The 16th Plugfest and HbbTV Testing Event, hosted at Fraunhofer FOKUS in Berlin, wrapped up after five days dedicated to intensive interoperability testing. Organized by Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP) and Digital Television Group (DTG) in collaboration with the HbbTV Association, the event achieved its highest participation rate to date.
Over 30 companies, representing 13 countries, including Germany, Belgium, China, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the USA, dispatched their development teams to Berlin. They engaged in approximately 200 testing sessions, working with hardware and software in near-market-ready condition. This included a wide array of smart TVs, set-top boxes, and HDMI test devices, as well as content services from both public and commercial broadcasters.
The testing encompassed a diverse range of areas, spanning from various HbbTV functionalities and accessibility features to the design of DVB-I services, HDMI interoperability, and immersive audio soundchecks.
According to organizers Stefan Kunz, Head of the UHD Working Group of DTVP, and Frank Heineberg, Head of the Media over IP Working Group of DTVP, “Content providers want to offer viewers the highest possible quality of content across all distribution channels. At the same time, device manufacturers and infrastructure operators aim to ensure a seamless hybrid TV experience. The Plugfest is the only place where all market participants come together to test all functions and new standards for interoperability and make quick adjustments where necessary.”
The test results remain confidential, accessible only to the participating teams, and directly inform their ongoing product and service development efforts.