New DVB BlueBooks: Targeted Advertising in DASH and Commercial Requirements for CMCD
Last week’s meeting of the DVB Steering Board approved the publication of an update to DVB’s Targeted Advertising specifications as well as commercial requirements for the addition of a new CDN-related functionality to DVB-I and DVB-DASH. Both documents are available from the DVB specification library as BlueBooks.
DVB-TA for DASH
DVB’s specifications for Targeted Advertising come in three parts. DVB-TA Part 1 specifies how advert placement opportunities are signalled in broadcast transport streams, while Part 2 describes the interface with the advertising server. Part 3 focuses on the signalling of ad placement opportunities in DVB-DASH streams.
The latest revision of DVB-TA Part 3, available as BlueBook A178-3r2, includes a key annex on what is known as ad content conditioning, relating to how ad content should be conditioned for cases where it is structured in a way that differs from the main content to be substituted (for instance having different DASH representations).
Verification and validation work on DVB-TA Part 3 is proceeding. When completed, the spec will be forwarded to ETSI for publication as TS 103 752-3 V1.1.1.
CMCD in DVB
DVB’s main focus in recent years has been the development of specifications to support the transition to IP- and internet-based delivery of television services. DVB-I, DVB-DASH and other related specifications are designed to serve the needs of connected TV sets.
For IP-based delivery, content delivery networks (CDNs) are an essential part of the ecosystem, allowing content providers and broadcasters to offer reliable, high-quality streams to end users. Common Media Client Data (CMCD) is a new mechanism, standardized by the Consumer Technology Association in September 2022. It gives media players a means of sending back to the CDN information about playback that can be used for optimization and fault finding.
DVB intends to enable broadcasters and other providers of DVB-I-signalled linear services to use CMCD technology to improve the delivery of their services to consumers. The commercial requirements, available as BlueBook C109 describe how the CMCD reporting mechanism should be implemented in DASH players when used with DVB-I services.
Work on updating the relevant DVB specifications to meet the commercial requirements will now proceed in the Technical Module, to be followed by the necessary verification and validation work.
Other imminent publications
The Steering Board was also informed of the completion of updates to DVB-RCS2 (Return Channel Satellite) specifications (Parts 1 and 2) to standardize its use over non-geostationary satellite constellations (NGSO). Following anticipated approval by correspondence in the coming weeks, both will be published as BlueBooks, along with updates to related signalling specifications.
Also expected in the coming weeks is the publication by ETSI of DVB Native IP Broadcasting (DVB-NIP), which will be available as TS 103 876 V1.1.1. The standardization work is now in its final stages.
DVB Home Broadcast
The publication of DVB-NIP comes after ETSI’s recent publication of DVB-HB (Home Broadcast), now available as TS 104 025 V1.1.1.
The work on DVB-HB had its origins in the DVB Project taking over the technical development of the former Sat>IP specification, for in-home IP-based distribution of broadcast content. DVB-NIP enables native IP-based delivery over broadcast networks and thus eliminates the need for conversion to IP in a home gateway, which would remove the need to rely on DVB-HB in the long term. In the meantime, the specification remains relevant for targeting connected devices. It is also referenced by the DVB-NIP specification in relation to aspects like gateway discovery.
DVB Workplan
A new release of the DVB Workplan was also approved by the Steering Board last week. Available from the DVB website, the Workplan sets out information and timelines for current work items within the DVB Commercial and Technical Modules. See: https://dvb.org/groups/#workplan
