DVB completes current UHD plan with three specification updates

TM wraps up current crop of DVB UHD specs

At its meeting earlier this month, the DVB Technical Module (TM) approved important revisions and updates for three DVB specifications. With these revisions and updates – to DVB-DASH, audiovisual coding and bitmapped subtitles – DVB marks the completion of the current generation of UHD specifications. The revised specifications will be presented for formal approval by the DVB Steering Board at its next meeting in mid-November.

TS 103 285 (DVB-DASH)

The TM approved the revision of ETSI TS 103 285 V1.2.1 DVB MPEG-DASH Profile for Transport of ISO BMFF Based DVB Services over IP Based Networks. This revision adds the following new features: providing live text messages and slideshows for use with Hybrid Digital Radio; support for linking interactive applications to broadcast services delivered by DVB-DASH; High Dynamic Range (HDR) video; High Frame Rate (HFR) video; and Next Generation Audio (NGA).

TS 101 154 (audiovisual coding)

Also approved were amendments to ETSI TS 101 154, the DVB video and audio coding specification. The amended specification contains H.264/AVC and HEVC video conformance points for use with DVB-DASH. These are aligned with the broadcast codec conformance points, supporting a similar feature set, but take into account the specific requirements of adaptive bitrate delivery over the IP-based networks. Consequently the title of this new version of TS 101 154 will be changed to the specification for the use of “Video and Audio Coding in Broadcasting and Broadband Applications”.

EN 300 743 (bitmapped subtitles)

Last but not least, the TM approved amendments to ETSI EN 300 743 V1.6.1 for DVB Subtitling Systems. Version 1.6.1 adds explicit support of subtitling for UHDTV services, as defined in ETSI TS 101 154 and ETSI EN 300 468. The latest revision introduces technical extensions specifically for progressive-scan subtitle object coding and the capability to provide the subtitle CLUT (Colour Look-Up Table) in other colour systems in addition to ITU-R BT.601. Version 1.6.1 of the present document also adds support of subtitles in progressive-scan format, whereby the subtitle objects are in a format that can be converted conveniently from a suitably coded PNG file.