DVB World 2012 Programme
(25 January 2012)

The preliminary programme for DVB World 2012 has been published and you can now see some of the key sessions, themes, topics and speaker on the updated website. 2012 marks a special year in the world of digital broadcasting as it is the year where most European terrestrial TV services will switch off the analogue signals and will move exclusively to digital. A second key theme of DVB World 2012 is efficiency. The conference will cover the efficiency of the DVB standards development process, spectrum efficiency and energy efficiency. You can read all about the programme here.

DVB World 2012 - Register Now
(25 January 2012)

The DVB World 2012 programme is complete and you can now register for the event. Hot topics for 2012 include the spectrum efficiency and energy-efficiency of broadcasting systems and products, which will be covered in depth in dedicated sessions and by a keynote by Dan Reed, VP Technology Policy at Microsoft. Register now to benefit from the early bird discount (ends January 31st)!

DVB Receives Emmy Award
(16 January 2012)

Last week at the 63rd Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy® Awards ceremony at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, DVB received a coveted 2011 Technical/Engineering Emmy Award. Dr Peter Siebert, DVB's executive director, accepted the award on behalf of DVB and all its members for DVB's work on the Active Format Description (AFD) technology.

Indonesia Considering DVB-T2
(11 January 2012)

Following a public consultation in December 2011, the Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is expected to publish a request for tender for new digital television broadcasting equipment in the first quarter of 2012. Indonesia originally decided to roll out a DVB-T network, but is now expected to select the second generation standard, DVB- T2.

Colombia Adopts DVB-T2
(4 January 2012)

Following Colombia's National Television Commission (CNTV) recommendation to migrate from the DVB-T standard for digital terrestrial television delivery to the more advanced DVB-T2 standard, the Colombian government has officially adopted DVB-T2 on December 20th 2011.

FOBTV Summit
(29 November 2011)

At 11:11 AM Shanghai time on 11/11/11, more than 200 delegates to the Future of Broadcast Television Summit officially expressed unified support for a joint declaration signed by technical executives from DVB and 12 other broadcast organizations from around the world that calls for global cooperation to define new requirements, unify various standards, and promote sharing of technologies to benefit developed and under-developed countries and conserve resources.

DVB Work on CI Plus V1.4 to Start
(28 November 2011)

Following the Steering Board approval of the Commercial Requirements for CI Plus v1.4 and an agreement with the CI Plus LLP, DVB will now start its technical work on the updated specification. These Commercial Requirements build on top of the current CI Plus v1.3 specification with two main features: support for dual-stream operation with a single module, intended for a dual-tuner PVR host, and support for DRM protected IP- delivered content. Other features include CI Plus browser extensions, additional URI (Uniform Resource Identifiers) signalling, and extensions and clarifications for module applications running on host middleware.

FOBTV Summit
(11 November 2011)

Leading broadcast television associations, research laboratories and standards development organizations from around the world will host a strategic conference focused on the future of terrestrial broadcast television on 10 and 11 November 2011. Supporting organizations include DVB, EBU, ATSC, NAB, NHK, and many others.

DVB Wins Emmy Award
(11 November 2011)

The DVB is pleased to announce that it is being honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as the recipient of a 2011 Technical/Engineering Achievement Award in recognition of DVB’s “outstanding work in the Pioneering Development and Deployment of Active Format Description and Aspect Ratio Control Technologies and Systems”. The award will be presented at the CES Show in Las Vegas on January 12th, 2012.

IBC 2011 & DVB-T2: A Double Hit
(11 November 2011)

With over 50,000 visitors, IBC 2011 was the biggest edition yet, and shows the strong state of the broadcast technology universe. With its numerous global broadcast standards, DVB has always been one of the central elements of this universe and the 100 DVB members present at this year's IBC attest to this. At it's usual location in Hall 1, DVB offered three key demos, presentations, side-meetings, PR contacts, and of course technical experts to guide visitors through the demos and the growing global deployment of DVB standards.

GOtv - DVB-T2 Goes Africa
(27 October 2011)

Multichoice Africa is rolling-out a full Pan-African DVB-T2 network with a total bouquet of more than 50 different channels in various languages over 15 countries. The GOtv Africa DVB-T2 pay-TV service is already on the air in Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda and more countries such as Nigeria are expected to follow soon. UPDATE - Nigeria has now also adopted DVB-T2 and goTV services are already on air.

DVB Scene eNews
(27 October 2011)

The new DVB Scene eNews has been sent out. Click here to see the latest and all previous newsletters or subscribe.

New DVB-T2 Profile: T2-Lite
(26 October 2011)

DVB has introduced a new profile for its popular DVB-T2 terrestrial standard for lighter applications such as mobile TV: T2-Lite. Version 1.3.1 of the DVB-T2 specification document introduced a T2-Lite profile. This profile is intended to allow simpler receiver implementations for very low capacity applications such as mobile broadcasting, although it may also be received by conventional stationary receivers. T2-Lite is based on a limited sub-set of the modes of the T2-base profile, and by avoiding modes which require the most complexity and memory, allows much more efficient receiver designs to be used.

DVB SB Approves Work on 3DTV and RCS2
(19 October 2011)

Today, the DVB Steering Board (SB) approved two important documents for the ongoing and future work on DVB's standards. The SB approved the Commercial Requirements for a Phase 2 Service Compatible 3DTV delivery system and the third and final part of the DVB- RCS2 suite. More details and full press releases are available after the jump.

Ghana Adopts DVB-T2
(4 October 2011)

The Ghanaian government has accepted the recommendations of the Digital Broadcasting Migration Committee to adopt DVB-T2 as the standard for digital terrestrial TV in the country, the Ghana News Agency reported. The terrestrial stations GTV, TV3, TV Africa, Crystal TV, Metro TV, Viasat1, Net-2 TV, e-TV Ghana, Coastal TV, GhOne, Top TV and all other stations with similar licences will migrate from analogue to digital. All vendors and equipment suppliers have been directed to cease importing non DVB- T2/MPEG 4 DTT decoders immediately.

Russia Adopts DVB-T2
(29 September 2011)

A Russian governmental commission has approved the use of the DVB-T2 standard for the development of digital terrestrial TV in Russia, as proposed by the Ministry of Communications. All new DTT networks will start using DVB-T2 and all existing DVB-T networks will gradually be upgraded as well. Stay tuned for more news over the coming weeks on this potentially massive DVB-T2 deployment.

DVB-T Milestone in the Caribbean
(27 September 2011)

Being the first countries in the Caribbean and Latin America to begin digital terrestrial television broadcasting, the islands of Curacao and St. Maarten, formerly territories of the Netherlands Antilles are recognized as the regional and unconventional leaders in the transition from analog to digital TV. Leonardo de A. Ladeira of the Curacao Bureau Telecommunicatie en Post explains.

DVB-GEM at IBC 2011
(27 September 2011)

At this year’s IBC conference DVB presented a demonstration of a hybrid broadcast/broadband DVB-GEM scenario on the DVB booth. Michael Lagally of Oracle's Java Development Group and Chair of the DVB TM-MUG working group explains.

More T2 News
(23 September 2011)

On top of the very positive DVB-T2 developments in Africa, things are moving in other countries as well. Regulators in France and Croatia are both recommending the adoption of DVB-T2 in the very near future and the adoption of T2 by Malaysia is also expected in the coming weeks/months.

37 DVB-T2 Countries
(23 September 2011)

With 5 countries having deployed DVB-T2 and many others having adopted or confirmed their plans to launch DVB-T2 services in the near future, the total number of DVB-T2 countries now stands at 28. On top of this, there are 9 countries that have (had) DVB-T2 trials on-air. Download our updated World Map and Excel sheet here.

DVB-3DTV @ IBC 2011
(23 September 2011)

On top of the DVB-T2, T2-Lite, DVB-C2 and DVB-GEM demos at the DVB stand 1.D81 at IBC, you can also catch various DVB related topics at the IBC conference this year. One of the highlights will be the session on 3DTV Broadcast Standards on September 11th at 14:00, chaired by 3DTV and DVB expert David Wood.

DVB @ IBC 2011
(20 September 2011)

In just a little over one month, IBC 2011 will again open its doors to demonstrate the latest broadcast technology solutions. As the world's largest digital TV standard, DVB will again be present with a multitude of demos. We look forward to welcoming you at stand 1.D81 from 9 to 13 September in Amsterdam! More details will be posted soon.

DVB World 2012 - Rome
(25 August 2011)

2012 marks a special year in the world of digital broadcasting as it is the year where most European terrestrial TV services will switch off the analogue signals and will move exclusively to digital. DVB World 2012 will look at the success and progress of digital TV, the DVB standards and the future. DVB World 2012 will take place from Monday March 12th to Wednesday March 14th in Rome. The conference, exhibition and lunch will all take place in one single convenient location: The Crowne Plaza - Rome St. Peter's Hotel. Stay tuned for more details!

Effective DVB Monitoring
(24 August 2011)

Measurement Guidelines developed by DVB provide exceptional visibility into the numerous and complex problems that can occur with the RF signal or MPEG-2 transport stream, the measurements are fundamentally isolated point-by-point measurements. Danny Wilson, CEO of Pixelmatrix, explains how their implementation of the DVB measurement guidelines can save costs when monitoring broadcast systems.

On the Radio with DVB-T2 Lite
(24 August 2011)

The Copenhagen based Open Channel wants to broadcast digital radio using the DVB-T2 Lite profile. DVB-T2 is already in use broadcasting digital television in a number of countries and could easily be used to broadcast digital radio in Denmark. Kenneth Wenzel of Open Channel explains why they have applied for a DVB-T2 trial license.

New DVB Scene: Issue 38
(24 August 2011)

DVB SCENE Issue 38 (September 2011) has just been released. This "Keen to be Green" issue has an extra focus on the ecological aspects of the broadcast industry, including transmitters, receivers, and even the development of the DVB standards themselves. Talking about efficiency, there are also many DVB-T2 stories that underline this highly efficient and flexible DTT standard. Finally, we have updated the DVB Scene webpage and have launched a new browsable magazine format.

28 DVB-T2 Countries
(29 July 2011)

With 4 countries having deployed DVB-T2 and many others having adopted or confirmed their plans to launch DVB-T2 services in the near future, the total number of DVB-T2 countries now stands at 28. On top of this, there are 6 countries that have (had) DVB-T2 trials on-air. Download our updated World Map and Excel sheet here.

DVB Scene eNews May
(18 July 2011)

The new DVB Scene eNews has been sent out. Click here to see all the previous newsletters or subscribe.

BroadcastAsia Update
(18 July 2011)

DVB is highlighting the robustness and flexibility of DVB-T2, the world’s fastest growing digital television standard, at this year’s BroadcastAsia show. DVB technologies are also represented in the conference with a full-day session with presentations by DVB Members and Executives. Please visit us at stand 4F2-06.

Delivering Regional DVB-T2 Services
(27 June 2011)

DVB-T2 with Multiple PLP allows operators to transmit HD services with low robustness at the same time as SD services with high robustness. Also, a single DVB-T2 multiplex can address fixed TV antennas as well as nomadic and mobile devices. Additionally, Multiple PLP technology is also a fantastic tool to enable regional business models where regional/local TV content is inserted into a nationwide multiplex/frequency.

DVB-T2 @ BroadcastAsia
(17 June 2011)

At this year’s BroadcastAsia, DVB will be highlighting the robustness and flexibility of DVB-T2. A single DVB-T2 multiplex in an 8 MHz channel containing three Physical Layer Pipes (PLP) will be deployed for three different services: 3D and HD quality for rooftop antenna reception, SD quality for indoor antenna reception and mobile reception. The HD and SD programmes will be received in parallel on 4 television screens through commercially available DVB-T2 IDTVs as well as DVB-T2 set-top boxes. Also a DVB-T2 USB receiver will be used to receive the DVB-T2 service.

Malaysia DVB-T2 Trial
(16 May 2011)

As part of this year’s Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union’s Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, an important 4-day DVB-T2 field trial took place to showcase the technology and its superior capabilities. The field measurements and results of the field trial were subsequently presented later in the week at the Symposium Conference. The field trial was conducted by ABU, DVB, Rohde & Schwarz and Radio Television Malaysia with the support of Media Broadcast, TeamCast and S & T in Kuala Lumpur from 4-7 March 2011.

DVB-C2 for Delivering 3DTV
(12 May 2011)

DVB member Televes, a global firm specialising in the distribution of TV signals throughout building infrastructures, is set to deploy the first project in Spain for delivering 3DTV services over DVB-C2. Televes leads the DERFO 3DTV project, supported by several universities, the Gradiant Technological Center and Continental Networks. The DERFO 3DTV project is an ambitious endeavour to distribute 3DTV over fibre optic and coaxial networks using the latest cable transmission scheme DVB-C2. DVB-C2 was selected for its high bandwidth efficiency, which is necessary to deliver 3DTV service

DVB-C2 Demo @ Anga Cable 2011
(26 April 2011)

DVB and ANGA will have a joint booth at the ANGA Cable show from May 3-5 in Cologne, Germany. The booth will demonstrate the first-ever DVB-C2 prototype, a Sony TV with integrated DVB-C2 tuner. The demo and information at the booth will be supported by DVB, ANGA, Sony and Kabel Deutschland.

Malawi DVB-T2 Tender
(15 April 2011)

The Malawi Ministry of Information and Civic Education is looking for consultants to help with their digital TV migration and to plan a DVB-T2 network. The project covers the design of the DTT network, the digital migration process, the end-user equipment requirements, the link to the existing contribution system and more.

New: DVB Scene Enews
(1 April 2011)

DVB has just published its first new electronic newsletter. The Enews will complement our well known DVB Scene Magazine and will provide you with up to date information about what's going on in the world of digital broadcast. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and also recommend it to your friends and colleagues.

DVB World 2011 Diary
(31 March 2011)

A report from the DVB Executive Director Peter Siebert on the recent DVB World 2011 Conference that took place in Nice on 7-9 March 2011. Each year the digital broadcasting community meets at the DVB World Conference. This year’s DVB World brought together some 200 participants from around the world in spring- like Nice in order to learn firsthand about the latest developments by DVB, exchange ideas and thoughts, and meet with familiar colleagues once again.

DVB at India's BES Expo
(31 March 2011)

The Broadcast Engineering Society of India's (BES) annual International Conference and Exhibition on terrestrial and satellite broadcasting took place from February 24th to 26th 2011 in New Delhi, India. The theme of this year's conference and exhibition was 'Broadcast Technology - Emerging Trends'. One emerging trend is the very strong interest for DVB-T2 in India and DVB Project was present at BES Expo to support the Indian broadcast industry with their decision for DVB-T2.

3DTV Webinar
(28 March 2011)

Following the recent approval and publication of the DVB-3DTV specification, what are the next steps for 3DTV? Join this free EBU Technical Webinar on April 14th with David Wood, live from the NAB Convention in Las Vegas, and Yvonne Thomas, live from the EBU Headquarters in Geneva to find out.

DVB-RCS2 Published
(14 March 2011)

DVB approved the first two DVB-RCS2 specifications for the 2nd generation DVB interactive satellite system. DVB-RCS2 takes advantage of state-of-the art technology that gives substantial enhancements over 1st generation systems. DVB-RCS2 is natively developed for IP services and is specified for interactive satellite services in several market segments.

DVB World 2011 - Follow the Buzz!
(3 March 2011)

DVB World 2011 is taking place next Monday and the very final program has been published on the website. To read the latest about what's happening at DVB World 2011 you can follow us on the DVB World Blog or on Twitter (#dvbw11).

DVB-T2 Demo @ ABU Symposium
(1 March 2011)

DVB will be present at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union’s Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur from March 8 to 11 to demonstrate and present on DVB-T2 and more. Besides the conference and exhibition DVB will also participate in a pre-event DVB-T2 workshop and trial.

Kenya DVB-T2 Tender
(28 February 2011)

The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) has released a tender asking for interested parties to “express their interest” in two more digital television signal distribution licences, in an effort to fast-track migration from analogue to digital TV broadcasting ahead of Kenya’s 2012 switchover deadline. These Expressions of Interest (EoI) are sought from suitably qualified, experienced and competent local and/or international firms who can build and operate a national broadcasting signal distribution and transmission infrastructure using DVB-T2 and MPEG 4 technologies.

New DVB Scene: Issue 37
(28 February 2011)

The new issue of DVB Scene (March 2011) has just been released and includes the following stories: Harald Skinnemoen, 2nd Generation DVB Interactive Satellite System; Steve Beck, Sony, Semiconductors for 2nd Gen. DVB receivers; Laurent Roul, Enensys, Innovative Upper Layer Services for DVB-T2; Gerhard Patrick, DVB-T2 in Southern Africa; Phil Laven, DVB, Setting the Record Straight; Juhani Simpanen, DNA, DVB-T2 in Finland; David Daniels, BSkyB, 3DTV; Ben Keen, Screen Digest, Terrestrial Still Dominates.

DVB-3DTV Specification Published
(21 February 2011)

On February 17 the DVB Steering Board approved the DVB-3DTV specification, which has just been published as BlueBook A154 ‘Frame Compatible Plano- Stereoscopic 3DTV’, (DVB-3DTV). The specification will be sent to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for formal standardisation.

1 Million DVB-T2 Devices Sold
(18 February 2011)

The sales of Freeview HD (DVB-T2) devices in the UK has passed the one million milestone and now stands at 1.2 million devices. This includes regular set-top boxes, PVR set-top boxes and integrated TV tuners (iDTV). Today, there are more than 150 models of Freeview HD boxes and TVs available to buy starting from £55.

DVB World 2011 - Coming Soon!
(17 February 2011)

DVB World 2011 is taking place in less than 3 weeks! Register now to hear the latest on the future of content delivery, DVB in Africa, DVB in France, DVB in Serbia, green broadcasting, DVB chipsets, Mobile TV, DVB-S2, DVB-T2, DVB-C2, DVB-NGH, DVB- RCS, ATSC, LTE, IPTV, UHDTV, IPTV, 3DTV and many more of your favorite acronyms!

DVB at BES Expo India
(16 February 2011)

DVB will be demonstrating and presenting the benefits of DVB-T2 at the BES Expo in New Delhi, India from February 24-26, 2011. The Broadcast Engineering Society of India (BES) annual Conference and Exhibition will also include a special conference session on DVB and DVB-T2.

South Africa Confirms DVB-T2
(17 January 2011)

Following the recent recommendation of the SADC for DVB-T2 as the DTT standard for the region, South Africa has now officially adopted DVB-T2. The decision was made in the final Cabinet meeting of 2010 and a formal announcement is expected from communications minister in the next weeks.

DVB World 2011 - Keynote Speaker Announced
(12 January 2011)

The keynote speaker for DVB World 2011 has been announced. Dr Veena Rawat, President of the Communications Research Centre Canada, will be giving a keynote presentation on "Broadcast and Communications : Partners or Competitors?"

DVB at DBSF in South Africa
(11 January 2011)

Following the recent DVB-T2 recommendation by the SADC and adoption by South Africa, DVB will be presenting on DVB-T2 at the Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum (DBSF) in Johannesberg, South Africa from 1-3 February 2011.

DVB Worldwide Update
(22 December 2010)

The DVB Worldwide section of the website has been updated with a new DTT deployment spreadsheet, a new DTT world map and of course the most recent report from our data partner Screen Digest. Highlights include the 132 countries that have adopted the DVB-T standard.

DVB World 2011 Programme Announced
(7 December 2010)

“From 2nd Generation to 3rd Dimension”. The preliminary programme for DVB World 2011 (March 7 to 9 in Nice) has been published and the site is now open for registrations. Topics include: Changes in media consumption, DVB Around the World, 3D Gaming, DVB-C2, DVB- T2, DVB-S2, Multi-PLP, DVB-CSA3, DVB-RCS, DVB-NGH, ATSC Mobile, LTE, Chipsets, Net Neutrality, IPTV, 3DTV, Subtitles and UHDTV.

New DVB SCENE: Issue 36
(29 November 2010)

DVB SCENE Issue 36 (December 2010) has just been released including articles from: - Christophe Trolet, Teamcast - Non-Broadcast uses of DVB - Catherine Douillard, Telecom Bretagne - Rotated Constellations - Simon Pryor, Newtec - All IP networking - Jörg Rockstroh, WORK Microwave - Transmitting IP data with DVB-GSE - Ken McCann, Chairman TM-AVC - High Efficiency Video Coding - Bertrand Wendling, Nagravision - DVB-CSA3 - Erik Stare, Teracom - DVB-T2 in Sweden - John Bigeni, DVB - DVB-T2 Seminar in Thailand.

South(ern) Africa Selects DVB-T2
(26 November 2010)

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) digital task force has selected DVB-T2 as the terrestrial transmission standard for the region. By selecting the most future-proof solution SADC has underlined its slogan "Towards a Common Future". It is expected that all 14 SADC countries will formally adopt DVB-T2 in the near future, paving the way for a digital switchover date of December 2013.

DVB-T2 to be introduced in Sri Lanka
(8 November 2010)

DVB-T2 will be introduced to all television channels in Sri Lanka by the year 2015. The Secretary to the Ministry Mass Media said that the DVB-T2 system is already used in Europe and a Committee appointed to look into the eligibility of its use in Sri Lanka has confirmed that it could be used for local TV channels. By the year 2015 all TV stations in the island will function with the DVB-T2 system.

Sweden: DVB-T2 Live!
(2 November 2010)

Yesterday, HDTV services were launched in Sweden over Teracom's DVB-T2 network. The services carry two free-to-air HD channels (Sweden's main channels SVT1 and SVT2) and a pay- TV service through Boxer. At launch the network covers about 70% of Swedish households and is expected to grow to 90% within one year.

South Africa: DVB-T2 update
(2 November 2010)

The recently started DVB-T2 trial in South Africa is going very well and is currently transmitting 18 channels over Johannesburg. The Southern African Digital Broadcasting Association (SADIBA) has released data supporting the adoption of DVB-T2 or DVB-T over the ISDB-T system. The comparison concludes that DVB-T is slightly better than ISDB-T and that DVB-T2 outperforms both "by leaps and bounds".

DVB Fundamentals Course
(22 September 2010)

DigiWorkz and SkillSets4Life have launched an online DVB Fundamentals course. Targeted at engineers and technicians working in the broadcast field, this course will provide you with a working knowledge of what digital video broadcasting is and a practical knowledge that can be used in work situations.

South Africa: DVB-T2 Trial
(20 September 2010)

Last week South Africa's broadcasters M-Net and e.tv have launched the country's first DVB-T2 trial for a select test audience in the Soweto area. This trial is another sign that South Africa's broadcast industry is ready to support and start deploying DVB-T2.

DVB-C2 Field Test
(17 September 2010)

Just as you thought that all the news is only about DVB-T2, here is some very important news on DVB-C2. On September 7th, 2010, Kabel Deutschland has successfully performed DVB-C2 transmission tests in its Berlin cable network. The first DVB-C2 tuners are expected mid-2011.

DVB @ IBC & IFA
(17 September 2010)

During the past two weeks DVB again had a presence at the IFA show in Berlin and at IBC in Amsterdam. At IBC DVB presented the 3 Second Generation DVB standards, 48 new logos, 3D content and picked up 1 award for DVB-T2. At IFA the 2nd generation standards were also the main topic.

DVB Seminar in Thailand
(17 September 2010)

On 18 and 19 August 2010, DVB co-hosted a seminar on digital broadcasting in Bangkok, Thailand. The event, which was co-hosted by the national regulator NTC, was a big success with more than 240 participants and a very strong interest in the DVB-T2 digital terrestrial standard.

DVB-T2 Scoops IBC Innovation Award
(12 September 2010)

The DVB-T2 terrestrial broadcasting system has been honoured with the 2010 IBC Innovation Award for Content Delivery. The award was presented to BBC R&D for its successful implementation of DVB-T2. BBC and 60 other DVB member companies collaborated on the DVB-T2 development.

Screen Digest Reports for DVB
(9 September 2010)

Screen Digest will be providing regular analysis of key DVB related data via DVB’s website. The data will highlight DVB’s market position relative to other technologies, technical deployments, shipments of receivers and current installed base of active receivers.

DVB @ IBC 2010
(6 September 2010)

DVB will present the complete 2nd Generation line-up of DVB-S2, DVB-T2 and DVB-2 including a live DVB-T2 transmission from the Amsterdam TV tower. All systems will be showing 3D content to underline the strong role of DVB in 3DTV standardization.

New DVB Sub-Brand Logos
(31 August 2010)

Today DVB launches 48 completely redesigned DVB sub brand logos for standards such as DVB-T2, DVB-S2, DVB-C2, and all its other main standards. Starting today, and for the first time, these logos can now be used to specifically identify the DVB standard to which a product or service relates.

DVB-T2 Tender in India
(26 August 2010)

Prasar Bharati, the Broadcasting Corporation of India, has published a tender notice for the introduction of DVB-T2 HD and SD services in 19 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. This reconfirms India's 1999 decision to adopt DVB-T as its national Digital Terrestrial Television system.

DVB SCENE: New Issue and New Design
(25 August 2010)

DVB SCENE has been completely redesigned to increase readability and add more color. We hope you will enjoy it! This month’s articles include: - Tom Morrod: Screen Digest to supply data service for DVB - Ulrich Reimers: DVB-T2 progress outside the UK - Kenneth Wenzel: Denmark DVB-T2 trials - David Wood: DVB-3DTV Commercial Requirements - Désirée Gianetti: New DVB sub-brand logos - Amoordalingum Pather: DVB-T in Mauritius - Ben Keen: Sports lead 3D broadcast push.

DVB Seminar in Thailand
(11 August 2010)

On August 18 and 19 the DVB Project and the National Telecommunications Commission of Thailand will host a 2-day seminar on the transition from analog to digital TV in Thailand and will demonstrate how DVB-T and DVB-T2 can offer affordable and technically advanced solutions for the complete Thai broadcast industry and public. To paint this complete picture, there will be speakers from the NTC, DVB, digital switch-over consultants, network planning consultants, university professors, and makers of middle-ware, broadcast equipment, chip-sets and set-top boxes.

DVB World 2011 - Nice, France
(5 August 2010)

DVB World 2011 will take place from March 7th to March 9th in Nice, France. The conference, exhibition and lunch will all take place in one single convenient location: the Hotel Le Méridien, right on the famous Promenade des Anglais boulevard in Nice. The conference programme and information about how to register and book accommodation will be posted on the DVB World website and through the DVB World mailing list over the coming months. We look forward to welcoming you to DVB World 2011 next March!

3D-TV Commercial Requirements Approved
(13 July 2010)

One of the hottest subjects in media today is 3D-TV, and a number of Pay-TV services and trials services are already available. 3D displays are available acrross the world. The DVB project has taken an important step with agreements on commercial requirements for 3D-TV. The requirements include the formats that should be catered for, and take the new area of 3D subtitles into account.

DVB-T2 PLP Plugfest
(30 June 2010)

On June 22nd to 24th Media Broadcast and the DVB Project held a DVB-T2 Plugfest in Berlin to test the M-PLP (Multiple Physical Layer Pipes) technology that is a relevant part of the DVB-T2 standard. This test successfully demonstrated how the PLP technology allows the combining of services with different transmission requirements. For example, HDTV to roof top antennas or Standard Definition TV (SDTV) to receivers with indoor antennas within the same channel.

IBC 2010 Innovation Award
(29 June 2010)

More good news for DVB-T2! BBC R&D and the DVB Project have been shortlisted for the IBC 2010 Innovation Award in the Content Delivery category. The IBC Innovation Awards are unique in celebrating not just the technology but the collaboration between suppliers and end user to create commercially successful and creatively empowering solutions. The DVB-T2 study group was led by BBC R&D but involved 70 individuals representing 40 companies from around the world. The winner will be announced at the IBC Awards Ceremony on Sunday 12 September.

ISCE 2010 Award
(10 June 2010)

Dr. Nicholas D. Wells was awarded the “IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Engineering Excellence Award 2010” on the occasion of the 14th IEEE International Symposium on Consumer Electronics (ISCE). Dr. Wells works with the BBC Research & Development Department. He is the vice chairman of the DVB Technical Module and the chairman of the ad-hoc group TM-T2 of the DVB Technical Module in which the specification of the DVB-T2 system was developed. The award was presented for contributions towards the development of the second generation Digital Terrestrial Television system DVB-T2.

3D TV Webinar Now Available
(8 June 2010)

Last week's 3D TV Webinar is now available for download. You can either download the presentation or the complete Webinar video itself. David Wood, chair of the DVB CM-3DTV group explains the various 3D TV solutions and the next steps within the DVB Project.

New DVB-Scene 34 Published
(1 June 2010)

Issue 34 of DVB-SCENE, the quarterly magazine of the DVB Project, is now available for download. Articles cover subjects such as: DVB Pay-TV in Latin America, Digital switchover in Spain, DVB-T2 debate at the ABU, Fast channel change solutions, 3D TV standardization, Hybrid TV, DVB-C2 and more 3D TV. The In My Opinion article covering Connected TV comes from John Moulding.

DVB at BroadcastAsia 2010
(20 May 2010)

DVB will again be present at the BroadcastAsia tradeshow at the Singapore Expo from June 15 to 18. This year's highlight will be a live DVB-T2 broadcast across the BroadcastAsia halls from the DVB stand itself. If you would like to receive this DVB-T2 broadcast at BroadcastAsia 2010, please contact the DVB Project Office in advance. Secondly, DVB will show an interactive Emergency Warning System demo running on DVB-T and DVB-SI. We look forward to welcoming you to our stand 7L3-05 at BroadcastAsia 2010!

Webinar - What do we need from 3D TV Standards?
(10 May 2010)

Join DVB CM-3DTV Chairman David Wood on June 4th for a Webinar to find out! The Webinar will outline the elements of 3D TV systems, and to relate them to the commercial requirements that are being considered within DVB. The webinar will explain why it is likely that there will be two phases of 3D TV systems and what the main consequences will be for 3D TV standards. The webinar will also consider timescales for the DVB Project, and the relationship of the DVB work to the work being done in other bodies.

South African Industry Favors DVB-T
(7 May 2010)

Exciting times in South Africa! No, not the upcoming World Cup in June, but the fact that the government is suddenly reviewing its 2006 decision to adopt DVB-T as its national digital terrestrial television standard. Last week DVB presented the strong case for DVB-T and DVB-T2 at two meetings in the region and received strong support from the South African broadcast industry.

DVB-C2 Live!
(6 May 2010)

On April 22 Germany’s Technische Universitaet Braunschweig carried out the first-ever live DVB-C2 transmission. This milestone test showed that all the predictions were correct and confirmed that DVB-C2 can offer a capacity increase of 60% compared to DVB-C. On May 4th, the ReDeSign Project demonstrated the world’s first public DVB-C2 live transmission at ANGA Cable 2010. This again demonstrated the capabilities of the system and the availability of DVB-C2 equipment.

DVB-T2 - On the Move
(5 May 2010)

Last month DVB-T2 has been on the move again! DVB-T2 is making strong progress in the UK market with the Freeview HD service expected to cover 50% of the UK by the start of the World Cup in June. Austria has launched the first DVB-T2 trail in its region, and the DVB Project demonstrated the first end-to-end DVB-T2 chain at NAB in Las Vegas.

DVB Shifts to Top Gear for 3DTV
(31 March 2010)

The DVB Project is tackling 3DTV, one of the hottest subjects in the media world today. Many alternative systems have been developed for what is called 'First Generation 3DTV'. Broadcasters in different parts of the world have announced their intention to start 3DTV broadcasting this year (2010). The DVB Project has responded to this with a programme of work which should lead to standards for 3DTV. The current plan is that the first phase of the 3DTV system (the Phase 1 system) will be agreed this year.

DVB World - Another Success
(16 March 2010)

Last week the DVB World 2010 Conference and Exhibition took place in Lisbon, Portugal. With more than 180 delegates the conference was another successful event for the international DVB community to exchange ideas about DVB Today, Hybrid TV and DVB in the Future.

DVB-SCENE 33 Published
(5 March 2010)

Issue 33 of DVB-SCENE, the quarterly magazine of the DVB Project, is now available for download. Articles include: DVB-NGH, 3D TV Standardization, Hybrid DVB-GEM/MHP in Italy, 4K TV Broadcast over DVB-T2, DVB Identifiers in Terrestrial Networks, Signature Signalling, DTT in Russia, OTT developments and the recent DVB-T Launch in Panama. The magazine can be downloaded as a PDF or browsed online.

DVB-NGH Call for Technologies
(18 February 2010)

DVB has launched a Call for Technologies for a Next Generation Handheld standard. The call is issued to industry, and responses are required by February 26th 2010. This call is intended to invite technology inputs that would facilitate an appropriate NGH physical layer on which a successful full NGH system could be built.

DVB-T2 Moves Ahead
(16 February 2010)

Good news for DVB-T2! Humax has just announced its brand new DVB- T2 set-top box capable of receiving the new UK Freeview HD platform. This pushes the deployment of DVB-T2 boxes ahead. On the transmission side things are moving as well, with new HD channels and locations being added in the UK. In other DVB-T2 news: Austria will be the first country in its region to start testing DVB-T2 during the Soccer World Cup this Summer.

ETSI Publishes New GEM & MHP Standards
(14 February 2010)

DVB is pleased to announce that the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has formally adopted as standards the new release versions of the MHP 1.2.2 (Multimedia Home Platform) and GEM 1.2.2 (Globally Executable MHP) specifications. This marks the culmination of the refactoring work that makes GEM a self-contained specification. GEM now takes over the role of DVB’s primary middleware specification, and MHP becomes a derived specification based on GEM.

DVB 3D TV Kick-Off Workshop
(21 December 2009)

Over the past year DVB has been closely studying the various aspects of (potential) 3D-TV solutions. A Technical Module Study Mission report was recently finalized, leading to the formal creation of the TM-3DTV group. A 3D-TV Commercial Module has now also been created to go back to the first step of the DVB process: what kind of 3D-TV solution does the market want and need, and how can DVB play an active part in the creation of that solution? To start answering some of these questions, the CM-3DTV group will host a DVB 3D TV Kick-off Workshop in Geneva on January 25th.

DVB-SCENE 32 Published
(1 December 2009)

Issue 32 of DVB-SCENE, the quarterly magazine of the DVB Project, is now available. Articles include: Phil Laven on the digital dividend, updates on 3D TV, Open Internet TV, DTT in Indonesia, an Asia update by John Bigeni and finally three articles on set-top boxes by an all-female DVB cast.

DVB World 2010
(23 October 2009)

Attracting more than 200 delegates from around the world, DVB World has become the biggest annual gathering dedicated to DVB standards, services and technology, representing both DVB member companies and non-members. DVB World 2010 will take place in Lisbon from March 8th to 10th and will cover topics such the second-generation DVB standards, 3D TV, hybrid broadcast broadband, international DVB deployments, next-generation mobile TV and many other DVB related topics. You are invited to submit your proposals for presentations until October 30th.

Latest issue of DVB-SCENE published
(31 August 2009)

Issue 31 of DVB-SCENE is now available for download. Articles include: DVB-T2 in the UK, ASO in Europe, Refactoring of GEM and MHP, Hybrid Broadcast/Broadband and multiple viewers, Revival of the DVB Measurement Group and the DVB-T Early Warning System. The usual columns include MPEG2 & MPEG4 in "Moore Analysis", Klaus Illgner and the Digital Dividend in "In My Opinion" and a wide range of new products in "Marketwatch".

DVB Services goes live
(31 August 2009)

Last month the DVB Services Sarl website was launched. This new website will provide improved service to both members and non-members for using the DVB Trademark and for applying for DVB Service Information (SI) Identifiers. Through the new website an organisation can become an authorized user of the DVB trademark, which will allow them to use the DVB logo for all their products based on DVB standards. In addition the new website makes it much easier to register for DVB SI Identifiers.

Russia to launch DVB-H services
(26 August 2009)

Russia has finalized plans to launch DVB-H services in Moscow by the end of 2009. Kommersant reports that the country’s State Commission for Radio Frequencies (GKRCH) has given the go-ahead for subsidiaries of three operators – Sistema, Vimpelcom and Skartela – to launch DVB-H services in Moscow by the end of the year. Until the end of the year, they will operate on a trial basis and offer eight channels free of charge. These have already been selected, according to an earlier Presidential Decree, as the main TV channels currently available in Russia, plus new youths and children’s channels.

DVB-C2 Implementers Seminar at IFA
(6 August 2009)

DVB, ANGA and the ReDeSign Project kindly invite you to participate in the DVB-C2 implementers' seminar, 8 September 2009 in Berlin. The event will be held at IFA, in Hall 5.3 of the Messe Berlin, Germany. The seminar will provide a comprehensive overview of all implementation aspects of the new DVB-C2 transmission standard for cable networks. Speakers from silicon manufacturers, professional and consumer equipment supplier, and cable operators will address the details of the specification, and discuss commercial implementation and roll- out in cable markets.

DVB-T Launched in Israel
(4 August 2009)

On August 2nd, 2009 the new IDAN Plus DVB-T service was launched in Israel. This nationwide free-to-air service offers one multiplex with 5 channels including: IBA 1, IBA 33, Channel 2, Channel 10 and the Knesset Channel. The system offers MPEG-4 video, a 7 day EPG and HD support. Even though HD channels are not yet aired, IDAN Plus requires users to have an HD compatible set-top box to be fully future-proof

DVB Completes Major Refactoring Work of GEM and MHP Specifications
(23 June 2009)

The DVB continues to support the GEM and the DVB-MHP Specifications with major work to align the specifications in a more cohesive, clear and organised fashion in order to better facilitate companies wishing to implement the DVB open standard middleware. The purpose of the re-factoring was to change the order of referencing between MHP and GEM.

DVB at BroadcastAsia 2009
(10 June 2009)

DVB will again be present at the BroadcastAsia tradeshow at the Singapore Expo from June 16th to June 19th 2009. This year DVB will showcase DVB-T in combination with HD, DVB-T reception on mobile devices and a hybrid DVB-T / DVB-IPTV scenario.

Latest issue of DVB-SCENE published
(27 May 2009)

The latest issue of DVB-SCENE magazine is now available for download. This edition includes articles on 3D TV, Quality of Service in Home Networks, and Signalling for Interactive Services. There's also an update on the latest revision of the guidelines for audio and video coding, a report on DTT services in New Zealand, an overview of the new DTG D-Book, and a view on the standardisation processes for IPTV and Internet TV.

Internet TV questionnaire - reply deadline extended until July 3, 2009
(25 May 2009)

DVB has released a questionnaire that aims to collect information on technologies, services and solutions in the scope of Internet TV Content Delivery. Both members and non-members of the DVB Project are invited to respond.

Panama adopts DVB-T
(19 May 2009)

In a press release issued today, DVB welcomed last week's adoption of DVB-T by Panama. Similar decisions were made by Uruguay and Colombia in the last two years, with all three countries citing the flexibility of the standard and its widespread deployment as key factors. Services are due to start in Panama within eighteen months.

First DVB-T2 "Plug Fest" successfully completed
(18 March 2009)

Last week saw the successful conclusion of the first DVB-T2 Plug Fest at the RAI Research Labs in Turin. A number of companies came together for the first time to test the interoperability of their modulators and demodulators as part of the on-going DVB-T2 Verification and Validation work.

DVB World 2009 opens in Berlin
(8 March 2009)

DVB World 2009 opens in Berlin this week. The annual conference of the DVB Project brings together more than 200 delegates from around the world for three days of presentations and discussions covering the latest developments in digital broadcasting. The event runs from Monday until Wednesday at the Berliner Congress Center on Alexanderplatz.

Next Generation RCS Call for Technologies released
(29 January 2009)

DVB has today released a Call for Technologies inviting the submission of candidate technologies that could be considered for inclusion in a future DVB interactive satellite communications system.

DVB-T2: SISVEL Announces Development of a Joint Patent Licensing Program and Issues a Call for Essential Patents
(28 January 2009)

A press release issued today by SISVEL announces that it will act as the facilitator for the formation of a joint patent licensing programme for DVB-T2. It has issued a call for essential patents in DVB's second generation terrestrial transmission system, due to be published by ETSI in the coming months.

Latin American and Caribbean countries take first steps towards regional DTT forum
(9 December 2008)

Latin American and Caribbean countries gathered in Ecuador last week to discuss the possibility of taking a regional approach towards adopting a digital terrestrial television standard. DVB was pleased to be present with a delegation promoting the DVB-T system.

DVB at Broadband World Forum Europe
(30 September 2008)

The DVB stand at Broadband World Forum Europe is hosting a number of important technology demonstrations that highlight the latest developments in the standardisation work being carried out by DVB to achieve interoperability, stimulate growth and enable greater economies of scale for IPTV.

DVB-T licensing passes to SISVEL
(30 August 2008)

The administration of the DVB-T patent pool, previously handled by MPEG LA, has been taken over by SISVEL. There will be no change in the licensing terms.

Colombia adopts DVB-T
(29 August 2008)

In a press release issued today, the DVB Project welcomes yesterday's announcement by the National Television Commission in Colombia that DVB-T is to be adopted as the country's digital terrestrial television standard. The decision follows two years of in-depth study of the different systems proposed, with Colombia reaching a similar conclusion to that reached by Uruguay last year - that DVB-T is the system that best matches its requirements.

S2 Licensing formally launches DVB-S2 patent licensing campaign
(26 August 2008)

Following an initial announcement last December of the proposed licensing terms for essential technology patents in DVB-S2, the patent holders are now making licenses available through a company called S2 Licensing.

DVB Steering Board ratifies DVB-T2 specification for second generation DTT Transmission
(30 June 2008)

A DVB press release issued today confirms the approval last week of the new DVB-T2 specification. The specification, which will now be sent to ETSI for publication as a formal standard, promises 30% to 50% increase in capacity over DVB-T in equivalent reception conditions. It is available for download as a DVB BlueBook.

DVB elects new Chairman
(30 June 2008)

At the 58th meeting of its Steering Board last week, the DVB Project elected Phil Laven as its new Chairman. He succeeds Theo Peek, who had been in the position for the previous 12 years.

Via Licensing removes MHP royalty for FTA broadcasters
(13 June 2008)

The DVB Project has received a letter from Via Licensing indicating that free-to-air broadcasters will no longer be required to pay patent royalties.

6MHz HDTV services launched on DVB-T network in Taiwan
(20 May 2008)

HiHD is the name of a new DVB-T high definition service launched in Taiwan today. An inaugural address from the President marked the start of the new venture, with several major sporting events scheduled to be covered as the service is fully rolled out over the next three years.

CITEL includes DVB standards in DTT Implementation Guidelines for the Americas
(6 May 2008)

CITEL, the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission for the Americas, has decided to include both DVB-T and DVB-H as official standards in its Implementation Guidelines for digital terrestrial television. The decision follows last year's adoption of the DVB standards by Uruguay and provides further valuable information to other countries in the process of selecting a DTT system.

Patent holders reach agreement on royalty rates for DVB-H patent pool
(31 March 2008)

Patent management company Sisvel has announced the establishment of a joint licensing program for patents essential to the implementation of DVB-H. A summary of proposed royalty rates indicates a sliding scale from EUR 0.70 down to EUR 0.20, on a per-unit basis, with a further percentage reduction offered in each of the next four years to encourage early adoption. Companies participating in the discussions include France Telecom, LG Electronics, Nokia, Samsung Electronics, TB Invent and TDF.

Commissioner Reding delivers Keynote Address at DVB World 2008
(12 March 2008)

DVB World 2008 opened in Budapest today with a keynote address from Commissioner Viviane Reding. In her presentation she stressed her belief that the EU, its Member States and the members of the DVB Project need to work together to promote open technologies.

DVB fosters licensing programme for CPCM technology
(25 February 2008)

In a press release issued today, the DVB Project has announced that it is fostering the formation of a licensing programme covering DVB-CPCM technology. The next meeting of those holding patents will take place on the fringes of DVB World 2008 in Budapest on March 12.

DVB-C2 "Call for Technologies" released
(18 February 2008)

The issue of a Call for Technologies is a key step in the development of the next generation standard for transmission over cable networks.

EU Commissioner to Keynote DVB World 2008
(14 January 2008)

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, will present the Keynote Address at DVB World 2008 in Budapest (12-14 March). The conference will include sessions on content management, middleware, new broadcast distribution technologies (including DVB-T2) and the combination of TV and Internet Protocol.

More than 2 million 6MHz DVB-T receivers with NTSC output now deployed in Taiwan
(12 December 2007)

The most recent figures from the Taiwan DTV Committee indicate that sales of DVB-T receivers have now passed the 2 million mark in that country. Whilst this reflects the success of DVB-T deployments around the world, Taiwan is particularly significant for having chosen to adopt the DVB-T system for digital terrestrial television in an environment where the NTSC system is used for analogue television, with 6MHz channel bandwidths.

MHP patent pool experience prompts DVB to reinforce IPR policy
(29 November 2007)

In a press release issued today, the DVB Project announces some new measures to reinforce its Intellectual Property Rights policy. Click the headline above to read the release or download the PDF.

December 2007 issue of DVB-Scene now available
(26 November 2007)

The latest edition of DVB-Scene magazine welcomes Uruguay to the DVB family with an article from the government minister who oversaw the recent decision to adopt DVB-T and DVB-H in that country. It also includes a thought-provoking opinion piece from David Wood (EBU) on the allocation of UHF spectrum, a report on DVB-RCT trials in Canada and an update on the recent launch of DVB-T services in Norway. The PDF version is now available for download.

SISVEL announces development of a DVB-H Patent Pool
(15 October 2007)

SISVEL, a patent management company based in Italy, has announced that it is acting as the facilitator for the formation of a joint patent licensing program for DVB-H. A call for patents has been issued.

DVB presents key demonstrations at IBC'07
(6 September 2007)

The annual IBC exhibition and conference takes place in Amsterdam this week, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. As usual the DVB Project has a pavilion at the exhibition with demonstrations this year focusing on DVB-IPTV, DVB-CPCM and DVB-SH.

Uruguay adopts DVB-T and DVB-H
(31 August 2007)

A Presidential Decree signed on August 27th declared that, following a year of evaluating the available systems, Uruguay has decided to adopt the DVB-T and DVB-H standards as the basis of its digital terrestrial TV. Uruguay has thus become the first country in Latin America to join the growing list of countries using DVB-T. In 2006 Brazil decided to develop a variation of the ISDB-T standard used only in Japan.

Technical demonstration of DVB-T in Venezuela
(18 July 2007)

The start of the Copa América tournament in Caracas offered an opportunity for a demonstration of the technical capabilities of DVB-T and MHP.

World's first DVB-SH Technical Pilot
(10 July 2007)

Alcatel-Lucent and SFR have announced the world's first large scale technical trial of DVB-SH technology in the South-West of France. The test, for which pre-commercial receivers from Samsung Electronics and Sagem are used, emulates the satellite part of the signal through the use of a high altitude helicopter perceived as a fixed point.

Mobile TV now available to consumers in Finland
(22 May 2007)

Finland has become the third country where consumers have access to mobile TV services based on DVB-H. Earlier this month a number of commercial terrestrial free-to-air services were added to the Digita platform and receivers became available to consumers for the first time.

DVB-T2 Commercial Requirements and Call for Technologies released
(17 April 2007)

DVB has announced the simultaneous publication of the Commercial Requirements for DVB-T2 and a Call for Technologies for the next generation terrestrial television specification.

ASEAN broadcasters push for common adoption of DVB-T
(4 April 2007)

Broadcasters from the ten nations that make up Southeast Asia have agreed to recommend the adoption of DVB-T to their respective governments.

DVB-T adopted in Malaysia
(28 March 2007)

Malaysia has joined other Southeast Asian nations Singapore, Vietnam and Myanmar in adopting the DVB-T standard for digital terrestrial broadcasting. With governments in the region, which has a population of more than 500 million, considering the adoption of a common standard, the announcement in Malaysia is a further confirmation of the status of DVB-T as the world's leading system for digital terrestrial TV.

DVB approves DVB-SH specification
(14 February 2007)

The DVB Project has today announced the approval by its Steering Board of the DVB-SH specification for the delivery of IP based media content and data to handheld receivers via satellite. Click on the headline above for the full announcement.