Opera Software and Ocean Blue Software announce the launch of a modular, scalable and integrated Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV solution for connected TVs and set-top boxes. This solution combines the Opera Devices SDK for Linux, Opera’s fully compliant HbbTV framework and Ocean Blue’s proven advanced DVB middleware, which incorporates HbbTV extensions. The resulting package gives full flexibility to OEMs, enabling them to give TV-viewers a premium and feature-rich experience with full support for next-generation Broadcast portals and services, such as ARD/ ZDF Mediathek, Tagesschau and ARTE.

The HbbTV initiative was announced in August 2009, and it aims to combine the richness of broadcast interactive services with broadband content. HbbTV technology is available for connected TVs and STBs, and delivers interactive hybrid services such as video-on-demand, catch-up TV, interactive advertising, personalization, digital text, games and social networking. Opera is a long-time leader in bringing the Web as a multi-usage platform to STBs and connected TVs, and by launching this HbbTV solution with Ocean Blue, Opera will make a significant impact in this market.

The first public demonstration of Opera and Ocean Blue’s HbbTV solution will be at the IPTV World Forum 2010. Opera will host this demo from its meeting room (Meeting Room 7) and showcase the solution running on the popular STi7105 platform from STMicroelectronics, a long-time partner of both Opera Software and Ocean Blue.

The next milestone for Opera is to extend this joint HbbTV solution with pre-packaged broadband services, in collaboration with GooMe, Opera’s over-the-top partner. By doing so, Opera will help further enrich the media experience for TV viewers.