Bandwidth, bandwidth, bandwidth…and oh, did I mention bandwidth?

Broadcast quality TV varies from the kind of video you see on the internet in one very important way. There is one simple rule for broadcast quality digital TV, the packet must arrive on time, in sequence and with no errors. Typical internet video is treated as normal data and when these packets are transmitted over the internet their handling is known as “best effort” in industry speak. What this means is when the packet arrives it arrives. You can expect slow video, breakups, etc. You are subject to the laws of the internet. Now, back to IPTV and broadcast quality video. There are a variety of solutions to this complex issue that involves creating:

• Dedicated bandwidth on the backbone and distribution side.
• Quality of Service (QoS) processes and algorithms that serves as a traffic cop for high usage periods and prioritizing services.
• A method for keeping an acceptable error rate.

Remember, digital either works or it doesn’t.
You don’t get ghosting or fuzz like you do in analog broadcast or cable TV. So what does all this techno babble translate to as far as you are concerned? Well as you might guess, a very complex and expensive network.

With AT&T (i.e., in reality SBC…think Texas in their thinking) buying BellSouth, competition took a huge hit. You can expect the innovation that industry leading BellSouth fostered in it’s application development and network creativity to be subjugated under the previous arrangement entered into between Microsoft, Alcatel and SBC. BellSouth also partnered with Microsoft for their middleware. On one hand, you can understand the thinking to have one network, one vendor, think simplicity, think…boring. You can expect movement away from BellSouth’s 30-100 Mb solutions and regress towards the LightSpeed version of 25 Mb. I think it should be renamed “Sub-LightSpeed”. If you are lucky, you will get 1 HD channel, 3 SD channels and probably won’t be able to watch and DVR HD channels simultaneously. Sigh. Applications will be held to a minimum. Why, honestly? Because you are too dumb to know any better and they know it.

Verizon for there part has a version called FiOS, which is essentially fiber to the home. Their product features about 300 broadcast channels, including multiple HD channels, video on demand and a few basic applications. Why no more…see directly above. It’s the law of supply and demand. You don’t demand, they don’t supply.

In defense of these Telcos, robust service depends a lot on a set top box (STB) that does a lot more than the type of STBs you are used to seeing from your cable or satellite provider.

Remember, these boxes have to do certain things like:

• Pull in multiple channels including HD/SD
• DVR
• Support a variety of applications
• Have some networking capabilities
• Perform some level of security for DRM
• Support a number if input/output interfaces (composite, component, HDMI, etc)

The next gen STB is called a SOC (system on a chip) based box that combines multiple processes on printed circuit boards onto one chip, thus reducing the size of the box, reducing power consumption, etc. Some of the big players in the industry are Motorola and Scientific Atlanta and a few other household names. Leave it to say these boxes are still works in progress to a great degree.

Some good news
The service will work using either existing coax or CAT5 cable. The typical installation will require a router (i.e., a residential gateway or RG), similar to the ones currently used in home networks. The biggest difference with these new RG’s and existing ones is it’s handling of various internet and video “protocols” e.g., IGMP. Back to the good news department though, a third type of internal networking media is not too far off, one that can use the power grid in your house to reliably transmit data and video. Stay tuned on this one.

I have taken great pains to not talk about the nuts and bolts, including the security, involved in creating a service like this. DRM (Digital Rights Management) issues in the entertainment industry involve protecting digital audio or video content. You may be aware of the extent of hardball the content providers are prepared to play with this new service. Leave it to say, the protection scheme is extremely rigid.

So, forget about digitally recording your favorite movie in High Definition unless it’s authorized by your IPTV provider. This includes you not burning a high resolution digital source to a DVD…that is, unless you pay for it.

Finally there is the regulatory component. The Telcos literally need to establish a franchise in every legal municipality where they wish to roll out IPTV. This includes thousands of potential negotiations with cities that are just licking their chops in order to get a piece of what they perceive as a golden goose. The cable companies obviously would love for the Telcos to spend the rest of their lives mired in this process. To the rescue though is some state and federal legislation that would allow a blanket franchise, so this service can be rolled out before the year 3000. This is actually looking fairly promising.

Frustrated yet? Well, keep in mind this is really a technological revolution, possibly the biggest thing to hit the Telcos and Cable companies in say, 20 years.

Here is my best shot at version 1.0 after looking into my crystal ball:

• Rollout of IPTV in it’s most basic form
• Limited HDTV channel stream into the home
• Limited DVR capabilities
• Lots of channels
• Limited applications; 2-3 years before significant change here
• Slow upgrade of bandwidth by the Telcos
• Cable companies changing their shorts every 5 minutes as they lose initial ground to the Telcos, also dumping megabucks into upgrading their systems to compete. Don’t let their macho talk fool you, they are scared, and rightly so.
• New advertising paradigms (i.e., only the crap you wish to see)
• Public confusion, mostly created by satellite and cable companies attempting to slow the Telco progress. I also guarantee the Telco’s will shoot themselves in the feet a few times.
• Satellite providers being relegated to niche player status, i.e., providing coverage in areas where it is too expensive to lay fiber.
• Younger folks will be demanding IPTV, most in their 40’s and up eyes will glaze over, being overwhelmed with the new features and the depth of the services. All except those who realize they can watch many football games simulteaneously.

OK, I’m done for now, I think I will call my cable provider and ask them when they will provide me IPTV. That should be good for some major amusement.

Questions about IPTV?
Email me: Steve Brown