Berlin, October 10, 2025. Today the “16th Plugfest and HbbTV Testing Event” at Fraunhofer FOKUS in Berlin came to an end after five days full of testing sessions.

For the organizers, Deutsche TV-Plattform (DTVP) and Digital Television Group (DTG), in cooperation with the HbbTV Association, it was the most successful event of its kind to date.

Thirty companies representing international participation, including Belgium, China, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Spain, Turkey, UK and the USA, sent their development teams and equipment to Berlin to test the interoperability of new TV applications in around 200 test sessions. Hardware and software that is nearing market readiness was used, including numerous smart TVs, set-top boxes, and HDMI® modules, as well as content offerings from private and public TV stations.

The range of test topics was correspondingly broad, ranging from HbbTV functionalities, features to improve accessibility, the design of DVB-I interfaces to HDMI® interoperability tests and sound checks for immersive audio.

“Content providers want to offer viewers the highest possible quality content across all channels, regardless of the distribution method.  Device manufacturers and infrastructure operators, on the other hand, also want to ensure a smooth hybrid TV experience. Only at Plugfest all market participants can come together, test all functions, and quickly make any necessary adjustments,” explain Stefan Kunz (DTVP, head of the working group Ultra HD) and Frank Heineberg (DTVP, head of the working group AG Media-over-IP).  

The test results are available exclusively to the respective test teams and are incorporated into further product or service development.