Smart TV (Connected TV, Integrated Digital Television, IDTV) News

Connekt brings interactivity and T-Commerce to Hisense Smart TVs
Dec 7, 2017 – Connekt has announced integration of its ShopTV application into Smart TVs made by Hisense. With the integration, consumers can interact and engage with brands and content directly on their TV. Viewers can also purchase the products that interest them through the app.
News categories: Connekt, Hisense, Mike Fitzsimmons, Christopher Clarke, Advertising, Apps, Digital TV, Smart TV, USA

HbbTV Conformance Test Suite v9.2.1 released
Dec 7, 2017 – The HbbTV Testing Group has published a new version of the HbbTV conformance test suite. The new version, 9.2.1, is a maintenance release and does not introduce any new approved test cases. In total, 114 test cases have been repaired and re-approved.
News categories: HbbTV Association, Digital TV, HbbTV, QoE, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

Slovakia's Markíza monetises HbbTV with Hybrid Company
Dec 5, 2017 – Interactive commercial advertising via HbbTV technology has been fully employed on the Slovakia television market by Markíza Group. For the implementation, Markíza teamed up with Hybrid Company, a specialist in HbbTV monetization.
News categories: Hybrid Company, Markíza Group, Lukáš Hnilička, Juraj Máťuš, Advertising, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Slovakia, Smart TV, UX

User experience becomes key focus for smart TVs and streaming media players
Dec 5, 2017 – A new Market Snapshot from Parks Associates finds that makers of smart TVs and streaming media players are shifting strategies to focus on the user experience (UX) as device sales start to flatten out.
News categories: Parks Associates, Jennifer Kent, Dina Abdelrazik, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, USA

Freeview Play launches on Sony BRAVIA televisions
Dec 4, 2017 – Freeview and Sony have announced the roll out of Freeview Play on selected Sony BRAVIA TV models in the UK. The subscription free catch-up and on-demand platform provides access to BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5 and UKTV Play.
News categories: Freeview, Sony, Guy North, John Anderson, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV, UK

HDMI Forum releases Version 2.1 of the HDMI specification
Nov 28, 2017 – HDMI Forum has announced the release of Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification. The latest specification supports a range of higher video resolutions and refresh rates including 8K60 and 4K120, and resolutions up to 10K. Dynamic HDR formats are also supported.
News categories: HDMI Forum, Robert Blanchard, Blu-ray, Digital TV, Gaming, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, Worldwide

Viaccess-Orca and Rambus strengthen security in TVs and STBs
Nov 28, 2017 – Viaccess-Orca has announced that it has collaborated with Rambus to strengthen its VO Shield Root of Trust (RoT) solution. The CryptoMedia Content Protection Core from Rambus complements VO Shield by enabling a hardware RoT to be embedded directly in the multimedia chipset of devices, including TVs and STBs.
News categories: Viaccess-Orca, Rambus, Cédric Hardouin, Bret Sewell, Content Protection, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Silicon IP, Smart TV, Worldwide

HbbTV and RadioDNS start HbbTV application discovery service
Nov 21, 2017 – RadioDNS and HbbTV have announced that RadioDNS has implemented support for HbbTV’s 'Application Discovery over Broadband' specification. The functionality is intended to benefit consumers that live in markets where the existing HbbTV triggers are not universally available.
News categories: RadioDNS, HbbTV Association, Nick Piggott, Apps, Digital TV, Europe, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

China and North America TV shipments fall sharply in Q3 2017
Nov 20, 2017 – The impact of higher LCD TV panel prices at the beginning of 2017 continued to weigh on retail demand for LCD TVs into Q3 by way of slower retail price erosion, particularly in China and North America, the two most price sensitive regions, according to IHS Markit.
News categories: IHS Markit, Paul Gagnon, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide