Sofia Digital provides HbbTV solution to Malaysia's RTM

Sofia Digital’s HbbTV technology delivered to Malaysian RTM

Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), a Malaysian public broadcaster has announced tender for HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband Television) platform and services in 2015. The tender included the HbbTV carousel insertion system, applications with content creation tools and supporting services to be delivered to RTM Hybrid TV interactive services development platform in preparation for Malaysian DVB-T2 digital television network launch.

Sofia Digital Ltd., a world-leading HbbTV applications and services provider based in Finland, with Malaysian company NU-SECURE NET-360 Sdn Bhd were awarded to provide the HbbTV solution for RTM. Requested system was delivered and installed to RTM interactive broadcasting department during middle of year 2015 and system was fully available already in September 2015. The system consists of Sofia Backstage® HbbTV Platform together with integration into RTM’s back-end services. The core of Sofia Digital HbbTV applications include Red-button interactivity, Main service menu, Electronic TV guide, Catch-Up TV / Video / Radio services and ‘Superteks’ digital teletext news service. These services are available over the broadband Internet and some selected services can be offered using the Digital TV delivery network if there is no Internet connection available at the TV household. RTM’s HbbTV solution is currently in trial phase.

RTM Superteks HbbTV application shown in ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium 2016

Cekal Perangsang Sdn Bhd (CPSB), a Malaysian Broadcast System Integrator is a representative of Sofia Digital Ltd. in Malaysia. CPSB together with NU-SECURE NET-360 has successfully delivered HbbTV platform to RTM. CPSB has the expertise and ability to give local support and attend to RTM’s HbbTV when needed. Another important point is the CPSB’s ability to create new HbbTV trial services and possibility to easily edit existing services with Sofia Backstage® HbbTV Authoring tool without any coding skills or deep knowledge of HbbTV standard.

RTM has been actively participating in the further development and roadmap of the HbbTV Authoring Tool requirements and has given good ideas for different services, which can be created with this tool. The development of Authoring Tool has been done in good faith among all partners and now RTM is able to create and publish new services easily for their HbbTV trial service menu to be accessed using the remote controller’s “red button”. Sofia Backstage® HbbTV Authoring tool is provided as a web based service to use with any standard PC with Internet HTML browser and it allows template-based application development and editing of existing published applications. New templates will be added regularly to support RTM in their service development.

During the first half of 2016, RTM MyKlik video services will be integrated on the HbbTV trial platform to enable TV viewers to watch RTM TV programs at any time over broadband Internet connection with HbbTV compatible receivers. The interactive HbbTV services of RTM will be expected to be part of Malaysian Digital Television platform launch which is happening right now to reach over 80% of the Malaysian population, and expanding during later this year.