HbbTV Association backs Nordic move to HbbTV2

The HbbTV Association has welcomed NorDig’s new specification, which marks the Nordic region’s first steps from HbbTV1.5 to HbbTV 2.0.

NorDig – which specifies the technical specifications for digital TV in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Ireland – released specifications to support the adoption of HbbTV 2 at the end of last month.

Responding today to the release of NorDig Unified Specification 2.6, the Hbb TV Association applauded the release, which will see the Nordics become the third region to take up HbbTV 2, after the UK and Italy.

“It is exciting to see a third region begin integration of HbbTV 2 into its products,” said Klaus Illgner, chairman of the HbbTV Association.

“With many broadcasters and content providers already using the ecosystem, it’s important that the industry takes up HbbTV to enable faster growth and delivery of content to consumers.”

The new NorDig specifications state that new HbbTV devices that fall under its remit will have until July 1, 2018 to support HbbTV 2 version 2.0.1.

HbbTV 2 builds on previous versions of the HbbTV specification to provide new functionality in HbbTV terminals, including enhanced dynamic ad insertion support, improved accessibility, seamless cross-device viewing and standardised Ultra HD delivery with HEVC.

By issuing this specification NorDig is enabling broadcasters, pay TV operators and OTT providers to introduce advanced TV services.