Posted: 15th Apr, 2011 By: MarkJ

YouView (Project Canvas), a UK subscription-free broadband ISP based video-on-demand and catch-up TV ( IPTV ) service, has finally published its
completed core technical specification for launch.
The service, which was recently
delayed by approximately six months or more (
here), is finally expected to be offered through several broadband ISPs (e.g. BT , TalkTalk and probably Vodafone UK) from early next year.
Richard Halton, CEO of YouView, said:
"We’re delighted to confirm the final launch specification for YouView to help any manufacturer develop a connected TV device. Through promoting common technical standards for connected TV, consumers will get the widest possible range of devices supporting high quality content."
The
YouView Core Technical Specification v1.0 (PDF) references the
Digital Television Group’s D-Book 7 and provides a set of technologies to enable the delivery of broadcast and IP enabled content onto a television set via a broadband connected device (
Set-Top-Box).
DTG's D-Book 7
The D-Book 7 is the detailed interoperability specification for digital terrestrial television with extended Connected TV functionality.
D-Book 7 is divided into two parts: Part A, the UK broadcast specification and Part B beta v0.9 contains the architecture and protocols which may be used for interoperable IP delivered services in the UK.
The YouView specification currently references D-Book Part A, which has been finalised by the DTG. YouView will reference D-Book Part B once the DTG has updated the current version to a non-beta form.
In related news Huawei, Manhattan, Pace and Vestel have also joined the project as device partners and will thus help to develop the hardware side of YouView's service.