The fundamental importance of Hybrid TV to broadcasters
By Peter MacAvock, head of Media Delivery & Services, European Broadcasting Union
Let’s start by differentiating between ‘Hybrid TV’ and ‘Connected TV’. The former signals a URL in its streams and then uses both the broadband and broadcast tuners in a device to provide an integrated linear/nonlinear experience to the user. On the other hand, Connected TV exploits only the broadband connection in a hybrid device. The viewer pushes a button while watching linear TV, and is brought to a broadband world where he is offered a set of online applications.
Hybrid TV is offered by
broadcasters and exploits a standardised platform in a hybrid consumer device, typically a TV set with HbbTV, MHEG-5 and/or MHP. Connected TV is typically offered by the consumer device vendor and uses a proprietary platform within the device. With the advent of hybrid devices, the large internet- focused companies like Google and Apple are also offering lean- back consumer experiences based around a separate device. The multiplicity of options now available to the TV viewer raises a number of questions. How does the consumer interact with his device? Is the TV set really to become a big laptop sitting in the corner of the room? How should the broadcaster act? Broadcasters have two very
tasty treats in the candy jar: linear TV and catch-up TV. There are others of course, but hybrid TV provides a means of drawing on both of these offerings to create a harmonised
Peter MacAvock: Broadcasters have two very tasty treats in the candy jar: linear TV and catch-up TV
are regulatory questions around ensuring equality between those two media worlds, given that a future where the viewer can’t differentiate is not far away. Is internet infrastructure capable of carrying the expected volume of traffic as the popularity of catch-up TV explodes with it being readily available on TV sets? Currently, most of the consumption is on- demand, rather than live, but this will quickly change. Adaptive streaming is going to help and the rollout of IPv6 and MPEG-DASH will be crucial in this regard. There are three Hybrid TV
standards: HbbTV, MHEG-5 and MHP. The majority of European deployments are based on HbbTV. European TV markets might differ from country to country, but there is no need for these differences to be reflected in different profiles of Hybrid TV standards. Broadcasters are all about
There are three Hybrid TV standards: HbbTV, MHEG-5 and MHP. The majority of European deployments are based on HbbTV
experience for the viewer. And despite the growing number of ways now available to watch content provided in a non linear way, broadcasters continue to see a rise in the consumption of linear content. It might seem surprising but viewers really like watching TV!
Applications like the BBC’s iPlayer and Mediathek from the German broadcasters are increasingly popular. Such catch-up TV services currently target PC platforms mainly, but are extending into games consoles and cable systems. Making catch-up TV available on the ‘native platform’ that is used to consume the content in
the first place promised to explode its popularity and the recent figures support this (c.f. iPlayer Q1 2012 statistics). The next target has to be the Connected TV devices. Add in some popular (and in some cases very lucrative) teletext services and there’s a simple and strong consumer proposition. The synergies are obvious; the key thing will be making the viewer aware that it exists without undermining Connected TV applications and the linear proposition itself. Broadcasters looking a little further into the future recognise that many viewers are doing other things on smartphones
and tablets while watching TV. Ensuring that you can extend the viewing experience onto these devices with services targeting this specific user and his device will further enhance engagement. Hybrid TV is a stepping-stone to these second screen applications.
Not all plain sailing Bringing the worlds of the internet and broadcasting together on a single device that serves as the access point for consumers to a multi-billion dollar industry and continues to be the cornerstone of the cultural identity of many countries is challenging. There
reach: making sure your customers can view your content. If you’re a commercial broadcaster or a subscription provider, then the devices your content is available on need to represent economically viable vehicles. If you’re a public service broadcaster, then this reach is an obligation. To make sure the focus
remains on compelling content, viewers need to be able to easily access Hybrid TV services. Yet the options available on TV sets seem to become ever more complex. Perhaps this is the biggest challenge for broadcasters. Taking up this challenge is important, however, as Hybrid TV represents the future of how media content will be consumed at home.
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