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DVB-I Services over 5G Systems

Scope

Category: 3GPP Implementations

What This Project Implements​

This page contains information such as the specifications within the scope of the tools and high-level architectures that bring context to their applicability.

This project provides reference tools for delivering DVB-I (Digital Video Broadcasting - Internet) services over 5G networks. DVB-I defines a common service discovery and selection framework that lets internet-connected devices find and access sets of linear TV services, along with their programme metadata, independently of the underlying access network.

The work focuses on combining DVB-I with 5G delivery so that the same service can reach devices over different paths:

  • Unicast delivery using 5G Media Streaming (5GMS)
  • Broadcast delivery using the LTE-based 5G Broadcast System
  • Concurrent or hybrid delivery over both paths

The DVB / 5G-MAG Joint Task Force documented the reference architecture and deployment guidance for these scenarios in DVB A178, published as ETSI TR 103 972 (DVB-I service delivery over 5G Systems; Deployment Guidelines).

High-level architecture​

DVB-I Services over 5G Systems: 5GMSd with 5G Broadcast​

The diagram below shows the DVB-I over 5G reference architecture combining a 5G Media Streaming downlink (5GMSd) unicast path with a 5G Broadcast path, so the same service can be delivered over either or both.

DVB-I over 5G reference architecture showing 5GMSd unicast delivery alongside a 5G Broadcast path, with links to the contributing component repositories

5G Media Streaming: Resources DVB-I Services: Resources 5G Broadcast: Resources Multimedia content delivery protocols: Resources 3GPP RAN and Core Platforms: Resources Common Tools

Reference tools​

The reference tools cover DVB-I service discovery and selection, bootstrap procedures, and integration with both the 5GMS unicast path and the 5G Broadcast path, so that a hybrid broadcast and broadband TV experience can be demonstrated end to end. See the Resources page for the available repositories and the Resources for planned work.

How the tools map to the standard​

The DVB-I over 5G tools implement the discovery and selection layer and glue it to the transport that 5G-MAG's other reference tools provide:

  • Service discovery and selection (DVB A177 / ETSI TS 103 770): fetching and parsing a service list, evaluating the service instances on each service, and choosing a delivery instance. This includes the bootstrap flow via a Service List Registry where one is used.
  • Programme metadata: retrieving and presenting content-guide data for the selected services.
  • Unicast delivery: handing a DVB-DASH service instance to the 5G Media Streaming client path. The 5GMS behaviour itself lives in the 5G Media Streaming reference tools.
  • Broadcast delivery: acquiring a broadcast service instance over the LTE-based 5G Broadcast path. The receiver/modem behaviour lives in the 5G Broadcast reference tools.
  • Concurrent / hybrid operation: presenting both instances for a service so the client can select or switch between broadcast and unicast.

This mapping mirrors the DVB-I-over-5G reference architecture in DVB A178 (ETSI TR 103 972): DVB-I stays the service layer, the DVB delivery formats (DVB-DASH, DVB-MABR) stay the media layer, and the 3GPP/ETSI systems stay the transport layer.

Getting Started​

  1. Read the Standards: DVB-I Services over 5G Systems page for the specification landscape, and the Tech: DVB-I Services over 5G Systems page for the architecture and procedures.
  2. Review the reference architecture diagram below to see which component repositories provide each part of the chain.
  3. Pick a scenario (unicast via 5GMS, broadcast via 5G Broadcast, or concurrent/hybrid) and clone the relevant repositories from the Resources page.
  4. Check the Tutorials page for demo videos and repository pointers, and the Resources page for versioned builds.

Technical documentation providing context to this project can be found in the link below.

Streaming & Media Delivery

Tech: 5G Broadcast: TV, Radio and Emergency Alerts

A list of relevant specifications can be found in the link below.

Standards: DVB-I Services over 5G Systems

Roadmap​

This page links to the public roadmap board tracking planned and in-progress work for the DVB-I over 5G Reference Tools.

General Project Roadmap​

The Kanban board below tracks the planned and in-progress work for the DVB-I over 5G reference tools (service discovery and programme metadata, and their unicast, broadcast, and hybrid delivery paths). It is maintained live on GitHub.

Kanban board: Roadmap

note

Refer to the DVB-I repositories on GitHub to use or contribute to these Reference Tools.