By Chris Dinallo, Pace Micro Technology Americas
Today’s broadcast transport mechanisms limit the services that can be offered to subscribers. The content itself must be manipulated (encrypted, multiplexed, modulated) in many stages before being sent down the cable. At the end of the cable, the set-top box needs special capabilities to make that content usable to the subscriber. All this is done using costly, time-consuming proprietary techniques. Enter IP (Internet Protocol): an open standard transport mechanism that allows operators to deliver existing program content with little or no manipulation. In addition, IP streaming allows operators to offer new and enhanced value-added services to subscribers, such as photo galleries, home movies, audio jukebox, email, advanced personal video recording (PVR), Web access, chat, gaming, Web enabled programs, e-commerce/t-commerce, video on demand (VOD), subscription video on demand (SVOD), voice over IP (VoIP), and streaming media over home networking. Attendees will learn the following from this session: ♦ Why is IP streaming a better alternative? ♦ What will it take from a technology and business standpoint to move toward IP? ♦ What can be done with IP streaming that can’t be done today? ♦ Benefits to operators. ♦ Benefits to consumers/subscribers. ♦ Deployment challenges.