The D-Book

ABOUT THE D-BOOK

The Digital Television Group (DTG) is an independent Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) established by industry in 1995. Created and driven by industry, it enables the creation of meaningful, user-focused experiences that continue to delight the viewer and keep the UK at the forefront of great television.

The UK media landscape is undergoing significant transformation and the Media Act 2024 is the new framework designed to protect public service broadcasting while fostering innovation. DTG membership and the D-Book ensures the smooth delivery of Media Act-compliant user experiences and business models as implementation rolls out. We will ensure that industry’s technical standards and our market insight continue to support the creation of vibrant, consumer-facing services, from linear IP channels to interactive on-demand offerings.

With traditional media facing ongoing challenges and the rise of video-on-demand services reshaping how content is consumed, the Media Act aims to ensure that UK audiences continue to enjoy a diverse and high-quality range of services. Key measures include Ofcom-regulated standards for major streaming platforms, enhanced accessibility, and the prominence of public service content on connected TV platforms. Our continued focus on the future of television will ensure our members continue to gain insights into how the Act’s provisions and future planning are expected to balance the protection of public service broadcasters with the need to innovate, ensuring that the UK remains a global leader in media and entertainment, for all.

The DTG’s founding objective remains at its core today – to safeguard the UK digital television industry by ensuring a universally-deployed and interoperable linear and interactive TV technical standard. This is uniquely achieved through the industry co-created DTG D-Book and DTG Test Suites. These continue to evolve to meet sector needs as we embrace market innovations driven by new networks, IP, cyber security, sector and consumer innovation and legal compliance requirements.

As a set of critical implementation requirements, the D-Book ensures a wide choice of consumer electronics devices from a range of international manufacturers in the market.

DTG Testing is a non-profit, independent organisation operating in the heart of the digital TV industry in the UK. A vital resource for the TV and IP industries and a trusted partner to the regulators we have the world’s largest collection of receivers in the DTG Zoo. These world class facilities, combined with our engineer expertise make DTG Testing the interoperability testing house for the UK digital TV market. The new UK cybersecurity compliance requirements required from 29 April 2024 are supported by DTG JV SafeShark.

Each year our technical experts and DTG working groups produce the D-Book, the definitive list of specifications for UK digital TV which supports the consumer electronics sector by ensuring device interoperability throughout its entire life cycle.

Interoperability underpins the ongoing success of UK DTT & Hybrid platforms such as Freely, Freeview Play, Freesat, EE TV, Now, TalkTalk TV, Sky Glass, Netgem TV and YouView. As the complexity of these platforms increases, the importance of interoperability and conformance against tests is greater than ever.

As D-Book continues to evolve with the market, it’s out with the old and in with the new for D-Book 12.9. Gone are the older, outdated technology references. In is new guidance for LCN allocation providing manufacturers with thousands for LCN slots for their IP services, the new SCTE-35 signalling for inserting content into linear transport streams, and guidance for HEVC broadcast signalling which allows for better compression and reduced bitrates. A new up-to-date version of the UK Digital Terrestrial TV Interoperability Manual providing an overview of the current UK DTT ecosystem is also included.

The DTG welcomes contributions from members on the evolution of hybrid distribution systems, which will feed into the development of future editions of the D-Book. The DTG continues to ensure European and international harmonisation wherever possible while meeting the needs of the rapidly developing and highly successful UK TV market. The DTG actively supports anti-piracy work across the industry.

DTG members can download the D Book here.

Non-members can purchase the D-Book for £53,000 by getting in touch here.