November 23, 2015

Freeview Play Delivers Next Generation TV User Experience with HbbTV 2.0

GENEVA — November 23, 2015 — 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, is pleased to announce the successful launch of Freeview Play last month. Freeview Play, a Freeview and Digital UK co-initiative, is built on the HbbTV 2.0 standard which was released earlier this year.

Freeview Play allows viewers to access advanced TV services like catch-up TV from leading broadcasters – including the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5 – on their own schedule. It is built with HbbTV 2.0 technologies which supports the development of a range of features including HTML5 user experience and support for Ultra HD and HEVC. Free from subscription and supported by all existing broadband services, with Freeview Play viewers can watch their favourite shows whenever they want.

“The HbbTV Association celebrates last month’s successful launch of Freeview Play, which was co-developed and co-marketed by Digital UK and Freeview,” stated Klaus Illgner, Chair, HbbTV Association. “HbbTV 2.0, released in February of this year, paves the way for the creation of new services which will delight and excite viewers and these features can be seen in Freeview Play.”

Ilse Howling, Managing Director of Connected TV at Digital UK, “Freeview Play brings the natural next step in television and is now available on a range of Panasonic TVs and digital recorders from Humax, with more manufacturers set to launch products in 2016. Digital UK has worked closely with Arqiva to build a technical platform that can support advanced TV services through HbbTV 2.0.”

Guy North, Managing Director of Freeview, “The launch of Freeview Play brings connected television to the mass market and, with our largest ever marketing campaign, we aim to make it the new normal way to watch TV in the UK.”

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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.

 

HbbTV Association Contacts:

Kirk Edwardson and Régis Saint Girons
Co-Chairs, HbbTV Marketing Group
Email: press@hbbtv.org