The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing an open standard for the delivery of broadcast and broadband services through connected TVs and set-top boxes, has chosen Sofia Digital to implement a reference application and provide sample content for online streaming of DRM protected video to HbbTV enabled televisions and set-top boxes. Sofia Digital is a pioneer of digital television services development and a trusted global supplier of HbbTV and smart TV applications, DVB head-end systems and testing services.
HbbTV technology together with MPEG-DASH and DRM protection gives broadcasters new ways to monetize their online video content on the TV screen. HbbTV Association’s project aims to create an application and sample content with Sofia Digital to showcase the HbbTV technology and help TV-industry to validate their end-to-end tools, content and devices. The reference application will be freely distributed to any party interested in testing the technology. Project deliverables also include documentation covering the creation of valid MPEG-DASH files from users own video content. Furthermore, the reference application shall will be implemented in a way, which makes the code easily reusable for anybody to implement their own DASH video streaming application.
The reference application and sample content is targeted to be tested and comply with as wide a range of devices as possible with multiple DRM systems including Microsoft PlayReady and Marlin and potentially others (e.g. NAGRA PRM). Sofia Digital will test the reference application and content on their extensive zoo of receivers covering HbbTV versions 1.5 and 2.0.1, dating back to 2013. HTML5 browsers with W3C MSE and EME will also be supported.
The goal of the project is to create a recipe for successfully and rapidly deploying HbbTV services using MPEG-DASH and DRM. The reference application is to be ready for distribution towards the end of the year. Sofia Digital’s COO Mr. Mika Kanerva comments the project: “We are excited to work in this project to help whole TV-industry to boost their new services deployments based to HbbTV standard. The project is a logical continuation of Sofia Digital commitment TV applications and online video space and we hope it will be used to enable new business opportunities in monetizing premium video content globally.”
“The HbbTV Association is delighted to award this contract to Sofia Digital” stated Klaus Illgner, Chair of the HbbTV Association, “they have the skills and experience in HbbTV, video streaming and testing to ensure our objectives of the project are met.”
About HbbTV Association (www.hbbtv.org)
Hybrid broadcast broadband TV (or “HbbTV”) is a global initiative aimed at harmonizing the broadcast and broadband delivery of entertainment services to consumers through connected TVs, set-top boxes and multiscreen devices. The HbbTV specification is developed by industry leaders to improve the video user experience for consumers by enabling innovative, interactive services over broadcast and broadband networks. The specification uses elements of existing specifications from other standards including OIPF, CEA, DVB, MPEG-DASH and W3C. In June 2014, the activities of the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) were transferred to the HbbTV Association. This broadened the HbbTV Association’s mandate to include defining specifications for service providers and technology suppliers that streamline and accelerate deployment of IPTV services.
About Sofia Digital
Sofia Digital brings new value-added services and applications to different terminals. Our unique competence is in hybrid TV and open standards interactive platforms. We enable content distribution in broadcast and broadband, seamlessly. We combine the pioneering knowledge of digital broadcasting and internet technologies with Scandinavian design and usability ideas. This way, our solutions are both functional and pleasant to use. Visitors to BroadcastAsia2017 exhibition, May 23 – 25 in Singapore will find our stand at TV Everywhere zone (4A2-03). sofiadigital.com
