Internet Protocol Television - IPTV

Internet protocol television (IPTV) is a process of providing television (video and/or audio) services through the use Internet protocol (IP) networks. These IP networks initiate, process, and receive voice or multimedia communications using Internet protocol. These IP systems may be public IP systems (e.g. the Internet), private data systems (e.g. LAN based), or a hybrid of public and private systems.

To get IPTV you need these key parts:

- Viewing devices or adapters
- Broadband access providers
- IPTV service providers
- Media content providers

This figure shows the how IPTV systems are composed of content providers, distribution networks, viewing devices, and IPTV service operators. The content providers include existing television networks, on demand content providers (content aggregators), and independent content provider companies. This example shows a distribution networks that uses many types of systems to transfer IP video packets from the content source to the viewing devices. IPTV viewing devices include standard televisions (with adapters), multimedia computers, and multimedia mobile devices. The IPTV system operator manages how customers can connect to the system which services they can receive.

IPTV System Diagram

The viewing devices or adapters convert digital television signals into a form that can be controlled and viewed by users. Broadband access providers supply the high-speed data connection that can transfer the digital video television signals. Service providers identify and control the connections between the viewing devices and the content providers (media sources). Media content providers create information that people want to view or obtain.

Media Content Providers

IPTV content sources can range from live TV networks (such as CNN) to niche on-demand content from micro-producers. IPTV systems can delivery an unlimited number of channels as each television set only require one TV channel connection which can be linked to any other TV source the IPTV operator can provide.

IPTV Service Providers

IPTV service providers obtain the rights to transmit media programming to their customers. While IPTV service providers may focus on provide TV services in geographic areas (such as where they own or control TV distribution rights), IPTV service providers can technically provide programming anywhere in the world they can reach customers through a broadband data connection.

IP Distribution Systems

IP distribution systems transfer media programs from the content sources to viewing devices. There are many types of systems that can distribute IP data packets which include telecom, wireless, cable TV systems, power companies (data over power line), and competitive access providers (such as new optical networks).

IPTV Viewing Devices

IPTV viewing devices can receive media in IP form and convert it into media that can be viewed by the user. IP viewing devices range from standard televisions that use IP set top boxes to convert IP video signals into a format that can be viewed on a standard television to mobile telephones with digital video viewing capabilities.

Related IPTV Definitions

Analog Television - ATV
Artifacts
Audio Channel
Audio Format
Audio Processing
Audio Profile
Audio Video - AV
Audio Video Interleaved - AVI
Audio Visual - A/V
Blurring
Broadcast Flag
Channel Selection
Community Content Programming
Composite Signal
Content Acquisition
Content Distribution
Content Feed
Content Processing
Content Provider
Content Rights Management - CRM
Contribution Network
Core Network - CN
Digital Fingerprint
Digital Home Standard - DHS
Digital Rights Management - DRM
Digital Storage Media - DSM
Digital Storage Media Command and Control - DSM-CC
Digital Television - DTV
Digital Video Broadcast - DVB
Digital Video Disc - DVD
Educational Access Channel
Electronic Programming Guide - EPG
Emergency Alert System - EAS
Enhancement Layer
Essence
Everything on Demand - EOD
Government Access Channel
Graphic User Interface - GUI
Graphics Processing
Helicopter Feed
High Definition Television - HDTV
High Profile - HP
Hybrid Set Top Box - HSTB
Infrared Blaster - IR Blaster
Infrared Receiver - IR Receiver
Ingesting Content
Intelligent Streaming
Interactive Applications
Internet Group Management Protocol - IGMP
Internet IPTV
Internet Protocol Set Top Box - IP STB
Internet TV - iTV
IPTV Accessories
Linear Television - Linear TV
Live Feed
Local Feed
Local Headend
Local Multichannel Distribution Service - LMDS
Long Tail Content
Media Player
Media Server - MS
Metadata Management
Metadata Normalization
Middleware Client
Middleware Compatibility
Movie Studio - Studio
Near Video On Demand - NVOD
Network Content
Network Feeds
Network Gaming
No New Wires - NNW
Off Air Feed
Offline Editing
Offline Storage
On Demand Programming
Pay Per View - PPV
Peer to Peer - P2P
Personal Content
Personal Video Recorder - PVR
Platform
Playout System
Private Television - Private TV
Production Control Room - PCR
Program Distribution
Program Guide
Public Access Channel
Remote Diagnostics
Residential Gateway - RG
Rights Consideration
Rights Management
Rights Model
Satellite Television
Scan Lines
SCART Connector
Scheduled Programming
Separate Video - S-Video
Sequential Couleur Avec MeMoire - SECAM
Simple Profile - SP
Sponsored Content
Statistical Multiplexer
Stereophonic - Stereo
Stream Thinning
Streaming
Streaming Audio
Streaming Video
Studio
Super Headend - SHE

IPTV Books

more details

IPTV Basics

This book explains how to provide television services over IP data networks. IPTV video technology is explained including video compression, audio compression and IP multimedia transmission. The functional parts of IPTV systems are described along with their operation and the key protocols that are used to manage IPTV networks.

$19.99 Printed, $16.99 eBook

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