Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Media Synchronisation for Television Services Through HbbTV

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
MediaSync

Abstract

Media synchronisation is getting renewed attention with ecosystems of smart televisions and connected devices enabling novel media consumption paradigms. Social TV, hybrid TV and companion screens are examples that are enabling people to consume multiple media streams on multiple devices together. These novel use cases place a number of demands on the synchronisation architecture. The systems for media synchronisation have to cope with delay differences between various distribution channels for television broadcast (terrestrial, cable, satellite) and Internet-delivered streaming media. Also they need to handle different content formats in use. Broadcasters have started using proprietary solutions for over-the-top media synchronisation, such as media fingerprinting or media watermarking technologies. Given the commercial interest in media synchronisation and the disadvantages of proprietary technologies, consumer equipment manufacturers, broadcasters, as well as telecom and cable operators have started developing a new wave of television products, services and international standards that support media synchronisation from multiple sources. This chapter provides an overview of media synchronisation in a television context as specified the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband Television (HbbTV) specification version 2 and based upon specifications by the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) group Companion Screens and Streams (CSS). In addition, we discuss solutions compliant with legacy HbbTV devices. Use cases include synchronisation of audio, video and data streams from multiple sources composed on a TV or on multiple devices including other consumer devices like smartphones.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Geerts, D., Vaishnavi, I., Mekuria, R., van Deventer, M., Cesar, P.: Are we in Sync? Synchronization requirements for watching online video together. In: ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 311–314, 7–12 May 2011

    Google Scholar 

  2. ITU-R BT.1359-1, Relative timing of sound and vision for broadcasting, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kooij, W.J., Stokking, H.M., van Brandenburg, R., de Boer, P.T.: Playout delay of TV signals: measurement system design, validation and results. In: ACM International Conference on Interactive Experiences for TV and online video (ACM-TVX), pp. 23–30, 25–27 June 2014

    Google Scholar 

  4. Mason, A.J.: WHP 296—EBU Tests of Commercial Audio Watermarking Systems. British Broadcasting Cooperation, London (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Montagud, M., Boronat, F., Stokking, H., van Brandenburg, R.: Inter-destination multimedia synchronization: schemes, use cases and standardization. Multimed. Syst. 18(6), 459–482 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. van Deventer, M.O., Stokking, H., Hammond, M., Le Feuvre, J., Pablo, C.: Standards for multi-stream and multi-device media synchronization. IEEE Commun. Mag.—Commun. Stand. Suppl. 54(3), 16–21 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. HbbTV: Official website of the HbbTV association (2017). https://www.hbbtv.org/. 5 Aug 2017

  8. MHEG: MHEG official website (2014). https://www.mheg.org/users/mheg/index.php. Accessed 8 May 2017

  9. MHP: DVB Fact Sheet Multimedia Home Platform, Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  10. ETSI: ETSI TS 102 809 V1.2.1—Signalling and carriage of interactive applications and services in hybrid broadcast/broadband environment, European Telecommunications Standards Institute, Sophia Antipolis (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ziegler, C., Keimel, C., Ramdhany, R., Vinayagamoorthy, V.: On time or not on time: a user study on delays in a synchronised companion-screen experience. In: ACM International Conference on Interactive Experiences for TV and online Video (ACM-TVX), p. to appear, 14–16 June 2017

    Google Scholar 

  12. DVB-CSS, ETSI TS 103 286-2—Part 2: Content Identification and Media Synchronisation, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Sophia Antipolis (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  13. MPEG, ISO/IEC 13818-1:2013/DAM 6: Delivery of Timeline for External Data, International Organization for Standardization (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mills, D., Delaware, U., Martin, J., Burbank, J., Kasch, W.: RFC 5905: network time protocol version 4: protocol and algorithms specification. Int Eng. Task Force (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Vinayagamoorthy, V., Ramdhany, R., Hammond, M.: Enabling frame–accurate synchronised companion screen experiences. ACM Int. Conf. Interact. Exp. TV online video (ACM-TVX) 83–92, 22–24 June 2016

    Google Scholar 

  16. HbbTV 2.0.1: ETSI TS 102 796—Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Sophia Antipolis (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  17. RFC 6455: The WebSocket Protocol, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  18. W3C: The WebSocket API. World Wide Web Consortium (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ziegler, C.: Second screen for HbbTV—Automatic application launch and app-to-app communication enabling novel TV programme related second-screen scenarios. In: IEEE Third International Conference on Consumer Electronics Berlin (ICCE-Berlin), pp. 385–389, 9–11 Sept 2013

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wikipedia: Polling (computer science) (2017). https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polling_(computer_science). Accessed 8 May 2017

  21. Wikipedia: Push technology (2017). https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_technology. Accessed 8 May 2017

  22. Wikipedia: QR code (2017). https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code. Accessed 8 May 2017

  23. SMPTE: ST 12-2:2014—Transmission of Time Code in the Ancillary Data Space, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  24. SMPTE, 292 M-1998: Bit-Serial Digital Interface for High Definition Television, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  25. STCE, ANSI/SCTE 104 2012: Automation System to Compression System Communications Applications Program Interface, Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, Exton (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ware, T.: WHP 296—Programme related metadata in SDI VANC. Brisitish Broadcasting Cooperation, London (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  27. European Commission, HBB-NEXT: TV evolution leaves no one behind, 22 Oct 2014. https://www.ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/hbb-next-tv-evolution-leaves-no-one-behind. Accessed 8 May 2017

  28. HbbTV 1.0: ETSI TS 102 796 v.1.1.1—Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV, European Telecommunications Standards Institute, Sophia Antipolis (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  29. OIPF: Volume 5—Declarative Application Environment Release 1 v1.1, Open IPTV Forum (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  30. IETF: RFC 5905—Network Time Protocol Version 4: Protocol and Algorithms Specification, Internet Engineering Task Force (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  31. DVB-DASH: ETSI TS 103 285—MPEG-DASH Profile for Transport of ISO BMFF Based DVB Services over IP Based Networks,” European Telecommunications Standards Institute, Sophia Antipolis (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Zota, V.: Anpfiff!—Technik für eine ungetrübte Fußball-WM, Heise, 31 5 (2014). https://www.heise.de/ct/ausgabe/2014-13-Technik-fuer-eine-ungetruebte-Fussball-WM-2221818.html. Accessed 8 May 2017

  33. MPEG: ISO/IEC 13818-6:1998—Generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information—Part 6: Extensions for DSM-CC. International Organization for Standardization (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  34. MPEG, ISO/IEC 13818-1:2013/DAM 6: Delivery of Timeline for External Data (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Jolly, S.J.E., Evans, M.J.: WHP 242—Improving the Experience of Media in the Connected Home with a New Approach to Inter-Device Communication. British Broadcasting Cooperation, London (2012)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Major contribution to this paper has been made within the framework of the collaborative project 2-IMMERSE. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 687655.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. TNO, Anna van Buerenplein 1, 2595 DA, Den Haag, Netherlands

    M. Oskar van Deventer

  2. IRT, Floriansmuehlstraße 60, 80939, Munich, Germany

    Michael Probst & Christoph Ziegler

Authors
  1. M. Oskar van Deventer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Probst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christoph Ziegler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Oskar van Deventer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Comunicaciones, Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) – Campus de Gandia, Valencia, Grao de Gandia, Spain

    Mario Montagud

  2. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pablo Cesar

  3. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Fernando Boronat

  4. Departamento de Comunicaciones, Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) – Campus de Gandia, Valencia, Grao de Gandia, Spain

    Jack Jansen

Definitions

Media synchronisation

the process of synchronisation of the presentation of media streams received via two or more paths, e.g. broadcast and Internet.

Inter-device media synchronisation

the process of synchronisation of the presentation of media streams on two or more devices

Multistream media synchronisation

synchronisation of the presentation of media streams received via two or more paths (e.g. broadcast and broadband) on a single device

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

van Deventer, M.O., Probst, M., Ziegler, C. (2018). Media Synchronisation for Television Services Through HbbTV. In: Montagud, M., Cesar, P., Boronat, F., Jansen, J. (eds) MediaSync. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65840-7_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65840-7_18

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65839-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65840-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation