Tag: Webinar

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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.

Audience measurement and analytics with HbbTV Webinar: from panels to precision

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Audience measurement has long been the foundation of the television industry. It underpins advertising value, informs commissioning decisions and enables broadcasters to understand their viewers. Yet, as viewing behaviour fragments across platforms and devices, traditional approaches are increasingly under pressure.

A recent HbbTV webinar on “Audience measurement and analytics with HbbTV”, held on 13 March 2026, moderated by Jörn Krieger, brought together industry experts to explore how HbbTV is reshaping measurement. Drawing on real-world deployments across Europe, the session highlighted how HbbTV is enabling a shift from sample-based estimation to scalable, data-driven insight.

From panels to hybrid measurement

For decades, television measurement has relied on panels. While these provide rich demographic and behavioural data, they are limited in scale. HbbTV introduces a complementary dataset, enabling connected TVs to report viewing behaviour via broadband.

As Stuart Wilkinson of Fifty5Blue (formerly Kantar Media) explained, the opportunity lies in combining these approaches:

“What the HbbTV data brings us is this full comprehensive daily account of all viewing… and what the hybrid system aims to do is bring these two assets together for a definitive view of the audience.”

This hybrid model is already being explored in multiple markets. While panel data remains essential for demographic understanding, HbbTV data adds the scale needed to improve accuracy and stability.

Spain: eliminating zero ratings and unlocking value

Spain provides one of the most mature examples of HbbTV-based measurement. Over several years, broadcasters and measurement partners have fused panel data with viewing data from millions of connected TVs.

According to Moritz Wuttke of Konodrac, one of the most important outcomes has been the elimination of “zero ratings”:

“We have been doing that together with Fifty5Blue, reducing the zero rating and improving the granularity of the data set itself.”

In traditional panel systems, smaller channels often appear to have no audience during certain periods simply because the panel sample is too small. By integrating HbbTV data, those gaps are filled, creating a more accurate and continuous view of audience behaviour.

This has direct commercial impact. As Wuttke noted, the improved data represents “real value for the channel” by enabling broadcasters to demonstrate genuine reach to advertisers.

The Spanish deployment has also been independently audited, achieving high levels of accuracy and reinforcing confidence in HbbTV as a reliable measurement source. The results are now under peer review by industry stakeholders before adopting it as the official currency.

Beyond improving audience measurement, HbbTV also opens up new possibilities for addressable advertising in linear TV. By capturing viewing data at device level, it enables broadcasters not only to understand which ads have been seen, but also to identify households that have not been exposed to a campaign. This creates the opportunity to re-target those households at a later stage, improving campaign efficiency and helping to maximise reach and frequency in a controlled and measurable way.

Austria: from measurement to monetisation

While Spain highlights measurement improvements, Austria demonstrates how HbbTV can transform monetisation.

Hossein Houssaini of Virtual Minds described how hybrid measurement has enabled a shift towards CPM-based trading and real-time optimisation:

“How do we monetize on that? … How do we use these data sets… to get a clearer view on scale to live make decisions?”

At the heart of this transformation is TV-LOAD (TV Live Optimised Advertising), a platform developed to operationalise hybrid measurement data in live broadcast environments. TV-LOAD enables broadcasters to optimise advertising delivery in near real time by combining panel data with large-scale HbbTV return path datasets.

The system works by analysing live audience data and applying segmentation models to determine which advert should be shown at any given moment. Pre-booked advertising spots can then be dynamically substituted, in some cases within less than 60 seconds, based on actual audience composition rather than forecasted delivery.

Importantly, TV-LOAD does not replace existing broadcast workflows but overlays them. This allows broadcasters to maintain their established sales processes while enhancing them with data-driven decisioning. The platform supports multiple audience segments and enables a transition from traditional GRP-based planning towards CPM-based trading, where advertisers pay for delivered impressions rather than predicted reach.

The impact has been significant. The Austrian system has reduced zero-rated inventory by up to 97 percent, restoring confidence among advertisers and increasing the value of broadcast inventory. At the same time, it aligns linear TV more closely with digital advertising models, making it more attractive to modern media buyers.

As Houssaini emphasised, success depended on collaboration:

“We need to align on one truth set… otherwise results will differ and fuel distrust even more.”

TV-LOAD therefore represents more than a technical solution. It is a blueprint for how HbbTV-enabled measurement can be directly linked to monetisation, bridging the gap between audience insight and commercial outcomes.

The UK: the shift to outcome measurement

In the UK, the focus is evolving beyond audience measurement towards outcomes.

Sameer Modha of ITV highlighted the growing disconnect between traditional TV measurement and how advertising is now judged by advertisers. As advertising budgets shift towards platforms that optimise for business outcomes, broadcasters must adapt.

“Traditional panel-centric TV audience measurement is increasingly challenged by viewing dynamics but has traditionally fought shy of large-scale device data. By collecting it for both outcome and audience measurement use cases with the right data and the right permissions, it can be absolutely transformative for our industry.”

HbbTV data is seen as a key enabler for building large-scale outcome models that can compete with digital platforms.

However, he also pointed to challenges, including cost, complexity and the need for industry-wide coordination, particularly around data permissions and governance. 

Satellite and international measurement

From a satellite perspective, HbbTV opens new possibilities for measuring audiences across wide geographic regions.

Bruno Goin of Eutelsat explained how HbbTV applications can be used to collect viewing data directly from connected TVs:

“The tracking agent runs as long as the user stays tuned to the channel… sending data to our data lake at regular intervals.”

This enables satellite operators to generate detailed analytics on audience behaviour, including viewing patterns, duration and geographic distribution. While additional modelling is required to estimate total audiences, it provides valuable visibility in markets where traditional measurement is limited.

The role of governance and trust

A recurring theme throughout the webinar was the importance of trust, governance and industry alignment.

While HbbTV provides powerful new data capabilities, it does not replace existing measurement systems overnight. Instead, it enhances them.

As discussed during the session, panel data remains essential for demographic insight, while HbbTV provides scale. The two must coexist in a hybrid model for the foreseeable future.

Privacy and consent also remain critical. Approaches vary by market, but all speakers agreed that transparency and compliance are essential for long-term success.

Although Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf of AGF Videoforschung was unable to attend, her organisation’s work in Germany reflects this broader industry trend towards hybrid measurement models.

Conclusion: towards a new measurement paradigm

HbbTV is not simply an incremental improvement in audience measurement. It represents a fundamental shift towards data-driven, scalable and actionable insight.

By combining the depth of panel data with the scale of connected TV data, broadcasters can achieve a more accurate understanding of their audiences. More importantly, they can translate that understanding into new commercial models that compete effectively in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

As Stuart Wilkinson summarised:

“We are preserving the insights of the panel and adding in the granularity that we get from census-level data.”

For developers, this evolution creates significant opportunities. Whether building measurement tools, analytics platforms or advertising solutions, HbbTV provides a powerful foundation for innovation.

The journey is already underway. The challenge now is to accelerate adoption, align the industry and unlock the full potential of hybrid measurement.

Watch the webinar in full here and access the presentations here.

Webinar announcement: Audience measurement and analytics with HbbTV

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Audience measurement and analysis via HbbTV is gaining momentum as broadcasters, advertisers and measurement bodies seek more accurate, precise and real-time insights across linear TV and streaming. Our upcoming webinar explores how HbbTV data is helping to transform established ratings systems and unlock deeper audience intelligence.

On Friday, 13 March 2026, 12:00-13:00 CET, the HbbTV Association is holding a 60-minute live session examining how HbbTV complements traditional panel-based measurement, reduces zero ratings for smaller and regional broadcasters, and enables live, granular viewership tracking beyond conventional approaches.

Drawing on practical deployments in Germany, Austria, Spain and the United Kingdom, leading experts will discuss:

  • Integration of HbbTV data into national measurement frameworks
  • Use of large-scale ad exposure and outcome measurement data
  • Cross-market analytics and satellite-based deployments
  • Methodological and operational challenges
  • The future role of HbbTV in hybrid TV and streaming measurement

The session will conclude with a live Q&A.

Speakers

  • Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf, CEO, AGF Videoforschung
  • Hossein Houssaini, Senior Strategic Advisor, Virtual Minds
  • Sameer Modha, Measurement Innovation Lead, ITV
  • Stuart Wilkinson, Managing Director, Business Development, Kantar Media
  • Moritz Wuttke, Vice-Chairman and Board Member, Konodrac
  • Bruno Goin, Video Services Architect and Project Manager, Eutelsat
  • Jörn Krieger, Moderator


Registration

Please sign up here to attend this free webinar: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6095894128232152672

Inside HbbTV DRM: Standards, market insights and real-world deployments

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

As broadcasters and content providers expand into connected and hybrid TV environments, the need for robust, standardised Digital Rights Management (DRM) has become critical. Ensuring that premium content is securely delivered while maintaining interoperability across a fragmented device landscape is central to sustaining the trust of content owners and viewers alike.

The HbbTV Association dedicated its latest webinar on 29 October 2025 to exploring the evolving DRM landscape in HbbTV, featuring perspectives from leading figures in specification development, content protection, and real-world deployment. The session was moderated by journalist Jörn Krieger, with contributions from Jon Piesing (HbbTV Association / TP Vision), Thierry Thévoz (Nagravision), Fabio Guarnaccia (Mediaset), and Juha Joki (Sofia Digital).

Access the full recording and download the presentations from the HbbTV website.

HbbTV DRM guidelines and standardisation

Opening the webinar, Jon Piesing, Vice-Chairman of the HbbTV Association and Chair of its Specification Group, traced the evolution of DRM within HbbTV from early proprietary integrations to today’s open, standardised framework.

“Access to DRM-protected content has become fundamental for HbbTV content providers,” he explained. “As services move from HD to UHD, content owners demand increasingly strict protection levels, and TV manufacturers must support these capabilities to remain compatible.”

Early HbbTV deployments often treated DRM as an external, proprietary element, with country-specific implementations. This fragmentation discouraged service development. Recognising this, the HbbTV Association funded the creation of a DASH-DRM Reference Application in 2017, allowing developers and manufacturers to test interoperability across devices.

Recent advances have formalised this work. The HbbTV DRM Integration Specification, published in 2024, now defines a consistent framework and associated tests. It covers both Microsoft PlayReady and Google Widevine, with plans to extend testing in upcoming versions of the HbbTV Test Suite.

“The specification provides an open, tested definition of how to integrate HbbTV and DRM,” said Piesing, noting that while HbbTV does not mandate a particular system, the majority of deployed TVs already support one or both major DRMs. Around 97 % of new sets support PlayReady, 85 % PlayReady SL3000 hardware protection, and 60–65 % Widevine.

DRM from the conditional access and security provider perspective

Thierry Thévoz, Principal Software Architect at Nagravision, explored DRM from a security provider’s standpoint, outlining the fundamental role of content protection in enabling commercial and premium business models.

“DRM is directly tied to content value,” he said. “Free-to-air content may not require encryption, but once you deliver premium sports or 4K movies, content owners insist on DRM protection to ensure playback only on legitimate, certified devices.”

Thévoz explained the distinction between software DRM, suitable for SD and HD content, and hardware-based DRM such as PlayReady 3000 or Widevine Level 1, which meet MovieLabs’ Enhanced Content Protection (ECP) requirements for 4K and UHD material.

He emphasised that successful deployment requires not only secure servers and encryption workflows, but also verification that each HbbTV browser correctly implements the chosen DRM. Device variability remains a challenge, making testing essential to ensure smooth playback and proper licence handling across models.

Drawing on a real-world example, Thévoz described Nagravision’s support for the FIFA World Cup 2022, where a multi-DRM system secured 4K OTT delivery using PlayReady 3000 within an HbbTV hybrid service. Nagravision’s DRM platform now underpins HbbTV’s own validation framework, testing DRM implementations during certification.

“The key,” he concluded, “is to combine robust delivery, validated hardware, and real-world testing to guarantee a seamless user experience.”

The Italian perspective: Implementing DRM in broadcaster environments

Turning to the broadcaster view, Fabio Guarnaccia, Scenario Analysis Manager at Mediaset, explained why DRM is now integral to every major content-licensing agreement.

“In the digital environment, it’s easier than ever to copy and share content illegally,” he said. “At the same time, new business models, particularly freemium offerings, depend on DRM to balance free and paid access securely.”

Guarnaccia outlined how contracts with international studios typically require that all internet-delivered content be encrypted under an approved DRM system, with strict control over device authorisation. Licences must be linked cryptographically to each certified device, preventing re-use or redistribution.

From a compliance standpoint, broadcasters must verify that devices maintain content integrity, exclude insecure software implementations, and meet defined protection levels before allowing playback.

“Managing content protection across devices is essential,” Guarnaccia said. “We need to identify each device, check its DRM compliance, and block delivery if requirements are not met, otherwise, we risk breaching our agreements with rights-holders.”

For Mediaset, which operates both free-to-air and OTT services such as Infinity Plus, consistent DRM management across all distribution models is crucial to maintaining trust with content partners and audiences alike.

Market Reality: Insights from the DASH-DRM reference application

Concluding the presentations, Juha Joki, Technical Director at Sofia Digital, provided an update on the DASH-DRM Reference Application, an open-source testing platform funded by HbbTV. The application, first released in 2017, has become a vital interoperability tool for manufacturers, app developers, and even browser vendors.

“Everything is open-source and MIT-licensed,” Joki noted. “Anyone can run it to test DRM playback on their devices and gain practical experience with PlayReady, Widevine, or ClearKey.”

Over 100 TV models, representing all generations of HbbTV receivers, have now been tested using the app. It supports multiple playback modes, including native players and HTML5 MSE/EME environments, and is continuously updated in line with the HbbTV Test Suite.

The tool is not for certification, but to provide real-world feedback from receivers, helping identify inconsistencies in playback, licence persistence, subtitle handling, and performance across resolutions. Monthly anonymised test reports are shared with the HbbTV Association to inform future specification work.

“The goal,” said Joki, “is to provide transparent insight into how DRM performs across the real market. The statistics show steady improvement, but there’s still work to do, especially as new devices and features arrive.”

Key takeaways and future directions

The panel’s Q&A highlighted several recurring themes:

  • Interoperability and testing are vital: developers must verify both legacy and new devices, as the installed base spans over a decade of TV models.
  • Hybrid protection models will persist: conditional access (CA) remains dominant for broadcast, while DRM governs OTT and hybrid content.
  • Standardised APIs (OIPF DRM Agent and EME) offer flexibility, though developers must balance reach against capability.
  • Hardware DRM is essential for UHD and premium rights, aligning with international content-security mandates.

As moderator Jörn Krieger summarised, DRM in HbbTV represents “an evolving standard that continually adapts to the market’s needs, ensuring content protection and enabling new monetisation models.”

Looking ahead: From DRM to monetisation

The discussion also served as a prelude to the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, taking place on 12–13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted with TV Ekstra. This year’s theme “Making Money with HbbTV” connects naturally to the DRM debate, as secure, standardised content delivery underpins advanced business models such as addressable advertising and premium streaming.

With the publication of the HbbTV DRM Integration Specification, the ecosystem now has a common foundation to build upon. As more broadcasters and device makers adopt it, the industry moves closer to a unified, secure, and commercially viable connected-TV environment.

Access the full recording of the webinar and download the presentations from the HbbTV website.

HbbTV in MENA: Unlocking new opportunities for addressable advertising and monetisation

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is rapidly evolving into one of the most dynamic markets for connected TV (CTV) and HbbTV. With smart TV adoption accelerating and broadcasters seeking new revenue opportunities, HbbTV-based technologies are emerging as a key enabler of addressable advertising, interactive engagement, and measurable monetisation.

These opportunities were the focus of HbbTV’s latest webinar, “HbbTV in MENA: Unlocking new opportunities for addressable advertising and monetisation”, held on 15 October 2025. The session brought together leading experts from across the region: Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia at Adform; Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer at TVekstra; Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager for Consumer Electronics Product Management at Vestel; and Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions at Eutelsat.

Moderated by journalist Jörn Krieger, the webinar explored how open standards are helping MENA broadcasters compete against walled gardens, how data-driven monetisation is transforming connected TV, and how manufacturers and operators are collaborating to deliver rich, hybrid viewing experiences.

The webinar can be viewed on YouTube.

The discussion also served as a prelude to the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, taking place on 12–13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted with TVekstra.

The rise of connected TV against the walled gardens

Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform

Cem Eroğlu opened the webinar with a candid assessment of the battle between open web ecosystems and the closed walled gardens that dominate digital advertising. He explained how connected TV has become the newest arena in this ongoing contest, and why broadcasters in MENA have a powerful opportunity to compete if they embrace open, standards-based technologies such as HbbTV.

“Once TVs became connected, they transformed into digital screens where advertisers and agencies could buy inventory programmatically,” said Eroğlu. “But this environment is now split between walled gardens – like  YouTube – and  the open web. Broadcasters using HbbTV are part of the open web, and that gives them a strategic advantage.”

Eroğlu highlighted that connected TV offers premium, licensed content in brand-safe environments, something that sets it apart from user-generated video platforms. He also argued that, through HbbTV and programmatic ad tech, broadcasters now have the same targeting, measurement, and frequency-capping capabilities as digital publishers.

In Turkey, Adform and its long-term partner TVekstra have led much of this innovation. Together they have made linear TV addressable, measurable, and auditable, building integrations that connect broadcast and digital data to deliver “fusion planning” across screens.

One striking example from the Turkish market showed how advertisers running a linear TV campaign can identify overlapping households on connected TV and then retarget or exclude them accordingly, creating a true omnichannel strategy that reduces media wastage and increases reach.

Eroğlu cited a case study with Reckitt Benckiser and HAVAS that demonstrated a 7% improvement in incremental reach and an 11% reduction in media waste through such techniques.

“We’re connecting the consumer journey across linear, CTV, and digital,” he said. “Advertisers can now find their first-party audiences on the open web and on TV, manage frequency, and even link TV exposure to CRM or ERP data. The result is that connected TV is no longer a secondary screen, it’s the starting point.”

Adform’s ID Fusion technology, already used widely for cross-device identification, is extending into TV environments, allowing advertisers to target households deterministically and measure outcomes while maintaining privacy and compliance with European data regulations.

Eroğlu concluded by stressing that MENA broadcasters have the assets (content, audiences, and trust) to thrive in this open ecosystem. The challenge, he said, is to embrace data-driven monetisation with the same sophistication as digital platforms.

Next-generation monetisation in HbbTV & connected TV

Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra

Building on Adform’s technology foundation, Tuna Gürel of TVekstra provided a broadcaster’s perspective on how connected and hybrid TV are transforming monetisation across Turkey and the wider MENA region.

Smart TV penetration has surged in Turkey, he said, with roughly 70 percent of households, around 18 million devices, now connected. Despite this shift, viewing habits remain rooted in linear television. Turkish audiences still spend more than three hours and 45 minutes per day watching broadcast TV (half an hour more than the European average) and most homes receive content via satellite rather than IPTV or OTT.

This combination of high smart-TV penetration and strong broadcast viewing creates ideal conditions for HbbTV-based addressable advertising. TVekstra, which partners with Turkey’s seven national broadcasters, reaches around 40 million viewers and 11.5 million households through HbbTV integrations, roughly half the population.

For broadcasters, the benefits are tangible. Gürel reported that HbbTV services typically account for 5–10 percent of additional digital revenue, providing new ad inventory when online properties such as websites and apps are saturated. Advertisers, meanwhile, gain access to precise targeting, measurement, and interactivity that traditional TV cannot provide.

Hybrid TV planning: Bridging the old and the new

One of TVekstra’s key innovations is “Hybrid TV Planning,” a methodology that bridges traditional linear TV buying (based on Gross Rating Points and Cost per Point) with digital metrics such as CPM.

“HbbTV sits right between offline TV and online advertising,” said Gürel. “Media agencies often struggle to compare them, so we created a hybrid model that feels familiar to TV planners while still offering the precision of digital.”

This hybrid approach helps unlock budgets from offline TV rather than competing with other digital platforms. “We don’t want to fight each other in online advertising,” he added. “We want to open new budgets from traditional TV.”

Interactive and data-driven formats

TVekstra has also developed a range of interactive and data-driven ad formats, showcasing how APIs and contextual data can enhance viewer engagement:

  • API-Driven Campaigns: By integrating live data feeds, such as sports scores, weather, or traffic, TVekstra transforms ads into value-added experiences. One campaign displayed live football results within an ad unit, updated in real time, achieving average viewer engagement of 11 minutes.
  • Automatic Content Recognition (ACR): Using AI-based image and audio analysis directly on the TV device, TVekstra can trigger context-aware ads during specific moments in TV shows. For example, when a scene referenced “summer holidays,” an overlay for a beachwear brand appeared, delivering significantly higher click-through rates.
  • Data-Linked Campaigns: Through its partnership with Adform, TVekstra enables campaigns that link exposure data from TV to digital retargeting or CRM systems. This allows advertisers to follow up with viewers who saw a TV ad, or exclude those who did, improving efficiency and performance.
  • Brand Lift Surveys (BLS): TVekstra can now conduct post-campaign surveys directly on smart TVs, measuring ad recall or brand advocacy within the same environment. “Viewers are more willing to interact with surveys than with ads,” Gürel noted, “so response rates are often twice as high.”

Together, these capabilities move HbbTV advertising beyond brand awareness into measurable performance marketing, an evolution that resonates strongly with MENA advertisers seeking accountability and ROI.

Smart TV and HbbTV developments in the MENA market

Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager, Vestel

From the manufacturer’s viewpoint, Atinç Ögüt of Vestel explored how smart TV hardware and software are evolving to meet the region’s diverse needs.

Vestel is one of Europe’s largest TV manufacturers, number three in unit volume, and the market leader in Turkey. While best known for its OEM partnerships, Vestel is now extending its footprint beyond Europe into the Middle East and North Africa, where smart TV adoption is accelerating but connectivity remains uneven.

Ögüt described how Vestel, in collaboration with Eutelsat, is developing solutions that combine DVB-I service discovery with HbbTV metadata distribution .

“When we analysed the market, we saw that internet connectivity varies greatly, very high in the UAE, moderate in Saudi Arabia, and as low as 15 percent in Egypt,” said Ögüt. “We needed a hybrid strategy that works for both online and offline viewers.”

Hybrid approaches for a hybrid region

Vestel’s forthcoming SAT TV Connect and Sat.TV solution, developed with Eutelsat, exemplifies this hybrid model. It enables service discovery and metadata delivery via internet (DVB-I) while adding interactivity through HbbTV.

The approach supports country – specific service list in MENA region (and language-specific service lists in Europe), localized metadata, and targeted ad delivery, ensuring a consistent user experience across MENA’s fragmented infrastructure.

Preparing for addressable advertising

Ögüt also emphasized Vestel’s role in enabling addressable advertising at the device level, leveraging HbbTV features to deliver L-shaped banners and video overlays. These capabilities, he said, will underpin the next wave of monetisation across the region.

“Our goal is to create opportunities for targeted advertising using both broadcast and broadband signals,” he explained. “We see HbbTV and DVB-I as the bridge to achieve that.”

Together with the partners, Vestel plans to showcase further innovations at the HbbTV Symposium & Awards 2025 in Istanbul.

HbbTV services and solutions in MENA

Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat

Concluding the webinar, Ralph Edeine from Eutelsat presented the operator’s vision for transforming the satellite free-to-air (FTA) experience in MENA through HbbTV-based services.

Eutelsat distributes over 1,000 FTA channels to more than 100 million households across the region from its orbital positions at 13° East, 16° East and 7/8° West. Despite this abundance, he noted, the user experience has historically been poor: channels appear in random order, and many receivers lack electronic programme guides (EPGs).

To address this, Eutelsat launched Sat.tv, a service that standardises and manages satellite service lists while providing automatic installation, updates, and seven-day EPGs. Originally focused on non-connected set-top boxes, the platform is now evolving into Sat.tv connect, a connected-TV service that leverages HbbTV and DVB-I to enable interactivity, analytics, and advertising.

Four service layers for Sat.tv connect

Edeine outlined four layers of functionality in the sat.tv connect model:

  1. Service Discovery via DVB-I: Automatically installs satellite channel lists, categorized by language and country.
  2. Enriched EPG Portals: Provides a multi-language, seven-day guide accessible via HbbTV, enabling viewers to browse and zap between channels seamlessly.
  3. Branded EPG Channels: Offers broadcasters their own interactive guide pages, integrating logos, now/next info, and quick links to live programming.
  4. Analytics and Advertising: Embeds measurement agents within branded portals to collect viewing data, empowering broadcasters with usage dashboards and paving the way for addressable ad models.

“This is the first step toward data-driven strategies for free-to-air broadcasters,” said Edeine. “We can provide audience measurement, and from there we can move to programmatic ad insertion or overlay advertising.”

Eutelsat has partnered with FAST-channel aggregators WeDoTV and SoFAST, integrating their feeds into the Sat.tv EPG and enabling new ad-supported business models for satellite distribution. Future iterations of Sat.tv Connect aim to support real-time advertising, L-banners, and open-programmatic ad insertion, giving broadcasters the tools to monetise both linear and on-demand viewing.

Edeine concluded by inviting technology partners across the HbbTV ecosystem to collaborate on these initiatives and help MENA broadcasters capture the full potential of hybrid delivery.

A region on the verge of transformation

The Q&A session that followed underscored both the promise and the challenges of HbbTV adoption in the MENA region. While no government mandates currently require HbbTV support in devices, as is the case in some European markets, momentum is clearly building from the industry side.

Edeine confirmed that Eutelsat and its partners are closely monitoring regulatory developments country by country, while Gürel noted that in some markets HbbTV functionality exists in devices but remains deactivated by manufacturers or local policies.

Despite these variations, all speakers agreed that MENA is at an inflection point. Broadcasters are looking beyond satellite-only delivery toward hybrid models; advertisers are demanding measurability and addressability; and device makers are enabling the technical foundations for interactive, data-driven TV.

As Cem Eroğlu put it early in the session:

“The competition between open web and walled gardens is better than ever before. We’re no longer the leftover inventory, we’re the first frequency, starting from the household.”

Looking ahead to Istanbul

The webinar concluded with a reminder that these themes will feature prominently at the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, taking place 12–13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted by the HbbTV Association and TVekstra.

The event will explore topics including addressable advertising, hybrid broadcast-broadband delivery, new monetisation models, and the growing role of HbbTV in emerging markets such as MENA, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

With smart TV penetration accelerating, satellite operators modernising their platforms, and broadcasters embracing data-driven advertising, the MENA region is poised to become a showcase for the next phase of HbbTV innovation.

About the webinar

Title: HbbTV in MENA – Unlocking New Opportunities for Addressable Advertising and Monetisation
Date: 15 October 2025, 10:00–11:00 CEST
Speakers:

  • Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform
  • Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra
  • Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager, Consumer Electronics Product Management, Vestel
  • Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat

Moderator: Jörn Krieger, Journalist

A recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.

Next Webinar: Inside HbbTV DRM – Standards, Market Insights, and Real-World Deployments (29 October 2025)

For more information on upcoming webinars and the HbbTV Symposium & Awards 2025, visit www.hbbtv.org.

Webinar announcement: Inside HbbTV DRM

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Standards, market insights and real-world deployments

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a key component in delivering premium content securely across connected TV environments. With the growing deployment of HbbTV services and hybrid applications, broadcasters, platform operators and device manufacturers are increasingly focusing on standardised DRM solutions to ensure interoperability, reliability and a seamless viewer experience.

The next HbbTV webinar on Wednesday, 29 October, 15:00-16:00 CET, offers an overview of the technical foundations and current status of DRM within the HbbTV ecosystem. Industry experts will share insights into guidelines, deployment practices and real-world use cases, providing valuable perspectives for broadcasters, manufacturers and technology providers.

Agenda

HbbTV DRM guidelines and standardisation

Speaker: Jon Piesing, Vice-Chairman, HbbTV Association & Chairman, HbbTV Specification Group
Jon Piesing will outline the latest HbbTV DRM guidelines, explaining how standardised approaches ensure compatibility across devices and services, and highlight upcoming developments.

DRM from the conditional access and security provider perspective

Speaker: Thierry Thévoz, Principal Software Architect, Nagra
Thierry Thévoz will present the viewpoint of a leading CA and security solutions provider, exploring DRM–CA integration, deployment challenges and the need for robust content protection in hybrid TV environments.

The Italian perspective: implementing DRM in broadcaster environments

Speaker: Fabio Guarnaccia, Scenario Analysis Manager – Strategic Marketing, Mediaset
Fabio Guarnaccia will share insights from the Italian market, where broadcasters are introducing DRM to protect and monetise premium content, with lessons from real-world implementation.

Market reality: Insights from the DASH-DRM reference application

Speaker: Juha Joki, Technical Director, Sofia Digital
Juha Joki will present findings from the DASH-DRM Reference Application, offering practical observations on DRM performance in real deployments and market readiness.

Q&A session with all speakers

Moderator: Jörn Krieger, Journalist

Registration
Please sign up here to attend the webinar:

Webinar announcement: HbbTV in MENA

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Unlocking New Opportunities for Addressable Advertising and Monetisation

The MENA region is rapidly evolving for connected TV and streaming. Rising smart TV adoption and HbbTV-based solutions are creating new ways for broadcasters, device makers, and adtech companies to engage viewers and monetise content.

Our next HbbTV webinar on Wednesday, 15 October, 10:00-11:00 CEST, explores the latest market dynamics and opportunities ahead of the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025 on 12-13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted with TVekstra.

Agenda

The Rise of (C)TV Against Walled Gardens
Speaker: Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform
Cem Eroğlu will discuss how connected TV is reshaping MENA’s media landscape and how HbbTV enables open, data-driven ecosystems beyond walled gardens.

Next-Generation Monetisation in HbbTV & Connected TV
Speaker: Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra
Tuna Gürel will highlight innovative monetisation strategies using HbbTV, including targeted ads, audience measurement, and interactive experiences, with examples from MENA.

Smart TV and HbbTV Developments in the MENA Market
Speaker: Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager / Consumer Electronics Product Management, Vestel
Atinç Ögüt will provide a manufacturer’s perspective on smart TV growth and HbbTV expansion that boosts viewer engagement and broadcaster relations.

HbbTV Services and Solutions in MENA
Speaker: Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat
Ralph Edeine will present Eutelsat’s initiatives in the MENA region, focusing on HbbTV-based services and technical solutions supporting broadcasters and service providers.

Q&A with all speakers
Moderator: Jörn Krieger, Journalist

Registration
Please sign up here to attend the webinar.

We look forward to your participation in this live session.

HbbTV Reference Applications: Enhancing interoperability and conformance across the ecosystem

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

In a recent HbbTV webinar, leading voices from across the connected TV ecosystem gathered to explore the role of reference applications in supporting conformance, interoperability, and robust application development. Hosted during the European summer, the session drew substantial interest despite its technical depth, a clear sign of the growing importance of reference applications in the development and testing of HbbTV services.

The webinar featured insights from Bob Campbell (Global Head of Conformance and Interoperability at Resillion), Mark Reilly and Alex Russell (Senior Architect and Controller of Technical Partnerships at Everyone TV), and Mirko Nedeljkovic (CEO of Suitest). Each speaker addressed different but complementary aspects of HbbTV reference apps, ranging from foundational concepts and real-world implementations to remote testing practices and collaborative tools.

This article offers an overview of the themes discussed and highlights key takeaways from each speaker’s presentation.

Why reference applications matter

The HbbTV ecosystem depends on a combination of technical standards, conformance tools, and collaborative testing practices to ensure that applications work reliably across a diverse range of devices and use cases. Reference applications play a pivotal role by demonstrating how HbbTV features should work in practice. They complement formal conformance tests by focusing on real-world interoperability, user experience validation, and system-level integration.

Bob Campbell opened the webinar by framing the discussion within this wider context. He explained that while the HbbTV conformance test suite provides essential unit-level validation (with over 3,000 tests covering APIs and functional requirements), it is not designed to test how features interact in the context of full applications or services. This is where reference applications step in, to provide executable, observable, and reusable implementations that illustrate how specifications behave in actual use.

Bob Campbell (Resillion): Building and using reference applications effectively

Bob Campbell’s presentation laid out the distinction between conformance (unit testing of specification compliance) and interoperability (system-level functionality across devices and services). His key message: reference apps help fill the interoperability gap by allowing vendors, developers, and test labs to validate more complex scenarios involving content playback, UI interactions, and platform-specific behaviours.

Characteristics of good reference applications

According to Campbell, a good reference application must:

  • Be easy to understand, both in function and expected outcomes.
  • Be globally accessible and free of restrictions like geo-blocking.
  • Remain stable and version-controlled, avoiding frequent untracked changes.
  • Be well-documented, enabling test teams to understand its user journey and expected states.
  • Provide insight into what “good” looks like, particularly important in remote or automated testing environments.

He also emphasized the value of transparency: HbbTVs DRM reference app, for example, is fully open source and hosted on GitHub, enabling manufacturers and developers to inspect the implementation directly. The application includes scenarios for multiple DRM schemes, live streaming, subtitles, and adaptive bitrate streaming, with new features introduced in a staged manner across test, staging, and production environments.

HbbTV DASH-DRM Reference Application

Best practices and plugfests

Campbell outlined how HbbTV’s reference app is tested across a “zoo” of 20–25 devices and continuously updated. He also shared Resillion’s experiences organizing virtual Plugfests, including a recent session in Shenzhen in collaboration with Suitest. These events enable geographically distributed developers and manufacturers, especially in Asia, to validate apps and devices without the need for travel. Reference apps were a critical component in enabling remote testing and ensuring consistent expectations across participants.

Mark Reilly (Everyone TV): Implementing a complex reference use case

Mark Reilly provided a developer’s perspective, showcasing a highly specific reference application built to support Everyone TV’s Freely service. This reference app is centred on an OpApp implementation using a secondary video window, a sophisticated setup that allows IP-based channels to be shown alongside HbbTV UI layers.

The OpApp secondary video window

Everyone TV’s OpApp enables access to over 150 channels across DTT and IP, through a dedicated video window while maintaining a user interface layer for guide information and interactivity. The secondary video window operates as a separate application and uses dash.js for playback, along with Media Source Extensions (MSE) and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) for handling PlayReady SL2000 and SL3000 DRM.

Reilly explained that this proof-of-concept app was created in parallel with specification development to enable early prototyping and debugging. While not a formal conformance app, it has served as a valuable developer aid and reference point for manufacturers integrating support for the Freely service.

Architecture and communication

The setup involves multiple composited elements:

  • The OpApp provides the main user interface.
  • A secondary video window handles playback.
  • A graphics window supports subtitles.

These layers are composited on the terminal using a defined z-order. Communication between the app and the terminal occurs via JSON-RPC over WebSockets, enabling status updates, playback control, and channel selection. Metrics such as buffer state, bitrate, CPU usage, and proximity to live edge are continuously tracked and visualized to assess performance.

Reilly shared examples of issues identified using this framework, such as ad stream playback failures due to CORS misconfiguration and bandwidth contention scenarios where devices adjust representation quality dynamically.

Alex Russell (Everyone TV): From reference to conformance with TaCO

Expanding on Reilly’s presentation, Alex Russell introduced Everyone TV’s TaCO app (Test and Conformance OpApp). Whereas the secondary video window app focused on playback, TaCO targets key API coverage across the OpApp specification (HbbTV 1.2.1).

TaCO: Two apps in one

TaCO is both:

  • A real OpApp implementation used to initiate API calls and receive responses.
  • A test app capable of executing automated or manual test packages.

TaCO is designed to separate usability and presentation from API validation. It uses on-screen logging and user prompts to help verify behaviour, with test packs updated independently of the main application. While some tests require manual input (e.g., checking time accuracy), the goal is to maximize automation.

Everyone TV’s Test and Conformance OpApp (TaCO)

Role in conformance

Unlike the Freely video window app, TaCO is explicitly part of Everyone TV’s conformance process. Device manufacturers seeking to use the Freely trademark must run TaCO, verify results, and collaborate with Everyone TV on resolving failures. The application is effective at uncovering unimplemented APIs, malformed responses, and stubbed-out functionality, critical issues for ensuring spec compliance and device readiness.

Russell also announced the formation of a new HbbTV Study Mission Group called Test and Conformance Apps (TaCA) which will investigate how reference applications can be more systematically incorporated into HbbTV tools and practices. Topics include licensing, versioning, and the validation of community-contributed apps.

Mirko Nedeljkovic (Suitest): Remote testing at scale

The final presentation came from Mirko Nedeljkovic, CEO of Suitest, who discussed a groundbreaking interoperability event held in Shenzhen. Conducted in partnership with Resillion, the event marked the first-ever Plugfest in the APAC region.

Virtual plugfest setup

Suitest specializes in OTT test automation for living room devices, with deep support for HbbTV. During the event, eight Android and Fire TV OS devices from TCL, Skyworth, and TCL Mocha were connected to the Suitest platform, enabling developers in Europe to test HbbTV and Android apps remotely.

Key features of the remote setup included:

  • Virtual remote controls
  • Real-time video streaming from test devices (via phone cameras or HDMI capture)
  • On-screen console logs and performance data
  • Dedicated local streaming server to reduce latency (100–200ms to the UK)

Participants were able to test pre-production models, compare behaviour with retail devices, and interact directly with manufacturers via video link.

Test rigs for remote interoperability event

Lessons learned

Nedeljkovic highlighted the benefits and challenges of remote testing:

  • Positive feedback on real-time interaction and early access to devices
  • Desire for broader manufacturer participation and more detailed device specifications
  • Importance of planning, especially for ensuring video capture compatibility and network access

He noted that despite the technical complexity, the remote Plugfest matched the effectiveness of in-person events while aligning with broader industry goals around sustainability and reduced travel.

Panel and Q&A: Performance, certification, and standards evolution

In the concluding panel session, the speakers addressed several audience questions, covering:

  • The role of reference apps in setting performance expectations: While difficult to define objectively, performance can be measured through metrics like playback speed and transition latency, as in targeted advertising specs.
  • Integration with test tools like Resillion’s Ligada: Ligada can already automate testing of HbbTV reference apps.
  • API usage and tag strategy: Questions about the use of multiple video tags and HTML objects were deferred to GitHub issue tracking, emphasizing the open-source and collaborative nature of the reference apps.
  • Focus handling and UI robustness: Future iterations of test apps may include more scenarios involving key event management to ensure smooth user control.

Conclusion

This webinar offered a comprehensive look into how reference applications are enabling more robust and interoperable HbbTV deployments across the globe. From open-source examples like the DRM reference app to complex implementations such as Everyone TV’s OpApp, the ecosystem is embracing reference apps as critical tools, not only for developers and testers but also for manufacturers and certifiers.

As HbbTV services continue to grow in scope and complexity, the importance of collaborative testing, remote validation, and community-driven tool development will only increase. The initiatives discussed during the session, especially the launch of the TaCA study mission group, signal a strong commitment to evolving the HbbTV ecosystem with openness, scalability, and quality at its core.

Matthew Huntington
Manager of the HbbTV Developer Programme

Webinar announcement: Reference Test Applications explained

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Ensuring long term compatibility of streaming services on an ever-evolving set of streaming devices is a key problem for the industry. Huge amounts of time and money are spent each year ensuring the availability of services for viewers and ensuring support and maintenance costs remain manageable. 

The HbbTV association’s next webinar, on 1 July 2025, 10:00-11:00 CEST, will review some of the most recent approaches taken by platform operators, test services providers and media services companies to create reference test applications and test tools which build on top of HbbTV, DASH and PlayReady. We will look at four approaches recently deployed and discuss the benefits of test tooling and test applications to allow the industry to confidently launch services that will be enjoyed by customers for years to come! 

Join us for an engaging discussion with industry leaders on the cutting-edge approach to ensuring interoperability. 
 
Agenda 

  • Building test suites and reference apps – Resillion summarise the approaches taken, benefits and improvements available from adding reference applications to our armoury of testing tools.
  • Reference Player and TACO – Everyone TV detail the use cases for IP video streaming validation and a reference HbbTV Operator Application in the approval process for Freely devices. 
  • Interoperability with remote devices – Suitest feedback on the approach and findings from a testing event where remote test devices were made available in Shenzhen. 

Speakers 

  • Alex Russell – Controller of Technical Partnerships, Everyone TV 
  • Mark Riley – Senior Architect, Everyone TV
  • Bob Campbell – Global Head of Conformance and Interoperability, Resillion 
  • Fan Zhang – Testing Operation Director, Resillion 
  • Mirko Nedeljkovic – CEO, Suitest 
  • Jörn Krieger – Moderator 

Who should attend? 

This webinar is designed for platform operators, streaming service providers, test suite designers, device manufacturers and streaming video application designers looking to understand how to demonstrate support for applications and services across the horizontal market of streaming devices. 

Registration
Please sign up here to attend the webinar: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7534390683222533723

We look forward to your participation in this live session.

The potential of WebAssembly in HbbTV

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

WebAssembly (WASM) has revolutionized the way web applications are developed and executed. It is a powerful tool, enabling near-native performance for complex applications within browsers. As an essential technology for modern web development, WASM is transforming the capabilities of web applications, making them more efficient, secure, and versatile than ever before.

One area where WASM shows significant potential is in Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV). This open standard for the delivery of interactive TV services integrates traditional broadcast TV with internet-based content. WASM can enhance HbbTV applications by providing a more efficient and performant execution environment for interactive features, making HbbTV services more responsive and capable of handling complex tasks including software based video decode.

What is WebAssembly (WASM)?

WebAssembly (WASM) is a low-level, binary instruction format designed to provide a portable, efficient, and secure execution environment for web applications. Often described as a “virtual machine for the web,” WASM enables developers to run code written in various programming languages, such as C, C++, and Rust, directly in web browsers. Its primary goal is to bridge the gap between native and web performance, making complex and compute-intensive applications feasible within the browser environment.

WASM operates as a complement to JavaScript, leveraging the WebAssembly runtime embedded in modern browsers. Developers compile source code into the WASM binary format, which browsers can execute at near-native speeds. Importantly, WASM is secure by design, running in a sandboxed environment to prevent malicious access to the underlying system.

WASM binary format is a bytecode like Java bytecode and the Common Intermediate Language of .net. There is a human readable version of the WASM known as WebAssembly text. WASM binary files have the extension .wasm, WASM text files have the extension .wat. 

A brief history of WebAssembly

WASM emerged in 2015 as a collaborative effort among key players in the web development community, including Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Apple. The motivation was to overcome the limitations of JavaScript for performance-critical applications, such as games, video editing, and scientific simulations. 

Initially conceived as an evolution of asm.js (a subset of JavaScript optimized for performance), WASM quickly gained traction for its versatility and efficiency. It became a W3C standard in 2019, cementing its role in the web ecosystem. Over time, its use has expanded beyond browsers, finding applications in server-side development, edge computing, and embedded systems. 

WASM is now considered as the fourth language of the web after HTML, JavaScript and CSS. 

In 2024 W3C published WASM 2.0, a new snapshot incorporating feature extensions that had been deployed with mature implementations.

WASM continues to evolve through a feature development process. 

Major use cases of WASM

Major use cases for WASM include:

  • High-Performance Web Applications: WASM powers compute-heavy applications, including 3D games, CAD tools, and video editors, delivering near-native performance in the browser.
  • Cross-Platform Development: Developers can compile code written in languages like C++ or Rust into WASM, ensuring it runs seamlessly across different platforms.
  • Server-Side Computing: Frameworks like Node.js now support WASM, enabling high-performance server-side workloads.
  • Edge Computing: WASM’s portability makes it ideal for edge environments, where it can execute securely and efficiently on resource-constrained devices.
  • Embedded Systems: Its compact size and sandboxing make WASM suitable for use in IoT devices and other embedded systems.

A brief overview of HbbTV

HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) is a global standard that integrates traditional broadcast television with internet-based content and services. It allows broadcasters to enhance TV experiences with interactive applications, such as video-on-demand, targeted advertising, and gaming. 

HbbTV applications are built using HTML5 and JavaScript, leveraging web technologies to deliver these services. However, as the complexity and demands of applications grow, the limitations of JavaScript become apparent, this is where WASM could play a transformative role.

How WASM could enhance HbbTV

The potential ways in which WASM could enhance HbbTV include:

  • Improved Performance for Interactive Applications: WASM’s ability to run high-performance code could enable smoother and more responsive HbbTV applications. 
  • Complex Media Processing: Tasks like video encoding, decoding, or image manipulation could be performed using WASM, enabling new classes of applications.
  • Cross-Language Development: By supporting multiple languages, WASM enables developers to reuse existing codebases written in C++ or Rust, reducing development time for HbbTV applications.
  • Security for Third-Party Apps: WASM’s sandboxed execution aligns well with HbbTV’s need to run third-party apps securely, ensuring a robust and isolated environment for interactive content.
  • Resource-Constrained Devices: WASM’s compact binary format and efficient runtime make it suitable for HbbTV-enabled devices with limited hardware capabilities, such as older smart TVs or set-top boxes. Though, unless already enabled, back porting of WASM to older smart TVs is unlikely. 

Challenges and considerations

While the potential is clear, integrating WASM into the HbbTV ecosystem presents challenges:

  • Adoption of WASM Runtimes: HbbTV devices need to support a WASM runtime, which may require updates to existing software. Many existing television models already have support for WASM but widespread support will only come in future years.
  • Developer Learning Curve: Transitioning from JavaScript to WASM or incorporating WASM into workflows may require upskilling development teams.
  • Standardization: There are many feature extensions to WASM and aligning WASM capabilities with HbbTV specifications is necessary to ensure interoperability across devices. This is being resolved through the inclusion on WASM in the HbbTV 2.0.5 specification. 

WASM and HbbTV 2.0.5

When building WASM application it is important to have a consistent core and set of feature extensions as a target.

For HbbTV 2.0.5 the following have been mandated:

This set has been supported by Chrome since May 2023, by Firefox since April 2023, by Safari since March 2024 and node.js since October 2023.

The feature extension in WebAssembly Core 2.0 and ‘Extended constant expressions’ maps to the WASM target known as Lime1. Limes are a series of defined and stable subsets of WASM features that producers and consumers can both use to promote interoperability. Once a Lime configuration is defined, it will be stable with no features added or remove. To date only Lime1 has been defined.

WASM application can be complied against a Lime1 target to make them compatible with HbbTV 2.0.5.

emcc -mpcu=lime1 …

WASM is available in existing HbbTV implementation, but available features may vary. There are packages to help detect WASM feature availability including one from GoogleChomeLabs.

HbbTV 2.0.5 will be published in the middle of 2025, with the test suite and devices supporting 2.0.5 being available in 2026 and beyond.

Accessibility proof-of-concepts

During IBC 2024 3CAT the Catalonian broadcaster demonstrated two WASM based HbbTV proof-of-concept applications running on off-the-shelf televisions. The proof-of-concepts were based on improving accessibility services, through enhanced subtitling and sign-language. 

3CAT had looked at WASM as they need to perform CPU intensive tasks that were time constrained as they needed to be synchronized with the audio and video of the service. 

Subtitling

3CAT has developed and deployed a HbbTV application to display EBU-TT-D subtitles for its viewers. It ran on all devices but on low-end devices the user experience was poor with subtitles going out of sync with the video.

By moving the parsing and selection of EBU-TT-D subtitles to WASM, including traversing all subtitles, selecting the one matching the timecode and preparing it for display, they saw an impressive improvement in performance.

ActionMean time in js (ms)Mean time in WASM (ms)Improvement (%)
Ebu-tt-d parsing1,650.30231.0486%
Subtitles rendering3.801.0672%

More details are available on GitHub here.

Signing service

3CAT believed the best way to show sign language to viewers is through a second video that is separate the main video. This enables the signing video to be repositioned on the television screen as a picture-in-picture.

The latest television models have the capability to concurrently decode multiple video  streams, but this capability is not exposed to the applications due to the complexity of implementing this.

Software decode of video in JavaScript was not practical but 3CAT thought that with WASM this might be possible. For IBC 2024 they successfully demonstrated an Ogg based video decoding at 25 frames a second. They have since updated their proof-of-concept to show H.264 and H.265 video with a resolution of 400×500 and a bitrate of 300Kbps. 

Signing application

The updated proof-of-concept was run at the plugfest in London in 2025 with the following results across the television available:

FormatZero dropped framesSome dropped framesA lot of dropped framesDoes not run
MP4 with H2645310
MP4 with H2653420
MPEG-DASH with H2646300

With the proof-of-concept 3CAT has shown they can improve accessibility with WASM. They have also demonstrated that software video decode is possible enabling a wide range of additional use cases.

Other WASM use cases

WASM use cases under consideration include:

  • Video mosaics and multiple camera angles
  • Games engines and volumetric video
  • White box cryptography

Video mosaics and multiple camera angles

Sports like F1, golf, and tennis offer multiple camera angles, but managing these can be complex and can be impractical for service side rendering. In F1, following 3 out of 20 cars creates 6,840 combinations; with viewer controlled order, it becomes 41,040. Adding more angles increases these permutations greatly, reaching millions. Similar complexity could exist with other sporting events like Wimbledon or the Olympics. Music festivals like Glastonbury would also face challenges, with 10 main stages among 100.

WASM with multiple software decodes would allow a viewer to choose the array of multiple camera angles they would like to see. This concept could be extended to user interfaces that could benefit from user controlled video mosaics.

F1 Multi-camera angle mock-up

Games engines

Many common game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal) are already being utilized with WASM to facilitate the porting of console game elements into web browsers. While gaming may not be a primary use case for HbbTV, these game engines are also employed to support volumetric video, which could have potential applications within HbbTV. 

Volumetric video experiences are frequently rendered using game engines. This type of capture is designed primarily for individuals with VR headsets, enabling them to immerse themselves fully in the content. However, it can also be rendered on any screen for broader inclusion. Client-based rendering is particularly advantageous when it is desirable to provide the viewer with control over their viewing perspective.

Games engines running in WASM could bring volumetric video to HbbTV based televisions.

White box cryptography

White-box cryptography is a cryptographic key protection strategy that presumes an attacker has complete access to the cryptographic implementation. It aims to protect keys by obfuscating them within the code, thereby making it challenging to extract them even in compromised environments. WASM is being employed for this purpose. 

For HbbTV, white-box cyptography could enable application developers to utilize Digital Rights Management (DRMs) that are not natively supported on a television, or when the native DRMs are inaccessible. 

Conclusion

WebAssembly represents a significant step forward for web and embedded applications, offering unmatched performance, security, and versatility. Its integration into HbbTV could unlock a new era of interactive, high-performance television experiences. By addressing challenges like runtime adoption and standardization, broadcasters and developers can leverage WASM to push the boundaries of what’s possible in hybrid TV.

As WASM continues to evolve, its application in HbbTV could set a benchmark for the future of interactive media delivery, combining the best of broadcast and broadband technologies.

Innovation will come from developer experimenting with the technology. It is important to get the message to HbbTV developers that the technology is becoming widely available and they should start experimenting now. 

Learn more at the HbbTV developer portal, by joining the HbbTV developer Slack community and by watching the HbbTV webinar on WASM.

Matthew Huntington
Manager of the HbbTV Developer Programme

Webinar announcement: Sustainability in streaming

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

How to reduce the carbon footprint

The rising demand for video streaming is driving significant energy consumption and carbon emissions. As the industry seeks sustainable solutions, standards and technologies play a crucial role in reducing environmental impact without compromising quality and user experience.

Our next webinar on Wednesday, 14 May, 10:00-11:00 CEST will explore how industry standards such as HbbTV, DVB-I, and DASH contribute to sustainability in streaming. Experts will present the latest research findings, discuss best practices, and share real-world experiences in reducing the carbon footprint of video delivery. We will also highlight the importance of consumer awareness and education in fostering sustainable viewing habits and look ahead to future developments in eco-friendly streaming.

Agenda

  • The Role of Standards and Specifications – How HbbTV, DVB-I, and DASH contribute to energy-efficient streaming
  • New Research and Studies – Insights into the environmental impact of streaming and potential solutions
  • Experiences and Best Use Cases – Practical approaches from industry leaders in reducing carbon emissions
  • Consumer Awareness and Education – Encouraging sustainable viewing behaviours
  • Future Developments – Emerging trends and innovations for a greener streaming industry

Speakers

  • Robert Seeliger – Senior Project Manager Future Applications and Media & DAI Lead, Fraunhofer FOKUS
  • Peter Pogrzeba – Senior Project Manager, Deutsche Telekom Laboratories
  • Hemini Mehta – Senior Sustainability Lead, EBU
  • Vincent Grivet – HbbTV Chair & LoCaT Project
  •  Ben Schwarz – President, Greening of Streaming
  • Jörn Krieger – Moderator

Who should attend?

This webinar is designed for broadcasters, streaming service providers, technology vendors, policymakers, and sustainability advocates looking to understand and implement environmentally friendly streaming practices.

Register now to gain first-hand insights into sustainable streaming solutions for a greener digital ecosystem.

Webinar announcement: Web Assembly and HbbTV

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Unlocking new possibilities

The next HbbTV webinar on Wednesday 12 March 2025, explores the integration of Web Assembly (WASM) with HbbTV, a groundbreaking feature, scheduled to be part of the upcoming HbbTV 2.0.5 specification. This session will delve into what Web Assembly is, how it enhances the HbbTV ecosystem, and its potential applications in interactive and broadcast television. 

What you’ll learn

Web Assembly (WASM) is a powerful technology that allows high-performance execution of code on web browsers, and its introduction to HbbTV could revolutionize how broadcasters and service providers deliver interactive services. The webinar will provide a thorough explanation of WASM, its benefits, and how it can be utilized in hybrid broadcast environments to improve the speed and efficiency of applications. The session will also feature proof of concepts showcasing WASM’s capabilities within HbbTV, offering attendees valuable insights into the future of interactive television. 

Key takeaways

  • What is Web Assembly (WASM)? A detailed introduction to the technology and its advantages in a hybrid TV environment. 
  • How WASM fits into HbbTV 2.0.5: A look at how WASM will be integrated into the upcoming HbbTV specification.
  • Use cases for WASM in HbbTV: Exploring scenarios where developers can benefit from WASM for delivering seamless interactive content.
  • Proof of concept projects: Review of current projects and demonstrations that highlight WASM’s practical applications in HbbTV.

Speakers

  • Stuart Harris – Chief Scientist, Red Badger
  • Matt Hammond – Lead R&D Engineer, BBC
  • Rafael Bermúdez Guijo – Product Owner at the R&D team, 3Cat
  • Matthew Huntington – Principal Consultant, Huntington Digital Consultants
  • Jörn Krieger – Moderator 

Webinar agenda 

  1. Stuart Harris: Introduction to Web Assembly (WASM)
    • An overview of WASM, its history and its role in the broader web ecosystem.
  2. Matt Hammond: Integration of WASM in HbbTV 2.0.5
    • How WASM will be incorporated into the HbbTV 2.0.5 specification. 
  3. Rafael Bermúdez: Proof of Concepts & Demonstrations
    • An overview of the 3CAT’s proof of concepts using WASM with HbbTV to improve accessibility services. 
  4. Matthew Huntington: Potential Use Case Scenarios
    • What additional use cases could WASM unlock for HbbTV. 
  5. Q&A Session:
    • An opportunity to ask questions and engage with experts on how WASM can be leveraged in your own projects.

Why attend? 

This webinar is ideal for broadcasters, manufacturers, and developers interested in exploring cutting-edge technologies that can transform the interactive TV experience. By attending, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how Web Assembly can boost performance and efficiency in HbbTV applications, while also learning about its future role in the HbbTV 2.0.5 specification.

Catch-up

You can catch-up with the event and download the presentations here: https://www.hbbtv.org/hbbtv-webinar-series/