OPEN RED BUTTON PROJECT
The ORB project was started in 2020 and leverages the latest developments and innovations in browser technology. It is executed mainly in Javascript with a small number of reusable C++ components. The architecture maximises portability between both browsers and platforms and has so far been proven with both Chrome and Webkit based browsers on both Android and RDK platforms.
The industry’s current approach to implementing HbbTV within a TV and STB is costly for the terminal manufacturer and presents barriers to innovation due to the proprietary nature of the current implementations. The ORB Project was created to provide a radically different approach both in terms of technology and development approach.
The integration can easily be made to seamlessly fit the native architecture of the platform whilst still benefiting from being based on a well proven shared base. Also the collaborative approach allows interested parties to extend and customise the solution to specific requirements while still being based on a well proven shared base.
Advantages
ORB’s portability and narrow integration interfaces make it feasible to use the default browser in the platform (Android WebView/RDK WPE) as opposed to porting and maintaining an additional browser just for HbbTV. A dedicated browser can still be chosen but the use of the system browser has significant advantages
- Substantially less system cost. A second browser requires considerable DRAM and FLASH resources
- The default browser is generally supplied free as part of the platform
- The default browser is usually more up to date in terms of both features and security
- The default browser is pre-integrated with a high performance media player in the platform
Objectives & Founding Principles
To reduce the costs of implementing HbbTV in a TV/STB and at the same time accelerate innovation by developing and maintaining a platform independent add-on to the native browser in the target platform. To use a collaborative development approach to create a shared asset for the industry and to ultimately move this to a full open source community.
- Run by and for the benefit of the Supporters & Contributors
- Developed collaboratively
- Source code available to Supporters and Contributors
- Royalty free licence for commercial use for Contributors
- To remain browser and platform agnostic
- Maintain at least one and preferably multiple reference implementations
What Will Be Included In The ORB Project
- Source code for a reference Android 11 integration including binary versions of the DTVKit DVBCore and DSM-CC libraries which are outside of the scope of the ORB project. The RDK reference integration will be made available either as part of ORB or as part of the main RDK community.
- Platform independent shared core. Source code for the reusable Javascript and C++ components
- Test reports on reference platform(s)
- Support for HbbTV2.0.3 mandatory features plus DRM and CI+ options, together with European market specialisations. Additional features and enhancements will be added over time. Targeted advertising, PVR and OpApp are planned and will be executed according to the level of interest in the community.
- Option to purchase a STB running the reference integration for evaluation