How to activate and start using HbbTV technology on a Samsung TV

How to activate and start using HbbTV technology on a Samsung TV

Since the middle of last month, the main television content companies in Spain have joined forces to present a new platform, LOVEStv. This platform, which some have begun to call the Spanish 'Netflix', is a place where you can see, again, all the programs of a specific channel of TVE, Atresmedia or Mediaset. In addition, this platform also gives the possibility to see a program started from the beginning as well as personalized recommendations and a complete programming guide. Do you remember teletext? Well updated to the new generations.

What is LOVEStv?

LOVEStv is accessed from the television itself. No need for a decoder, or tune to a new channel. All you have to do is press a button on the remote control to access the platform. If the red button, for example, is used to access the exclusive contents of RTVE, the blue one will be used from now on to enter LOVEStv. If you want to know if your Samsung TV can access LOVEStv, enter one of the channels belonging to RTVE, Mediaset or Atresmedia and press the button. Don't have it yet? Two things can happen, that your Samsung TV is not yet active for the program or that your device does not have HbbTV technology.

What does HbbTV mean and how do I know if I have it available?

HbbTV stands for Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV. Developed in Europe and for Europe, this technology wants to take advantage of the benefits of broadband in regular TV broadcasts , that is, to combine connection with a terrestrial antenna and Internet connection. This means that it will be essential that our Samsung TV is intelligent, connected to the Internet, as well as compatible with technology. Almost all the models launched after 2012 have this technology inside. A very quick way to find out is by accessing 1 on TVE and pressing the red button on the remote (if your remote doesn't have a colored keypad, give up). If you can access multimedia content, your Samsung TV has HbbTV technology.

We repeat, however, that if you are doing the test right now and something like 'Not available' appears on your Samsung TV, do not despair. LOVEStv is in testing and your TV may not yet be within the limited range of devices that do have it activated. All Samsung TV models from series 5 to 9 must support HbbTV technology. In some homes we were able to access the LOVEStv platform although we only saw their presentation mask. In other channels, we got to see its operation from the inside, but the program guide did not work nor could we restart the program that had started.

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In short, in order to have HbbTV technology on your Samsung TV:

  • It must be connected to the terrestrial antenna , if you use the TV only for Netflix and HBO you will not be able to have this technology
  • Your Samsung TV must be a Smart TV with an Internet connection
  • The model must oscillate between series 5 and 9

Hopefully LOVEStv will expand its scope and start working on many more Samsung TVs. So we can enjoy a technology that, for now, only RTVE (and its famous red button) has used to offer more entertainment to viewers. We will continue to wait!