IPTV

With Internet Protocol Television ( IPTV), the transmission of television programs and movies is referred to using the Internet Protocol. In contrast to these are the transmission paths cable TV, DVB- T or satellite. IPTV is thus a generic term which can be found in many different forms. The various forms ranging from a simple IPTV via computer or mobile phone to special devices, where the user does not notice that he uses the internet to do this because he served on the TV set-top box like Apple TV or T-Home Media Receiver 300

• 7.1 Warranty of IPTV provider

• 8.1 Financing Models
• 8.2 to revenue, and users
• 8.3 Technical scope and market penetration
• 8.4 IPTV division transmitter to broadcast television stations
• 8.5 Internet Service Provider against broadcast network operators
• 8.6 Some IPTV relevant market figures

Definition

The term IPTV is not used uniformly. Subsequently, the well-known definitions:

• The International Telecommunication Union defines IPTV far as " multimedia services ", such as television, video, audio, text, images and data that are sent over IP - based networks and the required level of quality ( QoS / QoE ), security, interactivity and reliability provide.

• The German Association IPTV IPTV defined in the statute as the transmission of moving images with the help of the Internet Protocol using any devices (mobile, stationary, etc. ) and all forms of IP-enabled networks ( open and closed networks ). The operation of IPTV in closed networks is called Secure IPTV. However, if the Internet is used as a transmission system, it is called WebTV or Internet TV. Mobile IPTV turn allows a non-local IPTV use by the use of a radio link to an IP-based network.

• Defined the German TV platform in the founding meeting their ' Working Group IPTV "in the fall of 2007, the " so-called IPTV " as" a new form of distribution based on the Internet Protocol ' ( IP) ", and bordered this case also against the from Internet - TV as follows: Subscribers - - When IPTV from a telecommunications provider a certain group of users is a solid program Bouquet with defined quality in its broadband network provided.
• In contrast, when Internet television ("TV over Internet " ), any content or programs that are freely available on the net accessible anytime and anywhere be downloaded by anyone.

• Commenting on the current legal Kempermann / Pieper IPTV define as a TV service over a closed network.

• Some program content provider IPTV understand by the freely accessible transport of moving images over the Internet. In this use of the term is the free access to the contents in the foreground and less the aspect of secure network transmission.

Local offers

France was in June 2008 with 8.5 million IPTV customers compared to 6 million customers for cable television as the largest IPTV market, also due to the small technical reach of cable TV ( only ¼ of households reached) and the comparatively small range of programs in DVB-T offer. Also in Hong Kong, the number of users of IPTV have overtaken those of cable television. Received In comparison, in Germany only 0.4 % of all TV households, or 1% of all broadband households IPTV.

In Germany, IPTV, depending on the classification of the offer, regulated by the Telemedia Act 2007 and / or by the State Broadcasting Treaty.

As important features of IPTV support of the Next Generation Network, Bi-directional networks, real -time and non -real -time services are provided. The DVB standard for IPTV called DVB- IPTV.

Transmission method

Open Internet vs. closed networks

IPTV is offered in the dissemination of a telecommunications service by means of a closed network infrastructure. Thanks to new video data compression and broadband Internet access, it is possible to offer live TV or video via the open Internet. This form is called partly Internet TV. Unlike IPTV over closed networks and conventional TV no ​​function guarantees exist for freely available Internet TV, because no Internet service provider guarantees a minimum bandwidth. It is also technically possible that an Internet access provider regulates the bandwidth of competing services. The extent to which such action is permitted, is currently being discussed politically under the heading of net neutrality.

With regard to the principal functional capabilities both options IPTV over closed networks and open access (IPTV transmission over the Internet or via a high- availability network) are largely identical. Using client-side buffer technique that can compensate for the variations of the download performance of open networks temporarily and as a statistical average, meet after a WDR study depending on the image size is already data rates with more than 2.5 Mbit / s download performance to a to achieve adequate video quality. With ever increasing data rate specific networks will be obsolete very quickly and have already problems to succeed in the market.

In addition to technical, there is also a legal point of view. The most providers distribute the signals on the basis of contracts with broadcasters, cable retransmission. However, these usually involve having regard to § 20b of the Copyright Act of dissemination via its own network beyond. About external networks (including 3G or LTE networks ), the signals may not be transferred.

Proponents of IPTV over closed networks argue that the stock of high-definition TVs in the home currently is constantly increasing and s need these bandwidths of more than 4 Mbit / for adequate SDTV image quality. For HDTV data rates would be more than 8 Mbit / s required; In addition to per household also more televisions can be operated at the same time, which would cause a respective multiplication of bandwidth. Therefore, IPTV proponents assume a future needs of Internet bandwidth of at least 30-50 Mbit / s per household and are of the opinion that such bandwidth IPTV and a similar quality of service on the open Internet medium can not be guaranteed.

Client- server Vs. Peer-to- Peer

The video data are transmitted from network-based video servers to the clients. The load caused thereby in the network is determined by the spatial distribution of the video server in the network. When concentration of the video server to a locality it comes very quickly through the star-shaped distribution overloading the network.

In a peer - to-peer connection, however, the video data is not transferred from a central server, but the receiver collects the video data of a contribution of many distributed servers (mostly by other users) on. This distributed algorithm, the video data can be transmitted simultaneously in each network segment more than once or in both directions.

Unicast vs.. multicast

In the data transmission from the transmitter streaming server for IPTV reception system, there are two methods:

• Unicast: Unicast each viewer is an individual data stream. This allows the viewer the starting point of the broadcast or video spot individually determine ( video-on -demand service). This leads to a parallel ehöhten network load, as each stream requires bandwidth.

• Multicast: Proceedings all recipients will receive same data from the transmitter. This means that only linear broadcast TV is initially possible (linear, since the order of the items is not influenced by the user ). This corresponds essentially to the principle of broadcasting. Compared to unicast the multicast has the advantage that the network load for the transmitter does not increase with the number of participants. In receiver networks, the network load increases nonetheless significant. However, a video-on -demand service is not possible. As a compromise, it is possible to provide a near video -on -demand service, in which the video is repeatedly broadcast at different times. The maximum waiting time for a video is then the time interval of repetition.

Data rate

The data rate required to transmit moving pictures of the sender to the receiver depends on the coding used. Common factors are:

• Resolution
• Color depth
• Image changes
• Number of audio channels
• Possibly synchronous additional information

Video content is typically used VC1 and H.264. For PAL or (SDTV ) Quality ( Standard Definition Television ) is required, a data rate of an average of 2-6 Mbit / s. For HDTV, a data rate of an average of 6-16 Mbit / s is necessary. This requires a broadband connection to the subscriber is necessary ( for example, DSL, ADSL2/VDSL, cable modem).

Sat -over- IP technology

As a new variant of the direct satellite reception, the so-called satellite over-IP technology (also called SAT > IP) call. It allows you to convert the satellite signals from DVB -S and DVB -S2 near the receiving unit ( LNB) into IP packets for distribution in local area networks. Television reception can take place via appropriate DLNA clients.

Receivers

IPTV over closed networks needed for technical reasons, a shared from IPTV operators device (set -top box ) for the reception on the TV. For the reception on the PC, the user must know the multicast addresses of TV streams to the programs to be received with appropriate software (eg VLC player). A program offering may be restricted (among PC or set- top box, TV ) for copyright reasons on a particular type of output. These boundaries are blurred, however, by the fact that PCs are connected to the TV or TV signals can be played back on the PC. The terminal receives the IPTV data streams over an Internet connection, this is divided into sub-streams on (audio, video, data, etc. ), and provides a decoded image and audio signal to the video audio output unit. Due to license genuine reasons occurs frequently through the set- top box decryption of video signals. This is the main reason for the provider to allow only certain boxes.

The following IPTV terminals there are:

• PC: As a rule, only one software installation required ( for example, MediaPortal or LinuxMCE ), with also an image output on a TV is possible.
• UMTS mobile phones and other mobile devices with large display are IPTV -capable. (see: Mobile TV )
• Set- Top Box: For this, the IPTV set -top box is generally connected on one side to the router (internet ) and on the other side of the SCART connector or the HDMI input of the TV. Pure IPTV television sets there are not yet on the market, but there are now flat screens ( LCD-TV/LED-TV ) with integrated internet connection (LAN / WLAN) and the necessary software (for example from Panasonic / Vieracast, Samsung, Sony, Loewe )
• IP -Box: proprietary boxes to connect the TV to the Internet, such as AppleTV, Boxee / DLink, or boxes based on the Software Google TV
• Digital Signage and other advertising and information display systems. ( The return channel is rarely used. )
• Kiosk systems are displayed in the video data.
• Game console hardware arrangement similar to set- top boxes.

IPTV services and additional interactive functions

IPTV offers more than the classic TV picture transmission. A truly integrated return channel of IPTV to a variety of functions for the audience, some of which are also known from the interactive television, DVD players or VCRs opened.

• Search and recommendation of video clips or TV stations. The search is done by specifying plain text queries or with the help of the audience profile that knows the preferences ( TiVo ). This information is meta information (tags ) compared results of image recognition systems and algorithms of the semantic network and adequate proposals generated ( see also Theseus ).
• Video -on-demand (or database - TV) allows you to play any video contribution at any time. ( Video podcast is often used interchangeably. )
• Near- Video -on- Demand: Enables playback of any video contribution to fixed predetermined starting times.
• Timeshift TV is a restricted video-on -demand service, where the viewer can access only content that it previously on a storage medium (usually disk) in the terminal ( PVR Video Recorder) or server side ( nPVR - network ( based) - Personal Video Recorder) has recorded.
• Access to electronic program guides
• Subtitle
• Teletext
• Switching of multi-channel audio and foreign language channels
• Purchase transactions and T -Commerce
• Features of Web2.0: The viewer can recommend to make comments on posts and keywords for video and IPTV channels and thereby improve the quality of service.
• The viewer can create custom playlists ( compilations of video clips ) and share them with other viewers available. The editorial (selection and order) is shifted to the viewer.
• The uploading of video contributions.

Legal Aspects

A German provider of IPTV offering has a number of federal, state and supranational laws and regulations observed.

The essential components are according to the new regulations in 2006:

• The State Broadcasting Treaty ( Interstate Broadcasting Agreement ) in its 9th version (in force since March 2008), or the 10th version (effective from 1 September 2008), and in conjunction therewith
• The Telemedia Act ( TMG)
• The Copyright Act ( Copyright Act). According to § 87 Section 1 No. 1 i.V.m. § 20b Copyright Act also requires the cable retransmission within the framework of an IPTV offering a license of broadcasting organizations.
• Note the country's media law in the respective province and, where appropriate, apply for a license
• Directive 89/552/EEC ( Television without Frontiers Directive )

Depending on the offer, as with any economic activity, are more law provisions:

• Control by the Commission on Concentration in the Media ( KEK )
• As a provider of programs in which the audience can participate via premium rate numbers to the Telecommunications Act
• The Federal Data Protection Act ( BDSG ), provided that stores personal data, for example as part of a viewer's registration,
• Note the Youth Media Protection State Agreement and appoint a youth protection officer or failing that, a device of the self-regulatory join if it is impairing development or adult content generally accessible or available to refer to a video search engine on appropriate content could
• The regulations on distance selling law in the Civil Code, for completing sales or service contracts using the service,
• The Law Against Unfair Competition ( UWG) note, if he operates or misleading comparative advertising,
• The Copyright Act ( Copyright Act) note, when using foreign film. This applies also and especially for user-generated content services provider. He is obliged to inspect incoming materials and possibly to remove. He also must observe the copyright when it converts as communication provided for convenience only movies from one data format to another, or caches (temporary).
• To respect the regulations of the Society for Musical Performing and Mechanical Reproduction Rights ( GEMA), where he used music by a third party. In this connection it is also to be observed to obtain any necessary synchronization rights for music publishers and record companies, in individual cases,
• Note the Patent Act ( IPA) and do not use any patented IPTV Ausspielverfahren.

Ensuring the IPTV provider

In IPTV ensures IPTV providers the functionality of the television reception at the client. When transmitting data on the general Internet ( Internet TV ) the provider can not assume such a responsibility, as the network and the terminal used outside its sphere of influence.

Economic Importance

Financing models

Currently, there are at least three types of refinancing of IPTV:

• Viewers financed IPTV subscription
• Pay -per-view

Revenue, and enhance user

By 2012, could prevent about 2.5 million households in Germany are using IPTV. Thus, another TV transmission in addition to cable, satellite and antenna established. This forecast comes from Gold Media and BITKOM. The recoverable with IPTV direct revenues increase. According to the study it can be 2012, more than 420 million euros. The revenue forecast takes into account the basic fees for the TV packages and revenue from pay- TV fees, video-on -demand and pay additional services, do not apply, however, are advertising revenues and indirect revenues, which in the marketing of triple-play packages to telephony and broadband Internet accounts.

Compared to other EU countries, Germany is the TV by Internet protocol currently back. In France, in June 2008 was 8.5 million IPTV customers. Even Italy and Spain are significantly further.

Technical coverage and market penetration

Any refinancing of the above models are gaining in importance, the higher the technical reach of IPTV is (whether PC or STB - based or mobile devices ).

• PC-based IPTV: According to estimates from 2004 were to be sold by 2010 almost 17 million broadband connections. This has already been surpassed: The Association of Telecommunications and Value-Added Services estimated in 2007 that by the end of 2007, 19.1 million DSL lines connected in Germany. Thus, a significant target group of potential users of PC -based IPTV services is already accessible. According to a representative survey conducted by the polling institute Forsa every second Internet user uses ( 49%, about 25 million German citizens ) corresponding IPTV offerings. Dominant short video clips and web TV content while long formats are still under-represented with TV - like character in its use.
• STB -based IPTV: For the German market currently (as of September 2007) any official subscriber numbers known. In 2006, there were 3.6 million IPTV subscribers, of which 2.4 million in Western Europe worldwide. Market researchers predict that by 2010 more than 1.3 million German households will receive TV via IPTV set - top boxes. The number of IPTV customers of Deutsche Telekom claims to 2007 was only five-figure, 116,000 were IPTV in January 2008, then reported by Deutsche Telekom.
• Mobile IPTV: According to a study by the Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media more than 6.5 million cell phones were UMTS - capable in 2006. In 2010, a UMTS subscriber base of almost 9 million is expected. (see mobile TV)

IPTV - themed channels to broadcast television stations

Experts believe that IPTV will cause a similar change of the television market, as they already had the music industry at the beginning of the millennium are going through. It is predicted that small ( genre, divisions and niche ) transmitter ( mainstream ) transmitter will win together significant market share at the expense of established ones. Aggregators that collect small-scale production, try to bundle these thematic channels and special interest contributions and market. They also provide a strong competition to the established TV channels dar. the market is being increasingly diversify and advertising total budget must be distributed among more and more IPTV and radio stations and contributions. Established stations try to counter this development with its own IPTV performances and participations in aggregators. However, the displacement process is running on Internet TV and IPTV, since users do not see the difference yourself. WEBTV, IPTV and Internet TV is understood as a synonym to receive television over the Internet on the PC. The First: library or ZDFmediathek not distinguish the terms, but give the users in addition to other portals only menus on the hand, moving pictures through various divisions / programs to be able to see. Experienced Internet TV users to switch to high higher quality IP TV, if the bandwidth of the browser-based Internet television is not enough. In this case, more and more niches, Rügen.TV, Venture.TV Hunde.TV become major channels. So now operates every football league club as well as many other smaller football clubs own IPTV service. The mass of small suppliers increases and binds their web-based communities.

First large displacement processes found today (1/ 07) instead of this.

ISP against broadcast network operators

With the ability to operate IPTV, contact your ISP in direct competition with television broadcasting operators. In particular, satellite and cable operators try with additional interactive features to prevent this trend.

Some Internet service providers acquire rights to broadcast television content and thus engage directly in the market for television stations.

Internet service provider ( usually in combination with a specific telephone company ) now show customers the most important electronic communication media in a package offer (telephony, Internet access, TV ( triple play ) and additional mobile telephony ( quadruple play ) ).

Some IPTV relevant market figures

Special applications for IPTV

In addition to the classical use of IPTV in a closed broadband network for the regional supply of end users, this solution offers a number of special applications. These applications include areas which increased demands on the transmission medium, in terms of noise immunity, provide or wish to use convenient functions that can not be realized by a traditional TV distribution.

IPTV providers

• A1 cable TV ( AT)
• German Telekom: Telekom Entertain
• Green.ch
• MYGATE
• O2 Telefonica Germany (formerly Hansenet Alice TV)

• Marketing was in April 2012, the whole service was in 2013 [ deprecated] set end.

• Sunrise
• Swisscom
• Vodafone