Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), an industry consortium behind technical standards that are primarily used in Europe, is moving forward on an initiative that will look into commercial requirements for standalone linear TV services that are delivered over the internet.
The focus of that work, under the DVB-I (internet) banner, aim to complement DVB-S/C/T standards and managed IPTV services that are tied to service over dedicated access networks. DVB-I will also look to borrow commonalities with existing DVB specifications.
Thomas Stockhammer of Qualcomm Technologies is chairing the DVB CM-I group, and Peter Lanigan of TP Vision is on board as vice chair.
Keying on the emergence of OTT-delivered TV services to internet-connected televisions and to mobile devices, the initial focus of CM-I will be to collect relevant commercial and technical requirements “in order to provide a user perception of a linear TV channel that can be discovered and consumed over the open Internet and by regular TV equipment and user interfaces.”
“With hybrid services, OTT and online distribution growing in importance, DVB is applying its expertise and know-how in this all-important domain,” Peter MacAvock, DVB’s chairman, said in a statement. “DVB-I will complement the current DVB standards that form the basis of the way consumers watch TV today.”
