IPTV

ABSTRACT

IPTV - Internet Protocol Television

IPTV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is a system where a digital television service is
delivered to subscribing consumers using Internet Protocol over a broadband network. It is
like cable TV, but it uses a broadband connection to the Internet instead of cable for the
delivery of video & voice services.

IPTV system has four key components:

Head end (Includes antenna, receivers, encoders, digital turnaround system),
Middleware (includes a client-server service Management software),
Broadband transport and access network and
Equipment at the client’s Premises (includes modem & set-top box).

Main applications of IPTV are Digital Broadcast TV, Web access, VOIP (Voice over Internet
Protocol), Video on Demand (VOD) and Music on Demand. Many of the major
telecommunication service providers are exploring IPTV as a new revenue opportunity from
their existing markets.

Umang Bhojawala IPTV

Pratik Patel
 INDEX

No. Title Page No.

1 Introduction 6
2 Difference between traditional TV & IPTV system 6
3 Service architecture of IPTV 7
4 IPTV Home application and services 9
5 IPTV Home distribution technology 10
6 Advantages & Disadvantages of IPTV 11
7 Comparing IPTV and Internet TV 12
8 Conclusion 13

Umang Bhojawala IPTV 2

Pratik Patel
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Title Page No.

2.1 Traditional TV Vs. IPTV 6
3.1 Service Architecture of IPTV 8
4.1 IPTV services together on one screen 10
5.1 Hybrid PLC/Cable/Ethernet Set-Top Box Concept 11

LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Title Page No.

1 Access Technologies 9
2 The Technologies & Applicable Standards 11
3 Comparing IPTV and Internet TV 12

Umang Bhojawala IPTV 3

Pratik Patel
 1. INTRODUCTION:
IPTV (Internet Protocol Television)
describes a system where a digital
television service is delivered to
subscribing consumers using the Internet
Protocol over a broadband connection.
IPTV, essentially, has two components:
Part 1: Internet Protocol (IP): The protocol
establishes a virtual connection between a
destination and a source. IP allows you to
address a package of information and drop
it in the system, but there’s no direct link
between you and the recipient.
Part 2: Television (TV): specifies the
medium of communication that operates
through the transmission of pictures and
sounds. We all know TV, but here we are
referring to the services that are offered for
the TV, like linear and on demand
programming.
IPTV: specifies the medium of
communication of pictures and sound that
operates over an IP Network.
IP/TV is a network-based application that
delivers live or prerecorded on-demand or
scheduled programs to an unlimited
number of users over any IP-based local-
or wide-area network. Synchronized
presentations and screen captures are also
supported, in addition to a wide range of
video management functions. IPTV is a
whole new interactive package that will
allow customers to watch TV, browse the
internet and make long distance calls using
VoIP and all this on their broadband
connection.
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
TRADITIONAL TV &
IPTV SYSTEM:
Television networks have traditionally
been a closed distribution system where
the television network determined which
program sources could reach viewers.
Television networks such as cable
television, satellite systems and VHF/UHF
transmission systems had a limited number
of channels (up to several hundred
channels).
IP television systems can be provided
through broadband communication
systems that can reach content providers
and viewers in any part of the world. This
allows IP television service providers to
offer many new content programs that
have not been available for standard
television distribution systems. New types
of content sources include personal media
channels, global television channels,
interactive media, public video sources and
private video sources.
Figure:2.1(Traditional TV Vs. IPTV)
4
Personal media channels allow viewers to
create their own television channel upload
their content such as pictures and videos
and share their content with other IP
television viewers. IP television systems
provide access to television channels
throughout the world. Some of the more
popular global television channels that are
available on IP television include news
channels, business channels and music
television. IP televisions may provide
access to interactive media such as games,
chat rooms and e-commerce shopping.
Figure shows some of the existing and new
types of IP television content providers.
3. SERVICE ARCHITECTURE
OF IPTV
The IP/TV network topology is based on
three levels of network hierarchy including
a head end, backbone, and access or
distribution network. Refer to Figure 3.1
for a generalized diagram of an IP/TV end-
to-end network. Note that it is not
uncommon for equipment to be inter-
mixed in locations. For example a head-
end site may also contain components of
the distribution network.
3.1.1 Head-End
Video content of the IP/TV network
originates from the top-level of the
hierarchy called a "head-end". As shown
in Figure3.1, typically the content enters
the network using satellite receivers.
Content may also be purchased from
another provider with a head-end and be
received via an IP or network connection.
To provide for redundancy of content, a
service provider may engineer the network
with multiple content sources to multiple
head-ends. Implementing redundancy will
limit downtime due to planned and
unplanned service interruptions and reduce
potential revenue loss.
The digital video content signal received
by the satellite must be processed through
several devices into a multicast channel.
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
First the content signal is aggregated to a
single focal point by a large dish to
increase the signal strength enough to be
detected by receivers. The signal
frequencies are then converted from the
high satellite frequencies to a standard set
of lower frequencies by a device called a
"down converter”. The signal is then
passed to several Integrated Receiver
Transcoders (IRT). Each IRT demodulates
a single channel signal, unscrambles the
signal, and re-modulates the signal as
output. Finally, a "video processor"
processes the signals from the IRTs,
uncompressed video, stored digital video,
"off-air" channels, and other sources into
MPEG encoded multicast channels to be
delivered over an IP network. If the
encoded format is the MPEG-2 standard,
the channel is encapsulated into 188 byte
envelopes. The first 4 bytes are MPEG-2
transport overhead and the last 184 bytes
Contain the video/ audio content. The
method used to represent video and audio
content signal was originally described as
MPEG-2 but many other standards are
evolving such as MPEG-4, MPEG-7,
MPEG-21, etc.
To manage stream descriptions, billing,
and stream access, “middleware” is
needed. Middleware is software that helps
a service provider to create, deliver, and
manage digital services including
broadcast IP/TV, VOD, pay-per-view
(PPV), high quality music, and more.
Figure 3.1 a server is used to aggregate all
of these functions but the functions can
also be distributed over multiple
components. Middleware components may
be centrally located or distributed
throughout the content network system.
IP/TV traffic usually does not flow
through the middleware components but
instead the middleware coordinates the
distribution of the streams. A DHCP server
provides dynamically allocated IP
addresses to customer premises located
STBs.
5

Figure: 3.1(Service Architecture of
IPTV)
The DHCP server enables ease of IP
address configuration plus provides the
STB with needed startup information to
allow for proper boot-up. The DHCP
server for STB addressing should be kept
separate from other services requiring
dynamic addressing in order to ease
trouble-shooting and coordination of
maintenance outages.
A video server(s) provides video content
for VOD, NVOD, and NRTVOD
applications. A service provider may
distribute video servers throughout the
content network in order to enhance traffic
engineering efficiencies of the network.
Traffic engineering costs of system and
network capacity should be accounted for
when planning for a VOD service.
A router may be installed at the head-end
location to segregate some components
from the multicast distribution network for
security purposes. Access control lists
(ACLs) can be put in place to avoid
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
security breaches. The router will also
serve as the Internet Group Management
Protocol version 2 (IGMPv2) querier for
the network. Although provisioned with
Multicast routing to enable IGMPv2
querying, the router will not be actually
'routing' IP multicast streams. IGMPv2 is
the protocol used by content servers as a
method of reporting the membership of a
multicast stream and by clients as a
method to acquire multicast streams. Refer
to RFC 2236 for more information about
IGMPv2.
The switch at the head-end location is a
layer-2 IP switch that can be used as an
aggregation point of all content streams
serves as a connection to the backbone to
distribution network.
3.1.2 Backbone
The backbone of the IP/TV network
system transports video content from the
head-end location to the distribution
networks. Depending on the
implementation, several transport
technologies may be used throughout the
backbone. A larger deployment may use
SONET/SDH rings to carry content
streams from the aggregation layer-2
switch at the head end location to layer-2
switches located at the remote distribution
networks. The streams are then switched to
the appropriate requesting Fiber Drive
system. An alternate implementation may
use a combination of SONET/SDH rings
with ATM to carry the streams.
A backbone that distributes video must be
built differently than a normal data
delivery network. Most data systems are
built with a statistical approach to capacity
planning. Statistically not all subscribers
are using the network at one time therefore
losses, retransmissions, and random delay
variances of packets are acceptable. Video
content traffic is a perishable commodity
and the network must be engineered to
avoid packet discard due to capacity
insufficiencies.
6
3.1.3 Distribution Network multicast streams from the Fiber Point and
The distribution network transports the forward them to multiple STBs within the
multicast content streams from the customer premises.
backbone to the customer premises
location. A layer-2 switch with IGMP
snooping enabled located at the edge of the 3.3 Some Key IPTV Technologies
distribution network receives the multicast
streams from the backbone network.
When IGMP snooping is enabled, the Access Technologies: Asymmetric
switch 'listens' to the IGMP conversation Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) & Very-
between the requesting hosts (STBs) and High- Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line
querier (router) to learn when to and when (VDSL) Access technologies which are
not to forward multicast streams. If capable of delivering higher Broadband
snooping is not enabled the switch treats data rates to the customer premises using
multicast traffic just like broadcast traffic the existing phone lines.
and forwards traffic out all ports. This is
an efficient use of bandwidth.
The role of the Fiber Drive system is to
coordinate the acquisition of streams
requested by the customer premises and
distributes them over the PON to devices
attached to the associated Fiber Point
Ethernet interface at the customer
premises. The switch forwards multicast
streams requested by the attached Fiber
Drive Optical Line Terminal (OLT) blade.
The OLT blade then forwards the stream
down the requesting PON. The Fiber Point
connected to STBs requesting the stream
then completes the stream delivery by
forwarding the stream out the Fiber Point
4. IPTV HOME APPLICATIONS
Ethernet interface. AND SERVICES
The main roles of the STB are to request
streams for viewing, display program Some key applications for initial IPTV
guides, and associate channel maps with deployment are the delivery of digital
streams requested by users. The STB broadcast television and user selected
requests a stream via the IGMPv2 Video on Demand (VoD). These
protocol, receives the associated multicast applications enable service providers to
stream, and then puts the stream into a begin offering the” triple play”– video,
signal format the attached television voice and data. Additional video
expects. Program guides are displayed by applications, which can be enabled after
the STB to help the user navigate through the IPTV infrastructure is in place, are also
program scheduling. The channel map is mentioned below.
used by the STB to associate streams with Some key applications and services
channels viewed by the end-user. enabled by IPTV are discussed below and
If more than a single STB or a data service illustrated in Figure.
is also provided by the Fiber Point, a
small, unmanaged switch should be 4.1 Digital Broadcast TV
located at the customer premises. The Conventional digital television has been
purpose of the switch is to receive the delivered to subscribers via an upgraded

Umang Bhojawala IPTV 7

Pratik Patel
cable TV plant or satellite systems. The
advent of higher-speed DSL technology
such as ADSL2, ADSL2+ and VDSL,
enables IPTV as a compelling and
competitive alternative. IPTV is currently
in testing, or planning, stages with a
number of telecom service providers in
North America, Europe and Asia (see
listing below). IPTV has the potential to
offer services that go beyond what
traditional broadcast, cable, and satellite.
TV providers have offered to subscribers
in the past. IPTV enables more content
variety with a larger number of channels.
This makes possible the availability of
very diverse content to serve the interests
of mass markets, specialized groups and
demographic communities.
Unlike conventional broadcast, cable and
satellite TV, where all channels are
simultaneously delivered (i.e. Broadcast)
to the subscriber home, IPTV only delivers
those channels which are being viewed by
the subscriber and has a potential to offer
practically an ‘unlimited’ number of
channels. Combined with a two-way
interactive capability, which is inherent in
IPTV because of its association with IP,
consumers will be able to control what
they want to watch and when. With a
robust internal network, subscribers will
have the ability to extend the experience
throughout the home or business.
4.2 Video on Demand (VoD)
The video-on-demand application provides
individual subscribers the ability to select
a video content and view it at their
convenience. This enables the service
provider to offer additional revenue-
generating services, such as:
Movies on demand, which the user
would select from a movie library
available at the Service.
Node Stored programming content,
such as sports events, television shows and
newscasts, which can be viewed at a later
time.
Unlike traditional cable/satellite pay-
per-view services where a limited number
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
of movies are broadcast and on fixed time-
slots, IPTV/VoD service would give users
more choices and the flexibility to watch
movies anytime at their convenience.
IPTV DISTRIBUTIONI
NHOMENETWO
Other compelling IPTV applications and
potential revenue-generating services,
which can be enabled once the initial IPTV
infra-structure is in place, are:
• Video telephony and Video
conferencing
• Remote Education, and
• Home Security/Monitoring Cameras
Figure
Figure 4.1 IPTV services together on
one screen
Figure 5.1 shows that IPTV brings digital
TV, VoD, internet access, media serving
and many other services together for easy
access throughout the home.
5. IPTV HOME DISTRIBUTION
TECHNOLOGIES
Once the IPTV pipe (i.e. xDSL modem) is
installed in the customer’s home, the
Service provider has to consider how best
to link the devices in the home to this
broadband connection.
Various home networking technologies
which utilize existing wiring – power
lines, phone lines, coax cables - and
wireless technologies are available
alternatives for IPTV distribution.
The technologies and applicable standards
are summarized in Table 2:
8

Table 2:
The Technologies & Applicable Standards
Figure 5.1 Hybrid PLC/Cable/Ethernet
Set-Top Box Concept
6. Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
There are many advantages of IPTV over
current digital or over the air broadcast TV
signals; here are a few of them.
Integration
Integration can be a great way for many
companies to offer several services in one
integrated package. For instance, IPTV can
also be packaged with normal broadband
Internet as well as VoIP (Voice over
Internet Protocol ). All these services can
be over one line sent directly to the
consumer. This means that costs can be
reduced and the consumer only has to deal
with one provider instead of possibly
three, making it more convenient.
Switched IP
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
Most home owners don't realize that cable
TV broadcasters and Satellite TV
broadcasters generally send all television
signals at one time and then the consumer
chooses which signal to show on the
television set. This means that lots of
bandwidth is used unnecessarily. With
switched IP (IPTV uses switched IP
technology), the entire process is more
efficient. All the TV data is held in a
center location and only the channel that
the consumer at home chooses is piped in.
This means much more bandwidth for
either better quality broadcasts or the
ability to add much more data choices due
to the fact that bandwidth is no longer such
a big issue.
Interactivity
Interactivity is much easier to perform
with IPTV than a normal cable, satellite or
broadcast TV system. Because IPTV is
delivered over the Internet where the
consumer already has a modem in place, it
is extremely easy for data to move from
the TV company to the house, as well as
data moving easily from the house back to
the TV company. There will surely be
many innovations on how to best interact
between the consumer and TV company
via television. Some ways interactive TV
is already used is to purchase products
directly from your TV set, such as buying
items seen on a commercial or even
ordering pizza. Another way that
interactive TV can be used is by people
requesting more information from their TV
set on a program that they watched such as
statistics while watching a baseball game.
In addition, there are many ways that
people can vote or take surveys while
watching their favorite TV program.
Home Network
Not only is your TV set hooked up to the
Internet, but all other computers in your
home are hooked up to the same network,
allowing you to use your TV to play media
9
files that are stored on other computers.
This may include digital photos, videos,
surf the web or play music. In addition,
many monitors have TV tuners built in or
can accommodate TV tuners making your
computer monitor an additional TV set in
the home.
fact, your TV may experience from time to
time a pack loss or delays. Your
experience can be significantly worse if
your IPTV connection is not up to par or
not quick enough.
Currently No Support for HDTV

Video on Demand (VOD) Most of the IPTV systems currently do not

support HDTV broadcasts. However,
Video on Demand (VOD) is an interactive technology is improving and since this is
feature that allows you to request an important issue most analysis state that
programs such as movies, TV shows, etc at this will be corrected in the near future.
your convenience. For instance, you might
want to watch an HBO special that has 7. Comparing IPTV and Internet
already took place. A few years ago, you TV
would have had to check the listings and
made time to watch it or recorded it on
your VCR or DVR. Today, you can easily
Table3
turn on your TV set, scroll through a menu
and request the programming that you
wish to watch. IPTV makes this
interactivity extremely efficient and
convenient.

Better Compression

IPTV produces a great picture and plenty

of programming options such as
interactivity, networking, integration, etc;
however it can also deliver better images
due to its compression. IPTV uses an
improved standard of compression than the
current digital television standard (FTA).
This means that not only are file sizes
being sent to your TV set smaller in size,
the quality of the TV image is higher.

Disadvantages

While the advantages of IPTV greatly

outweigh the disadvantages, there are a
couple of disadvantages that you should be
aware of.

Packet Loss

IPTV uses the same technology that other

types of data use to send and receive
information (Internet Protocol). Due to this

Umang Bhojawala IPTV 10

Pratik Patel
8. Conclusion
IPTV technology promises to make more
content available because of the limitless
nature of the switched digital video
architecture theoretically giving access to
niche content that has not previously been
available on TV. An IPTV service model
offers a complete broadcaster and
“Cable programmer” channel lineup,
including live programming delivered in
real time.
Additionally, it can offer a video on
demand (VOD) service and enables the
broadband service provider to develop new
and unique services to differentiate their
offering from competitors. The IPTV
solution is designed to combine industry
and Microsoft innovations to better
support the services that pay-TV operators
Umang Bhojawala IPTV
Pratik Patel
offer today, including standard- and high-
definition channels, on-demand
programming and interactive program
guides, with enhanced features such as
instant channel changing.
Finally, IPTV will offer increased control
of what is being watched, when, by whom
and how much. & this is increasingly
important.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPTV
• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_IP
TV_works
• http://www.indianofficer.com/foru
ms/science-technology-wiki/190-
what-iptv-how-does-work.html
• http://myhsc.pbworks.com/IPTV
11