October 10, 2025

Record participation at the 16th HbbTV Plugfest in Berlin

The 16th annual Plugfest and HbbTV Testing Event, hosted at Fraunhofer FOKUS in Berlin in October, concluded with record attendance and an exceptional breadth of testing. Jointly organised by Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP) and the Digital Television Group (DTG) in cooperation with the HbbTV Association, the event brought together over 30 companies and nearly 70 experts from three continents to execute around 200 test sessions, the largest Plugfest to date. Participating teams exercised market-ready hardware and software spanning smart TVs, set-top boxes and HDMI® modules, alongside broadcaster content, to validate end-to-end interoperability. 

A broad HbbTV & DVB-I test matrix

This year’s technical scope was notably wide. Teams ran comprehensive DASH playback scenarios, covering multi-channel audio, UHD HDR flavours, Next-Generation Audio (NGA) codecs, multi-period DASH, and DRM. There were several demonstrations combining DVB-I linked applications to showcase seamless broadcast-broadband integration. New DVB-I test cases from the German DVB-I Test Service List, plus a DVB-I Test Suite, helped standardise verification of device and service implementations. Accessibility was another focal point: the Plugfest enabled hands-on trials of HbbTV Accessibility Framework features and related services, reinforcing the goal of inclusive, high-quality hybrid TV experiences. The programme also spanned DVB-I UI design checks, HDMI® interoperability and immersive audio sound checks. 

Collaboration across the industry

Speaking for DTVP, Stefan Kunz, head of the Ultra HD working group, and Frank Heineberg, head of the Media-over-IP working group, highlighted the unique collaborative value of the Plugfest format:

“Content providers want to offer viewers the highest possible quality content across all channels, regardless of the distribution method. Device manufacturers and infrastructure operators, on the other hand, also want to ensure a smooth hybrid TV experience. Only at Plugfest can all market participants come together, test all functions, and quickly make any necessary adjustments.”

The event once again demonstrated how shared testing environments help accelerate innovation and strengthen interoperability between broadcasters, manufacturers, and technology providers.

One of three HbbTV Plugfests each year

Berlin’s Plugfest is one of three HbbTV interoperability and testing events held annually in different locations. In 2025, the series included:

• London (DTG premises) in February
• Milan (Kineton premises) in June
• Berlin (Fraunhofer FOKUS) in October, this year’s record-setting edition

Together, these events provide recurring, hands-on opportunities for app developers and device makers to validate features, uncover edge cases and align on best practices before major software and test-suite releases.

Call for proposals: 2026 interoperability & test events

In light of the success of this year’s Interoperability and Test Events, HbbTV is inviting proposals to host the 2026 series. As in previous years, the Association strongly supports the organisation and hosting of these valuable gatherings, where development applications and devices meet for interoperability testing, and where the HbbTV Testing Group performs vital pre-release validation for the official Test Suite.

HbbTV will select each year a set of Interoperability and Test Events to receive official support and become Partner Interoperability & Test Events.

Interested in hosting in 2026?
Please review the event requirements and send your proposal to admin@hbbtv.org no later than Friday, 7 November 2025. For any questions, contact admin@hbbtv.org.