Specifications

The HbbTV 2.0.4 specification updates HbbTV 2.0.3 to enable HbbTV applications to better integrate with 3 sets of TV / STB functionality that are important for the future – accessibility, DVB-I for streaming (live) linear TV and voice assistants. It updates web standards support and has a number of smaller improvements and bug fixes. Some features not used in the real world have warnings added that they will likely be removed in the future.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV 2.0.4 specification. It gives an overview of the new features and the other changes from version 2.0.3.

The HbbTV 2.0.3 specification updates HbbTV 2.0.2 with newer web standards and support for OTT streaming. Some features not used in the real world are removed or have warnings added that they will likely be removed. It also fixes issues found during implementation of HbbTV 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 apps, receivers and tests.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV 2.0.3 specification. It gives an overview of the new features and the other changes from version 2.0.2.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.5.1 with the changes from errata 2 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 2.

This document contains the currently identified and resolved errata to ETSI TS 102 796 v1.4.1 and v1.5.1. It is a living document which will be updated based on experience of implementing receivers, services and tests.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.5.1 with the changes from errata 1 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 1.

This document contains the currently identified and resolved errata to ETSI TS 102 796 v1.4.1 and v1.5.1. It is a living document which will be updated based on experience of implementing receivers, services and tests.

The HbbTV 2.0.2 specification updates HbbTV 2.0.1 enabling support for HDR and HFR video and next generation audio. It also fixes issues found during implementation of HbbTV 2.0.1 apps, receivers and tests.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV 2.0.2 specification. It gives an overview of the new features and the other changes from version 2.0.1.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.4.1 with the changes from errata 5 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 5.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.4.1 with the changes from errata 4 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 4.

This document contains the currently identified and resolved errata to ETSI TS 102 796 v1.4.1 and v1.5.1. It is a living document which will be updated based on experience of implementing receivers, services and tests.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.4.1 with the changes from errata 3 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 3.

This document contains the currently identified and resolved errata to ETSI TS 102 796 v1.4.1. It is a living document which will be updated based on experience of implementing receivers, services and tests.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.4.1 with the changes from errata 2 integrated. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 2. It has been replaced by a later version and is preserved here purely for the record and should not be used.

This document contains a snapshot of the errata to HbbTV 2.0.1 / TS 102 796 V1.4.1. This document was originally approved in October 2017 however not published due to last-minute concerns with one of the solutions. These have now been addressed and a better solution included. Errata #2 has been replaced by a later version and is preserved here purely for the record and should not be used.

This document contains a snapshot of the errata to HbbTV 2.0.1 / TS 102 796 V1.4.1 at a particular point in time. It has been replaced by a later version and is preserved here purely for the record and should not be used.

The HbbTV 2.0.1 specification updates HbbTV 2.0 to add a few features needed for deployment in the UK and Italian market as well as fixing issues found during implementation of HbbTV 2.0 receivers and tests.

This document is a comparison between HbbTV 2.0.1 (2016-07-04) as published and HbbTV 2.0 (TS 102 796 V1.3.1 – 2015-10). The comparison has been done using the automated mechanism in Microsoft Word which may result in false positives and results that are more compex than would come from a manual comparison.

This is the first version of the HbbTV 2.0.1 specification and has been replaced by the 2016-07-04 version. It is preserved here purely for the record and should not be used.

HbbTV 2.0 was published in 2015. It updated the web platform to HTML5 and introduced a number of new features. It has been replaced by HbbTV 2.0.1; the HbbTV 2.0 specification has been deprecated and is not available anymore.

Information and History of HbbTV 2.0 Specification

See attached for more information about the development of the HbbTV 2.0 Specification.

Frequently asked questions about HbbTV 2.0.

This is a version of TS 102 796 V1.2.1 with the changes from errata 4 (see below) applied. Changes are marked with the usual underline/strike-through convention to make it easier for users to see the differences. Issue numbers are included for cross-referencing with errata 4.

TS 102 796 V1.2.1 (often called HbbTV 1.5) introduced support for HTTP adaptive streaming (based on MPEG-DASH), improving the perceived quality of video presentation on busy or slow Internet connections. It also enabled content providers to protect DASH delivered content with potentially multiple DRM technologies based on the MPEG CENC specification, improving efficiency in markets where more than one DRM technology will be used.
This version was based on 3 documents;

• the original TS 102 796 V1.1.1 from ETSI
• errata 2 to TS 102 796 V1.1.1 from HbbTV
• The earlier stand-alone HbbTV specification 1.5

This errata document contains a set of identified and resolved errata to the HbbTV specification published as ETSI TS 102 796 v1.2.1. This document contains all agreed errata and replaces errata 3, errata 2 and errata 1.

This is the third errata to TS 102 796 1.2.1. It is replaced by errata 4 and is preserved here purely for the record. It should not be used.

This is the second errata to TS 102 796 1.2.1. It is replaced by errata 4 and is preserved here purely for the record. It should not be used.

This is the first errata to TS 102 796 1.2.1. It is replaced by errata 4 and is preserved here purely for the record and should not be used.

This is an updated version of the stand-alone HbbTV 1.5 specification. It is preserved here purely as for the record. It is obsolete and should not be used any longer as the content is included in TS 102 796 V1.2.1 with important clarifications.

This is the original version of HbbTV 1.5. It is preserved here purely as for the record. It is obsolete and should not be used any longer as the August 1st 2012 version includes important clarifications.

This is the original HbbTV specification. It should only be used when developing applications and services targeted at already deployed HbbTV TVs and set-top boxes. New TV and set-top box developments should use TS 102 796 V1.2.1 or HbbTV 2.0.

This errata document contains a set of identified and resolved errata to the HbbTV specification. These have been integrated with HbbTV 1.5 and the text of ETSI TS 102 796 V1.1.1 and the results are included in version 1.2.1. This fully replaces the former errata 1.

This is errata 1 for HbbTV 1.0. It is preserved here purely as for the record. It is obsolete and should not be used any longer.

The updated HbbTV OpApp specification improves support for operator applications to render IP-delivered linear channels, including enabling regular HbbTV interactive (“red button”) applications to appear alongside IP-delivered linear channels and operator-managed user interface elements. It allows for a consistent and seamless viewer experience across broadcast and IP-delivered linear channels.

The updated specification also allows an operator application to manage the streaming and presentation of a collection of IP-delivered linear channels discovered from a DVB-I service list or equivalent, enabling consistent flexible streaming approaches and fast channel change times.

The updated specification also includes improvements identified during the development and rollout of operator applications in Germany where they have been commercially deployed since March 2019.

This presentation provides an insight into the update of the HbbTV OpApp specification.

This specification is an extension to the core HbbTV specification to support operator application. Operator applications allow TV operators, in partnership with TV manufacturers, to provide an operator-branded experience as an application on TVs. This application acts as a “Virtual Set Top Box”, providing effectively all functionality of a Set Top Box (STB) without the need to install one. The OpApp specification describes how the HbbTV browser can run both HbbTV broadcaster applications and operator applications at the same time. It specifies how operator applications are discovered, installed and how they can replace the TV’s native UI, including access to the TV’s remote control key. New readers should read “OpApps Explained” first in order to get an overview.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV OpApp specification. It includes a description of what an operator application is, market drivers for operator applications, as well as an overview of technical details within the HbbTV OpApp specification.

HbbTV has ordered unit tests for the operator applications specification. More than 300 of these have been delivered but they are in the process of being reviewed and are NOT YET approved for certification. HbbTV welcomes support from interested parties to contribute to the review and approval process, please contact support@hbbtv.org.

This document defines how to enable targeted advertising where linear broadcast TV terminates in a STB and is then passed to an HbbTV TV over an HDMI connection. It includes the watermark-based signalling from “ADB Specification Phase 2 TS 103 464 V1.2.1 (2020-05)” and additionally defines how applications launched in response to that signalling can use the HbbTV “Targeted Advertising (TA) Specification TS 103 736” to switch from HDMI linear broadcast TV to an advert and back again.

This presentation provides an insight into the “ADB+TA” Specification and how that can be used for targeted advertising. It does not duplicate the material explaining ADB phase 1 and phase 2 found in “ADB Explained”. Please see “ADB Explained” for an overview of the use of watermaking to launch HbbTV applications, to deliver stream events to those applications and to provide a media timeline.

The versions of the HbbTV Specification published to date rely on signalling in the broadcast to start broadcast-related applications, through the Application Information Table (AIT). This document enables use of broadcast-related applications when that signalling does not reach the HbbTV terminal. The first version of this document only addressed HbbTV terminals directly connected to broadcast networks that were not carrying the HbbTV signalling. This second version of the document also addresses HbbTV terminals connected only indirectly to a broadcast network through a set-top box and HDMI.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV specification for Application Discovery over Broadband. It compares phase 1 and phase 2 of application discovery over broadband with the regular HbbTV application discovery over broadcast. It gives an overview of key aspects of the specification such as the watermark state machine, timelines and stream events.

The versions of the HbbTV Specification rely on signalling in the broadcast to start broadcast-related applications, through the Application Information Table (AIT). This document defines a method for discovery of broadcast-related HbbTV services via a broadband internet connection for settings where AIT signalling via the broadcast network is not available to the HbbTV terminal.

This specification defines how HbbTV terminals can be used with IPTV services. It is applicable to IP-only devices (no DVB-C/S/T tuner) where the  broadcast” is IPTV. It is also applicable to hybrid devices where some TV channels come via IP and some via DVB-C/S/T.

Part 1 of the HbbTV targeted advertising specification contains the functional requirements including the definition of the fast media switch API.

Part 2 of HbbTV targeted advertising specification contains the non-functional requirements such as ones relating to performance and memory sizes. Part 2 defines the two performance profiles.

This presentation provides an insight into the HbbTV targeted advertising specification. It gives an overview of the features and requirements. It explains some implementation considerations.

This document explains both the format of the tests assertions included in the HbbTV TAR (Test Assertion Repository) and provides guidance for organisations making use of this resource. The document includes a link to the TAR.

This presentation explains what is a Test Asssertion in HbbTV, what is the TAR and why has HbbTV published it.

The document contains the list of TLS root certificates that must be supported by HbbTV terminals.

This spreadsheet replaces a list included in HbbTV 1.0/TS 102 796 V1.1.1.

The contents of this spreadsheet were developed by the UK Digital TV Group whose contribution is very much appreciated by HbbTV.

Date updated: 15 November 2023 (by the UK DTG Interactive Services Working Group)
Date updated: 18 January 2024

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.

Click here to review historical OIPF specifications