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Industry News
IPTV deployment not without challenges, warns Detecon white paper
Feb 14, 2006 10:09 AM
Complex middleware and undifferentiated “me-too” video offerings from telcos pose potential threats to the roll out of IPTV services, according to a white paper from telecom engineering firm Detecon.
The white paper, “IPTV: Technology and Development Predictions,” offers predictions and caveats, as well as outlines an array of IPTV architectures and explains the core components of an end-to-end system.
According to the paper’s author, Dr. Patrick Pfeffer, Detecon chief network architect, most IPTV middleware is “far too complex,” and subsequent releases are likely to be even more complex. While software mitigates local loop bandwidth limitations, “that doesn’t outweigh the potential risks,” he said.
The paper also cautions that succeeding in IPTV will require more than offering “me-too” video services. While building IPTV networks is within reach, “succeeding in the market will require a dramatic culture change.”
Other key findings include:
- The Future of Television –Video on Demand? VOD might be the killer app, but it is not restricted to movies and also includes TV programming recorded with network personal video recorders. If VOD becomes a prevalent form of TV viewing, the current IPTV networks will not have enough bandwidth.
- Renewed CAPEX. The current ADSL network cannot support IPTV and must be overhauled, with double the CAPEX needed to future-proof the network.
- Small is Beautiful. There are many successful deployments of IPTV across the world. Most of them are by small- or medium-sized operators. Large operators are struggling.
To read an executive summary of the paper, visit www.deteconamericas.com/iptv_paper.shtml.
North America on-demand IPTV service aimed at Asian Americans
Feb 14, 2006 11:03 AM
Los Angeles-based GlobeVISION will launch an on-demand IPTV service for Asian Americans in North America.
According to company CEO and president Edward Bach, GlobeVISION PIE has inked deals for content with three media companies, including South Korea’s MBC and SBS. The company has also signed an agreement with CJ Media, South Korea’s largest cable media group. The deals will allow GlobeVISION to deliver tens of thousands of Korean and Chinese television shows and movies directly from Asia to the TV sets of subscribers in North America.
The service is available now on a trial basis in Southern California and will begin serving viewers across the United States and Canada July 1.
GlobeVISION's PIE Service is delivered through the subscriber's broadband Internet connection to a self-installed rented or purchased set top box that outputs directly to their television or home theater. Subscribers pay a monthly fee for on-demand access.
For more information, visit www.globevision.tv.
Verizon opens California to FiOS TV
Feb 14, 2006 11:09 AM
Verizon began offering 21,000 residents of Beaumont, CA, its FiOS service last week.
The introduction of FiOS TV in California brings the number of states where Verizon offers its new TV service to six. FiOS TV is already available in 14 north Texas communities near Dallas; Temple Terrace, FL; Herndon, VA, and surrounding parts of Fairfax County and Woburn, MA; and Massapequa Park, NY.
The company plans to expand FiOS TV service to Murrieta, a community of 80,000. Beaumont and Murrieta granted cable franchises to Verizon in November 2004 and September 2005, respectively. They were among the first cities in the country to grant such franchise agreements to Verizon.
For more information, visit www.verizon.net/fiostv.
Studies & Stats
Hardware, software security combination offers attractive CA, says report
Feb 14, 2006 11:15 AM
A combination of software digital rights management and hardware-based security may offer the best approach to content security, according to a new study from ABI Research.
In “Conditional Access and DRM: Focus On CATV, DBS and IPTV Platforms,” ABI presents the case for Downloadable Conditional Access systems (DCAS), in which the two technologies converge.
DCAS is a combination of traditional conditional access (CA) and the emerging downloadable software-based model. The hardware resides in the user's set-top box (STB), and interacts with downloaded security software to permit access to the content being received.
Traditional CA players such Scientific-Atlanta, NDS, Motorola and Nagravision are already getting on board with DCAS.
DCAS is important because it solves digital media's challenge: the legitimate transfer of content from the STB to an ancillary device such as a portable video recorder, according to ABI Research director of broadband and multimedia research Vamsi Sistla.
Meanwhile, program content is becoming a commodity. There are many more media sources and many more distribution paths. If a particular piece of entertainment is not made available for a wide variety of devices, consumers will look elsewhere, and its owner will lose.
DCAS's marriage of software with hardware-based encryption enables transfer of content from an STB to a personal media player or even a mobile phone.
The new study discusses the emergence of downloadable CAS and DRM. It discusses detailed forecasts and market trend analysis for OCAP, two-way-ready DCR devices and software-based DRM.
For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.
Home networking strategy offers competitive advantage, says report
Feb 14, 2006 11:20 AM
A home networking strategy can improve the competitiveness of an IPTV service vis-à-vis cable and satellite services, according to a new report from MRG.
“IPTV Home Networking Strategies, 2006,” also discusses how such a strategy will help to position IPTV operators against the PC and consumer electronics industries. According to the report, extending their management systems to include the home network will give IPTV operators an entry into the home that none of these competitors can match today.
IPTV operators also can use the home gateway and IPTV set-top box to provide both local- and network-based services. These strategies can give IPTV operators an important early lead because neither the cable nor satellite companies have the two-way communications infrastructure, or the set-top boxes, that can compete against these services.
The report examines available worldwide standards for home networks and home gateways and suggests various strategies and architectures for interconnecting both AV and PC devices in the home. It reviews the costs, risks and opportunities for each strategy.
For more information, visit www.mrgco.com.
IPTV Network
The latest happenings from around the world of IPTV
Feb 14, 2006 11:44 AM
TANDBERG TV acquires SkyStream
TANDBERG Television announced Feb. 8 that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SkyStream Networks, in Sunnyvale, CA.
SkyStream's high-density Mediaplex-20 and iPlex switched digital video headends for MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC encoding and transcoding are used extensively by IPTV operators in Asia, Europe and the United States.
For more information, visit www.tandbergtv.com.
Siemens names Tut Systems as SURPASS reseller
Siemens Communications has named Tut Systems as an authorized reseller of Siemens SURPASS Home Entertainment middleware. The SURPASS Home Entertainment solution has already made IPTV services a reality for more than 75 U.S. regional operators and many more service providers throughout the globe.
The reseller agreement will help Tut Systems augment its expertise in headend IPTV solutions.
For more information, visit www.tutsys.com and www.usa.siemens.com.
Globecast upgrades to Irdeto Pisys
GlobeCast has selected the Irdeto Digital TV content security solution for large operators to secure its satellite TV content distribution service worldwide.
GlobeCast has upgraded from Irdeto's M-Crypt control system for small to medium-sized operators to the Irdeto PIsys control system, a more comprehensive and scalable system. Both control systems use the same smart cards and set top boxes.
For more information, visit www.irdeto.com.
PanAmSat offers Vis-à-TV
PanAmSat is offering U.S. cable systems, DTH, IPTV and broadband network distributors an a la carte portfolio of international programming.
Named Vis-à-TV, the new business will acquire rights to programming and distribute the programming to cable MSOs, IPTV platforms and broadband Internet service providers either for linear subscription or VOD service.
For more information, visit www.panamsat.com.
Kasenna raises $11 million
Kasenna announced last week the closing of an $11 million round of funding. Led by Intel Capital with participation by all existing major investors, the private equity investment will be used to further accelerate the company’s growth in the domestic and international IPTV and cable markets as well as strengthen its balance sheet.
For more information, visit www.kasenna.com.
Varsity TV launches on Verizon FiOS
Varsity Media Group last week launched Varsity TV on Verizon's FiOS TV fiber-optic video service.
Varsity TV will be carried in FiOS TV's Expanded Basic package on channel 220 in current and future FiOS TV markets. FiOS TV is currently available in California, North Texas, Virginia, Florida, Massachusetts and New York.
For more information, visit www.varsityworld.com.
Denmark’s TDC chooses Alcatel
TDC, Denmark’s largest telecom and cable TV operator, has selected Alcatel for the deployment of its IPTV offering. The solution will include the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform and Alcatel’s services integration.
The Alcatel/Microsoft TV IPTV solution offers features such as instant channel change, personal video recorder with one-touch recording and pausing live TV and video on demand.
For more information, visit www.alcatel.com.
Alcom selects Latens for security
Ålands Datakommunication (Alcom) has selected IPTV and pay-TV software-based security company Latens to provide security for its IPTV services.
Alcom plans to multicast MPEG-2 single program transport stream (SPTS) content encoded as MPEG-2 (SD and HD) and MPEG-4/AVC video using IP streamers to IP-set top receivers provided by Kreatel. The middleware for the Alcom system is the Northport Modulution.
TV content will be encrypted using the Latens Stream Encryption Engine fed from an Anevia streamer. VOD Content provided by the Anevia VOD streamers will be encrypted by the Latens VOD Encryption Engine, with both VOD and TV services protected by Latens FCAS.
For more information, visit www.latens.com.
KyLinTV launches IPTV educational channels
KyLinTV in Plainview, NY, has premiered more than 700 hours of new educational programming for students of all ages with Geo and Why.
Together with Sun TV, Geo and Why offer a range of informative programs.
For more information, visit www.kylintv.com.
Controlware, T-VIPs announce distribution deal
Video access, transmission and management solutions provider Controlware has entered into a partnership with Norwegian T-VIPS to distribute T-VIP's products in North America.
The new relationship combines Controlware's expertise in video networking and management with T-VIPS's solutions for using IP networks to transport professional broadcast video.
For more information, visit www.cware and www.t-vips.com.
Sound Off
Expert forecasts IPTV universe with infinite channels, viewer interactivity
Feb 14, 2006 1:32 PM
Tony Kern opened some eyes at the just-concluded Competitive Technology Summit in Secaucus, NJ, when he forecasted a television landscape with a limitless number of channels.
The next generation of IPTV deployment also will introduce new methods of interactivity that allow viewers to navigate to details about how to buy the goods shown in the movie or program they are watching, said Kern, Deputy Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology Media & Telecommunications based in New York and Los Angeles.
Following his panel discussion at the Broadcast Engineering and Broadcasting & Cable magazine-sponsored summit, IPTV Update caught up with Kern to learn more.
IPTV Update: You’ve spoken of IPTV bringing about a seemingly limitless number of channels. That doesn’t seem to be the direction today. Could you explain where you believe the IPTV market is today and where you think it’s headed?
Tony Kern: I think right now most IPTV systems are set up to emulate tree and branch cable TV systems for lot of reasons. The way programming deals are structured, there’s now not flexibility around a la carte delivery and honestly, the companies working on IPTV don’t have a lot of experience in this area, and they are trying to advance video as fast as they can.
The really intriguing idea of IPTV is the possibility of an infinite number of channels to an infinite universe of users. Under this scenario, we may be seeing a Procter & Gamble Channel with all Procter & Gamble products. IPTV is headed toward becoming a multiple independent universe of product and program offerings.
IPTVU: Won’t the fact that it will be infinite make it tough for viewers to find the exact program they want?
TK: At that stage navigation becomes a serious issue. Back in the ‘60s, we went to 12 and 24 channels on cable. Navigation was thought to be an issue back then and now looking back it seems pretty amusing. This becomes a very serious problem in a thousand-channel universe.
Once IPTV is up and running in this infinite channel universe, the content and program opportunities will reveal themselves, and the deals will be cut to allow viewers access to the FOX or Turner movie libraries or Time Warner’s product portfolio. That is the way IPTV will play out ultimately.
IPTVU: It doesn’t seem like the traditional advertising model of buying a spot could sustain this infinite universe. After all, an infinite universe probably will mean an infinite splintering of audience.
TK: The other exciting thing IPTV offers is interactivity. It will allow marketers to target specific audiences with hot spots to request more information about a product or a person in a program — for instance on how to buy the outfit Angelina Jolie was wearing in the film in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
Hot spotting opens up a whole new revenue stream. It also lends itself to polling and search functions, and that is the future of IPTV.
IPTVU: Macromedia, before its acquisition by Adobe, began offering this sort of hot spotting with Flash. Is that the sort of thing you envision for the future of IPTV?
TK: There is clearly experimenting with it that’s going on today. The future of that world is choice and a consumer pull rather than the current push model. Rather than having content pushed at you, you will pull the content you desire.
How does IPTV impact branding, advertising and marketing? How would “Survivor” survive in a world where it is not pushed? It will require much more marketing push so people know where to get it and see it.
IPTVU: You sound optimistic about the future of IPTV.
TK: I think IPTV is the future of video distribution and the future of interactive television. It solves many of the problems around consumer choice, distribution and advertising. IPTV opens up some privacy concerns depending on the level of secure interactivity, but once the privacy issues are solved, IPTV opens up the whole world of opportunity and choice. The advertising support structure of legacy broadcasting comes full circle when this new distribution architecture is finally rolled out.
Tell us what you think!
IPTVU invites response from our readers. Please submit your comments to editor@broadcastengineering.com. We’ll follow up with your comments in an upcoming issue.
New Products and Technology
Entriq rolls out Ad Delivery Service
Feb 14, 2006 1:56 PM
Entriq will introduce its Entriq, an integrated advertising and content serving platform that allows content companies to provide both ad-supported and pay-media to consumers using a single technology platform.
Like Entriq’s existing pay-media solutions, the new integrated platform works across all digital channels, including broadband, mobile and IPTV.
Core features of Entriq’s solution include:
- Cross-platform capability that allows companies to sell content across a host of channels;
- Access control and protection of content with digital rights management policies for all types of media on any device;
- A complete authentication, billing and customer care infrastructure;.
- An easy-to-use interface with a drag-and-drop capability.
For more information, visit www.entriq.com.
Brix Networks rolls out IPTV service assurance portfolio
Feb 14, 2006 2:01 PM
Brix Networks has unveiled its new BrixVision IPTV service assurance portfolio, a comprehensive offering that gives service providers visibility into the quality of video content, the underlying delivery infrastructure and the overall customer experience.
The portfolio delivers service providers with root-cause analysis to identify IP transmission versus video quality impairments, monitoring of end-to-end video quality, and proactive monitoring and management of their subscribers' experience.
Brix Networks also has introduced the IPTV Infrastructure Verification Package, the initial offering within the BrixVision portfolio that allows providers to perform continuous, proactive testing of their multicast infrastructure quality.
For more information, visit www.brixnet.com.
Dayang unveils 32-channel multi-display controller
Feb 14, 2006 2:07 PM, All
Dayang will introduce the MagicWall 5000, a multi-display controller that allows up to 32 SDI video sources to be displayed simultaneously on a single 1600 x 1200 pixel flat-panel screen or paired screens, at NAB2006 in Las Vegas.
Switchable dual DVI outputs with integral de-interlacing enable it to feed the second array at an adjacent desk or in a separate suite. This gives studio installers the option of positioning monitor arrays immediately behind the control desk, providing channel supervisors with a precise view of the program feed and accompanying data.
The MagicWall 5000 incorporates 32 auto-sensing analog and SDI inputs. Two-channel or four-channel audio level can be displayed alongside each image together with a text-based under-monitor-display-style source identifier. Network-sourced or GPS-sourced time and countdown can also be displayed.
For more information, visit www.dayang.com.
Hitachi to introduce Sinelink
Feb 14, 2006 2:24 PM
Hitachi Kokusai Electric will highlight a new series of RF license-free transmission systems for use in the transport of video over TCP/IP networks at NAB2006 in Las Vegas.
The Sinelink series is designed for broadcasters and facility managers who need to easily wireless transmit digital signals where physical or environmental obstructions exist.
Sinelink-24 operates in the 24GHz band and delivers a 56Mb/s bi-directional payload; Sinelink-60 operates in the 60GHz band, delivering a bi-directional payload of 1.485Gb/s. Both are versatile, license-free, digital RF transmissions systems intended for broadcast and industrial use.
Sinelink provides a wireless data link that overcomes physical obstacles in the extension of or reach of a LAN, WAN or MAN. It can be used to transmit SDI video as well as data via RJ45 and TCP/IP protocol on GB-LAN networks.
For more information, visit www.hitachikokusai.us.
Softel-USA announces MediaSphere support for IP-based carousels
Feb 14, 2006 2:28 PM
Softel-USA has demonstrated DOCSIS Set-top Gateway delivery via GigE direct to Cable Modem Termination System signaling.
This breakthrough, based on IP technology, leverages the MSO’s existing high-speed data networks to deliver firmware upgrades as well as interactive applications and content to OCAP set-top boxes.
MSO requests for this technology required Softel-USA to develop it ahead of the specification. Softel-USA is involved with CableLabs to help create the final DSG specification.
The development will help Softel-USA clients to rollout full, one-screen interactivity with a nationwide footprint.
For more information, visit www.softel-usa.com.
