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Chat => Tech Chat => Topic started by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 07:51:08 AM

Title: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 07:51:08 AM
Is NowTV IPTV? I thought it was skys attempt to get into the online streaming market, like browser or android/iOS based.

[This thread is split off from the discussion about NowTV: https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,22310.0.html (https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,22310.0.html) - roseway]

Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 08:26:56 AM
Is NowTV IPTV? I thought it was skys attempt to get into the online streaming market, like browser or android/iOS based.

one and the same thing.
"Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks."
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 08:48:56 AM
Ok, but my understanding of IPTV was that it was mostly multicast transmissions for live TV, as opposed to VOD type services like netflix or amazon prime.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 09:02:25 AM
Ok, but my understanding of IPTV was that it was mostly multicast transmissions for live TV, as opposed to VOD type services like netflix or amazon prime.

NowTV is live TV as well as VOD content.
IPTV doesn't *have* to be limited to just multicast.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 03:13:03 PM
I know this is just splitting hairs now, but the distinction between the two has to be there.

You wouldn't call netflix IPTV, or iplayer, so what makes nowTV IPTV? Just delivering content via an internet connection doesnt make it "IPTV". So it makes sense to me to call a service that delivers live content via multicast IPTV, if they happen to provide VOD as well then so be it. Does nowTV provide live TV via multicast, I cant find anything in the wikipedia page that suggests it does.  ???
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 03:20:30 PM
may i refer you to the wikipedia explanation of what IPTV is

Quote
Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded media, IPTV offers the ability to stream the source media continuously. As a result, a client media player can begin playing the content (such as a TV channel) almost immediately. This is known as streaming media.

Although IPTV uses the Internet protocol it is not limited to television streamed from the Internet, (Internet television). IPTV is widely deployed in subscriber-based telecommunications networks with high-speed access channels into end-user premises via set-top boxes or other customer-premises equipment. IPTV is also used for media delivery around corporate and private networks. IPTV in the telecommunications arena is notable for its ongoing standardisation process (e.g., European Telecommunications Standards Institute).

IPTV services may be classified into three main groups:

Live television and live media, with or without related interactivity;
Time-shifted media: e.g. catch-up TV (replays a TV show that was broadcast hours or days ago), start-over TV (replays the current TV show from its beginning);
Video on demand (VOD): browse and view items in a stored media catalogue.

as i said, multicast is irrelevant and it does not dictate whether something is "IPTV" or not.
NowTV clearly doesn't use multicast as that would require being in a specific ISP network for it to work.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 03:23:30 PM
Quote
Video on demand (VOD): browse and view items in a stored media catalogue.

So netflix is IPTV?

Just saying the term has no meaning if you extend it like that.

Is youtube IPTV?
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 03:26:04 PM
you seem to be fixating on the "TV" part of IPTV and assuming it has to mean live TV.

here's another article that explains what IPTV can include - https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-iptv-works.html
it does mention Multicast but at no point says that it can only ever be multicast.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 03:30:26 PM
Ok, agree do disagree, this has gone way away from the original topic.

Just saying that IPTV in most peoples minds is a service like BT vision (or whatever they call it now), and calling straight streaming services like netflix, iplayer or nowtv that is odd.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 03:38:17 PM
Just saying that IPTV in most peoples minds is a service like BT vision

is it? any stats to confirm that?

and calling straight streaming services like netflix, iplayer or nowtv that is odd.

NowTV does have live TV though, so does iPlayer.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 03:46:07 PM
NowTV does have live TV though, so does iPlayer.

Now whos fixated on live TV? Heh.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: chenks on August 24, 2018, 03:49:36 PM
Now whos fixated on live TV? Heh.

you it seems.
but hey, feel free to continue the intelligent debate, or bail out with idiotic responses.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 04:01:50 PM
I'm sorry man, I didn't want to get into a fight. :)  I can honestly say I still dont really know the definition of IPTV. Is it any service allowing the viewing of TV past or present via the internet? It just seems such a loose term.. sorry chenks and OP, lets leave it be.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: licquorice on August 24, 2018, 04:38:22 PM
Its extremely simple. TV delivered by means of an IP stream.

What you are really asking is 'What is TV?'
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: johnson on August 24, 2018, 05:02:22 PM
What you are really asking is 'What is TV?'

I don't think I am.

The distinction I'm getting at is that when someone says they "have IPTV" or they need settings to make "IPTV work on their router" they mean one of the multicast offerings from BT or talktalk. They do not mean netflix or amazon prime or youtube. In common parlance, video delivered over the internet is not IPTV. Is this an IPForum, do people play games online via IPGaming? Certainly delivered by IP, but its addition has no meaning here, so what does IPTV mean? Usually multicast streams to a set top box.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: shambly on August 24, 2018, 05:15:11 PM
I'd say IPTV is Television content delivered using Internet Protocol, rather than via traditional methods of Terrestrial, Satellite, or Cable. That content can be on demand, or 'broadcast'.

Simon
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: j0hn on August 24, 2018, 05:40:09 PM
IPTV is any TV delivered over IP.

NOW TV is IPTV it broadcasts using Unicast.

YouView IPTV channels are IPTV, it broadcasts using Multicast.

Equipment needs to support Multicast and many routers did not.
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on August 24, 2018, 06:03:24 PM
This topic interests me too.

I was once under the impression that IPTV was a standard, and that it used UDP protocol over IP, rather than TCP/IP.   That was an important distinction, since UDP does not retransmit lost/corrupt data.   In turn, that meant (iirc) that IPTV over DSL might mean operating with a higher SNRM, to compensate for lack of Re-tx.

I now suspect that I was wrong, and that IPTV is (or has become) a fairly vague term used to define any TV that is delivered to the end user over any IP protocol.  This simply distinguishes it from terrestrial or satellite broadcast, among other delivery methods.

Even when watching “live” freeview, my own TV is fed from a Myth TV server in a different room, with an ethernet connection to the front-end, under the TV.  So even though it is live freeview, is that IPTV, by accepted definition, and if not why not? :)

Happy to entertain other thoughts, I’m no expert!
Title: Re: What is IPTV?
Post by: kitz on August 24, 2018, 06:19:53 PM
Something I wrote >5yrs ago which is on the main site.

IPTV & Internet TV (https://kitz.co.uk/isp/IPTV.htm)

See   ~ What is the difference between IPTV & Internet TV? (https://kitz.co.uk/isp/IPTV.htm#IPTV_InternetTV)