CE manufacturers are designing a new line of Internet-connected TV receivers that can potentially offer more than the sum of TV and broadband. Dubbed Hybrid Broadcast Broadband (HBB), the European Broadcasting Union demonstrated the potential of this innovation at IBC2009 using the recently announced HbbTV specification. This brings together the Open IPTV Forum platform and DVB application signaling and is being considered in France and Germany to be included in new devices scheduled to ship by the end of the year.
Through the adoption of HbbTV, consumers will be able to access new services from entertainment providers such as broadcasters, online providers and CE manufactures, including catch-up TV, VOD, interactive advertising, personalization, voting, games and social networking as well as program-related services such as digital text and EPGs.
