The HbbTV Association has published version 2.0.5 of its core specification, which formally integrates digital rights management (DRM). While HbbTV devices have supported DRM for many years, this is the first time it has been explicitly defined, providing a harmonised, interoperable approach across the ecosystem.
Approved at the latest meeting of the HbbTV Steering Group, HbbTV 2.0.5 is an incremental update to HbbTV 2.0.4, published two years ago.
According to HbbTV, support was required for at least one of the DRM systems listed in the HbbTV DRM specification published six months ago – Microsoft PlayReady or Google Widevine. This formalisation was reportedly essential for enabling the secure delivery of premium content and meeting the requirements of broadcasters, platform operators, rights holders, and content owners, ensuring a compelling experience for viewers.
WebAssembly support, already present to some extent in HbbTV devices via browser engines such as Chrome or WebKit, is now formally included in the specification. This enables a range of advanced features such as efficient decoding of auxiliary video streams, including sign language services demonstrated by Catalan public broadcaster 3Cat at trade shows IBC2025 and HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025. Additional web security measures have been incorporated, and support for the VVC and AV1 video codecs has been defined, although implementation of these codecs is optional.
Several simplifications for implementers have also been introduced – unused features have been removed, others have been marked for deprecation, and some requirements have been relaxed to improve interoperability.
The integration between HbbTV and DVB-I introduced in HbbTV 2.0.4 has been further improved in 2.0.5. The specification now clarifies how DVB-I applications associated with entire service lists can be supported, enabling platforms or service aggregators to obtain GDPR consent or agreement to terms and conditions. Implementation feedback, particularly regarding HbbTV and DVB-I integration, has resulted in numerous technical corrections being included.
The HbbTV Association plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RfP) in the coming weeks to extend its Conformance Test Suite to support HbbTV 2.0.5.
“HbbTV 2.0.5 represents an important step forward in the evolution of hybrid TV services,” said Vincent Grivet, Chair of the HbbTV Association. “With formalised DRM, support for next-generation codecs such as AV1 and VVC, enhanced DVB-I integration, and WebAssembly capabilities, the specification aligns to the most recent and impactful market trends, enabling more sophisticated, secure, and feature-rich services. It demonstrates HbbTV’s continued commitment to advancing the connected TV ecosystem for broadcasters, platform operators, content owners, and viewers alike.”
Vincent Grivet, Chairman of the HbbTV Association, spoke to IBC365 to reveal how a new DRM specification would enable the reliable and secure delivery of premium content via HbbTV-based services in August 2025. Discover more here.
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