SMATV-IPTV

IPTV Set-top Boxes

2009-09-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T02:22:00.000-07:00

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).
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.
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
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.
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.
Can we watch VOD in full screen on a PC?
Yes. You can adjust the video image to fill your monitor.
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.
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.
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.
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)

2009-09-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T02:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T02:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

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.

IPTV Network Requirements

2009-09-13T01:13:00.000-07:00

IPTV Network Requirements

To be suitable for IPTV operation, your data network must meet the following requirements:

Backbone bandwidth requirement is calculated as the number of channels streamed x bandwidth per channel. Typically channels are streamed at 4 Mbps each for MPEG2. eg for 12 channels the total bandwidth requirement on the backbone is 12x4= 48Mbps.
At least one network switch is required to have IGMP Querier functionality.
All switches must be multicast enabled- IGMP V2 capability
All switches must be capable of using PIM (Sparse & Dense mode) if VLAN routing is to be implemented
The network equipment should be capable of running QoS if other traffic on the network is likely to threaten the real time delivery of the IPTV data streams
Static IP addresses are preferred for the IPTV equipment. A 100Mbps port is required for each MPEG2 encoder and 3x 100Mbps ports are required for a TV Gateway.

More About IPTV

2009-09-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

More about IPTV

What is IPTV?

IPTV stands for Internet Protocol TV. An IPTV system deployed within a business enables hundreds of channels of TV and video to be viewed on an unlimited number of TVs and PCs connected to your existing data network.

The TV or video signals are converted into streams of data which pass over the network in the same way as other data traffic. A particular form of transmission known as IP multicasting, is used to minimize the demand on network bandwidth. At the viewing point, all the available sources are listed and controls are provided to select which source is viewed.
TVs are connected to your network by a small IP Receiver controlled using an infra red remote control handset. PC users do not require any additional hardware and select channels using a control panel displayed on the PC screen. The channel is viewed via a media player such as Windows Media Player and can be displayed as a small sizeable window or full screen.

Why use IPTV for TV distribution?

By using an IPTV solution to stream TV and video over your data network, wherever you have a network outlet you can connect a TV or a PC to display the channels you choose and control.

IPTV systems distribute TV and video from any source. Satellite TV, Freeview TV, studio outputs, pre recorded educational and training programs and corporate broadcasts are all displayed consistently at the highest quality at all points thanks to digital technology.

IPTV brings new levels of control and flexibility to TV distribution. The screen based interface through which users select channels can be customized to your exact requirements reflecting corporate colors and branding whilst text a message board enables information to be disseminated to users. The same interface can provide access to an indexed library of video content which, depending on your industry, might contain training material, Health and Safety information, films, multimedia presentations or recordings of live performances and live TV.

In public areas and work spaces, IPTV enables TVs to be used to project high quality digital signage and information displays under centralized control providing the perfect tool for communication, imaginative marketing, projection of corporate image and publicizing your greatest achievements.

IPTV distribution offers managerial control of which channels can be viewed at which points and office moves become simple, quick and non technical. Costs, space and energy are saved by dispensing with Freeview Set Top Boxes, video recorders and even TVs where PC viewing is adopted.

An IPTV solution leverages the investment in your data network to extend TV to the desktop and bring stunning quality pictures to your big screens.

IPTV FAQ

2009-09-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

Frequently Asked Questions - IPTV

I have seen references to TVIP, Lan TV, TV over IP, desktop TV, Ethernet TV and TV streaming. Are these the same as IPTV?
Yes, the basic technology of IPTV is referred to by many different names. Apart from TV streaming, desktop TV, TV over IP and Ethernet TV and Lan TV it is also sometimes referred to as network TV.
How will the TV traffic impact on our network?
All TV and video channels are multicast across the network so the level of traffic does not increase with the number of viewers. It should be assumed that all channels will be present on the backbone of the network and the amount of traffic generated can be calculated as the number of channels multiplied by the bit rate per channel. For example, if 5 channels are required at a bit rate of 4.0 Mbps, (Megabits per second) the bandwidth utilized will be 20 Mbps. The bandwidth assigned to each channel is selectable in order to optimize the balance between bit rate and picture quality thereby maximizing the efficiency of network bandwidth utilization. Multicast management protocols ensure that streams which are not required on a particular network segment are not forwarded to that segment. This means for instance, that only one stream is present on the local switched connection to an individual PC running IPTV because only one channel is displayed at a time on that PC.
Can we choose which channels we have enabled?
Yes. An IPTV TV distribiution solution allows you to create a tailored channel selection.
Can different employees have different channels enabled?
Yes. Through a password protected administration system you are able to set who has access to which channels.
How many of our employees can watch at once?
As many as you wish.
Will an increase in users affect our network?
No. Because the IPTV system uses Multicasting to distribute the video streams you can have as many users connected as you wish and it will not make any difference to the amount of bandwidth used.
Are there any security issues associated with having IPTV on our network?
No. An IPTV TV distribution system installed on a LAN is completely secure with connections only between the IPTV equipment and your LAN. It does not depend on external connections.
Can we watch IPTV in full screen on a PC?
Yes. You can adjust the video image to fill your monitor.
Can we have the IPTV user interface customised to our corporate brand?
Yes. The IPTV GUI interface can be customised to your exact requirements to include your corporate colours and branding.
Can we view IPTV on our TVs and Plasma screens as well as on our PCs?
Yes. An IP Set Top Box or Receiver connects the TV or Plasma screen to a data network outlet where you wish to display the IPTV service.
Is it possible to record streams?
Yes. We provide software with PVR functionality which allows you to record, pause and playback video streams. It also has a timed recording facility and you can store the recorded content on a SAN/NAS, or other shared network drive for other users to view it at their convenience.
Is it possible to pause live IPTV streams?
Yes. PVR software allows you to record, pause and playback live TV via your TVIP system.
How easy is it to add more channels in the future
Adding channels is simple. Just add another MPEG2 encoder and plug it into a spare port on your network switch.
Are there any distance limitations?
Distance limitations are the same as for standard Ethernet. Wherever you can install a data network outlet IPTV will work.
Is there any difference in quality when viewing IPTV compared with traditional TV distribution technologies?
Yes. The streaming video channels of IPTV are digital which means they do not suffer the deterioration caused in traditional analogue distribution systems producing a noticeably better quality picture. The TV Gateway IPTV product we supply streams the TV signals received from Freeview or satellite without change which means the quality is exactly the same as transmitted. The MPEG2 encoders which take analogue inputs can be set to stream at a high rate for highest quality or a low rate for minimum bandwidth.
We have a TV source at one site which we want staff at another site to see. Can we do this?
Yes. The streamed channel can be routed over a WAN link to the remote site where it can be made to appear as a channel on the IPTV distribution system at the second site in the same way as the first.
We have Windows server with Active Directory. Can we maintain groups/permission from Active Directory onto the IPTV products?
No. IPTV products aren’t compatible with Microsoft Active Directory Services.
Is it possible to have IPTV over wireless?
The viability of IPTV over wireless depends on the reliability of the wireless connection to transfer an uninterrupted data stream. IPTV over wireless links between network nodes including LASER links are more likely to be suitable than wireless links used for end user connectivity.

IPTV

2009-09-07T02:32:00.000-07:00

What is IPTV ?

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is a system through which digital television service is delivered using the architecture and networking methods of the Internet Protocol Suite over a packet-switched network infrastructure, e.g., the Internet and broadband Internet access networks, instead of being delivered through traditional radio frequency broadcast and cable television (CATV) formats.

History

In 1994, ABC's World News Now was the first television show to be broadcast over the Internet, using the CU-SeeMe videoconferencing software.The term IPTV first appeared in 1995 with the founding of Precept Software by Judith Estrin and Bill Carrico. Precept designed and built an internet video product named "IP/TV". IP/TV was an MBONE compatible Windows and Unix based application that moved single and multi-source audio/video traffic, ranging from low to DVD quality, using both unicast and IP multicast RTP/RTCP. The software was written primarily by Steve Casner, Karl Auerbach, and Cha Chee Kuan. Precept was acquired by Cisco Systems in 1998. Cisco retains the "IP/TV" trademark.Internet radio company AudioNet started the first continuous live webcasts with content from WFAA-TV in January, 1998 and KCTU-LP on January 10, 1998.Kingston Communications, a regional telecommunications operator in UK, launched KIT (Kingston Interactive Television), an IPTV over DSL broadband interactive TV service in September 1999 after conducting various TV and VoD trials. The operator added additional VoD service in October 2001 with Yes TV, a provider VoD content. Kingston was one of the first companies in the world to introduce IPTV and IP VoD over ADSL.In 2003, Total Access Networks Inc launched its IPTV service, comprising of 100 free IPTV stations world wide. The service has been used in over 100 countries world wide, and has channels in 26 languages.[citation needed]In 2005, Bredbandsbolaget launched its IPTV service as the first service provider in Sweden. As of January 2009, they are not the biggest supplier any longer; Telia who launched their service later has now more customers.In 2006, AT&T launched its U-Verse IPTV service in the United States, comprising a national head end and regional video-serving offices. AT&T offered over 300 channels in 11 cities with more to be added in 2007 and beyond. On March 2009, AT&T announced that U-verse had expanded to 100 or more High Definition channels in every U-Verse TV market. While using IP protocols, AT&T has built a private IP network exclusively for video transport.

Future

In the past, this technology has been restricted by low broadband penetration and by the relatively high cost of installing wiring capable of transporting IPTV content reliably in the customer's home. In the coming years, however, residential IPTV is expected to grow at a brisk pace as broadband was available to more than 200 million households worldwide in the year 2005, projected to grow to 400 million by the year 2010. Many of the world's major telecommunications providers are exploring IPTV as a new revenue opportunity from their existing markets and as a defensive measure against encroachment from more conventional Cable Television services.Also, there is a growing number of IPTV installations within schools, universities, corporations and local institutions.

IPTV Regulation

Historically Broadcast TV has been regulated differently than Telecom and Internet. As IPTV allows TV and VOD to be transmitted over IP networks new regulatory issues arise. Professor Eli M. Noam highlights in his report "TV or Not TV: Three Screens, One Regulation?" some of the key challenges with sector specific regulation that is becoming obsolete due to convergence in this field. To find out more about the issues go to the Canadian Regulator and check out the report
Definition
It is important to note that historically there have been many different definitions of "IPTV" including elementary streams over IP networks, transport streams over IP networks and a number of proprietary systems. Although (in Mid 2007) it is premature to say that there is a full consensus of exactly what IPTV should mean, there is no doubt that the most widely used definition today is for single or multiple program transport streams (MPTS) which are sourced by the same network operator that owns or directly controls the "last mile" to the consumer's premises[citation needed]. This control over delivery enables a guaranteed quality of service, and also allows the service provider to offer an enhanced user experience such as better program guide, interactive services etc.The official definition approved by the International Telecommunication Union focus group on IPTV (ITU-T FG IPTV) is as follows:"IPTV is defined as multimedia services such as television/video/audio/text/graphics/data delivered over IP based networks managed to provide the required level of quality of service and experience, security, interactivity and reliability."

Markets

Map of IPTV countries of the world. Countries where IPTV is available in at least some parts of the countryWhile all major western countries and most developed economies have IPTV deployments, the world's leading markets for IPTV for now are Germany (by Deutsche Telekom) France (led by Free, then Orange, then Neuf Cegetel; total of over 4 million subscriptions), South Korea (1.8 million subscriptions), Hong Kong, Japan, Italy, Spain, Belgium, China, Switzerland and Portugal. Services have also launched in Bosnia and Herzegovina,Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia[11], Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland. The United Kingdom launched IPTV early and after a slow initial growth, in February 2009 BT announced that it had reached 398,000 subscribers to its BT Vision service. Claro has launched their own IPTV service called "Claro TV". This service is available in several countries in which they operate, such as Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua. IPTV is just beginning to grow in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America, and now it is growing in South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and especially India.but significant plans exist in countries such as Poland and Russia. Kazakhstan introduced its own IPTV services by Alacast and national provider Kazakhtelecom[15] under the "iD TV" brand in two major cities Astana and Almaty in 2009.The first IPTV service to launch on the Chinese mainland sells under the "BesTV" brand and is currently available in the cities of Shanghai and Harbin. In India IPTV was launched by Airtel and the government service provider MTNL and BSNL. In Pakistan IPTV was launched by PTCL, brand name Smart TV.

IPTV and Internet TV

A telco IPTV service is usually delivered over a complex and investment heavy walled garden network, which is carefully engineered to ensure bandwidth efficient delivery of vast amounts of multicast video traffic. The higher network quality also enables easy delivery of high quality SD or HD TV content to subscribers’ homes. This makes IPTV by default the preferred delivery platform for premium content. However, the investment for a telco to build an end-to-end IPTV service can be substantial.[original research?]By contrast "Internet TV" generally refers to transport streams sent over IP networks (normally the Internet) from outside the network that connects to the users premises. An Internet TV provider has no control over the final delivery and so broadcasts on a "best effort" basis. Elementary streams over IP networks and proprietary variants as used by websites such as YouTube are now rarely considered to be IPTV services.[original research?]Compared to telco IPTV, Internet TV is a quick-to-market and relatively low investment service. Internet TV rides on existing infrastructure including broadband, ADSL, Wi-Fi, cable and satellite which makes it a valuable tool for a wide variety of service providers and content owners looking for new revenue streams. However, due to the fact that IPTV is always delivered over low cost IP STBs, which have limited computing power, the capability for IPTV operators to provide diverse multimedia services is limited. This is where Internet TV has an advantage as it is delivered to a subscriber's (generally) powerful PC.The relative ease of establishing an Internet TV service seems at first a threat to telco IPTV operators’ multimillion dollar investment, but both services do not necessarily compete for the same customers and there are some synergies between the two such as a common technology platform in the form of web-based technologies for content storage and delivery.Broadcast IPTV has two major architecture forms: free and fee based. As of June 2006, there are over 1,300 free IPTV sources available.[17] This sector is growing rapidly and major television broadcasters worldwide are transmitting their broadcast signal over the Internet. These free IPTV sources require only an Internet connection and an Internet enabled device such as a personal computer, HDTV connected to a computer or even a 3G cell/mobile phone to watch the IPTV content. Various Web portals offer access to these free IPTV sources. Some cite the ad-sponsored availability of TV series such as Lost as indicators that IPTV will become more prevalent.Because IPTV uses standard networking protocols, it promises lower costs for operators and lower prices for users. Using set-top boxes with broadband Internet connections, video can be streamed to households more efficiently than current coaxial cable. Home networks based on standards such as G.hn can be used to deliver IPTV content to any set-top box in a home, without having to install new Ethernet wires and without relying on technologies like 802.11, which are not optimized for reliable delivery of video streams. ISPs are upgrading their networks to bring higher speeds and to allow multiple High Definition TV channels.IPTV uses a two-way digital broadcast signal sent through a switched telephone or cable network by way of a broadband connection and a set-top box programmed with software (much like a cable or DSS box) that can handle viewer requests to access to many available media sources.Local IPTV, as used by businesses for audio visual AV distribution on their company networks is typically based on a mixture of: a) Conventional TV reception equipment and IPTV encoders b) IPTV Gateways that take broadcast MPEG channels and IP wrap them to create multicast streams.

Architecture of IPTV

Architecture of a Video Server Network Depending on the network architecture of the Service Provider, there are two main types of Video Server architectures that can be considered for IPTV deployment, Centralized, and Distributed.The Centralized Architecture model is a relatively simple and easy to manage solution. For example, as all contents are stored in Centralized servers, it does not require a comprehensive content distribution system. Centralized Architecture is generally good for a network that provides relatively small VOD service deployment, has adequate core and edge bandwidth and has an efficient Content Delivery Network (CDN).A Distributed Architecture is just as scalable as the Centralized model, however it has bandwidth usage advantages and inherent system management features that are essential for managing a larger server network. Operators who plan to deploy a relatively large system should therefore consider implementing a Distributed Architecture model right from the start. Distributed Architecture requires intelligent and sophisticated content distribution technologies to augment effective delivery of multimedia contents over service provider's network.

Key Areas of an End-to-End IPTV Technology Solution

When considering deploying a telco IPTV service, understanding the technical implications of delivering the solution should be of paramount importance. Within the overall technical parameters of an IPTV service rollout, there are four key areas that need to be addressed to ensure a robust and scalable service delivery: content distribution, middleware, transport infrastructure and customer premise equipment.The content distribution module contains live encoding platforms, video file repository and IPTV video servers which are the key elements enabling video feeds for an IPTV service.In general, content distribution (in the headend[disambiguation needed]), processing and adaptation are all part of the functions of a TV headend.While the live video encoder and IPTV video server are conceptually considered to be part of the TV [headend], they not necessarily need to be placed at the same physical location. Multicast video sources are usually located at the top level of the core network for better bandwidth efficiency, whereas unicast IPTV video sources are commonly installed at the local PoP level to minimize core bandwidth usage.

Home Networks for IPTV distribution

In many cases, the Residential Gateway that provides connectivity with the Broadband Access network is not located in close proximity to the IPTV Set-Top Box. This scenario becomes very common as service providers start to offer service packages with multiple Set-Top Boxes per subscriber.Traditional home networking technologies such as Ethernet and 802.11 do not provide a good solution to provide connectivity between the Gateway and each Set-Top Box. Most homes today are not wired with Ethernet cable in every room, and installing new Ethernet cables is expensive for service providers and undesirable for consumers. Wireless technologies like 802.11 are optimized for data transmission, but they usually don't provide the Quality of Service required by IPTV applications.Networking technologies that take advantage of existing home wiring (such as power lines, phone lines or coaxial cables) have become a popular solution for this problem, although fragmentation in the wired home networking market has limited somewhat the growth in this market.On December 2008, ITU-T adopted Recommendation G.hn (also known as G.9960), which is a next generation home networking standard that specifies a common PHY/MAC that can operate over any home wiring (power lines, phone lines or coaxial cables). G.hn is expected to become the dominant standard for home networking for the IPTV industry.

IMS architecture for IPTV

There is a growing standardization effort on the use of the 3GPP IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as an architecture for supporting IPTV services in carriers networks. Both ITU-T and ETSI are working on so-called "IMS-based IPTV" standards (see e.g. ETSI TS 182 027[24]). The benefits of this approach are obvious. Carriers will be able to offer both voice and IPTV services over the same core infrastructure and the implementation of services combining conventional TV services with telephony features (e.g. caller ID on the TV screen) will become straigthforward.[25] The MultiService Forum recenly conducted interoperability of IMS-based IPTV solutions during its GMI event in 2008 (http://www.msforum.org/interoperability/02-MGS81044-MFS_Whitepaper.pdf).

Protocols

IPTV covers both live TV (multicasting) as well as stored video (Video on Demand VOD). The playback of IPTV requires either a personal computer or a set-top box connected to a TV. Video content is typically compressed using either a MPEG-2 or a MPEG-4 codec and then sent in an MPEG transport stream delivered via IP Multicast in case of live TV or via IP Unicast in case of Video on Demand. IP Multicast is a method in which information can be sent to multiple computers at the same time. The newly released (MPEG-4) H.264 codec is increasingly used to replace the older MPEG-2 codec.In standards-based IPTV systems, the primary underlying protocols used are:Live TV uses IGMP version 2 or IGMP version 3 for IPv4 for connecting to a multicast stream (TV channel) and for changing from one multicast stream to another (TV channel change).VOD is using the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).N-PVR (Network-based Personal Video Recorder) is also using the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).Network Personal Video Recording is a consumer service where real-time broadcast television is captured in the network on a server allowing the end user to access the recorded programs on the schedule of their choice, rather than being tied to the broadcast schedule. The NPVR system provides time-shifted viewing of broadcast programs, allowing subscribers to record and watch programs at their convenience, without the requirement of a truly personal PVR device. It could be compared as a "PVR that is built into the network" – however that would be slightly misleading unless the word "Personal" is, of course, changed to "Public" for this context.Subscribers can choose from the programmes available in the network-based library, when they want, without needing yet another device or remote control. However, many people would still prefer to have their own PVR device, as it would allow them to choose exactly what they want to record. This bypasses the strict copyright and licensing regulations, as well as other limitations, that often prevent the network itself from providing "on demand" access to certain programmes (see Heroes, below).In Greece, On Telecoms offers an NPVR service to all subscribers in their basic package with all the programming of all major national Greek TV channels for the last 72 hours. The user has to sign in their contract that they agree that the company will record national programming of the last 72 hours FOR them so that they can come around any legal implications (like the ones mentioned here) as this service would work like a personal PVR.Currently, the only alternatives to IPTV are traditional TV distribution technologies such as terrestrial, satellite and cable. However, cable can be upgraded to two-way capability and can thus also carry IPTV.

IPTV over satellite

Although IPTV and conventional satellite TV distribution have been seen as complementary technologies, they are likely to be increasingly used together in hybrid IPTV networks that deliver the highest levels of performance and reliability. IPTV is largely neutral to the transmission medium, and IP traffic is already routinely carried by satellite for Internet backbone trunking and corporate VSAT networks. The use of satellite to carry IP is fundamental to overcoming the greatest shortcoming of IPTV over terrestrial cables – the speed/bandwidth of the connection.The copper twisted pair cabling that forms the last mile of the telephone/broadband network in many countries is not able to provide a sizeable proportion of the population with an IPTV service that matches even existing terrestrial or satellite digital TV distribution. For a competitive multi-channel TV service, a connection speed of 20Mbit/s is likely to be required, but unavailable to most potential customers. The increasing popularity of high definition TV (with twice the data of SD video) increases connection speed requirements, or limits IPTV service quality and connection eligibility, yet further.However, satellites are capable of delivering in excess of 100Gbit/s via multi-spot beam technologies, making satellite a clear emerging technology for implementing IPTV networks. Satellite distribution can be included in an IPTV network architecture in several ways. Simplest to implement is an IPTV-DTH architecture, in which hybrid DVB/broadband set-top boxes in subscriber homes integrate satellite and IP reception to give near-infinite bandwidth with return channel capabilities. In such a system, many live TV channels may be multicast via satellite (IP-encapsulated or as conventional DVB digital TV) with stored video-on-demand transmission via the broadband connection. Arqiva’s Satellite Media Solutions Division suggests “IPTV works best in a hybrid format. For example, you would use broadband to receive some content and satellite to receive other, such as live channels”.The Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) consortium of industry companies is currently promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast and broadband digital TV and multimedia applications with a single user interface.An alternative approach is the IPTV version of the Headend in the Sky cable TV solution. Here, mutilple TV channels are distributed via satellite to the ISP or IPTV provider’s point of presence (POP) for IP-encapsulated distribution to individual subscribers as required by each subscriber.This can provide a huge selection of channels to subscribers without overburdening Internet trunking to the POP, and enables an IPTV service to be offered to small or remote operators outside the reach of terrestrial high speed broadband connection. An example is a network combining fibre and satellite distribution via an SES New Skies satellite of 95 channels to Latin America and the Caribbean, operated by IPTV Americas.While the future development of IPTV probably lies with a number of coexisting architectures and implementations, it’s clear that broadcasting of high bandwidth applications such as IPTV is accomplished more efficiently and cost-effectively using satellite and it’s predicted that the majority of global IPTV growth will be fuelled by hybrid networks.

Advantages

The IP-based platform offers significant advantages, including the ability to integrate television with other IP-based services like high speed Internet access and VoIP.A switched IP network also allows for the delivery of significantly more content and functionality. In a typical TV or satellite network, using broadcast video technology, all the content constantly flows downstream to each customer, and the customer switches the content at the set-top box. The customer can select from as many choices as the telecomms, cable or satellite company can stuff into the “pipe” flowing into the home. A switched IP network works differently. Content remains in the network, and only the content the customer selects is sent into the customer’s home. That frees up bandwidth, and the customer’s choice is less restricted by the size of the “pipe” into the home. This also implies that the customer's privacy could be compromised to a greater extent than is possible with traditional TV or satellite networks. It may also provide a means to hack into, or at least disrupt (see Denial of Service) the private network.

The Economics of IPTV

The cable industry's expenditures of approximately $1 Billion per year are based on network updates to accommodate higher data speeds. Most operators use 2-3 channels to support maximum data speeds of 50 Mb/s to 100 Mb/s. However, because video streams require a high bit rate for much longer periods of time, the expenditures to support high amounts of video traffic will be much greater. This phenomenon is called persistency. Data persistency is routinely 5% while video persistency can easily reach 50%. As video traffic continues to grow, this means that significantly more CMTS downstream channels will be required to carry this video content. Based on today's market, it is likely that industry expenditures for CMTS expansion could exceed $2 Billion a year, virtually all of this expenditure being driven by video traffic. Adoption of IPTV for carrying the majority of this traffic could save the industry approximately 75% of this CapEx expense.

Interactivity

An IP-based platform also allows significant opportunities to make the TV viewing experience more interactive and personalized. The supplier may, for example, include an interactive program guide that allows viewers to search for content by title or actor’s name, or a picture-in-picture functionality that allows them to “channel surf” without leaving the program they’re watching. Viewers may be able to look up a player’s stats while watching a sports game, or control the camera angle. They also may be able to access photos or music from their PC on their television, use a wireless phone to schedule a recording of their favorite show, or even adjust parental controls so their child can watch a documentary for a school report, while they’re away from home.Note that this is all possible, to some degree, with existing digital terrestrial, satellite and cable networks in tandem with modern set top boxes.[citation needed] In order that there can take place an interaction between the receiver and the transmitter a feedback channel is needed. Due to this terrestrial, satellite and cable networks for television does not allow interactivity. However, interactivity with those networks can be possible in the combination with different networks like internet or a mobile communication network.

VoD

VoD stands for Video on Demand. VoD permits a customer to browse an online programme or film catalogue, to watch trailers and to then select a selected recording for playback. The playout of the selected movie starts nearly instantaneously on the customer's TV or PC.Technically, when the customer selects the movie, a point-to-point[disambiguation needed] unicast connection is set up between the customer's decoder (SetTopBox or PC) and the delivering streaming server. The signalling for the trick play functionality (pause, slow-motion, wind/rewind etc.) is assured by RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol).The most common codecs used for VoD are MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and VC-1.In an attempt to avoid content piracy, the VoD content is usually encrypted. Whilst encryption of satellite and cable TV broadcasts is an old practice, with IPTV technology it can effectively be thought of as a form of Digital Rights Management. A film that is chosen, for example, may be playable for 24 hours following payment, after which time it becomes unavailable.

IPTV based Converged Services

Another advantage of an IP-based network is the opportunity for integration and convergence. This opportunity is amplified when using IMS-based solutions. Converged services implies interaction of existing services in a seamless manner to create new value added services. One good example is On-Screen Caller ID, getting Caller ID on your TV and the ability to handle it (send it to voice mail, etc). IP-based services will help to enable efforts to provide consumers anytime-anywhere access to content over their televisions, PCs and cell phones (for example see http://www.ericsson.com/campaign/televisionary/), and to integrate services and content to tie them together. Within businesses and institutions, IPTV eliminates the need to run a parallel infrastructure to deliver live and stored video services.

Limitations

IPTV is sensitive to packet loss and delays if the streamed data is unreliable. IPTV has strict minimum speed requirements in order to facilitate the right number of frames per second to deliver moving pictures. This means that the limited connection speed/bandwidth available for a large IPTV customer base can reduce the service quality delivered.Although a few countries have very high speed broadband-enabled populations, such as South Korea with 6 million homes benefiting from a minimum connection speed of 100Mbit/s, in other countries (such as the UK) legacy networks struggle to provide 3-5 Mbit/s and so simultaneous provision to the home of TV channels, VOIP and Internet access may not be viable. The last mile delivery for IPTV usually has a bandwidth restriction that only allows a small number of TV channels – typically from one to three – to be delivered.The same problem has also proved troublesome when attempting to stream IPTV across wireless links within the home. Improvements in wireless technology are now starting to provide equipment to solve the problem.Due to the limitations of wireless, most IPTV service providers today use wired home networking technologies instead of wireless technologies like 802.11. Service Providers such as AT&T (which makes extensive use of wireline home networking as part of its U-Verse IPTV service) have expressed support for the work done in this direction by ITU-T, which has adopted Recommendation G.hn (also known as G.9960), which is a next generation home networking standard that specifies a common PHY/MAC that can operate over any home wiring (power lines, phone lines or coaxial cables).

Latency

The latency inherent in the use of satellite internet is often held up as reason why satellites cannot be successfully used for IPTV, but in practice latency is not an important factor for IPTV. An IPTV service does not require real-time transmission, as is the case with telephony or videoconferencing services.It is the latency of response to requests to change channel, display an EPG, etc that most affects customers’ perceived quality of service, and these problems affect satellite IPTV no more than terrestrial IPTV. Indeed, command latency problems, faced by terrestrial IPTV networks with insufficient bandwidth as their customer base grows, may be solved by the high capacity of satellite distribution.Satellite distribution does suffer from latency – the time for the signal to travel up from the hub to the satellite and back down to the user is around 0.25 seconds, and cannot be reduced. However, the effects of this delay are mitigated in real-life systems using data compression, TCP-acceleration, and HTTP pre-fetching.Satellite latency can be detrimental to especially time-sensitive applications such as on-line gaming (although it only seriously affects the likes of first-person shooters while many MMOGs can operate well over satellite internet, but IPTV is typically a simplex operation (one-way transmission) and latency is not a critical factor for video transmission.Existing video transmission systems of both analogue and digital formats already introduce known quantifiable delays. Indeed, existing DVB TV channels that simulcast by both terrestrial and satellite transmissions, experience the same 0.25s delay difference between the two services with no detrimental effect, and it goes unnoticed by viewers.

Vendors

A small number of companies supply most current IPTV systems. Some, such as Imagenio, were formed by telecoms operators themselves, to minimise external costs, a tactic also used by PCCW of Hong Kong. Some major telecoms vendors are also active in this space, notably Alcatel-Lucent (sometimes working with Imagenio), Ericsson (notably since acquiring Tandberg Television), NEC, Thomson, and ZTE, as are some IT houses, led by Microsoft. California-based UTStarcom, Inc., Tennessee-based Worley Consulting, Tokyo-based The New Media Group and Oslo/Norway-based SnapTV also offer end-to-end networking infrastructure for IPTV-based services, and Hong Kong-based BNS Ltd. provides turnkey open platform IPTV technology solutions. Global sales of IPTV systems exceeded 2 billion USD in 2007.Many of these IPTV solution vendors participated in the biennial Global MSF Interoperability 2008 (GMI) event which was coordinated by the MultiService Forum (MSF) at five sites worldwide from 20- to 31-October 2008. Test equipment vendors including Empirix, Ixia, Mu Dynamics and Spirent joined solution vendors such as the companies listed above in one of the largest IPTV proving grounds ever deployed.

Service bundling

For residential users, IPTV is often provided in conjunction with Video on Demand and may be bundled with Internet services such as Internet access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telecommunications services. Commercial bundling of IPTV, VoIP and Internet access is sometimes referred to in marketing as triple play service. When these three are offered with mobility, the service may be referred to as quadruple play.

SMATV Design

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Multiswitches

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Digital Satellite STB

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Required Signal Level

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In a SMATV system, for good quality reception recommended signal level is 50 dB to 75 dB

Various Types of SMATV systems

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There are mainly 5 types of SMATV Systems available which are....

3 Input System (2 Satellite IF Polarity + 1 RF input)
5 Input System (4 Satellite IF Polarity + 1 RF input )
9 Input System (8 Satellite IF Polarity + 1 RF input )
13 Input System (12 Satellite IF Polarity + 1 RF input)
17 Input System (16 Satellite IF Polarity + 1 RF input)

SMATV

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What is SMATV ?

SMATV (Satellite Master Antenna Television System), A community Distribution system for signals received from multiple satellites, Terrestrial channels & Radio. These signals will be mixed with the help of “MULTISWITCH” and distributed with a single and separate cable to each household in the community building.

The size of the network varies small to large. This may be a small 5 floor building with 50 subscribers or 50 floor building with 1,200 subscribers. For huge buildings were coaxial cables is inappropriate, fiber optic technology can incorporate with SMATV equipments. With modern equipments any type of SMATV network can be constructed with ease.

The advantage of the SMATV is, all homes in the community-building can share the installed satellite antenna no need a separate one for each user. Also when there is any new channels available in the connected satellites the subscriber can tune himself no need to purchase new equipment where in CATV huge investment required with technical expertise to add the new channels.

In a traditional CABLE TV network there is limitation of available channels(max 100 to 104) But In a SMATV network with a 17 input system the number of channels is huge (4000+) The user can select the channels they want from the connected satellite dish.

Advantage of the Analogue CATV over SMATV is, STB or Receiver not required to view the channels but in the SMATV a A Satellite receiver is required. (note: in the Digital CATV system a STB/cable receiver is required)

Below you can find an example of a 9 INPUT SMATV System with 176 subscribers.