Help me out here, what is IPTV?
Yes, I know what the term means ... sortof ... but people seem to be a bit in disagreement.
Some, like Microsoft are saying, "Any video of any kind over the internet". I can understand that.
Others, like Google and Apple seem to define it as any "old" videos downloaded over the net. Examples: An hour-old NBA game or old episodes of star trek.
To me, and to the WikiPedia, it seems like IPTV is the analogy to VoIP ... live television over the net, instead of over traditional pipes.
Is that part of the picture (no pun intended) necessary? Does live matter when it comes to TV now that we're entered the TiVo age?
Help me understand, not so much what the term IPTV technically means, but what it should mean and where it's going.
What is IPTV?
Tue, 01/24/2006 - 22:33
#1
What is IPTV?
I think IPTV is headed towards an onDemand structure that Charter cable uses. Most providers would give you a traditional set top box it just plugs in to your high-speed cable and you watch(download) your content when you want to.
Biggest problem right now is bandwidth, it takes about 6-7mbps to stream one High Def channel to a tv using an IPTV interface, now imagine for 3 or 4 TV's or a multiple stream capable DVR.
In order for IPTV to really take off, fiber to the home needs to become a reality ($$$). Now some of that bandwidth could be pushed off on local cache servers, but still a lot of pipe would be needed for say the Super Bowl. Live TV seems to be difficult with IPTV.
Personally I would enjoy an IPTV capable house, but I don't see it happening for awhile yet.