The End of TV as We Know It (IPTV)

[Digobick]

This sounds promising. Plus, anything that speeds up my internet connection even more is a good thing.

We live in the age of the digital packet. Documents, images, music, phone calls - all get chopped up, propelled through networks, and reassembled at the other end according to Internet protocol. So why not TV?

That's the question cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner and Baby Bells like SBC and Verizon have been asking. The concept has profound implications for television and the Internet. TV over Internet protocol - IPTV - will transform couch-cruising into an on-demand experience. For the Internet, it will mean broadband at speeds 10, 100, or even 1,000 times faster than today's DSL or cable. Online games would be startlingly realistic; the idea of channels would seem hopelessly archaic. Why not indeed?

It will be accompanied by another, equally critical change. Instead of broadcasting every channel continuously, service providers plan to transmit them only to subscribers who request them. In effect, every channel will be streamed on demand. This will free up huge amounts of bandwidth for hi-def TV and high-speed broadband. Add IP and you get interactive services like caller ID on your TV. And the system will be able to track viewing habits as effectively as Amazon tracks its customers, so ads will be targeted with scary precision. Put it all together and you've got television that's as intensely personalized as 20th-century broadcasting was generic.

Full Article

 

[DanTMWTMP]

a lot of appliances will have an IP addy once IPv6 comes into full effect.

They were talking about TV's being connected to the internet using IPv6 technology during in the 90's

The vast majority of our nic's still use IPv4


but cool news to those who haven't heard about it yet

 

[Kelemvor]

It's all theory for now. Remember how your refrigerator was going to order your groceries for you because you'd scan items as you took them out... Anyone actually have a fridge that does that? Yeah, didn't think so.

But I agree that it does sound really cool and would be neat if it did come into effect.

 

[Digobick]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
a lot of appliances will have an IP addy once IPv6 comes into full effect.

They were talking about TV's being connected to the internet using IPv6 technology during in the 90's

The vast majority of our nic's still use IPv4

but cool news to those who haven't heard about it yet

The way I read it, these TVs won't be connected to the internet. Instead, they'd be using IP addresses assigned internally by the provider (SBC, Verizon, etc.) on a local network.

I supposed they could be assigned an internet IP address at later time though (when IPv6 gains momentum), but for now there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[DnetMHZ]

I can see it now.

"Hey did you catch that game last night Joe?"

"No Bob, my TV got hacked and instead of the game I got goats.... "

 

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: Digobick

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
a lot of appliances will have an IP addy once IPv6 comes into full effect.

They were talking about TV's being connected to the internet using IPv6 technology during in the 90's

The vast majority of our nic's still use IPv4

but cool news to those who haven't heard about it yet

The way I read it, these TVs won't be connected to the internet. Instead, they'd be using IP addresses assigned internally by the provider (SBC, Verizon, etc.) on a local network.

I supposed they could be assigned an internet IP address at later time though (when IPv6 gains momentum), but for now there shouldn't be any problems.

ya, probably the transition that way would be a lot easier.
I donno too much about ipv6, but i think it gives a ton lot more head room to send significantly larger packets, so you can send streaming HD quality media.

I remember that microsoft has a windows media site where it had some insane streaming video. If they can still do that w/ ipv4, probably they'll stick w/ that. i donno. someone has to enlighten me about this whole ipv6 thing. I just read some bits and pieces about it here and there hehe. Hehe oh noo...TV's that come w/ windows media...? hehe ah well.

anyways, your name is funny. I always laugh when I see it.

 

[Digobick]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
It's all theory for now.

The more I read about it, the more convinced I am that this is coming sooner than you might think. Granted, you're looking at a 1-4 year wait depending on your provider, but it's still coming.

Here's a few snippets I've found:

The Bell giant will spend $800 million this year to lace a million homes with super-fast fiber-optic service, called Fios. By the end of next year, Verizon plans to reach an additional 2 million homes and begin selling pay TV to its customers. Link

When SBC Communications rolls out fiber to the neighborhoods of millions of new customers by 2007, its TV service will run on Microsoft TV middleware. Link

BellSouth, the No. 3 U.S. local telephone company, plans to upgrade its network to offer video services and speedier Internet access to about 80 percent of its customers by 2009, industry sources say. Link

 

[Mojoed]

Originally posted by: DnetMHZ
I can see it now.

"Hey did you catch that game last night Joe?"

"No Bob, my TV got hacked and instead of the game I got goats.... "

Just don't tell Mill!