Introduction
How IPTV Works
How Muvi Helps You Launch Your IPTV
Introduction
IPTV stands for “Internet Protocol Television.” IPTV is a system where by using the Internet Protocol, digital television services are delivered over the internet. Instead of being delivered through the broadcast formats or conventional cable, the video channels and programs are delivered to the television sets through a broadband connection. It supports both, the stored videos also called Video on Demand (unicasting) services and live TV (multicasting) . You can watch IPTV on a computer screen, a television screen (through a set-top box) or a mobile device like a mobile phone or an iPad.
How IPTV Works
IPTV streams video and TV as a continuous stream of data over the internet. Usually, IPTV service provider provides a set top box. The set top box connected to the DSL line, reassembles the packets into the consistent video streams and then decodes those content. However, there is no need of the set top boxes if someone is accessing the content from the computer.
IPTV services are of two types - Unicast and Multicast streaming.
Unicast stream is controlled by the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). It offers a DVD style control over the television programs. Users can play, pause or stop the programs they are watching. One can even live stream an event over the IPTV.
Whereas, the Multicast technology does not support the Video on Demand (VOD) services, because it necessitates a unique stream for a user. The local office needs to generate the unicast stream that targets a user to support the VOD services.
