While those members are continental and Canvas is initially a UK effort, it’s bigger than that. Last month’s updated Canvas specification said it wanted to “bring a globally scalable specification to the market in the UK in 2010”. So there’s an opportunity here to either compete or collaborate.

Ant CEO Simon Woodward tells C21: “HbbTV does address many of the same issues as Canvas and, therefore, I think it’s something that the BBC should take notice of and consider in detail because it may provide a significant part of the solution they need ready-made.”

HbbTV’s proposed services include “catch-up TV, video on demand, interactive advertising, personalisation, voting, games and social networking as well as programme-related services such as digital text and EPGs”. Canvas is intended mainly to accompany Freeview sets, but HbbTV is planning “for all broadcasting technologies including satellite, cable and terrestrial networks”. HbbTV applications from broadcasters will be demoed at Berlin’s IFA show from September 4.