Hybrid services

A guide for media providers and service operators exploring hybrid delivery with DVB-I and the Service List Registry.

Hybrid broadcast-broadband delivery

Hybrid broadcast-broadband delivery refers to the integration of traditional television broadcasts over satellite, cable, or terrestrial transmissions, combined with online delivery over the internet. This enables a service to be delivered over multiple transmission paths, allowing the device or display to choose the most appropriate route or routes, depending on its capabilities and network conditions.

The hybrid model is already in use in millions of televisions and set-top boxes around the world. Connected television devices and displays with hybrid capabilities can offer a seamless viewer experience, switching between broadcast and broadband without the user needing to know which delivery method is used.

Initially, the online connection was primarily used to provide programming and interactive applications as a complement to traditional television channels. It is increasingly used to deliver scheduled channels as well to extend or even replace traditional transmissions.

Why is online distribution important?

Online delivery using internet protocols or IP is sometimes referred to as Internet Protocol Television, or IPTV, for services delivered over managed networks, or OTT for services delivered ‘over the top’ of any network using the public internet. It can be delivered over fixed broadband networks, using telco, cable, or fibre-optic connections, over wireless networks, including cellular mobile services, and over wireless networks in the home. This can include televisions with a Wi-Fi connection to a home network, meaning they do not need access to a conventional satellite, cable, or over-the-air antenna connection.

As viewing continues to shift toward connected screens, online distribution ensures that media providers can deliver services to modern devices, including smart televisions, tablets, and mobile phones, allowing them to reach users wherever and whenever they want to watch.

Online delivery provides extended reach and additional flexibility:

• Supports a wider range of devices, including those without traditional broadcast inputs, such as smart TVs, tablets, and smartphones.
• Caters for connected devices and displays without a conventional antenna connection, notably in modern buildings and apartments.
• Extends coverage in areas with little or no traditional television reception, including rural regions.
• Supports on-demand services and personalisation, enriching the viewer experience.
• Allows audio and video in higher quality without the need to upgrade broadcast services.
• Enables efficient software updates, downloaded over the internet to provide new features.
• Reduces the cost of entry for new services or niche providers that may not have access to traditional broadcast infrastructure.

The transition to online delivery of all media appears to be technologically inevitable. It is just a matter of time. Yet it may take years or even decades to complete.

The challenge for existing broadcasters is how to embrace online delivery while continuing to support viewers that still rely on traditional transmissions. They cannot afford to simply switch off their conventional broadcasts and risk losing large numbers of viewers.

The solution is a hybrid system that allows media providers to support multiple modes of delivery while transitioning users to more modern methods.

How does HbbTV enable hybrid broadcast and broadband delivery?

HbbTV is an open standard that defines a web browser environment for television that is specifically designed to support this use case, including navigation through a remote control.

The HbbTV specification is a mature standard that is implemented by many manufacturers and is available in millions to televisions already in homes and on sale in multiple markets. Originally a European initiative, it has been adopted in other territories around the world, as far as Australia and New Zealand.

How does DVB-I support hybrid models?

DVB-I is an open standard that allows television services to be discovered and presented to users in a device-agnostic way, regardless of whether the underlying transport is broadcast or broadband.

DVB-I was developed by the DVB Project, a member organisation that has been responsible for the development and adoption of digital television distribution standards that are widely deployed around the world.

The DVB-I specification enables service information and programme metadata to be delivered over the internet in standard formats. It does not cover the delivery of the media, which can be delivered online using DVB-DASH, or over other networks using established DVB-S, DVB-C, or DVB-T and associated specifications.

DVB-I is supported in the latest versions of HbbTV, but can be implemented in any device, display, or application capable of requesting and receiving a response over a secure internet connection, including standard web browsers.

How does DVB-I work?

DVB-I defines a Service List that describes each service in detail, including its name, delivery methods, language variants, accessibility features, and more. Devices can choose the best delivery path available for each service based on its priority and the capabilities of the client. It can prioritise broadcast reception where it is more efficient, and where traditional transmissions are unavailable it can fall back to online delivery. It can offer enhanced versions of services where these are available, or it can offer services that are available online to any compatible device, display, or application.

By abstracting the delivery mechanism from the user interface, DVB-I makes it easier for service providers to offer a consistent and coherent experience across different delivery networks.

How can service lists be used across delivery types?

Service lists are the foundation of a harmonised viewing experience. In DVB-I, a service list can include services delivered over multiple modes of distribution, each with detailed metadata describing how and where the service can be accessed.

The Service List Registry acts as a trusted source for discovering these lists. A compatible device can query the SLR, based on its location, capabilities, and user preferences—and receive a tailored list of services. Whether a service is delivered via satellite, cable, terrestrial, or online, the service list ensures that the correct version is presented to the user.

For example:

• A connected television with a terrestrial tuner can receive free-to-view channels over an antenna, falling back to an online connection for other services, including a rich programme guide and additional programming available on demand.
• A connected television with a satellite input can identify relevant services that are available for reception and access enhanced guide information and additional scheduled and library programming available online.
• A connected television without an antenna input can use the same service list but will only present and access the services that are delivered online and ignore the others.
• A device without a traditional tuner, such as tablet or phone, will also use the same service list, presenting and accessing services that are available online with consistent ordering and numbering of services.

The use of consistent service lists across platforms rationalises configuration for providers and ensures a uniform user experience for viewers, simplifying promotion and marketing messages.

What are the benefits of harmonising delivery using DVB-I?

Harmonising broadcast and broadband delivery through a hybrid model brings several strategic advantages:

• Consistent brand presence across broadcast and IP channels.
• Unified service discovery, simplifying navigation for users.
• Better resilience and continuity, allowing fallback between networks.
• Simplified service updates, enabling rapid changes to line-up or metadata.
• Regionalised services, for different countries or regions.
• Differentiation by device, to address different platforms.

Are the benefits of a harmonised approach limited to DVB-I?

DVB-I specifies common metadata that describes available services and how they can be accessed. It provides this in an XML or extended markup language according to a fixed schema. However, this information can be represented in other forms.

The Service List Registry Unified Service Platform provides service information in DVB-I compatible XML, but also in a simple JSON format, which stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It can also support other easily readable formats including HTML and plain text. This means that it can potentially support other platforms using different data formats. As a result, the service list becomes a universal, platform-neutral representation of a service.

A harmonised approach future-proofs services as device capabilities evolve and as reliance on broadcast infrastructure changes over time. It enables service providers to keep their strategic options open and reach their audiences wherever and however they choose to use them.

Conclusion

Hybrid delivery is no longer optional. It is becoming essential. By combining the reliability and scale of broadcast with the flexibility and reach of broadband, media providers and operators can deliver rich, adaptive experiences to audiences across devices and networks.

Standards like DVB-I, supported by mechanisms such as the Service List Registry, provide the foundation for this transformation. Whether you are expanding into new territories, modernising your distribution model, or simply looking to streamline your offerings, hybrid delivery can provide the pathway.