Digital TV Labs is announcing at ANGA 2011 the launch of an HbbTV test suite, designed to provide core conformance and interoperability testing for manufacturers until a full HbbTV compliance regime is in place. The company is also launching HbbTV professional test services.

Ligada iSuite consists of the Ligada Test Server, which manages and delivers HbbTV test applications as well as Ligada iSuite, which has been specifically designed to test the areas where interoperability problems have so far been the greatest for HbbTV. The latter contains test cases that cover the following: audio and video streaming; network resilience tests; application lifecycle (including DSMCC testing); and terminal capability tests.

Hugh Napier, Associate Vice President at MStar, commented, "The launch of the new Ligada iSuite marks a step change for the industry and reinforces MStar's decision to use Digital TV Labs’ HbbTV testing for the latest integrated broadcast and broadband environments. With Ligada, Digital TV Labs has set a new standard for conformance and interoperability testing, helping us to deliver web-enabled, high-quality integrated digital TVs across multiple markets. Ligada iSuite has been valuable to help secure our HbbTV software quality in the absence of a formal conformance regime."

Digital TV Labs’ HbbTV professional test services use Ligada iSuite alongside value-added tests of live and recorded applications.

Keith Potter, CEO, Digital TV Labs, explains, “The HbbTV Consortium – of which Digital TV Labs is an active member – is working hard towards the release of a compliance pack, which includes a test suite, but this is not yet available. Ligada iSuite and our HbbTV testing service enables manufacturers to conform to the interim logo licensing policy. Additionally, Ligada provides tests that are beyond the scope of the forthcoming test regime, including poor network connections and interoperability tests.”

The Ligada Test Server will seamlessly play out, launch and automate approved tests from the forthcoming HbbTV test suite. Digital TV Labs will also submit relevant tests from Ligada iSuite into the proposed regime. Ligada iSuite is now shipping.

Potter adds, “For any standard to succeed in the long term, well managed conformance regimes need to be in place but of course this takes time. Ligada delivers a solution that manufacturers can use right now and is an investment that can be leveraged into forthcoming HbbTV test strategies.”