Tag: DRM

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Built-in vs In-App DASH Players: Which approach is right for HbbTV?

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

As HbbTV has matured into a comprehensive platform for delivering IP-based television services, one architectural decision has become increasingly important: should applications rely on the television’s built-in DASH player, or include their own JavaScript-based player such as dash.js or Shaka Player?

This question formed the basis of a lively discussion during one of the unconference sessions at the 2025 HbbTV Symposium in Istanbul, where broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers shared experiences from real-world deployments and debated the long-term direction of DASH playback within HbbTV. Rather than seeking a single “correct” answer, the discussion highlighted that both approaches have important strengths, weaknesses and deployment considerations.

This article summarises the key themes from that unconference session and explores when each approach is most appropriate for HbbTV services.

Two different approaches

Built-in (Native) DASH player

Every HbbTV device since version 1.5 (TS 102 796 V1.2.1) has been required to include a native DASH player. Rather than embedding a media player within the application, developers use the playback capabilities provided by the television itself. Historically, native DASH playback has been accessed using the OIPF audiovisual object APIs by creating an HTML <object> element with a MIME type of application/dash+xml. Since HbbTV 2.0.1 (TS 102 796 V1.4.1), developers can also use the standard HTML5 media APIs, allowing DASH content to be played using the familiar <video> element and its associated JavaScript methods such as play() and pause(). In both cases, the television’s native player is responsible for downloading, buffering, decoding and presenting the DASH stream, while the application controls playback through the relevant media APIs.

Because the implementation is supplied by the television manufacturer (or one of its software suppliers), application developers have little visibility into, or control over, the internal operation of the player. Although implementations differ between manufacturers, native players are generally tightly integrated with the television’s hardware and operating environment.

Their characteristics include: 

  • implemented by the TV manufacturer
  • accessed through the HbbTV/OIPF media playback APIs or the HTML5 media APIs
  • included as part of the device software
  • typically not updated after deployment
  • required by the HbbTV specification since HbbTV 1.5. 

In-App DASH player

An alternative approach is to embed a DASH player directly within the HbbTV application.

The two best-known open-source players are dash.js and Shaka Player.

dash.js is the reference implementation of the MPEG-DASH standard and is developed as an open-source project under the stewardship of the Dash Industry Forum (DASH-IF), now part of the Steaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA). It widely used across the streaming industry for both commercial deployments and interoperability testing.

Shaka Player is an open-source JavaScript media player developed and maintained by Google. While it also provides comprehensive support for MPEG-DASH, it additionally supports Apple’s HLS streaming format, making it attractive for services targeting multiple web and connected TV platforms from a single player implementation.

Both players are written in JavaScript and run entirely within the HbbTV application. They use Media Source Extensions (MSE) to download, buffer and present media segments through the HTML5 <video> element, and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) to interface with platform-provided DRM systems such as PlayReady or Widevine, where these are supported by the device. Since the player forms part of the application, it can be updated whenever the application is updated, allowing new features, bug fixes and performance improvements to be deployed independently of television firmware. MSE became mandatory in HbbTV 2.0.3 (TS 102 796 V1.6.1) and was already widely implemented before then, while support for EME depends on the capabilities of the target devices and DRM implementation.

Alongside these open-source options, a number of commercial JavaScript players are also available. These often build on the same underlying web technologies while adding enterprise features such as advanced analytics, advertising integration, low-latency streaming, enhanced DRM support and commercial support.

Why native players still matter

Native players have several significant technical advantages.

Performance

Because the player is closely integrated with the television platform, playback can often be more efficient.

Benefits can include:

  • lower CPU utilisation
  • reduced memory consumption
  • faster startup
  • improved playback stability

One example shared during the unconference discussion described an HD+ OpApp running on an HDMI streaming stick achieved noticeably better performance using the native player than a JavaScript implementation. 

Extensive device support

Native DASH playback has existed throughout the HbbTV ecosystem for many years and has therefore been tested extensively across a very large installed base.

The HbbTV Test Suite also provides substantial coverage of native playback behaviour, giving application developers confidence that compliant implementations behave consistently. 

Manufacturer optimisation

Native implementations also give manufacturers opportunities to differentiate their products.

They can optimise:

  • decoder performance
  • memory management
  • startup times
  • hardware acceleration
  • platform integration

These optimisations are difficult for JavaScript players to replicate.

Simpler DVB-I deployments

One interesting observation concerns DVB-I services.

Where the television already includes an appropriate native player, services can often be delivered without needing to download and execute an application. If an HbbTV application is unavailable or fails to launch, playback can still continue using the built-in functionality. 

The limitations of native players

Despite these strengths, native implementations also have some important drawbacks. The greatest limitation is that application developers have relatively little control over how they behave or the features they support.

Unlike a JavaScript player, where playback behaviour can be configured and enhanced as part of the application, the capabilities of a native player are determined by the television manufacturer and the version of firmware installed on the device. Developers generally cannot fine-tune key aspects of playback such as adaptive bitrate (ABR) algorithms, buffering strategies, startup behaviour or error recovery to optimise performance for their own streaming infrastructure. This lack of control can make it more difficult to tailor playback for different network conditions, content types or quality-of-service objectives.

Similarly, support for DASH features varies across the installed receiver base. Differences may include:

  • supported DASH profiles
  • DRM integration and available key systems
  • adaptive bitrate behaviour and buffering implementation
  • support for low-latency streaming
  • newer capabilities such as Common Media Client Data (CMCD)

If a required capability is missing or behaves differently across devices, developers have few options beyond implementing application-level workarounds or waiting for television manufacturers to introduce the functionality. Television software evolves relatively slowly, and even after a manufacturer plans to implement a new capability, widespread deployment depends on a number of factors, including:

  • specification stability
  • availability of conformance test suites
  • new television model release schedules
  • firmware release schedules for existing devices
  • consumers installing firmware updates
  • the natural replacement cycle of televisions

Consequently, new streaming technologies can take many years before becoming established across the installed receiver base. During the unconference session, Common Media Client Data (CMCD) was highlighted as a good example. Support can be introduced into JavaScript players as soon as it is implemented by the player library, allowing developers to deploy the capability simply by updating their application. By contrast, equivalent support in native players depends on manufacturers implementing the feature and rolling it out through new television models and firmware updates, resulting in a much slower adoption cycle.

Why JavaScript players are becoming more attractive

While native DASH players continue to provide excellent performance and broad compatibility across today’s installed HbbTV receiver base, the increasing availability of Media Source Extensions (MSE) on newer televisions has made JavaScript-based players a practical option for many deployments. By implementing the playback engine within the application, developers gain greater control over playback behaviour, can adopt new streaming technologies more quickly and deliver a more consistent experience across multiple platforms.

These advantages have made JavaScript players an increasingly attractive choice for new HbbTV services.

Faster feature deployment

Faster feature development and deployment is perhaps the greatest advantage of an in-app player. When new streaming standards emerge, developers can add support by updating the player library as part of their application release, rather than waiting for television manufacturers to implement the capability and for it to reach households through firmware updates and the natural replacement cycle of televisions.

Examples include:

  • CMCD
  • new DASH features
  • codec support (where platform capabilities allow)
  • improved adaptive bitrate algorithms
  • analytics enhancements

This rapid innovation is particularly valuable as IP streaming technologies continue to evolve.

Greater consistency

A JavaScript player behaves similarly across many platforms.

Instead of supporting dozens of manufacturer-specific native implementations, application developers work with a single player that they can configure and optimise themselves.

This often makes interoperability problems easier to diagnose because behaviour is more consistent across devices.

Easier Debugging

Modern JavaScript players provide extensive logging, metrics and diagnostic information.

This simplifies investigations involving:

  • encoders
  • packagers
  • CDNs
  • DRM systems

compared with diagnosing issues inside native implementations.

Better Alignment with the Wider Web

JavaScript DASH players are already widely used beyond HbbTV.

The same player can often be shared between:

  • connected TVs
  • desktop browsers
  • mobile applications
  • other web-based platforms

This can reduce development effort and improves consistency across services.

The challenges of JavaScript players

Running an entire media player inside a web application inevitably introduces trade-offs.

Higher Resource Requirements

JavaScript players typically require:

  • more CPU
  • more memory
  • additional JavaScript execution

This can be particularly noticeable on older televisions with limited processing power.

Performance therefore depends not only on MSE support but also on the quality of the browser’s JavaScript engine and other platform components.

HbbTV test coverage

Although MSE support is now widespread, HbbTV Test Suite coverage for MSE-based playback remains more limited than for native playback.

JavaScript players also depend upon more than MSE alone, including XML parsing and other browser capabilities that may affect interoperability. 

Hardware acceleration

Another consideration is video decoding.

Some browser environments, particularly outside televisions, may decode video in software, potentially limiting support for high-resolution or HDR playback.

Efficient access to hardware decoders therefore remains an important consideration when evaluating JavaScript-based playback. 

Choosing the right approach for your deployment

Although the technical strengths and weaknesses of native and in-app players are important, the decision is often driven by a much simpler question:

What capabilities are available across the televisions you need to support?

The answer will vary significantly between deployments, particularly where services must support a mixture of older and newer HbbTV devices.

Where MSE support is limited

If a significant proportion of the deployed receiver base does not support Media Source Extensions (MSE), developers have little choice but to rely on the television’s native DASH player.

This approach maximises compatibility and ensures the service reaches the widest possible audience. While it may limit access to newer streaming capabilities, broad device support is often the overriding commercial requirement for broadcaster services.

Where the market is in transition

Many deployments sit somewhere between the old and new worlds.

In these cases, developers may choose to support both playback approaches within a single application. The application can detect the capabilities of the receiver during start-up and select either the native player or an in-app JavaScript player accordingly.

This hybrid approach offers several advantages:

  • maximum audience reach
  • access to newer player capabilities on modern devices
  • gradual migration as the installed base evolves
  • reduced commercial risk during technology transitions

The trade-off is increased development and testing effort, as both playback paths must be maintained and validated. 

Streaming video is not the only difference between HbbTV versions, and developers may already need to support separate application versions for newer and older devices in their target population.

Where MSE is widely available

Once the overwhelming majority of the target receiver base supports MSE, developers may decide to standardise on a JavaScript player.

Doing so provides a consistent playback implementation across supported devices and allows new features, performance improvements and bug fixes to be deployed as part of the application rather than waiting for television firmware updates.

For organisations operating across multiple platforms, including connected TVs, web browsers and mobile devices, this can also simplify development by allowing much of the playback logic to be shared.

A commercial decision as much as a technical one

Ultimately, the choice between native and in-app playback is rarely made on technical merit alone. Broadcasters must balance innovation against audience reach, development effort and operational risk.

A new service targeting the latest connected televisions may reasonably choose an in-app player from the outset. By contrast, a national free-to-air broadcaster serving millions of existing HbbTV receivers may prioritise compatibility and continue using native playback for some time.

As the installed base continues to evolve, many deployments are likely to follow a phased journey, from native playback today, through hybrid implementations during the transition, and eventually towards predominantly JavaScript-based playback where market conditions make that practical. This gradual evolution reflects one of HbbTV’s core strengths: enabling new capabilities to be introduced while maintaining compatibility with existing receivers.

Which Direction Is HbbTV Taking?

Within the HbbTV community there has been discussion about the future balance between native and in-app players.

One view expressed within the Requirements Group has been that the native player should remain relatively stable, with future innovation increasingly focused on JavaScript-based players. Under this approach, manufacturers remain free to exceed the specification, but HbbTV may gradually reduce investment in adding new native player features and associated conformance testing. 

However, the wider industry has not reached full consensus. Browser developers have been slow to extend MSE for newer features such as advanced Next Generation Audio and object audio, including Dolby AC-4. As a result, advanced capabilities could appear in native DASH players first.

Real-world deployments continue to demonstrate that native players can offer significant performance advantages, particularly for operator-controlled services such as OpApps. At the same time, application developers increasingly value the flexibility and rapid evolution offered by JavaScript players.

The result is not a competition between two mutually exclusive technologies, but an ecosystem in which both approaches continue to play important roles.

What Happens Next?

Several possible areas for future work have already been identified within HbbTV discussions:

  • expanding HbbTV Test Suite coverage for MSE-based playback
  • considering performance requirements for JavaScript DASH players
  • investigating whether JavaScript players could be cached on televisions to improve startup performance
  • continuing cross-working-group discussions on the long-term direction of DASH playback in HbbTV. 

As television delivery becomes increasingly IP-based, ensuring robust, interoperable streaming performance across the entire HbbTV ecosystem will remain a priority.

Conclusion

There is no universal winner in the native versus in-app DASH player debate. Native players continue to deliver excellent performance, deep platform integration and broad compatibility across today’s installed base. They are particularly well suited to deployments where stability, efficiency and predictable device behaviour are paramount.

JavaScript-based players, however, offer greater flexibility, faster innovation and much stronger control for application developers. They enable new streaming features to be adopted more quickly, simplify cross-platform development and make interoperability issues easier to diagnose and resolve.

For many HbbTV services, the choice will depend on the balance between performance and agility. As streaming technologies continue to evolve, both approaches are likely to coexist, with native players providing a stable foundation for many devices while in-app players drive the next generation of IP television capabilities.

Matthew Huntington
Manager HbbTV Developer Programme

HbbTV and DVB-I: Complementary standards driving the next generation of television

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The relationship between HbbTV and DVB-I is moving from theory to reality. As the first regular DVB-I deployments gather pace, broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers are demonstrating how they work together to create a more unified, discoverable and future-proof television experience.

This was the focus of the latest HbbTV webinar, held on 22 July 2026, which brought together experts from across the DVB-I ecosystem to examine real-world deployments in Europe and beyond. The session featured William Cooper (Service List Registry), Frank Heineberg (RTL Deutschland), Stefano Braghieri (RTI-Mediaset), Ersoy Özdemir (Vestel International), and moderator Jörn Krieger, offering perspectives from platform providers, broadcasters and device manufacturers. Watch the webinar recording here and access the presentations here.

Rather than discussing DVB-I as a future concept, the webinar highlighted deployments already underway or close to rollout in New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Italy, showing how HbbTV has become an essential component of many DVB-I implementations.

Simplifying television in a fragmented world

Opening the webinar, William Cooper, Founder & CEO of Service List Registry (SLR), described the challenge facing today’s television industry.

Viewers now have more content available than ever before but discovering that content has become increasingly difficult. Broadcast channels, streaming services, FAST channels and on-demand libraries are spread across multiple platforms and user interfaces, creating a fragmented viewing experience. At the same time, broadcasters face growing competition from global streaming platforms while device manufacturers seek ways to deliver richer user experiences.

Cooper argued that distribution alone is no longer enough.

“Discovery delivers distribution” has become the defining principle. Content must not only be available, but it must also be easy for viewers to find.

This is where DVB-I and HbbTV work together.

DVB-I provides the service discovery layer. It describes television services using metadata, allowing receivers to discover broadcast and IP-delivered services through unified service lists.

HbbTV provides the application and presentation layer. Using familiar web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS, it enables broadcasters to deliver branded user experiences, programme guides and interactive services.

Together they provide a platform that allows viewers to access television services regardless of whether they are delivered via terrestrial, satellite, cable or broadband networks.

Cooper stressed that these are complementary technologies rather than competing standards, each solving different parts of the television experience. 

New Zealand prepares one of the first national DVB-I launches

One of the most significant announcements during the webinar was the progress being made in New Zealand.

Building on its established HbbTV ecosystem, Freeview New Zealand is preparing to launch Freeview NextGen in Q3 2026, combining DVB-I service discovery with HbbTV to provide viewers with a unified television experience.

Rather than requiring viewers to understand how content is delivered, DVB-I allows services received via terrestrial broadcast, satellite, cable or broadband to appear together in a single service list.

A persistent HbbTV application provides the programme guide and user interface across all services, creating a consistent viewing experience while remaining integrated into the television’s native interface.

According to Cooper, the service is expected to launch with support from television manufacturers including Hisense and TCL, potentially making New Zealand one of the world’s first markets to deploy DVB-I as a national consumer service. 

Germany moves towards commercial rollout

Frank Heineberg, VP Standards & Innovations at RTL Deutschland, provided an update on Germany’s ambitious DVB-I rollout, currently targeted for autumn 2026.

Germany’s approach has been notable for its collaborative structure.

Following successful pilot activities beginning in 2023, the  Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM) convened a DVB-I roundtable in 2024.  The DVB-I Round Table is bringing together key stakeholders from across the media ecosystem to prepare the market launch of DVB-I in Germany. Participants include ARD, ZDF, RTL Deutschland, Seven.One Entertainment Group, VAUNET, ZVEI and the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency), while BLM serves as moderator.

One major milestone has been the publication of the DVB-I Book Germany,  a key component of which is the Technical Implementation Profile, developed by the DVB-I Task Force of the Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP).

These documents define the technical, regulatory and organisational framework for deployment, including device requirements, service onboarding, certification processes and the national service list.

Rather than attempting to launch every possible feature on day one, Germany is adopting a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) strategy, establishing a robust baseline platform before introducing additional functionality over time.

Heineberg also explained how Germany’s service list will organise services into logical categories covering public service broadcasters, commercial broadcasters, regional services, international channels and radio services.

This structure aims to make navigation intuitive while accommodating the wide variety of television services available in the German market. 

HbbTV plays a central role

Although DVB-I receives much of the attention, Heineberg emphasised that HbbTV remains fundamental to the German deployment.

The German DVB-I profile requires receivers to support both DVB-I and HbbTV, with HbbTV enabling several important capabilities beyond basic service discovery.

These include:

  • linked applications for advanced media presentation
  • DRM-enabled commercial services
  • consistent interactive experiences across broadcasters
  • support for broadcaster applications launched from DVB-I services.

One notable observation was that disabling HbbTV on compatible receivers could prevent certain DVB-I services from operating correctly, underlining just how closely the two technologies are becoming integrated.

For Germany, HbbTV is not an optional enhancement, it is an essential component of the overall DVB-I experience. 

Italy builds on years of practical experience

Italy has been one of Europe’s earliest DVB-I adopters, with trials running since 2023.

Stefano Braghieri of RTI-Mediaset explained why HbbTV remains central to the Italian implementation.

While DVB-I provides service discovery, broadcasters still require capabilities that today are best delivered through HbbTV applications.

These include DRM-based content protection, premium content access, JavaScript-based DASH playback, quality-of-service monitoring and addressable advertising.

Braghieri highlighted that broadcasters also need to preserve existing commercial models developed around HbbTV applications already deployed on digital terrestrial television.

Rather than creating separate experiences, broadcasters are working towards a single HbbTV application capable of operating across both broadcast and broadband-delivered services.

This approach maintains consistent branding and user experience regardless of how content reaches the television.

Italy is also using HbbTV applications to satisfy regulatory requirements, including obtaining user consent before switching viewers to broadband-delivered content where necessary. 

Trials move towards commercial services

The Italian DVB-I trial has demonstrated that DVB-I can coexist successfully with existing broadcast infrastructure without disrupting terrestrial television services.

Several important building blocks are already in place.

An Italian implementation profile has been published through the UHD Book, defining receiver requirements while remaining closely aligned with work undertaken in Germany to minimise market fragmentation.

An independent Service List Registry is already operating, while a third-party certification process ensures compatible receivers can access Italian DVB-I services.

Meanwhile, Italy’s communications regulator AGCOM has begun work on the regulatory framework required to support commercial deployment, recognising that DVB-I must integrate into an already well-established digital television ecosystem rather than replacing it.

The focus now shifts from proving the technology to creating the commercial and regulatory environment needed for national rollout. 

A manufacturer’s perspective

Ersoy Özdemir, TV Business Development Manager at Vestel International, offered valuable insight into DVB-I from the perspective of a television manufacturer.

Vestel began developing DVB-I support as early as 2021 through specialist engineering teams already experienced in HbbTV and Freeview Play.

Early involvement allowed Vestel to participate in proof-of-concept activities and broadcaster trials across multiple countries, including Italy, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

This practical experience reinforced several important lessons.

Firstly, successful DVB-I deployment depends on close collaboration between broadcasters, manufacturers and platform operators.

Secondly, while standards and test suites provide an essential foundation, real broadcaster services remain vital for uncovering interoperability issues that only emerge during practical deployment.

Finally, consumers benefit directly through simpler setup, richer service information and consistent interactive experiences.

Özdemir described HbbTV and DVB-I as complementary technologies, with DVB-I providing the discovery foundation while HbbTV delivers the rich interactive experiences that viewers increasingly expect.

Manufacturers, he concluded, play a critical role by transforming open standards into products that consumers can actually buy and use. 

Collaboration emerges as the common theme

Although the presentations covered different countries and perspectives, several consistent themes emerged throughout the webinar.

The first is that DVB-I is no longer an experimental technology. Multiple markets now have operational trials, implementation profiles and clear commercial deployment plans.

Secondly, HbbTV has established itself as a strategic partner to DVB-I rather than an alternative. Broadcasters repeatedly demonstrated how HbbTV applications provide the functionality needed to support DRM, advertising, service presentation and user interaction.

Finally, successful deployment depends on industry collaboration.

Broadcasters, manufacturers, regulators, standards organisations and technology suppliers all have distinct roles to play. Markets such as Germany and Italy have demonstrated that building consensus across these groups is as important as solving the technical challenges themselves.

Looking ahead

The webinar painted a picture of an ecosystem entering a new phase.

After several years focused on standards development, proof-of-concepts and technical trials, attention is now shifting towards commercial deployment.

New Zealand appears poised to become one of the first markets to launch a national DVB-I service. Germany is targeting commercial rollout later this year, while Italy continues to mature one of Europe’s most advanced trial environments. Manufacturers are already integrating DVB-I capabilities into commercial products, and broadcasters are refining the operational models needed for long-term success.

Perhaps the strongest message from the webinar was that HbbTV and DVB-I each fulfil distinct but complementary roles within the television ecosystem. DVB-I provides a standardised approach to service discovery and metadata, while HbbTV delivers the application environment that enables rich user experiences, interactivity and advanced broadcaster services. Together they create a unified framework that allows television services to span both broadcast and broadband networks seamlessly.

As deployments accelerate over the coming months, broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers are demonstrating how these complementary standards can work together to simplify service discovery, preserve broadcaster prominence on TV screens and deliver a consistent viewing experience across an increasingly hybrid television landscape.

Collaboration, innovation and debate: inside the HbbTV Symposium 2025 unconference

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is the final part of a series based on the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, bringing together insights from across the industry on the future of broadcast services and connected television. Covering topics from broadband-only delivery and addressable advertising to interoperability and evolving standards, the series captures key discussions and expert perspectives shaping the next phase of HbbTV and the wider TV ecosystem.

While the first day of the HbbTV Symposium 2025 focused on keynotes, presentations and panel discussions, the second day shifted to a different format. The annual unconference provided delegates with the opportunity to shape the agenda themselves, bringing together broadcasters, manufacturers, platform operators, technology providers and standards experts to discuss emerging challenges and opportunities across the HbbTV ecosystem.

Eighteen sessions were held throughout the day, covering topics ranging from DVB-I commercialisation and all-IP television to accessibility, artificial intelligence, sustainability, advertising and testing. While the discussions varied widely, several common themes emerged.

One of the strongest themes was the industry’s transition towards IP delivery. Sessions on commercialising DVB-I, making HbbTV fit for purpose for all-IP environments and supporting public broadcasters in a streaming future all highlighted the need for broadcasters to adapt to changing viewing habits while preserving the openness and interoperability that have traditionally characterised television. Participants discussed how DVB-I and HbbTV can work together to provide a consistent viewer experience across hybrid and IP-only environments, while ensuring that national broadcasters retain visibility and prominence in increasingly competitive connected TV ecosystems.

The all-IP session generated particularly lively discussion. Participants debated whether HbbTV already contains everything needed to support all-IP services, whether parts of the specification should be simplified, and how developers can be encouraged to view HbbTV as a lightweight web-based environment rather than a broadcast-specific technology. Questions were also raised around remote-control evolution, platform integration, AI and whether new approaches may be needed to make HbbTV more visible in an IP-first world.

Accessibility was another important topic. Participants explored how sign language delivery could be standardised using HbbTV technologies and how broadcasters could work together to define common requirements before approaching manufacturers. The session reinforced the growing interest in making accessibility services more flexible and personalised.

Several discussions focused on emerging technologies. A session on provenance and authenticity examined how broadcasters and standards organisations might respond to the increasing threat posed by deepfakes, manipulated content and AI-generated media. Participants debated whether provenance information should become part of future HbbTV and DVB specifications, and whether standards such as Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) could provide a foundation for cross-platform trust mechanisms. The session generated enough interest that participants proposed establishing a dedicated HbbTV study mission on the topic.

Artificial intelligence was also discussed from a more practical perspective. One session explored how AI could improve content discovery and user interaction through natural language interfaces. Participants examined concepts such as AI agents interacting with DVB-I service information and controlling HbbTV services, while considering where future standardisation efforts might be required.

Advertising and monetisation featured prominently throughout the day. Sessions explored the role of audience data in advertising, dynamic ad substitution, gamified advertising experiences and TV shopping. Participants shared experiences of using HbbTV to increase viewer engagement, improve campaign measurement and create new revenue opportunities. Discussions also highlighted the importance of identity management, cross-device targeting and shoppable advertising formats that bridge the gap between television and digital commerce.

Technical interoperability remained another major focus. Sessions on DRM conformance, CTA WAVE testing, test assets and the future of HbbTV test and conformance applications demonstrated the industry’s ongoing commitment to ensuring consistent behaviour across devices. Participants discussed integration between HbbTV and CTA WAVE test suites, and the need for improved testing tools as services move towards all-IP delivery.

The unconference also looked inward. A dedicated session on improving future symposiums and unconferences gathered feedback on event structure, pacing and participant engagement. Delegates expressed strong support for retaining the unconference format while exploring ways to make sessions even more interactive and accessible to newcomers.

Perhaps the most important outcome of the day was not any single conclusion, but the collaborative nature of the discussions themselves. Across almost every session, participants identified opportunities for further work, new study missions, stronger liaison between standards bodies and greater collaboration across the industry.

The unconference demonstrated one of the unique strengths of the HbbTV community: the ability to bring together experts from across the television ecosystem to openly discuss challenges, share experiences and shape future developments. As HbbTV continues to evolve alongside DVB-I, streaming and connected TV, these conversations will play an increasingly important role in defining the next generation of television services.

Series Conclusion

The HbbTV Symposium 2025 demonstrated both the maturity of the HbbTV ecosystem and the pace at which it continues to evolve. Across the keynotes, technical presentations and roundtables, speakers highlighted how HbbTV is enabling innovation in areas including addressable advertising, audience measurement, accessibility, content discovery, hybrid broadcast-broadband services and the transition towards IP-delivered television.

At the same time, discussions on interoperability, authenticity, sustainability and new monetisation models showed that the industry is already looking beyond today’s challenges to prepare for the next phase of connected TV.

This series of articles has captured only a selection of the insights shared during two days of presentations and discussion in Istanbul. As broadcasters, platform operators, manufacturers and technology providers continue to collaborate, HbbTV remains at the centre of efforts to create an open, interoperable and innovative television ecosystem.

We now look forward to continuing those conversations at the 14th HbbTV Symposium and Awards in Barcelona on 18-19 November 2026, where the industry will once again come together to share experiences, showcase innovation and help shape the future of television.

HbbTV innovation showcase: quickfire presentations from the HbbTV Symposium 2025

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Alongside the keynotes, technical presentations and roundtables, for the first time the HbbTV Symposium 2025 featured a series of quickfire presentations highlighting emerging ideas, innovative projects and future challenges for the HbbTV ecosystem. Covering topics ranging from media authenticity and accessibility to streaming platforms, interoperability testing and application discovery, the sessions demonstrated the breadth of innovation taking place across the industry.

Assuring provenance and authenticity: challenges and solutions for HbbTV

Naomi Schoppa, Research Associate, Fraunhofer FOKUS

Naomi Schoppa, Research Associate, Fraunhofer FOKUS

Naomi Schoppa addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing the media industry: how to maintain trust in digital content in an era of AI-generated media, deepfakes and disinformation. As content becomes easier to manipulate, audiences increasingly question whether the images and videos they see can be trusted.

Schoppa outlined the growing threat posed by misinformation, disinformation and fake news, alongside technical attacks such as signal hijacking and compromised media platforms. In response, she highlighted the importance of provenance and authenticity data, metadata that can record where content originated and how it has been modified throughout its lifecycle.

A range of technical approaches already exist, including digital watermarking, fingerprinting and embedded provenance information. The challenge now is how these technologies can be integrated into broadcast and streaming ecosystems. Schoppa posed an important question for the HbbTV community: should future standards define how authenticity and provenance information is transported, verified and presented to viewers? As media consumption increasingly spans broadcast, OTT and social platforms, ensuring trust in content may become a critical requirement for future television services.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full quickfire talk from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here:  Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Sign language on DTT with WebAssembly decoding in HbbTV

Rafael Bermúdez, R&D Team Product Owner, 3Cat – CCMA

Rafael Bermúdez, R&D Team Product Owner, 3Cat – CCMA

Rafael Bermúdez presented an innovative approach to improving accessibility by delivering sign language services through HbbTV. His goal was simple but ambitious: to make sign language as easy to access and personalise as subtitles are today.

Traditional sign language services often rely on dedicated broadcast channels, limiting flexibility and scalability. Bermúdez described a hybrid approach in which the main television programme is delivered via DTT, while the sign language video stream is delivered over broadband and synchronised using HbbTV technologies.

To overcome technical limitations, the solution uses WebAssembly (WASM) to decode a secondary video stream directly within the HbbTV application. Combined with low-latency DASH delivery and HbbTV Media Synchronisation, this allows sign language content to remain synchronised with the broadcast programme while offering viewers control over size, position and presentation.

The solution is built entirely on open standards and has been demonstrated across a wide range of HbbTV devices. Bermúdez called for wider industry collaboration to standardise sign language delivery as a first-class media component, alongside subtitles and audio description, making accessibility services easier to deploy and use across the industry.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full quickfire talk from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here:  Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

The new ZDF streaming portal

Amelie Jakob, Product Owner HbbTV, ZDF

Amelie Jakob, Product Owner HbbTV, ZDF

Amelie Jakob provided an overview of ZDF’s newly launched streaming platform, representing a significant evolution in the German broadcaster’s digital strategy.

For the first time, ZDF adopted a “big-screen first” approach, placing connected TVs and HbbTV devices at the centre of the user experience. The aim was to move beyond the traditional concept of a broadcaster catch-up service and create a true streaming platform capable of competing with commercial streaming providers.

A key part of the transformation was a complete redesign built around metadata. New recommendation algorithms, automated content organisation and enhanced personalisation capabilities are all driven by a richer metadata structure. The platform also introduces larger visuals, autoplay trailers and improved content discovery features designed specifically for television viewing.

Jakob also highlighted innovations such as sustainability settings, which allow viewers to reduce the environmental impact of streaming, and enhanced support for live events and channels. Perhaps most importantly, the platform is delivered through a single code base that supports more than 30 platforms and over 10 operating systems, helping ZDF navigate the increasingly fragmented smart TV landscape.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full quickfire talk from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here:  Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Advancing HbbTV interoperability: latest developments in the CTA WAVE Streaming Media Test Suite

Louay Bassbouss, Senior Project Manager R&D, Fraunhofer FOKUS

Louay Bassbouss, Senior Project Manager R&D, Fraunhofer FOKUS

Louay Bassbouss provided an update on the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Web Application Video Ecosystem (WAVE) Streaming Media Test Suite, an important industry initiative aimed at improving interoperability across connected TV devices.

The CTA WAVE project focuses specifically on media playback, testing implementations of technologies such as Media Source Extensions (MSE), Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), adaptive streaming and DRM systems. Unlike traditional manual testing, the framework automates much of the validation process, using video capture and analysis to measure playback performance, startup times and compliance.

Over the past year, the project has introduced a major new release featuring expanded test coverage, improved documentation and additional support for audio-only services. Significant work has also been undertaken to improve testing of HEVC, HDR and commercial DRM implementations.

Bassbouss highlighted the close collaboration between CTA WAVE and HbbTV, with elements of the test suite already contributing to HbbTV interoperability efforts. As streaming services become increasingly sophisticated, robust testing frameworks will play a vital role in ensuring consistent experiences across the growing range of connected TV devices.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full quickfire talk from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here:  Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Tracking global adoption of HbbTV with ADB

William Cooper, Chief Executive, Service List Registry

William Cooper, Chief Executive, Service List Registry

William Cooper concluded the session by examining how Application Discovery over Broadband (ADB) is providing new insights into the global adoption of HbbTV.

ADB allows HbbTV devices to discover and launch applications over the internet without relying on broadcast application signalling. Operated through the Service List Registry, the system acts as a global discovery mechanism, resolving service identifiers into application locations using standard DNS infrastructure.

The scale of deployment is already significant. Cooper revealed that the registry processes around half a million requests every hour, equating to approximately 10 million requests per day. This provides valuable insight into where HbbTV-compatible devices are being used around the world and which services viewers are accessing.

The data highlights strong adoption not only in established HbbTV markets such as Germany, Italy and the UK, but also in countries where HbbTV services are less visible. Cooper argued that service providers could gain additional value by registering services, enabling application discovery, collecting anonymous usage insights and extending support for enhanced services such as addressable advertising.

As television services increasingly move online, ADB demonstrates how HbbTV can support discoverability and interoperability beyond traditional broadcast environments.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full quickfire talk from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here:  Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Next in the series

Several of the ideas introduced during the Symposium’s quickfire presentations became the focus of deeper discussion during the unconference on the second day. Topics including media authenticity, enhanced sign language services, AI-powered television experiences, sustainable streaming and Application Discovery over Broadband were explored in greater detail as delegates worked together to identify future requirements, potential standards activities and opportunities for industry collaboration. In the final article in our HbbTV Symposium 2025 series, we report on the unconference discussions and the key themes that emerged from this 

From unconference to implementation: How HbbTV Symposium 2025 ideas are becoming reality

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The HbbTV Symposium has long been the place where the industry’s latest developments are presented and debated. Increasingly, however, it is the unconference on the second day that provides the spark for future innovation.

Unlike traditional conference presentations, the unconference brings together broadcasters, manufacturers, technology providers, standards experts and developers to explore emerging ideas through collaborative discussion. The objective is not simply to present completed work, but to identify challenges, share experiences and build consensus on where the industry should head next.

Around six months after the 2025 HbbTV Symposium in Istanbul, the HbbTV Association hosted a follow-up webinar bringing together the hosts of unconference sessions to answer one important question:

What happened next?

Representing broadcasters, technology providers, standards organisations and research institutions from across the HbbTV ecosystem, the speakers demonstrated how ideas first explored in Istanbul have since developed into open-source projects, commercial deployments, new study missions and ongoing specification work. The webinar highlighted that the unconference is far more than a discussion forum, it is increasingly becoming a catalyst for technical collaboration across the HbbTV community.

AI for Smarter TVs moves from concept to implementation

Presented by Rafael Bermúdez (3Cat) and Bram Tullemans (European Broadcasting Union)

Artificial Intelligence was one of the most popular topics at last year’s Symposium, and Rafael Bermúdez from 3Cat and Bram Tullemans from the EBU returned to explain how rapidly the work has progressed.

Since Istanbul, the team has demonstrated its DVB-I AI Agent at both DVB World and the EBU Horizons conference and has open-sourced its DVB-I Model Context Protocol (MCP) implementation, allowing developers across the community to contribute to the project.

The work has also evolved technically. The latest implementation makes use of WebAssembly to improve performance while reducing the operational cost of running AI services. Rather than relying solely on conversational interfaces, the demonstrations combine natural language interaction with familiar television user interface components, allowing viewers to ask questions while still benefiting from traditional programme information widgets.

Although formal standardisation work within HbbTV has not yet begun, the presenters emphasised that practical implementations are now emerging and that community participation will be essential before specification work can commence.

Application Discovery reveals a hidden opportunity

Presented by William Cooper (Service List Registry)

William Cooper provided one of the webinar’s most surprising updates by revisiting HbbTV’s Broadband Application Discovery mechanism.

Since taking responsibility for operating the HbbTV Service List Registry, his team has analysed the service logs generated by connected televisions around the world. The results reveal that approximately 10 million application discovery requests are received every day, with many originating from TV sets searching for HbbTV applications that do not exist.

Perhaps even more interesting is where these requests originate. Significant volumes are coming from countries not traditionally considered HbbTV markets, including millions of weekly requests from Indonesia.

The data suggests that large numbers of HbbTV-capable televisions are actively looking for interactive services, representing a potentially significant opportunity for broadcasters and application providers.

William encouraged broadcasters, manufacturers and HbbTV members to engage with the Service List Registry to better understand these emerging markets and explore how broadband application discovery could be used more effectively.

Expanding DRM conformance testing

Presented by Krzysztof Lis (Resillion)

Ensuring consistent implementation of Digital Rights Management remains critical to interoperability across HbbTV devices.

Krzysztof Lis from Resillion reported significant progress in expanding DRM conformance testing since the Symposium. The organisation has delivered seventeen Widevine test scenarios to the HbbTV Test Suite and has around thirty further scenarios prepared for review and implementation. Additional PlayReady test material is also progressing.

The scope of testing has also expanded to include advertising insertion within protected content, reflecting the increasing deployment of addressable advertising services.

Krzysztof highlighted that DRM conformance is becoming increasingly important as certification programmes evolve. Countries including Poland and Spain are expected to incorporate DRM compliance into national receiver certification programmes, making comprehensive testing more important than ever.

Building best practice for gamified television

Presented by Aylen Alonso (TVekstra)

Interactive advertising and gamification continue to gain momentum, and Aylen Alonso from TVekstra explained how commercial deployments are now demonstrating the value of these experiences.

Although the proposed industry playbook discussed during the unconference has not yet been produced, considerable commercial experience has since been gained.

Recent deployments have incorporated real-time data, API integrations, commerce functionality and increasingly personalised user experiences. The ambition is now to capture these lessons in a shared set of best practice guidelines covering interaction patterns, user experience design and performance benchmarks.

Such a playbook could help broadcasters and technology providers deliver consistent, engaging interactive experiences while accelerating adoption across different markets.

HbbTV for an All-IP future gathers momentum

Presented by Bram Tullemans (European Broadcasting Union)

One of the Symposium’s most strategically important discussions centred on how HbbTV should evolve for an All-IP future.

Bram Tullemans reported that the HbbTV All-IP Study Mission has now held around ten meetings and produced an initial draft document exploring how HbbTV could operate in environments without traditional broadcast transport streams.

The group is examining use cases, stakeholder requirements and possible architectural approaches before any specification work begins.

Importantly, Bram encouraged wider participation, reminding HbbTV members that the study mission remains open and that the direction of future work will benefit from broad industry involvement before recommendations are presented to the Steering Group.

Native DASH players versus JavaScript continues to evolve

Presented by Jon Piesing (HbbTV Association)

Although Jon Piesing was unable to participate fully due to technical difficulties during the webinar, an update was provided on progress since the Symposium.

The CTA WAVE Media Source Extensions (MSE) test suite has now been incorporated into the HbbTV Test Suite, strengthening interoperability testing.

Meanwhile, discussions continue around performance expectations and caching behaviour for JavaScript-based DASH players. A formal issue has now been raised within the HbbTV specification process, while joint discussions with DVB are being planned to ensure alignment between both organisations.

The debate between native DASH implementations and JavaScript-based players remains an important technical topic as streaming services continue to evolve.

Provenance and authenticity gain industry attention

Presented by Naomi Schoppa (Fraunhofer FOKUS)

As AI-generated media becomes increasingly sophisticated, verifying the authenticity and origin of television content is becoming an important challenge.

Naomi Schoppa highlighted the rapid progress being made around C2PA and other provenance technologies, pointing developers towards several new open-source toolkits that make experimentation significantly easier.

Fraunhofer FOKUS has also begun a major research project exploring how provenance and authenticity information could be integrated into HbbTV services and where it could provide the greatest value for broadcasters and viewers.

At the same time, DVB has restarted its Media Authenticity Study Mission, creating another opportunity for organisations interested in this emerging field to become involved.

Sign language services move towards deployment

Presented by Rafael Bermúdez (3Cat)

Returning for a second presentation, Rafael Bermúdez provided an update on 3Cat’s personalised sign language service.

Following successful demonstrations of WebAssembly-based sign language rendering, attention has now shifted towards standardisation.

Current HbbTV signalling mechanisms can indicate the presence of accessibility services but cannot describe personalised presentation requirements such as positioning, size or viewer preferences.

Discussions are therefore underway within the HbbTV Requirements Group, while parallel work is taking place within MPEG-DASH and DVB-I accessibility activities.

Most encouragingly, Rafael announced that production trials of the personalised sign language service are expected to begin shortly, marking the transition from research project to operational deployment.

Sustainable Streaming delivers a practical tool

Presented by Amelie Jakob (ZDF)

Perhaps the most tangible outcome presented during the webinar came from Amelie Jakob of ZDF.

Working with Fraunhofer FOKUS, ZDF has launched Green TV Buddy, a new feature within its streaming platform designed to help viewers reduce television energy consumption.

Using a comprehensive television database, the application identifies the user’s TV model and estimates its energy usage. It then provides tailored guidance, via a QR code, explaining how to activate the television’s energy-saving mode.

Alongside this deployment, wider sustainability work continues through ongoing research projects at Fraunhofer FOKUS, the Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP) Sustainability Task Force and DVB’s renewed Energy Efficiency activities.

Green TV Buddy demonstrates how HbbTV applications can actively encourage more sustainable viewing habits through simple but effective user interactions.

Preparing conformance testing for All-IP devices

Presented by Alex Russell (Everyone TV) and Ranjeet Kaur (DTG)

Alex Russell and Ranjeet Kaur discussed how conformance testing will need to evolve as tunerless All-IP television devices become more common.

The HbbTV Test and Conformance Study Mission continues to gather requirements while preparing a community survey covering future test applications, DRM reference applications and integration processes.

At the same time, the All-IP Study Mission is exploring how applications should be launched and discovered in environments without broadcast transport streams.

Together, these activities will ultimately shape the development of future HbbTV conformance testing for All-IP devices.

Improving coordination across testing ecosystems

Presented by Louay Bassbouss (Fraunhofer FOKUS) and Juha Joki (Sofia Digital)

Testing across HbbTV, CTA WAVE and DVB continues to expand rapidly, bringing both new capabilities and new coordination challenges.

Louay Bassbouss described improvements to version management within the CTA WAVE test suite, making it easier for HbbTV to reference specific releases consistently.

Juha Joki highlighted recent additions to the HbbTV Reference Application, including new DASH content supporting key rotation, HDR, AC-4, VVC and DVB-TA testing.

Looking ahead, Fraunhofer FOKUS is investigating how Generative AI could dramatically reduce the effort required to analyse the vast quantities of test data generated during Plugfests and interoperability events, a promising example of AI improving engineering productivity rather than simply enhancing user experiences.

TV shopping demonstrates measurable commercial results

Presented by Moritz Wuttke (Konodrac)

Moritz Wuttke concluded the webinar with one of the most commercially focused sessions.

Since the Symposium, Konodrac has conducted multiple real-world TV shopping trials, generating valuable insight into viewer behaviour.

One particularly striking finding showed that simply increasing the size of an on-screen QR code increased consumer engagement by around 160%.

Further analysis demonstrated that campaign performance also varies significantly according to the day of the week and time of day, reinforcing the importance of optimisation based on audience behaviour.

The company has also integrated with Shopify to simplify purchasing, while continuing to investigate synchronisation between television devices and mobile commerce platforms using household identification mechanisms.

The long-term objective is to make television shopping as seamless and intuitive as today’s leading e-commerce experiences.

Collaboration continues in Barcelona

As the webinar drew to a close, one message became increasingly clear.

The unconference is proving to be far more than an informal discussion forum. It has become an effective mechanism for initiating collaboration, shaping study missions, influencing specifications and accelerating practical innovation across the HbbTV ecosystem.

Many of the projects discussed during the webinar remain works in progress, but each demonstrates how conversations between broadcasters, manufacturers, standards bodies and technology providers can rapidly evolve into tangible outcomes.

That collaborative spirit will continue at the 14th HbbTV Symposium and Awards, taking place in Barcelona on 18-19 November 2026, where many of these initiatives are expected to return with new milestones, demonstrations and opportunities for the wider community to contribute.

If the progress reported during this webinar is any indication, the discussions that begin in Barcelona may well shape the next generation of HbbTV services.

Details on webinar and speakers here.  

Recording here. 

Advancing the HbbTV specifications for a changing market

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is part of a series based on presentations from the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, bringing together insights from across the industry on the future of broadcast services and connected television. Covering topics from broadband-only delivery and addressable advertising to interoperability and evolving standards, the series captures key discussions and expert perspectives shaping the next phase of HbbTV and the wider TV ecosystem.

Jon Piesing, Vice-Chair, HbbTV Association & Chair, HbbTV Specification Group
Jon Piesing, Vice-Chair, HbbTV Association & Chair, HbbTV Specification Group

At the HbbTV Symposium 2025, Jon Piesing, Vice-Chair of the HbbTV Association and Chair of the HbbTV Specification Group, provided a detailed update on the evolution of the HbbTV specifications and the work underway to ensure they remain aligned with real-world deployment and future industry needs.

His presentation offered insight not only into upcoming features, but also into how the specification itself is developed and maintained. The HbbTV process is built around several coordinated groups, including requirements, specification, testing and interoperability. Together, these ensure that new features are defined, implemented and validated in a way that supports both developers and device manufacturers.

A central theme of the session was the importance of aligning the specification with market reality. Rather than introducing entirely new concepts, recent work has focused on formalising capabilities that are already widely deployed, making them more consistent, testable and reliable across devices.

This is particularly evident in the upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 specification. Two of the most significant additions are WebAssembly and digital rights management (DRM). Both technologies are already present in many television environments, but standardising their use within HbbTV provides greater confidence for developers and content providers.

The introduction of a formal DRM specification is especially important. Historically, uncertainty around DRM integration led to fragmentation and inconsistent implementations. The new specification addresses this by defining how HbbTV applications can work with DRM systems such as PlayReady and Widevine, supported by reference applications and testing across a wide range of devices.

Alongside these additions, HbbTV 2.0.5 includes a number of refinements designed to modernise the platform. Improvements to video codec handling make it easier to support newer formats such as AV1 and VVC, while optional support for technologies like HTTP/3 reflects the ongoing evolution of streaming delivery. At the same time, legacy features that are no longer widely used are being deprecated or made optional, helping to simplify implementation and reduce complexity.

This process of refinement reflects a broader philosophy. As Piesing noted, the current focus is on fine-tuning and consolidating the platform, ensuring that it keeps pace with how televisions and services are actually being used today.

Looking further ahead, work is already underway on the next iteration of the specification. HbbTV 2.0.6 is currently in the requirements phase, with input being gathered from across the membership. Areas under consideration include improved deep linking into broadcaster applications, enhancements to the usability of the red button experience and better support for accessibility features such as content filtering and discovery.

One particularly interesting area of exploration is the ability to run multiple HbbTV applications simultaneously, potentially from different providers. This reflects the increasing complexity of service delivery and the need to support more flexible and dynamic user experiences.

Testing and interoperability remain a critical part of this work. The HbbTV test suite continues to expand, now comprising more than 3,400 tests, with ongoing improvements to coverage and quality. Recent updates include the addition of DRM-related tests and enhancements to addressable advertising and operator application scenarios.

Supporting tools are also evolving. Reference applications, validation tools and interoperability initiatives help ensure that specifications translate into consistent behaviour across devices. This is essential in a fragmented connected TV environment, where differences in implementation can quickly impact service quality.

Overall, the update highlighted a mature and evolving standard that is adapting to industry needs while maintaining stability for existing deployments. By focusing on real-world usage, simplifying where possible and extending capabilities where necessary, the HbbTV specifications continue to provide a robust foundation for interactive television services.

As the market moves further towards IP delivery and increasingly sophisticated user experiences, this ongoing work ensures that HbbTV remains both relevant and reliable for the next generation of connected TV services.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full presentation from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here: Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Next in the series

Explore the latest global TV and video market trends, as Dataxis analyst Ophélie Boucaud breaks down the rise of connected TV, shifting revenues and increasing fragmentation shaping the future of viewing and monetisation.

HbbTV’s role in a rapidly evolving TV ecosystem

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is part of a series based on presentations from the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, bringing together insights from across the industry on the future of broadcast services and connected television. Covering topics from broadband-only delivery and addressable advertising to interoperability and evolving standards, the series captures key discussions and expert perspectives shaping the next phase of HbbTV and the wider TV ecosystem.

Vincent Grivet, Chair HbbTV Association
Vincent Grivet, Chair HbbTV Association

In his keynote at the HbbTV Symposium 2025, Vincent Grivet, Chair of the HbbTV Association, set out a clear view of how the television landscape is evolving and why HbbTV remains central to its future.

His starting point was a recognition that the TV market is undergoing significant and sometimes contradictory change. Linear television continues to decline, but not uniformly across regions, and it remains a substantial part of overall viewing. At the same time, broadcasters are successfully reinventing themselves as streaming providers, achieving strong growth in their digital services.

Meanwhile, streaming platforms are evolving in the opposite direction. Initially focused on pure on-demand, subscription-based models, many are now embracing live content and advertising, areas traditionally associated with broadcast television. The result is a convergence of models, where broadcasters and streamers are increasingly adopting each other’s strengths.

One of the most notable developments highlighted in the keynote was the rise of YouTube as the leading streaming destination on television. Its scale and advertising-driven model underline the growing importance of digital, addressable advertising within the TV ecosystem.

Alongside these shifts, the European market is experiencing broader structural changes. New distribution partnerships between broadcasters and global streaming platforms are emerging, raising both opportunities and longer-term strategic questions. At the same time, consolidation and mergers are beginning to reshape the landscape, potentially leading to the creation of larger, more competitive European media groups.

Despite these changes, one persistent challenge remains. Delivering services to connected TVs is significantly more complex than to mobile or desktop platforms. Instead of a small number of operating systems, broadcasters must navigate a wide range of device environments, each with its own characteristics and constraints.

It is within this fragmented environment that HbbTV plays a critical role.

Grivet described HbbTV as a unifying technology for connected TV, enabling a single application to work consistently across different devices and manufacturers. This simplifies development and reduces the operational burden on broadcasters, allowing them to focus on delivering compelling services rather than managing platform complexity.

Beyond interoperability, HbbTV provides capabilities that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. These include features such as the red button experience, seamless integration with linear content and advanced advertising formats such as frame-accurate ad replacement on linear broadcast channels. Importantly, HbbTV remains an open standard, developed collaboratively by the industry.

Another key advantage is its broadcaster-centric approach. Unlike app-based ecosystems where services compete for visibility, HbbTV applications are launched directly from the linear TV experience. This gives broadcasters a natural entry point to engage audiences and creates what Grivet described as a safe zone on the TV set, where services can operate without unwanted interference from third parties.

Support from device manufacturers further strengthens this position. With broad industry backing, HbbTV provides a stable and widely adopted foundation for delivering services across the connected TV landscape.

The keynote also highlighted significant progress within the HbbTV Association itself. In 2025, the organisation reached a major milestone, with HbbTV-enabled services available in over 100 million European households. This reflects both the maturity of the standard and its growing importance within the market.

On the technical side, the publication of a DRM specification marks an important step forward, addressing a long-standing industry requirement. The upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 specification will build on this, while work has already begun on defining future requirements for version 2.0.6.

Looking ahead, two new areas of focus stand out. The first is improving testing and conformance through real-world application-based approaches. The second is exploring the concept of all-IP HbbTV, reflecting the broader industry shift towards streaming delivery.

Together, these initiatives underline the continued evolution of the standard in response to changing market needs.

Grivet’s conclusion was clear. In a world where television is becoming more complex, fragmented and competitive, HbbTV provides a stable and unifying framework. It enables broadcasters to adapt, innovate and compete, ensuring that they remain central to the connected TV experience.

Watch the presentation and explore further

You can watch the full presentation from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here: Watch the Video

The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation

Next in the series

Discover how Turkey has become a hidden HbbTV success story, using experimentation, interactive advertising and real-world deployments to redefine viewer engagement and deliver measurable results at scale.

Understanding HbbTV: A developer insight series

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

HbbTV has become the foundation of Europe’s hybrid television ecosystem, enabling broadcasters, manufacturers, and developers to combine the reach of broadcast with the interactivity of broadband. To help developers and industry professionals understand the scope and potential of the standard, the HbbTV Association has created a nine-part article series exploring every aspect of the technology: from its technical principles to its market impact and regulatory context.

Each article in the series is written for developers, product managers, and broadcasters who want to better understand how to build, deploy, and maintain successful HbbTV applications.

The Articles

  1. What makes HbbTV unique: A service-oriented approach to TV: An introduction to HbbTV’s architecture, explaining how it provides a service-oriented, browser-based framework that works across all broadcast and broadband networks.
  2. Why broadcasters choose HbbTV: Market opportunities and competitive advantages: Discover how HbbTV helps broadcasters reach viewers directly, reduce development costs, and maintain control over content, data, and the viewer experience.
  3. The future of HbbTV: DRM integration and support for prominence: Learn about the upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 release, its built-in DRM framework, and how HbbTV supports policy goals such as prominence for public-interest content.
  4. Beyond streaming: The range of services HbbTV enables: HbbTV goes far beyond replay and catch-up. Explore how it powers accessibility, data services, and B2B applications such as analytics and targeted advertising.
  5. Business models for HbbTV: Services How free, freemium, subscription, and ad-supported models can all thrive within the same technical framework, and what that means for developers and content owners.
  6. The technical advantages of HbbTV on DTT and beyond: Explore how HbbTV brings low-latency interactivity, DVB compatibility, and DVB-I readiness to modernise traditional broadcast platforms.
  7. Ensuring quality and compliance in HbbTV deployments: Behind every successful hybrid service lies rigorous testing. This article explores the HbbTV Test Suite, Reference Apps, Zoo Directory, and plugfests.
  8. HbbTV in action: Case studies from across europe: Real-world examples from Spain, Austria, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy showing how HbbTV is powering new forms of television, from LovesTV to Freely and ARTE Channel 77.
  9. Supporting a fair and transparent hybrid TV ecosystem: How regulation, industry cooperation, and clear governance help maintain trust and fairness as HbbTV services evolve in the connected era.

Why this series matters

The Understanding HbbTV series is designed to bridge technical insight, market strategy, and policy awareness. Each article provides context, examples, and takeaways for professionals who want to deliver reliable, standards-based services that enhance the connected TV experience.

You can explore each article individually or read them in sequence to follow the complete story, from the foundations of the specification to the governance shaping its future.

Stay Connected

To continue learning about HbbTV development, visit the HbbTV Developer Portal, join upcoming plugfests and webinars, or follow the Association’s updates on LinkedIn.

Together, we can continue to shape a hybrid television ecosystem that is open, interoperable, and built for innovation.

HbbTV Association publishes HbbTV 2.0.5 core specification

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Geneva, 2 March 2026 – The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing open standards for advanced interactive TV services via broadcast and broadband networks, has published version 2.0.5 of its core specification, marking a major step in the evolution of the HbbTV standard. The specification was approved at the latest meeting of the HbbTV Steering Group.

HbbTV 2.0.5 is an incremental update to HbbTV 2.0.4, published two years ago, and represents a significant technical advancement for hybrid and interactive television services. The most notable change is the formal integration of Digital Rights Management (DRM) into the core specification. While HbbTV devices have supported DRM for many years, this is the first time it has been explicitly defined, providing a harmonised, interoperable approach across the ecosystem. Support for at least one of the DRM systems listed in the HbbTV DRM specification published six months ago – Microsoft PlayReady or Google Widevine – is required. This formalisation is essential for enabling secure delivery of premium content and meeting the requirements of broadcasters, platform operators, rights holders, and content owners, ensuring a compelling experience for viewers.

WebAssembly support, already present to some extent in HbbTV devices via browser engines such as Chrome or WebKit, is now formally included in the specification. This allows advanced features such as efficient decoding of auxiliary video streams, including sign language services demonstrated by Catalan public broadcaster 3Cat at trade shows IBC 2025 and HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025. Additional web security measures have been incorporated, and support for the VVC and AV1 video codecs has been defined, although implementation of these codecs is optional. Several simplifications for implementers have also been introduced: unused features have been removed, others marked for deprecation, and some requirements relaxed to improve interoperability.

The integration between HbbTV and DVB-I introduced in HbbTV 2.0.4 is further improved in 2.0.5. The specification now clarifies how DVB-I applications associated with entire service lists can be supported, enabling platforms or service aggregators to obtain GDPR consent or agreement to terms and conditions. Implementation feedback, particularly regarding HbbTV and DVB-I integration, has resulted in numerous technical corrections being included.

The HbbTV Association plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RfP) in the coming weeks to extend its Conformance Test Suite to support HbbTV 2.0.5.

“HbbTV 2.0.5 represents an important step forward in the evolution of hybrid TV services,” said Vincent Grivet, Chair of the HbbTV Association. “With formalised DRM, support for next-generation codecs such as AV1 and VVC, enhanced DVB-I integration, and WebAssembly capabilities, the specification aligns to the most recent and impacting market trends, enabling more sophisticated, secure and feature-rich services. It demonstrates HbbTV’s continued commitment to advancing the connected TV ecosystem for broadcasters, platform operators, content owners and viewers alike.”

The HbbTV 2.0.5 specification and an associated explainer document are now available in the HbbTV Resource Library.

2. Why broadcasters choose HbbTV: Market opportunities and competitive advantages

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is the second in the ‘Understanding HbbTV‘ series, a collection of insights developed by the HbbTV Association to help broadcasters, developers, and technology partners make the most of the HbbTV standard. Each article explores a different aspect of hybrid television: from the core architecture and specification to business models, interoperability, case studies, and the wider regulatory landscape.

The goal of the series is to bridge technical knowledge and real-world practice, showing how HbbTV enables open, scalable, and innovative services that combine the best of broadcast and broadband. Whether you’re building your first HbbTV app or shaping the strategy behind a national service, these articles offer a practical foundation for understanding the standard and its ecosystem.

For broadcasters, the HbbTV standard represents more than just a technology upgrade, it’s a strategic opportunity to extend and enhance their services in a connected world. Unlike proprietary TV operating systems or app store ecosystems, HbbTV gives broadcasters an open, direct, and unmediated connection with their audiences.

A single application for every TV

One of the most powerful advantages of HbbTV is its universality. A single HbbTV application developed by a broadcaster can run on all HbbTV-compliant TVs, regardless of manufacturer or operating system. This dramatically reduces development and maintenance costs compared to supporting multiple native app platforms.

In practice, a broadcaster would otherwise need to build and maintain 10–12 different applications to cover 90–95% of connected TVs on the market. With HbbTV, one implementation can reach nearly the entire audience.

Direct access without platform gatekeepers

Launching an HbbTV app does not require negotiation or commercial agreements with TV manufacturers or app store operators. The app is discovered via signalling in the broadcast stream and starts automatically when a viewer selects the associated channel. This makes HbbTV a truly open environment, enabling any authorised broadcaster to deploy interactive services without platform restrictions.

Some advanced features, such as DRM integration or Operator Applications (OpApps), may still require collaboration with device manufacturers, but the core HbbTV experience remains independent and standardised.

Control of data and user experience

HbbTV gives broadcasters complete control over their viewer data and on-screen experience. When an HbbTV app runs, it effectively creates a dedicated environment on the television, a “private silo” where only the broadcaster’s own code and analytics operate. No external platform or third-party service can interfere with the app or extract data from it.

This ensures compliance with privacy regulations while empowering broadcasters to analyse engagement, measure reach, and deliver tailored recommendations, all on their own terms.

Seamless viewer engagement

Because HbbTV apps can launch automatically when a viewer tunes to a channel, there’s no menu navigation barrier. Viewers can move effortlessly from a live broadcast to catch-up, start-over, or interactive features without switching apps or searching through a manufacturer’s interface. This continuity strengthens brand loyalty and keeps audiences within the broadcaster’s ecosystem.

Serving both consumers and businesses

HbbTV supports a wide range of both B2C and B2B services. For consumers, it powers features like replay TV, voting, and personalised content recommendations. For business operations, it enables audience measurement, addressable advertising, and consent management. All these services share the same technical foundation, the HbbTV specification.

Adapting to market trends

The television market is evolving rapidly. Viewers are demanding more on-demand content, while advertisers seek more precise targeting. HbbTV provides the flexibility to address both: it supports dynamic ad insertion, hybrid linear/OTT services, and integration with evolving DVB standards such as DVB-I.

As the industry shifts toward IP delivery, HbbTV acts as a bridge, connecting the stability of broadcast with the agility of online streaming.

Accessibility and inclusivity

Modern HbbTV apps can also contribute to accessible and inclusive television experiences. Developers can use standard APIs to integrate subtitles, audio description, or high-contrast guides, ensuring services reach all viewers — an increasingly important area for public service broadcasters.

The strategic edge

By combining openness, universality, and interoperability, HbbTV offers a competitive edge over closed ecosystems. It lets broadcasters innovate freely, engage audiences more deeply, and retain control over their products and data.

For developers, understanding these advantages is essential: it means designing applications that take full advantage of auto-start behaviour, responsive design, and integration with broadcast events — the features that make HbbTV a uniquely broadcaster-friendly platform.

In the next ‘Understanding HbbTV’ article, we’ll look ahead to what’s coming in HbbTV 2.0.5, including integrated DRM, DVB-I alignment, and new opportunities for secure, high-value content delivery.

3. The future of HbbTV: DRM integration and support for prominence

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is the third in the ‘Understanding HbbTV‘ series, a collection of insights developed by the HbbTV Association to help broadcasters, developers, and technology partners make the most of the HbbTV standard. Each article explores a different aspect of hybrid television: from the core architecture and specification to business models, interoperability, case studies, and the wider regulatory landscape.

The goal of the series is to bridge technical knowledge and real-world practice, showing how HbbTV enables open, scalable, and innovative services that combine the best of broadcast and broadband. Whether you’re building your first HbbTV app or shaping the strategy behind a national service, these articles offer a practical foundation for understanding the standard and its ecosystem.

As television becomes increasingly IP-connected, broadcasters are seeking secure and interoperable ways to deliver premium content and maintain visibility in the crowded media landscape. The next evolution of HbbTV, driven by new specifications and closer integration with emerging DVB standards, addresses both of these needs.

Integrating DRM into the core HbbTV framework

Historically, the HbbTV specification did not define its own approach to Digital Rights Management (DRM), leaving implementation to manufacturers and broadcasters. This sometimes led to inconsistent behaviour, for example, when a TV supported a DRM system but the HbbTV app could not access it reliably.

To address this, HbbTV is introducing a dedicated DRM Specification that formalises support for widely used systems such as Microsoft PlayReady and Google Widevine. This ensures predictable, secure operation across all compliant devices.

The upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 core specification will require these DRM capabilities to be available on any television that includes DRM functionality. This closes the interoperability gap and makes HbbTV a fully capable environment for premium content delivery, including SVOD, TVOD, and other paid content models.

What it means for developers

For application developers, integrated DRM means greater certainty in playback workflows and fewer manufacturer-specific adaptations. Apps can request protected streams through standard APIs and expect consistent support across HbbTV-compliant devices. This simplifies the deployment of services such as subscription video, event-based pay-per-view, and targeted content offerings.

It also opens the door for HbbTV to support more advanced business models, including transactional access to UHD content or time-limited promotional access, without leaving the HbbTV environment.

Aligning with DVB-I for a connected future

The DRM integration coincides with a wider alignment between HbbTV and DVB-I, the specification designed to deliver linear television services over IP networks.

Many DVB-I services rely on HbbTV for presentation, consent management, and DRM functions. While basic DVB-I service lists can be consumed without HbbTV, a richer, more interactive experience, including secure playback, typically requires HbbTV’s application environment. Together, the two standards create a complete, hybrid delivery framework for the next generation of connected TVs.

Helping to deliver prominence for public-interest services

Another important discussion across Europe concerns prominence, the principle that public service and culturally significant channels should remain easily discoverable in connected TV environments. This principle was reinforced in the AVMS Directive (2018) and is now being implemented nationally through media legislation and platform agreements.

HbbTV is not, in itself, a prominence mechanism, it doesn’t dictate which services appear first on a home screen. However, it provides a technical means to realise prominence in practice. For example, an icon on a TV’s home screen could serve as a launch point for an HbbTV application, ensuring that designated services are always accessible, even within a manufacturer-controlled interface.

HbbTV also supports broadcasters in maintaining prominence indirectly: its interactive features, such as restart, catch-up, and rich guides, help viewers engage with national and public-interest content, sustaining audience reach and visibility over time.

Security, visibility, and flexibility: A future-ready platform

With integrated DRM, alignment with DVB-I, and compatibility with regulatory frameworks like prominence, HbbTV continues to evolve as the cornerstone of hybrid TV in Europe. It combines the reliability of broadcast, the flexibility of broadband, and the assurance of open standards.

For developers, this evolution means new opportunities: to deliver premium, secure, and discoverable services through a single, interoperable framework, built on the technologies they already know.

In the next article in the ‘Understanding HbbTV’ series, we’ll look at how HbbTV supports a diverse range of services beyond video, from accessibility and voting to targeted advertising and contextual information.

5. Business models for HbbTV services

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

This article is the fifth in the ‘Understanding HbbTV‘ series, a collection of insights developed by the HbbTV Association to help broadcasters, developers, and technology partners make the most of the HbbTV standard. Each article explores a different aspect of hybrid television: from the core architecture and specification to business models, interoperability, case studies, and the wider regulatory landscape.

The goal of the series is to bridge technical knowledge and real-world practice, showing how HbbTV enables open, scalable, and innovative services that combine the best of broadcast and broadband. Whether you’re building your first HbbTV app or shaping the strategy behind a national service, these articles offer a practical foundation for understanding the standard and its ecosystem.

One of HbbTV’s greatest strengths is its flexibility. Because it’s an open, standardised environment for combining broadcast and broadband delivery, broadcasters and service providers can implement virtually any business model they choose, from free-to-air viewing to fully transactional, DRM-protected content.

Free-to-Air with on-demand extensions

The most common HbbTV model builds on traditional free-to-air (FTA) broadcasting. Linear programmes are delivered over broadcast networks, while on-demand or interactive extensions are offered through the HbbTV application via broadband.

Typical examples include:

  • Catch-up and restart TV
  • Additional programme information
  • Extended guides and recommendations
  • Interactive “red button” content such as voting or quizzes

These services extend the value of broadcast programming without changing the fundamental free-to-air model, helping broadcasters increase engagement and time spent with their brands.

Freemium: Blending free and paid experiences

Many broadcasters are now experimenting with a freemium approach, where core features remain free but premium content or functionality is unlocked via subscription or one-off payment.

HbbTV supports this model seamlessly. An application can provide open access to general content while reserving certain areas, such as premium live events, box sets or UHD upgrades, for registered or paying users.

By combining HTML5 interfaces with integrated payment and authentication APIs, developers can create consistent, secure freemium experiences that rival those of dedicated OTT platforms.

Subscription and pay models

HbbTV can also support fully subscription-based or transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) models. In these cases, all or most of the content is restricted to authorised users who have an active account or subscription.

HbbTV has always supported DRM protected content, making it possible to deliver premium, rights-protected content directly through the HbbTV application layer, without relying on proprietary manufacturer integrations. The introduction of the HbbTV DRM Specification and the upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 release, broadcasters will be able to rely on more predictable and interoperable support for widely used DRM systems such as PlayReady and Widevine.

Typical pay-based use cases include:

  • Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD)
  • Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD)
  • Live event access (e.g. sports or concerts)
  • Micro-payment for UHD or early-release content

Ad-supported and addressable advertising

Advertising remains a key monetisation model for many HbbTV services. With HbbTV, broadcasters can personalise ad delivery at scale, replacing or overlaying broadcast advertisements with broadband-delivered alternatives. The HbbTV-TA specification, which augments the standard HbbTV specification further enhances this capability with near frame accurate switching.

This can be implemented as:

  • Full ad break substitution – replacing entire commercial blocks
  • Spot-level replacement – precise, frame-accurate insertion (best achieved with HbbTV-TA)
  • Overlay or banner formats – L-shapes, clickable pop-ups, or on-screen promotions

These formats allow broadcasters to compete with digital platforms by delivering addressable ads while preserving the viewer’s lean-back TV experience.

Complementary B2B models

Beyond consumer-facing models, HbbTV also supports B2B monetisation opportunities. For instance, broadcasters can use HbbTV applications to collect analytics, manage consent, and feed audience data into measurement systems.

These capabilities support secondary revenue streams such as audience research, campaign validation, or data-driven advertising services.

Building sustainable services

Because all these models, free, freemium, subscription, and ad-supported, can be delivered through the same HbbTV application, broadcasters can evolve their strategies over time without changing technology stacks.

A service might start as a free catch-up portal, introduce optional premium content, and later add addressable advertising or data partnerships. This flexibility is what makes HbbTV a powerful long-term platform for sustainable hybrid television.

In the next ‘Understanding HbbTV’ article, we’ll look more closely at the technical advantages that make HbbTV so effective on DTT and other broadcast platforms.