Understanding HbbTV: what it is and how it works

Today’s television is no longer about just sitting and watching – viewers want to engage, explore, and be in control of their viewing experience. Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV bridges the gap between traditional broadcasting and online interactivity, creating a dynamic platform where linear and digital content seamlessly coexist.

What is HbbTV?

HbbTV, or Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV, is an open standard developed to combine traditional broadcast TV with broadband-delivered content. In simpler terms, HbbTV is like teletext for the 4K era, but with the advanced features and interactivity that the internet offers.

With HbbTV, you get access to a range of features like video-on-demand (VOD), catch-up and replay TV, start-over options, and electronic program guides (EPGs), all aimed at enhancing how you watch and interact with content.

Origins and development of HbbTV

HbbTV traces its origins to two major European initiatives aimed at bridging this gap:

France’s H4TV project: This initiative focused on creating a hybrid solution to combine broadcast and broadband services seamlessly.

Germany’s HTML-based interactive television services: These services aimed to use web technologies like HTML to enhance TV interactivity.

In 2009, these two projects merged, leading to the creation of the HbbTV Association, a consortium of broadcasters, manufacturers, and technology providers. The aim was to establish an open standard that could unify hybrid broadcast and broadband technologies under a single structure, ensuring compatibility between devices and regions.

Introduction of HbbTV 1.0

The first version of the HbbTV specification, HbbTV 1.0, was launched in 2010. It was built on existing open standards such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making it customisable and developer-friendly. This version provided basic interactive features such as video on demand (VOD), catch-up TV, and Electronic Programme Guides (EPGs). Broadcasters in Europe, especially in France and Germany, were early adopters, using HbbTV to enhance their programmes and offer additional services to viewers.

Growth and adoption

Over the next few years, HbbTV started to become popular across Europe. Countries such as Spain, Italy, and the UK began to adopt the standard, while major broadcasters and manufacturers integrated HbbTV support into their services and devices. Its open, non-proprietary nature has made it a popular choice, allowing programmers and broadcasters to innovate without being tied to a specific provider. In 2015, the HbbTV Association released HbbTV 2.0, a significant update that introduced new capabilities designed to keep pace with modern viewer expectations.

Delivery methods

HbbTV brings together traditional broadcast methods and internet delivery to create a seamless and interactive TV experience. High-quality live content, like sports and TV shows, is transmitted using reliable methods such as terrestrial, satellite, or cable TV, ensuring low latency. Along with the broadcast signal, extra data – like an application information table – activates HbbTV features and apps.

The internet connection adds services like video on demand, personalised ads, and real-time updates. With adaptive streaming technologies like MPEG-DASH, viewers enjoy smooth playback, even when network conditions are not perfect.

How does HbbTV work?

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how it functions:

1. The viewer’s TV receives a traditional broadcast signal, often embedded with an Application Information Table (AIT), which points to additional internet resources.

2. When a compatible broadcast channel is tuned, the AIT triggers the launch of an HbbTV app. This app is typically written in HTML5, ensuring cross-platform compatibility.

3. The HbbTV application overlays the broadcast content, offering an interactive interface for browsing on-demand videos, accessing catch-up TV, or interacting with other services.

4. Content accessed via HbbTV is streamed over the internet using technologies like HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) or MPEG-DASH for adaptive bitrate streaming.

5. HbbTV uses JavaScript and CSS to create dynamic interfaces. It also employs communication protocols like DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) and HTML5 WebSockets to enable real-time interactions.

Enhancing video content with interactive apps

HbbTV enhances traditional video content by introducing interactive applications that offer viewers fresh and engaging ways to connect with their favourite shows. Below, we highlight some of the most innovative uses of HbbTV technology.

Access to extra information

HbbTV apps make your TV experience smarter and more interactive by adding real-time, on-screen information. Watching a football match? Use your remote to check player stats, team lineups, or match history without missing any action.

During a movie, you can instantly view actors’ names, bios, and filmographies without interrupting the film. For news updates, customisable tickers at the bottom of the screen provide tailored updates or can be disabled for a cleaner display. HbbTV apps bring a new level of interactivity and convenience.

Advanced Program Guide

One of the most practical uses of HbbTV is its enhanced Electronic Program Guide (EPG), which offers much more than a traditional TV schedule. With this advanced feature, viewers can access detailed information about upcoming programmes, including trailers, behind-the-scenes clips, and even bloopers, giving richer context to their choices.

Switching channels becomes effortless, and you can even schedule recordings directly from the guide, ensuring you never miss a favourite show. The EPG also provides viewer-driven menus, enabling you to explore additional programming, such as exclusive interviews or bonus content, without having to exit the guide. This enhanced EPG redefines convenience and interactivity, making it a core feature of modern television.

Music and lyrics integration

HbbTV brings a new level of interactivity to music videos, turning passive viewing into an engaging experience. With on-screen lyrics displayed in sync with the music, viewers can sing along and feel more connected to their favourite songs.

It also offers instant access to artist details, including bios, career milestones, and upcoming releases – all without interrupting the video. It is a seamless way to deepen your appreciation for the music and the artists behind it.

Contextual and personalised advertising

Advertising through HbbTV is designed to be smarter, more engaging, and less intrusive for viewers. Interactive ads enhance the viewing experience by complementing the content rather than interrupting it. Viewers can engage directly by clicking options like “Buy Now” or “Learn More,” making advertisements more relevant and actionable.

Dynamic ad personalisation takes it a step further by tailoring ads to individual viewers, such as showing local currency pricing or targeting specific demographics, all within the same commercial break. Additionally, HbbTV leverages programmatic advertising techniques familiar from digital platforms, enabling cost-per-impression (CPM) models and automated ad sales.

Additional applications of HbbTV

HbbTV offers a wide range of practical and engaging applications across various domains. Replay TV and start-over services ensure viewers never miss a moment, allowing them to restart live broadcasts or revisit previously aired programmes at their convenience. Information services keep audiences updated with real-time news, sports scores, and weather forecasts, all seamlessly integrated into the viewing experience.

HbbTV also supports e-government services, providing access to essential resources like education and health information. Additionally, early warning systems leverage HbbTV to broadcast emergency alerts and instructions, enhancing public safety. For an added layer of convenience, e-commerce integration enables users to make direct purchases through interactive TV, blending entertainment and shopping into a unified experience.

Advantages of HbbTV

HbbTV transforms television by combining traditional broadcasting with broadband technology to create an interactive and user-friendly viewing experience.

The distinguishing feature of HbbTV is that it improves the way viewers connect with content. On-demand videos, real-time statistics, and detailed programme information are easily accessible with a single click. Whether watching a favourite programme, a live sporting event, or a blockbuster movie, the experience becomes richer and more immersive. This hybrid approach also streamlines the entertainment experience, eliminating the need for multiple devices and delivering everything you need on one convenient platform.

Another advantage is the standardisation that HbbTV brings to the industry. By providing compatibility across TV brands and regions, it enables broadcasters to deliver consistent and reliable services to a wide audience. This consistency is particularly useful when implementing advanced features such as personalised content and interactive applications – without the headache of dealing with fragmented devices.

In addition, HbbTV provides new revenue streams for broadcasters and advertisers through advanced ad targeting capabilities. It integrates internet advertising best practices into the TV ecosystem, enabling personalised ads that cater to individual viewer preferences. Advertisers benefit from dynamic ad insertion and automated ad models that increase efficiency and profitability. Viewers, in turn, appreciate less intrusive and more relevant ads.

Finally, HbbTV gives viewers more control. This can be done by turning off news strips, accessing exclusive behind-the-scenes content or participating in interactive surveys. This combination of richer content, industry-wide standardisation, targeted advertising and increased viewer control makes HbbTV a significant innovation in modern television.

Conclusion

Television is no longer just a linear experience. HbbTV has reinvigorated the medium by combining the interactivity of the internet with television watching.

Despite the clear benefits, wider adoption of HbbTV still faces obstacles, such as security concerns and varying levels of device compatibility. Overcoming these challenges is essential if viewers are to enjoy an even better experience.

If you want to find out how HbbTV can work for your service, let’s talk. We can help you create a solution that meets your needs and reaches your audience.