D-book
Encyclopedia
The D-Book is the UK technical specification for Digital terrestrial television
(DTT).
The Digital TV Group
(DTG) has published and maintained the D-Book for over a decade and the specification is updated annually to keep up with the pace of development in UK DTT. The D-Book is compiled by DTG Working Groups composed of industry experts from the DTG’s staff and membership of around 150 broadcasters, manufacturers, technology providers and other organisations who continually update and peer-review the specification. Conformance to D-Book standard allows products to use the Digital Tick, Freeview, Freeview + and Freeview HDlogos.
The D-Book is only available to members of the Digital TV Group
.
was new and untried. From the outset, the D-Book was an implementation guideline and referenced fundamental standards where possible. But many of the component parts of the document had not then achieved stable international standards and the UK implementation was therefore reproduced in full.
In subsequent editions, it has become possible to reference ETSI or other standards and the previous D-Book section simplified. However, the D-Book as an implementation guideline has become more important as non-UK based manufacturers have sought to introduce products to the UK market.
, ITV Player
and 4oD
, accessing e-government services and allowing viewers to complete transactions via their television. It also introduces DVB-T2
, the new modulation scheme that is being used in the UK to deliver these services.
, Virgin Media
and YouView can build on for trademark requirements to support their services.
The Freeview HD trademark requirements state that any manufacturer wishing to use the Freeview HD logo on a product must pass the required DTG Testing Freeview HD tests.
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
(DTT).
The Digital TV Group
Digital TV Group
The Digital TV Group is the industry association for Digital Television in the United Kingdom : The Group was formed in 1995 to set technical standards for the implementation of digital terrestrial television in the UK and now encompasses all digital TV platforms and convergence issues...
(DTG) has published and maintained the D-Book for over a decade and the specification is updated annually to keep up with the pace of development in UK DTT. The D-Book is compiled by DTG Working Groups composed of industry experts from the DTG’s staff and membership of around 150 broadcasters, manufacturers, technology providers and other organisations who continually update and peer-review the specification. Conformance to D-Book standard allows products to use the Digital Tick, Freeview, Freeview + and Freeview HDlogos.
The D-Book is only available to members of the Digital TV Group
Digital TV Group
The Digital TV Group is the industry association for Digital Television in the United Kingdom : The Group was formed in 1995 to set technical standards for the implementation of digital terrestrial television in the UK and now encompasses all digital TV platforms and convergence issues...
.
History
The first edition of the D-Book was written in 1996 when the current standard for terrestrial broadcasting DVB-TDVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
was new and untried. From the outset, the D-Book was an implementation guideline and referenced fundamental standards where possible. But many of the component parts of the document had not then achieved stable international standards and the UK implementation was therefore reproduced in full.
In subsequent editions, it has become possible to reference ETSI or other standards and the previous D-Book section simplified. However, the D-Book as an implementation guideline has become more important as non-UK based manufacturers have sought to introduce products to the UK market.
D-Book 6
In March 2009,the DTG published the 6th edition of the D-Book – enabling the launch of an initial three free-to-air HD channels on Freeview by late 2009, as well as the introduction of a broadband return path which has the potential to be used for streaming on-demand video content such as BBC iPlayerBBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
, ITV Player
ITV Player
ITV Player is an online video on demand service accessible though the main ITV website. The service offers a variety of programmes from homegrown programming to imports across ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV. Some sports programming is available to watch again via the service, the 2010 FIFA World...
and 4oD
4oD
4oD is a video on demand service from Channel 4. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives...
, accessing e-government services and allowing viewers to complete transactions via their television. It also introduces DVB-T2
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television....
, the new modulation scheme that is being used in the UK to deliver these services.
D-Book 7
In March 2011, the DTG published the 7th edition of the D-Book: the detailed interoperability specification for UK digital terrestrial television with extended Connected TV functionality. D-Book 7 provides the baseline specification that service providers such as SkySky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
, Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
and YouView can build on for trademark requirements to support their services.
DTG Testing
The industry's test centre: DTG Testing tests digital TV products applying for the Digital Tick, Freeview and Freeview HD logos against the D-Book standard. Many manufacturers, both small and large, have discovered the advantage of revealing problems at this stage, rather than when they have large numbers of products in the shops or in people's homes.The Freeview HD trademark requirements state that any manufacturer wishing to use the Freeview HD logo on a product must pass the required DTG Testing Freeview HD tests.
External links
- http://www.dtg.org.uk
- http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk
- http://www.freeview.co.uk
- http://www.etsi.org