just a few minutes and ensures you receive early alerts about resources and events.
3. Join the competition webinar on June 19th 2025 14:00 CEST.
4. Begin your HbbTV DVB-I prototype
   • Point your code to the CSR endpoint for service-list data.
   • Implement browsing and playback features.
   • Don’t forget accessibility (e.g. offer subtitle toggles, high-contrast modes).
5. Share progress & ask questions in Slack
   As you experiment with the DVB-I APIs and your HbbTV environment, post code snippets, screenshots, or questions in #dvb-i-competition. Fellow HbbTV developers will chime in to help.
6. Finalize & submit by 31 October 2025
   Package your completed HbbTV app, upload your walk-through video, and follow the submission instructions on the competition portal before 23:00 CET on 31 October 2025.
7. Stay tuned for judging results
   Winners will be announced in mid-December 2025. Even if you don’t place, your prototype may be showcased by DVB throughout 2026, exposure that can lead to new partnerships or project opportunities.

Tips for success

• Emphasize HbbTV strengths:
  Leverage HbbTV’s support for HTML5, JavaScript, and broadcast-broadband hybrid workflows, while integrating DVB-I’s dynamic service lists. 
• Prioritize accessibility:
  Ensure screen-reader compatibility, provide closed captions, and design for low-vision users. Accessibility accounts for 20% of the judging criteria, so your efforts here will pay off.
• Innovate beyond the basics:
  Consider voice controls (via integrated microphones), personalized recommendations (using simple AI/ML modules), or context-aware features. While DVB-I specifies how to retrieve and parse service data, nothing limits you from building cutting-edge UI features on top of it.
• Engage with the community early:
  Posting your design mockups in Slack can open up new ideas, perhaps a fellow HbbTV developer has experience integrating DVB-I EPG data, or someone else can suggest UI patterns that make your interface stand out.
• Document & demo thoroughly:
  The judges will rely heavily on your walk-through video. Show clearly how to navigate services, access the service and program data, and start playback. If your HbbTV app has unique accessibility features (e.g., custom subtitles, high-contrast skins), highlight them explicitly.

Next steps & call to action

The DVB-I UI Competition represents a unique opportunity for HbbTV developers to:

• Showcase how HbbTV can power next-generation, internet-driven TV interfaces.
• Collaborate with a global community of designers, broadcasters, and fellow HbbTV developers.
• Win substantial cash prizes and earn prominent visibility at DVB World, IBC and beyond.

Ready to get started?

1. Join the HbbTV Developer Slack (if you haven’t already).
2. Locate the #dvb-i-competition channel and introduce yourself.
3. Complete your Expression of Interest by 30 June 2025.
4. Start building your HbbTV-based DVB-I prototype—then post your questions and mockups in Slack for community feedback.

Let’s harness the power of HbbTV and DVB-I together. By combining the broadcast-broadband strengths of HbbTV with DVB-I’s standardized service lists, you can create a truly next-generation TV experience, one that will be seen by audiences around the world. We can’t wait to see what you build!

For any competition-related questions not covered in Slack, feel free to email competition@dvb-i.tv. 

Good luck, and happy coding!

Matthew Huntington
Manager HbbTV Developer Programme