IBC 2009: The first devices compatible with the new Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) standard, announced very recently, will be available before Christmas of this year, according to Richard Baker, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at UK firm ANT, one of the launch partners in the new initiative.

Speaking to Mr. Baker at this year's IBC show, he seemed confident that the additional functionality enabled by the new project will be on European TVs before the end of the year, enabling consumers to access Web-based functionality and applications via the red button on their remote control, ultimately enabling broadcasters to offer their own EPGs and video-on-demand portals, as well as a strong editorial voice, within their broadcast channels.

"What is exciting about this is that it brings broadcast and broadband together," said Mr. Baker.  The project has been 18 months in the offing, and now includes the participation of a number of European broadcasters, including Canal+. France Televisions and TF1; German research institute Institut für Rundfunktechnik; satellite operator SES Astra; and software and media solutions providers ANT and OpenTV.

Once compatible devices are out in the market, the speed-to-market of applications developed for the platform will be short, according to the project's partners, with an HTML environment activated by the red button, in the same manner as a Web portal, and the resulting content delivered over the IP stream.  The second possibility of this platform is the ability to offer HD Teletext, unavailable at present in some European countries; and a third is support of a portal page for broadcast-related applications, such as catch-up TV services, and access to over-the-top video services such as Blockbuster or Netflix.

How similar this will be to the UK's Project Canvas initiative remains to be seen, but HbbTV has some major European broadcaster partners on board, and if delivered on time will be enabling the convergence of broadcast and broadband services for European consumers in new ways before the end of 2009.