Indonesia’s public broadcaster TVRI has collaborated with the Multi Media College (STMM) and the Directorate of Posts and Broadcasting at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) to test HbbTV and DVB-I technologies as part of efforts to advance digital broadcasting in the country.

The trial, held on 24 September in Yogyakarta, explored how traditional television broadcasting can be integrated with internet-based services to provide audiences with more interactive and flexible viewing experiences.

Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) combines conventional broadcast television with broadband internet services, while Digital Video Broadcasting-Internet (DVB-I) enables television services to be delivered over IP networks. Together, the technologies offer broadcasters new opportunities to expand services beyond traditional linear television.

The collaborative trial connected transmission facilities at TVRI Yogyakarta with receiving systems at STMM Yogyakarta, providing a practical demonstration of how the technologies could operate within Indonesia’s broadcasting environment. The initiative was accompanied by a public lecture themed “HbbTV: Towards Interactive, Inclusive and Sovereign Digital Broadcasting,” bringing together broadcasting and technology experts to discuss the future of digital television.

According to STMM, the trial goes beyond research and represents a practical collaboration between the broadcasting industry and academia. The longer-term aim is to develop smarter and more innovative television services while exploring technological solutions to the challenges facing broadcasters in an increasingly digital media environment.

The initiative reflects TVRI’s continued exploration of new broadcasting technologies as Indonesia’s media industry moves towards greater integration between traditional broadcasting and internet-based television.