What Is Internet Protocol Television?

Internet Protocol TV is a kind of interactive Internet TV, including digital TV, which provides home users with a broadband cable TV network that integrates multiple technologies such as Internet, multimedia, and communication. It uses a computer or a set-top box + TV to complete the functions of receiving video on demand programs, video broadcasts, and surfing the web. It uses efficient video compression technology to make the video stream transmission bandwidth close to DVD when the bandwidth of 800Kb / s is reached. It can develop video Services such as live video streaming on the Internet, long-distance true video on demand, program source production, etc.

Internet Protocol TV

IPTV uses a computer or a set-top box + TV to complete functions such as receiving video-on-demand programs, video broadcasting, and surfing the web. It uses high-efficiency video compression technology, so that the video stream transmission bandwidth at 800Kb / s can have a viewing effect close to DVD (usually the video stream transmission bandwidth of DVD needs 3Mb / s). In terms of long-distance true video on demand and program source production, it has a strong advantage and is a brand-new technology concept.

Problems Existing in Traditional Television Broadcasting Traditional television is a one-way broadcast method, which greatly limits the interaction between television viewers and television service providers, and also limits the personalization and instantiation of programs. If a television viewer has no interest in all the channel content being broadcast, he or she will have no choice. This is not only a loss of time for TV viewers, but also a waste of resources for cable TV service providers. In addition, it is inconvenient for many viewers to broadcast a specific content program in a specific period of time. A night shift viewer may want to watch the news sometime in the morning, and a passenger preparing to board a train would like to watch a video of a football match scheduled for the evening before leaving home. It seems impossible now.

IPTV uses the infrastructure of a broadband cable television network and uses home televisions as the main terminal appliances to provide a variety of digital media services, including television programs, through Internet protocol. Features are manifested in:

1) Users can get high-quality (near DVD level) digital media services.

2) Users have a wide range of freedom to choose video programs provided by various websites on the Broadband IP network.

3) Realize the substantial interaction between media providers and media consumers. The playback platform used by IPTV will be a typical representative of the new generation of home digital media terminals. It can be configured with a variety of multimedia service functions according to user choices, including digital TV programs, video IP phones, DVD / VCD playback, Internet browsing, email , And a variety of online information consulting, entertainment, education, and business functions.

4) It provides a vast emerging market for network developers and program providers. At present, China's communications industry is developing rapidly, and users are increasingly demanding information services, especially broadband video information. It can be said that China has basically possessed the technical and market conditions for vigorously developing IPTV.

Generally speaking, IPTV and digital TV have similarities and differences. The technical experts of Fiberhome Networks explained the similarities and differences between the two from the following aspects.

1. Technology System

The IPTV system is also called interactive television. Its system structure mainly includes subsystems such as streaming media services, program editing, storage, and authentication and billing. The main content stored and transmitted is streaming media files with MP-4 as the encoding core. For network transmission, a content distribution service node is usually set up at the edge, and a streaming media service and a storage device are configured. The user terminal may be an IP set-top box + TV, or a PC.

The cable digital television broadcasting network adopts the HFC network system, which is the same as the traditional analog cable television network architecture, and the network system will be different when a new type of interactive business is carried out (such as VOD). The cable digital TV VOD system mainly includes VOD service, program editing, storage, and authentication and billing systems. The main storage and transmission content is MP-2TS stream, which uses IPOVERDWDM technology and is based on DVDIP optical network transmission. It is different from the IPTV distributed architecture. The cable digital TV VOD system uses a centralized service architecture. There is no need to configure a video server for content storage and distribution at the HFC sub-head. It only needs to place DWDM receivers and GAM modulation equipment, which greatly reduces the system. Operating cost and management complexity, the user terminal is a digital set-top box + TV. At present, the domestic digital TV industry chain has basically formed, and there have been many digital TV set-top box manufacturers, front-end equipment manufacturers, and system integrators.

2. Business content

IPTV has very flexible interaction characteristics, because it has the inherent advantages of symmetric interaction of the IP network. Its programs can be broadcast, multicast, and unicast in the network. Can be very flexible to achieve electronic menus, program reservations, real-time fast forward, rewind, terminal account and billing management, program scheduling and other functions. In addition, other content services based on the Internet can also be launched, such as online games, email, and electronic financial management.

Cable digital television adopts broadcasting mode. If video on demand is to be realized, the original HFC broadcasting network must be transformed in both directions. Under normal circumstances, only interactive channels related to daily life information are opened. If digital TV needs to support video on demand, it is also supported through the IP network entered by CALBEMODEM, which is actually IPTV. Hangzhou's digital IPTV system is exactly this model. From the perspective of the content services provided, digital cable TV is not as good as IPTV.

3 Main advantages

The main selling points of IPTV are interaction and the expansion of services within the Inter network. IPTV can also easily combine TV services with Internet browsing, e-mail, and a variety of online information consulting, entertainment, education, and business functions, and will be in an advantageous position in future competition.

The selling point of digital TV is mainly high-definition image quality.

4 user group

The market user groups of both are home users, only one relying on cable and one relying on broadband, which brings similar benefits to users.

5. Prospects

For a long time there will be a situation where the two coexist. The development of digital television is a nationally planned policy. IPTV adds a program channel to many television programs and does not replace cable digital television. Because IPTV's real-time broadcast has a certain cost of use, it is not significant to completely replace cable or satellite TV with IPTV. However, because of the many attractive features of IPTV, it is still very vital as an independent program channel. From the perspective of the development of the information industry, IPTV is also the largest entry point for the integration of the three networks.

In 2005 and 2006, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued four IPTV national licenses and local licenses for Shanghai Wenguang, CCTV International, Southern Broadcasting Media, and Zhejiang Broadcasting Corporation.