TV over IP?

Sureshot324

Diamond Member
Feb 4, 2003
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Why is no ISP doing this? They are already broadcasting digital cable tv over the same lines as cable internet (though at a different frequency) so wouldn't it make more sense to just just broadcast right to our cable modem, and then plug a cable box into the router with an ethernet cord. That way we could also watch/record digital tv on our computers without a tv tuner, and have internet access on our cable box.
 

skypilot

Golden Member
Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
bandwidth is an issue.

Yes... Especially with HDTV streams, you would need a great deal of bandwidth to properly implement IPTV (which is what you are asking about is called). On top of that, each TV would require a stream for the displayed channel.

Conclusion: LOTS of bandwidth needed. FTTx is really our only hope, or high speed VDSL.
 

Sureshot324

Diamond Member
Feb 4, 2003
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Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
bandwidth is an issue.

The tv signal would just be coming from the ISP, like it is anyway with digital cable. If it's too much data for one frequency (which i doubt), design a cable modem that can receive two frequencies at once.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
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Originally posted by: Sureshot324
Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
bandwidth is an issue.

The tv signal would just be coming from the ISP, like it is anyway with digital cable. If it's too much data for one frequency (which i doubt), design a cable modem that can receive two frequencies at once.

Digital cable has only one signal broadcast over the line to every single subscriber at the same time. The cable co only needs enough bandwidth for one feed. If every different subscriber is requesting different things, then the cable line needs enough bandwidth so that it can transmit a different show to each different subscriber on the line.
 

Falloutboy

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2003
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FIOS could prolley do this but it would still require a huge amount of bandwidth. although if they used modern compression it shouldn't be to bad
 

phisrow

Golden Member
Sep 6, 2004
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"That way we could also watch/record digital tv on our computers without a tv tuner"
That's part of it right there. IPTV won't come until the bad boys of big content are satisfied that every appliance that uses electrons will do their bidding over yours.
 

Falloutboy

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2003
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Originally posted by: phisrow
"That way we could also watch/record digital tv on our computers without a tv tuner"
That's part of it right there. IPTV won't come until the bad boys of big content are satisfied that every appliance that uses electrons will do their bidding over yours.

yup your right....which is why the underground TV on the net movement will continue till its to strong to stop just like mp3s just like movies. If the media companies would embrace technology instead of running from it and trying to control it they would be better off in the long run
 

laketrout

Senior member
Mar 1, 2005
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is verizon currently providing IPTV for $$ anywhere over its FIOS lines or is it just in a testing capacity? Would be great to get in on this...
 

SVT Cobra

Lifer
Mar 29, 2005
13,264
2
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No Bandwidth is not an issue, it is just the opposite. Microsoft is already testing IPTV in some areas, and is set to be released later this year IIRC.

Here is an old article

From the horse's mouth

I assumed everyone already knew this. Since their is no set top box, channel changing is instant and accsess to thousands of channels are available, and the possibility of streaming multiple shows at the same time is endless.
 

BillGates

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2001
7,388
2
81
I work for an ISP that is doing IPTV over fiber to the home (FTTH) in a pilot market, with plans to expand to more markets in 2006. We will also be trying it out via ADSL2+ coupled with MPEG4 encoding - though I'm not 100% convinced that this will work out well.

There are other companies doing similar things around the country.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
IPTV has been around for a while. The technology is there to do it, its more of a copyright thing.

But it is coming.

With modern HFC cable plants bandwidth isn't really a concern. But the equipment to provide the necessary quality and multicasting can get real expensive real quick.
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
No Bandwidth is not an issue, it is just the opposite. Microsoft is already testing IPTV in some areas, and is set to be released later this year IIRC.

Here is an old article

From the horse's mouth

I assumed everyone already knew this. Since their is no set top box, channel changing is instant and accsess to thousands of channels are available, and the possibility of streaming multiple shows at the same time is endless.
Beat me to it.
 

SVT Cobra

Lifer
Mar 29, 2005
13,264
2
0
Originally posted by: loup garou
Originally posted by: Son of a N00b
No Bandwidth is not an issue, it is just the opposite. Microsoft is already testing IPTV in some areas, and is set to be released later this year IIRC.

Here is an old article

From the horse's mouth

I assumed everyone already knew this. Since their is no set top box, channel changing is instant and accsess to thousands of channels are available, and the possibility of streaming multiple shows at the same time is endless.
Beat me to it.

;)
 

laketrout

Senior member
Mar 1, 2005
672
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0
Is IPTV considered competition to cable companies in the legal sense? Because I know they have their monopoly deals in certain areas and I would think something like IPTV would be a huge hit for those areas....?
 

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
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Originally posted by: Sureshot324
Why is no ISP doing this? They are already broadcasting digital cable tv over the same lines as cable internet (though at a different frequency) so wouldn't it make more sense to just just broadcast right to our cable modem, and then plug a cable box into the router with an ethernet cord. That way we could also watch/record digital tv on our computers without a tv tuner, and have internet access on our cable box.


The father of a friend of mine in high school used to own the Florida News Channel, and all of their broadcasts were transferred via OC-12 to the various switching stations, there just wasn't the network capacity from the switching stations to the individual houses. This was circa 2000.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
I believe cable modem uses the equivalent of two channels worth of bandwidth on the cable lines.

SBC is currently working on video over DSL.
 

darkamulets

Senior member
Feb 21, 2002
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76
Originally posted by: skypilot
Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
bandwidth is an issue.

Yes... Especially with HDTV streams, you would need a great deal of bandwidth to properly implement IPTV (which is what you are asking about is called). On top of that, each TV would require a stream for the displayed channel.

Conclusion: LOTS of bandwidth needed. FTTx is really our only hope, or high speed VDSL.

You can do HDTV on the H.264 codec @ 6mbps. So you don't need a fiber connection, you would however want to dedicate seperate PVCs for data & TV. In Japan we're implementing a TVOIP system for SBB Yahoo. Mind you the system has come along way but it can still go further. Typical TV signal is done @ 2mbps, you can do near typical TV quality with WM9 @ 750kbps.

M$ is still a long way out from making something career grade especially with the integration it has to do, if you're interested in the TVOIP / IPTV market, look up Mvision, Mediaswitch, or Rollingstream.
 

skypilot

Golden Member
Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: laketrout
is verizon currently providing IPTV for $$ anywhere over its FIOS lines or is it just in a testing capacity? Would be great to get in on this...

Verizon is currently multiplexing a standard RF TV signal on their FIOS lines. So no, they are not currently doing IPTV.
 

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
1
0
Originally posted by: BillGates
I work for an ISP that is doing IPTV over fiber to the home (FTTH) in a pilot market, with plans to expand to more markets in 2006. We will also be trying it out via ADSL2+ coupled with MPEG4 encoding - though I'm not 100% convinced that this will work out well.

There are other companies doing similar things around the country.


Interesting, is the format mpeg4-10? That would truly be outstanding, I've done some work with it and much prefer it over MPEG2, but it is pretty CPU intensive to convert from MPEG2 to AVC.
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
Originally posted by: skypilot
Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
bandwidth is an issue.

Conclusion: LOTS of bandwidth needed. FTTx is really our only hope, or high speed VDSL.

Verizon is definitely looking into IPTV over FIOS. A friend of mine that works there said that Verizon's overall goal with FIOS is to offer voice, data, and tv services on their network. Much like cable companies are trying to do now with broadband internet and digital phone features.

-Tom
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
7,803
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71
My local telecom provider is working on providing cable TV over their ADSL lines