Next Generation IPTV Services and Technologies

With a focus on changing job tasks and knowledge requirements for professionals, this book enables readers to meet the demands of designing, implementing, and supporting end-to-end IPTV systems. Additionally, it examines IPTV technical subjects that are not included in any other single reference to date: Quality of Experience (QoE), techniques for speeding up IPTV channel changing times, IPTV CD software architecture, Whole Home Media Networking (WHMN), IP-based high-definition TV, interactive IPTV applications, and the daily management of IPTV networks.

Preface xi

Organizational and Topical Coverage xii

Who Should Read This Book xiii

Acknowledgments xiv

About the Author xvii

1 IPTV: The Ultimate Viewing Experience 1

1.1 Defining IPTV 2

1.2 Differences between IPTV and Internet TV 3

1.3 Overview of an IPTV Networking Infrastructure 4

1.4 Key IPTV Applications and Services 6

1.5 Growth Drivers for IPTV 10

1.6 Market Data 12

1.7 Industry Initiatives to Standardize IPTV 13

Summary 18

2 IPTV Network Distribution Technologies 20

2.1 ‘‘Last Mile’’ Broadband Distribution Network Types 21

2.2 IPTV over a Fiber Access Network 21

2.3 IPTV over an ADSL Network 26

2.4 IPTV over Next Generation Cable TV Networks 32

2.5 IPTV over Wireless Networks 48

2.6 IPTV over the Internet 53

2.7 IPTV Backbone Technologies 56

2.8 Network Factors Associated with Deploying IPTV 60

Summary 62

3 IPTV Real-Time Encoding and Transportation 64

3.1 Introduction to Real-Time Encoding 64

3.2 Compression Methods 66

3.3 Packetizing and Encapsulating Video Content 81

Summary 116

4 Broadcasting Linear Programming over IPTV 118

4.1 Underlying Video Components of an End-to-End IPTV System 119

4.2 Different Approaches to Streaming IPTV Content 124

4.3 Multicasting across an IPTV Network 129

4.4 IPTV Multicasting Networking Architecture 130

4.5 Multicasting IPTV Content across IPV6 Networks 155

4.6 Introduction to Channel Changing 158

4.7 Fundamentals of Channel Changing 163

4.8 Techniques for Speeding up IPTV Channel Changing Times 166

4.9 Discovering Channel Program Information 169

4.10 Time-Shifting Multicast IPTV 172

4.11 Channel-Changing Industry Initiatives 173

Summary 173

5 IPTV Consumer Devices (IPTVCDs) 175

5.1 About Residential Gateways 175

5.2 RG Technology Architecture 177

5.3 RG Functionality 178

5.4 RG Industry Standards 184

5.5 Introduction to Digital Set-top Boxes 193

5.6 The Evolution of Digital Set-top Boxes 195

5.7 Categories of Digital Set-top Boxes 197

5.8 Major Technological Trends for Digital Set-top Boxes 197

5.9 IP Set-top Boxes Defined 200

5.10 Types of IP Set-top Boxes 201

5.11 Other Emerging IPTV Consumer Devices 223

Summary 224

6 IPTVCD Software Architecture 229

6.1 What Makes an IPTVCD Tick? 229

6.2 Interactive TV Middleware Standards 232

6.3 Proprietary Middleware Solutions 247

Summary 247

7 IPTV Conditional Access and DRM Systems 249

7.1 Introduction to IPTV Security 249

7.2 Defining IPTV CA Security Systems 250

7.3 CA Industry Initiatives 263

7.4 Introduction to Next Generation DRM Solutions 265

7.5 IPTV Intranet Protection 282

Summary 283

8 Moving IPTV Around the House 285

8.1 About Whole Home Media Networking (WHMN) 286

8.2 WHMN Enabling Technologies 287

8.3 Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet (GIGE) 288

8.4 802.11n 294

8.5 HomePlug AV 298

8.6 UPA-DHS 305

8.7 HomePNA^TM 3.1 307

8.8 Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MOCA^TM) 311

8.9 WHMN Middleware Software Standards 314

8.10 QoS and WHMN Applications 328

Summary 329

9 Video-on-Demand (VoD) over IP Delivery Networks 332

9.1 History of Pay-Per-View 332

9.2 Understanding PPV 333

9.3 The Emergence of RF and IP Based VoD 334

9.4 Types of IP-VoD Services 335

9.5 Underlying Building Blocks of an End-to-End IP-VoD Infrastructure 340

9.6 Integrating IP-VoD Applications with Other IP Based Services 358

9.7 Protecting IP-VoD Content 364

Summary 365

10 IP Based High Definition TV 367

10.1 Overview of SDTV and HDTV Technologies 367

10.2 HDTV over IP Defined 369

10.3 An End-to-End IP HDTV System 370

Summary 380

11 Interactive IPTV Applications 382

11.1 The Evolution of iTV 382

11.2 About iTV 387

11.3 Interactive IPTV Applications 387

11.4 IPTV Program Related Interaction Applications 417

11.5 Deploying Interactive IPTV Applications 419

11.6 Accessibility to IPTV Services 420

Summary 420

12 IPTV Network Administration 423

12.1 An Introduction to IPTV Network Administration 424

12.2 Supporting the IPTV Networking Management System 424

12.3 Managing Installation, Service Problems, and Terminations 428

12.4 Network Testing and Monitoring 431

12.5 Managing Redundancy and Ensuring Service Availability 434

12.6 IP Address Space Management 436

12.7 Routine IT and Network Administrative Tasks 436

12.8 Managing IPTV QoS Requirements 437

12.9 Monitoring the IPTV Subscriber Experience 441

12.10 Remotely Managing in-Home Digital Consumer Devices 469

12.11 Scheduling and Managing Delivery of Software Updates to IPTVCDs 471

12.12 Troubleshooting IPTV Problems 473

12.13 IPTV and Business Continuity Planning 478

Summary 481

Index 483

GERARD O'DRISCOLL is an accomplished international telecommunications expert, entrepreneur, and globally renowned authority on emerging technologies. He has served in a variety of management, engineering, and commercial positions over the past fifteen years. O'Driscoll is widely regarded as an authority on the set-top box, IPTV, digital home, and mobile TV marketplaces. His Web site is www.tvmentors.com.

DETAILED COVERAGE OF THE UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED TO BUILD AN END-TO-END IPTV SYSTEM

The television entertainment industry is currently experiencing a major transformation as broadband subscribers and improvements in compression techniques for digital video content continue to grow. This growth is fueling the demand for a new generation of technology professionals who will be responsible for implementing IP-based video services and digital home services around the world. Next Generation IPTV Services and Technologies explores key challenges associated with successfully managing the technical operation of an IPTV networking infrastructure and provides networking and IT specialists entering the IPTV sector with sound coverage of state-of-the-art technologies used to build end-to-end IPTV systems. Coverage includes:

• IPTV network distribution technologies
• IPTV real-time encoding and transportation
• Broadcasting linear programming over IPTV
• IPTV consumer devices AV technical
• IPTV conditional access and DRM systems
• Moving IPTV around the house
• Video-on-demand over IP delivery networks

subjects that are not included in any other single reference to date: Quality of Experience (QoE), techniques for speeding up IPTV channel changing times, IPTV CD software architecture, Whole Home Media Networking (WHMN), IP-based high-definition TV, interactive IPTV applications, and managing an IPTV network on a daily basis.

With a focus on changing job tasks and knowledge requirements for professionals, Next Generation IPTV Services and Technologies enables telecom operators, wireless mobile providers, cable TV companies, media companies, broadcasters, video production companies, and Internet portal companies to meet the demands of designing, implementing, and supporting end-to-end IPTV systems. Complete with helpful flowcharts and engineering schematics, it also serves as an ideal supplemental text for graduate- and postgraduate-level networking and IP protocol courses.