The National Radio and Television Administration has recently published for public review the draft industry standard titled "Technical Requirements and Measurement Methods for Integrated TV Network Business Applications."
This standard aims to regulate a universal model where devices like smart TVs and smart projectors use "dedicated software + an adapter" to replace traditional external set-top boxes, allowing users to enjoy dedicated network audiovisual services conveniently without cumbersome peripherals.
The public review period for this standard is from June 1 to June 10, 2026. Its implementation is set to significantly advance the reduction of complexity for TV terminals and enhance user experience, while standardizing the high-quality development of the integrated TV market.
Key Aspects of the Standard
Architectural Innovation: Software Replacing Hardware for Integration
The standard defines an "integrated TV" as one where core set-top box functionalities are implemented in software, enabling services through the installation of a "dedicated network application" paired with a "USB adapter."
Adapters come in two forms: dual-port (featuring an Ethernet RJ45 interface and a USB interface) and single-port (USB interface only). They utilize the TV's USB interface to launch the application upon startup and to adapt to remote controls.
User Experience: Live Broadcasts Upon Startup
Addressing key user pain points, the standard mandates specific requirements.
For startup modes, two options must be provided: "Start into full-screen live broadcast" and "Start into an interactive home screen highlighting live channels," with the default setting being "full-screen live broadcast."
Regarding the interactive home screen, the live broadcast window area must not be less than 40% of the screen area, and the navigation bar must include a unified entry named "Watch TV."
For one-touch live viewing, the system must respond to the universal remote control's "Watch TV" button, enabling immediate access.
Performance Metrics: Fast and Smooth Response
The standard sets quantitative requirements for operational experience.
Startup time from power-on to the appearance of a live broadcast picture must not exceed 35 seconds.
Channel switching time for HD channels must not exceed 2 seconds, and for 4K Ultra HD channels, it must not exceed 2.5 seconds. Responses for operations like time-shift, replay, and video-on-demand must all be within 2 seconds.
The total installation package size for the dedicated network application should not exceed 80MB.
Adapter Specifications: Emphasizing Both Interface and Security
For interface capability, dual-port adapters must support Gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0 High Speed or higher. The remote control interface must support Bluetooth 4.2 or SparkLink 1.0 protocol.
For transmission security, adapters must possess encryption capabilities for content and data between the adapter and the dedicated network application. They must also support dedicated network access authentication to ensure service data isolation from the public internet.
For binding verification, the dedicated network application and the adapter must be bound together. The application must display the adapter's product identifier; replacing it with an unbound adapter will prevent normal startup.
Audiovisual Standards: Support for 4K Ultra HD and AudioVivid
The dedicated network application must support 4K Ultra HD video with AVS+, AVS2, or equivalent coding efficiency, as well as audio codecs including MPEG-1 Layer II, AAC, and AudioVivid.
This support must cover all service scenarios such as live broadcast, time-shift, replay, and video-on-demand, and must include support for IPv6 network environments.