UK HbbTV based Connected TV specification approved for publication

Connected TV specification published to DTG members

LONDON — The Digital TV Group (DTG), the industry association for digital TV in the UK, has announced that the 7th edition of the ‘D-Book’–the detailed interoperability specification for UK Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and HbbTV-based ‘Connected TV’ hybrid products and services–has been formally approved by DTG Council and DTG Technical Council. Version 1 of part B of the specification (for Connected TV products and services) has now been published to DTG members.

Published in draft earlier this year, D-Book 7 defines the critical interoperable coexistence of broadcast and broadband services and devices.

Compiled by manufacturers, service providers and the technology community, D-Book 7 is the product of two years of intense collaboration, resulting in a specification that maximises the use of international standards while maintaining proven interoperability with the UK broadcast systems.

Part B of D-Book 7 will be referenced by manufacturers, service providers and platforms for the delivery of Connected TV products and services in the UK market. To enable early adoption of D-Book 7 Part B by UK platforms the DTG has worked closely with its members to meet the requirements of the BBC’s HTML applications, including the latest version of the BBC iPlayer, and other broadcaster’s catch-up TV players.

To ensure international harmonisation of standards the DTG is in liaison with HbbTV, ETSI, the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) and DECE (Ultraviolet).

D-Book 7 also enhances the current UK DTT broadcast specification which was published as D-Book 6 by the DTG in 2009. D-Book 6 introduced DVB-T2 MPEG-4 services enabling the launch of the Freeview HD service.