IPTV Set-top Boxes

Amino is one of the most well known IPTV set-top box providers with their AmiNET line of products.


Motorola is not new to the set-top box world. They're a leader in the cable set-top box market, so it's no surprise that they would enter the IPTV market with a bang by purchasing Kreatel, who was one of the leading set-top box providers. Motorola now offers those set-top boxes through their VIP series of products.

When Cisco acquired Scientific Atlanta, they immediately became a leading player in the IPTV set-top box market.


Softier's IPTV set-top box solutions includes the "Wave" line of products such as the Wave-300 and Wave-400. Like most companies here, Softier has partnerships with providers of middleware, VOD servers and SUI (subscriber user interface) system providers.

Siemens, Switzerland, provides an end-to-end IPTV solution, which naturally comes with their advanced SD/HD IPTV STB (based on single Chip System-on-Chip Solution).

Philips


Samsung IP STB guarantees the very best multimedia experience for its users with the advanced features such as PVR and VoD. Supporting TPS/QPS services, the STB allows the users to enjoy VoIP and home networking service. Some models come out with embedded satellite or terrestrial reception capability, providing more flexibility for the operators' business model.

SPL Innotech has developed a complete in-house IPTV solution that includes headend with MPEG-4/H.264 encoders, streaming servers, DRM, management servers, middleware, and IP set-top box, known as the Maxbox.

SysMaster provides an entire product line developed 100% in-house that make up an end-to-end IPTV solution. This includes an IPTV video encoder, time shifter, streaming server, content management and billing server, and the Tornado is their IPTV set-top box solution.

Tatung is no newcomer to the world of IPTV and provides a range of set-top box solutions.

Italian company Telsey S.p.A. designs, develops and manufacturers IPTV set-top boxes. IPTV providers Telecom Italia, Fastweb and Tiscali have all used Telsey's line of products in their rollouts. Telsey's WAVES Product Family offers support for High Definition TV, MPEG4, Digital Terrestrial integration and PVR capabilities.

Thomson, World leader in video technologies, manufactures a range of set-top boxes for delivering video services over cable, satellite, terrestrial and IP networks. The DBI series set-top boxes are high performance System-on-Chip solutions delivering SD/HD with or without PVR and DTT for new broadband entertainment services over IP networks.

The MatrixStream IP Set Top Box is designed for the ultimate home theater experience. The STB comes with full support for HD 1080p videos and 5.1 digital multichannel sound. The STB also allows users to view HDTV and DVD videos right from their IP network.

IPTV Headend Manufactures

Envivio develops the Broadcast Series of MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 encoders. This includes the 4Caster and 4Coder line of products.

Harmonic provides an entire realm of solutions and products including the DiviCom Electra series of encoders.

Minerva Networks provides a few headend products including the VC8000.

Optibase providers an IPTV headend solution through its MGW product line.

Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company, delivers a number of products for IPTV delivery including several headend solutions.

SPL Innotech has developed a complete in-house IPTV solution that includes headend with MPEG-4/H.264 encoders, streaming servers, DRM, management servers, middleware, and IP set-top box, known as the Maxbox.

SysMaster provides an entire product line developed 100% in-house that make up an end-to-end IPTV solution. This includes a time shifter, streaming server, content management and billing server, IPTV set-top box, and the comboSwitch Media Concentrator, their IPTV headend/encoder.

Tandberg Television offers a range of IPTV products and one of them is the MediaPlex / iPlex after they acquired the company SkyStream.

Thomson's Grass Valley video compression, networking and server products allow the delivery of high quality content over low bitrates. Whether it's moving information from studios, to broadcast centers, or to a local headend, Grass Valley's encoders, streamers and routers help telecom operators distribute video 
                                      content securely using open architectures in both Standard Definition and High  Definition.

Tut Systems delivers advanced content processing and distribution products via its Astria CP family of products.

Telairity designs, manufactures and markets video processing solutions for broadcast and professional video applications, offering real-time, high definition encoder boards and systems which provide outstanding video quality and state-of-the-art, AVC video compression.

MatrixStream has developed an IPTV VOD solution that is designed to work over any "best effort" IP network without QoS such as the Internet. The best of it all is that IMX IPTV solution is a complete end-to-end solution. IPTV operators can  install IMX IPTV solution and be up and running right away.

FAQ - IPTV VOD

1. What is Video On Demand (VOD)?

   In simple terms it's the same as popping a DVD in your DVD player and viewing it at your convenience only in this case all the video is stored centrally on a VOD server and you can view the streams using a media player (Windows Media Player, VLC, etc).

2. What is the difference between VOD and IPTV?

   IPTV is live television. VOD is recorded. IPTV is distributed as a single data stream using multicasting which any user with the appropriate rights rights can pickup. VOD is a one-to-one service which is unicast to a single viewer.

3. Does VOD consumes more bandwidth than IPTV

   Yes, it tends to. Say, for example, you have 10 users requesting one 4 Mbps stream (ie the same channel). The bandwidth consumption in VOD would be 10 x 4 = 40 Mbps whereas in IPTV it would be just 4 Mbps

4. Do you have any recommendations for a VOD server?

   We can recommend a VOD server but it is based on the number of users you expect to view streams and the amount of content you want stored.

5. Are there any security issues associated with having VOD on our network?

   No. VOD system is completely secure with connections only between and the VOD equipment and your LAN. It does not depend on external connections.

6. Can we watch VOD in full screen on a PC?

   Yes. You can adjust the video image to fill your monitor.

7. Can we have the VOD user interface customised to our corporate brand?

   Yes. The user interface on your TV and PC screens can be customised to your exact requirements to include your corporate colours and branding.

8. Can we view VOD on our TVs and Plasma screens as well as on our PCs?

   Yes. An IP Set Top Box or IPTV Receiver connects the TV or Plasma screen to a data network outlet where you wish to display the VOD service.

9. Are there any distance limitations?

   Distance limitations are the same as for standard Ethernet. Wherever you can install a data network outlet VOD will work.

10. I have seen references to network video, streaming over ethernet , IP video , video over IP and LAN video. Are these the same as IPTV?

    Yes, the basic technology of video streaming is known by many different names. Apart from video over IP and LAN video, IP video and streaming over Ethernet and network video, it is also sometimes referred to as network TV.

IPTV Video On Demand (VOD)

IPTV Video On Demand (VOD) describes a system for the storage of video and multimedia material such that it can be accessed on demand by any authorized user from any TV or PC attached to your corporate network. Content on an IPTV video on demand system is unlimited - recorded lectures for the education sector, training and reference material for business, movies for the hospitality industry. IPTV Video On Demand (VOD) integrates seamlessly with our IPTV systems for distribution of live TV.

Users select the content they wish to view from an indexed list displayed on their viewing screen. Exactly what an individual user has access to is controlled by the IPTV VOD system administrator. The user has control of playback with facilities to pause, fast forward, rewind and can adjust the picture to any size.

Your library is stored digitally on a central IPTV video on demand network appliance and played back across your data network using IPTV streaming techniques to the viewing points.

Where your network is used for video streaming of live events - a CEO address or keynote speech for instance – the live video stream can be recorded and added to your library of content. Similarly if your network is used for IPTV streaming of TV channels, these may be recorded to your IPTV video on demand server to be indexed and added to your library.

An IPTV video on demand system can be scaled to support any number of users, requires no additional cabling and digital technology guarantees DVD quality at every viewing point. Individual video players, recorders, leads and DVD discs are replaced by a single reliable central video on demand server making content available instantly at the click of a TV remote control or PC mouse button.

IPTV video on demand leverages the investment in your data network to provide a video distribution solution which extends video to the desktop and brings stunning quality pictures to your big screens.

IPTV and HDTV

As High Definition TV (HDTV) gains momentum in the UK with HD transmissions via Freesat, Klicktv IPTV distribution systems demonstrate their seamless transition to the new standard with an unmatched ability to deliver faultless, as broadcast, HD transmissions right to the TV screen.


When the same HDTV transmissions are broadcast on terrestrial Freeview (expected in 2012) the situation will be the same - a terrestrial IPTV gateway installed today has the capability to deliver terrestrial HDTV broadcasts when they arrive.


Because HD IPTV products can coexist with Standard Definition products within the same IPTV system, there is wide scope for the design of systems which offer the optimum cost/ benefit balance for a given requirement.

IPTV Benefits

IPTV leverages the investment in your data network to produce a TV and video reception and distribution solution with an unmatched combination of scalability, flexibility and value.

Distributes live or prerecorded TV and video/audio over existing data network
Unlimited distribution to every network connected TV / PC
Capacity for hundreds of TV and video sources
Digital quality consistent across all viewing points
Managerial control over individual viewing
Flexible, controllable signage and corporate branding
No additional hardware, cabling or power required at PC viewing points
Office moves and changes become simple, quick and non technical
No distance limitations on viewing points
Dispenses with Freeview Set Top Boxes and video recorders
Manageable bandwidth requirements
Does not compromise network security
Industry standards based
Highly modular and readily expandable at any stage
Space saving professional equipment installation
Facility for live or scheduled recording of live TV provides the functionality of a video recorder with hard disk storage (Personnal Video Recorder)
Costs, space and energy are saved by dispensing with Freeview Set Top Boxes, video recorders and even TVs where PC viewing is adopted
Distribute channels over WAN links for viewing at remote sites
Create your own Video On Demand library for training and reference
High Definition TV (HDTV) support

IPTV Multicasting

MulticastingInternet Protocol (IP) multicast is a bandwidth-conserving mechanism for reducing data network traffic by simultaneously delivering a single stream of information to thousands of recipients. Multicasting is fundamental to the implementation of IPTV. This is how it works.In diagram 1, none of the network switches have IGMP snooping or querying turned on and so the network is not multicast enabled. The backbone switch has all the streaming traffic coming into it from the MPEG IP Encoders. If we assume each stream is 4 Mbps the backbone switch will carry 4 Mbps x 3 streams = 12 Mbps of streaming traffic.

As the switches don’t have IGMP turned on, the streaming traffic will flood the entire network regardless of whether the user requests a particular stream or not.

In diagram 2, all switches have IGMP snooping turned on and the backbone switch has IGMP query turned on. Again, the backbone switch has a total of 12 Mbps of streaming traffic coming into it from the MPEG IP Encoders.

Switch 1 will only have 8 Mbps of traffic reaching it as a result of the two users who have requested the same red stream (4 Mbps) and a third user who has selected the green stream (4 Mbps). This is the distinct advantage of multicasting - the bandwidth used is per stream and not per user.

Switch 2 will only have 4 Mbps of traffic reaching it since only the blue stream has been requested by a user. There will be no streaming traffic on the port where there is no request for a stream.

Switch 3 will have no streaming traffic since none of the users connected to the switch have requested any streams.

In calculating the bandwidth requirement for IPTV, it should be assumed that all streams will be present on the backbone but, at most, only one stream will be present on a user port.