IPTV System Design Guide [ IPTV 101 ]

IPTV System Design Guide

[ IPTV 101 ]

Backspace Communications, LLC 770 Lawrence Drive, Suite 130

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805)545-7770

June 01, 2008

Backspace Communications, LLC IPTV System Design Guide

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OVERVIEW

Backspace Communications has created this Design Guide to assist Telco’s and Network Service Providers in the design cycle of creating an IPTV System. Through the use of this guide we will define and clarify the basic requirements of a fully integrated IPTV system. Upon thoroughly reviewing this guide the reader should have a foundation from which IPTV system design choices can be made.

Creating a system which provides television services over IP networks requires a unique combination of disciplines which borrows from several existing systems. While the concepts are similar in theory to a cable system, media assets are handled in a much different manner predicating innovative solutions. Further, the requirements of handling those assets on an entirely IP infrastructure is quite divergent from the way they are handled on a typical RF cable infrastructure. Finally, because the infrastructure is two-way, there are many inherent advantages over a cable or satellite system such as subscriber interactivity and discrete utilization monitoring and reporting.

In order to provide television services over IP networks, a variety of technical functions must be accomplished. Some of these functions are accomplished through the use of hardware appliances while other functions require specific software solutions. We will explore each of these functions in detail and the necessary tools required to perform them.

To be delivered over IP networks, media assets must be ingested, transcoded, broadcast, and presented. The workflow to bring media assets into the system and to deliver them to the client device may be summarized by the outline shown in Figure 1. We will utilize this outline to help clarify these processes while at the same time elaborating on each discrete function.

While the aforementioned tasks are accomplished largely through the use of

hardware appliances, many tasks are accomplished through software solutions. Software requirements include protecting, managing, monitoring, and monetizing each media asset. In addition, software solutions are also required in order to manage and monitor subscriber information and services.

Finally, to efficiently operate an IPTV System, large amounts of critical information must be stored and manipulated, and many management functions must be automated. This information can be housed in a central database and purpose-built software can be used to assist in its management.

The Backspace Communications IPTV System Design Guide will explain how hardware appliances and software solutions are used together to efficiently operate and manage the provisioning of video services over IP networks.


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Figure 1 Outline of typical IPTV System Workflow

IPTV System Workflow

Ingest Bringing Media Assets into the System Various Formats of Inbound Media Transcode Converting Media Assets for Delivery over IP Network Linear Real-time Encoding Nonlinear Encoding to an Archive Considerations

Bit-rate and Quality Digital Rights Management Broadcast Delivering Media Assets across IP Networks

Aggregate Bandwidth Linear / Nonlinear Fast channel changes

Considerations Multicast / Unicast

Open / Closed Network Concurrent Connections Conditional Access System Display Presentation of Media Assets to the Client Portal User Interface Interactive Program Guide Closed Captions, V-Chip, CGMS/A


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Figure 2 Typical Components of an Integrated IPTV System

Schematic : Backspace IPTV Power Plant

INGEST & TRANSCODE

Content can be brought into an IPTV system from a wide variety of sources. For example: DVD’s, CD’s, film, tape, or online digital formats. In order to use these media assets within an IPTV system they must be ingested into the system and transcoded for delivery over IP networks. This process is shown graphically in Figure 2 below.


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The process of ingest and transcoding may be accomplished by a single hardware appliance. An example of this would be the Backspace Proton. Proton is capable of capturing inbound audio and video signals in real-time and encoding a single live TV channel at D1 resolution.

Depending on the use of the proposed media asset, the ingest and transcode appliance requirements will vary. If the media asset will be used for nonlinear broadcast such as video on demand (VOD), then an appliance with adequate storage capacity would be required. If on the other hand the media asset will be used for linear broadcast such as a live TV station, then less storage capacity and greater processing power will be needed to achieve the required real-time encoding. Backspace offers a number of transcoding appliances designed to meet a variety of needs.

Other considerations for a transcoding appliance would include the distribution medium of the incoming asset, the quality and bitrate desired for output, the application of digital rights management (DRM) information, and the unaltered passing of V-Chip, content generation management system (CGMS), and closed caption (CC) data to the encoded digital file. Backspace encoding appliances provide consideration for all of these requirements. In addition, Backspace appliances have all the necessary hardware and software for ingesting from and encoding to a wide variety of sources and algorithms. Further, Backspace live TV encoding appliances feature self monitoring software to ensure maximum uptime. Finally, Backspace live encoding appliances are tightly integrated with the Backspace Asset Management software, Plasma.

In addition to the physical process of ingest and transcoding, media asset metadata must also be managed. Managing each discrete media asset, each VOD title or live TV channel, requires maintaining a large amount of asset specific information. This information can include title, format, length, genre, copyright, location, talent, rights owner, satellite feed, receiver, etc. The media asset information and its ongoing utilization must be recorded so that the asset may be accurately monetized and reported. These functions can be accomplished and automated using software. Backspace Plasma streamlines provision for these and other media asset management tasks. Refer to Figure 3 below for various screenshots of Plasma.

Finally, in order to efficiently manage a large deployment of linear and nonlinear encoding systems, it is necessary to maintain records of each appliance and their duties so that monitoring and maintenance tasks may be automated. Again, Plasma provides specifically written modules to perform these facilities management tasks.

Summarizing, bringing content into an IPTV System and properly managing that content requires tightly integrated purpose built hardware and software components.


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Figure 3 Screenshots of Backspace Asset Management System, Plasma

Plasma : IPTV Software Suite & SDK Toolkit


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BROADCAST

After content has been ingested into an IPTV system and transcoded to the desired output format, it is available for broadcast. There are several important considerations in broadcasting digital media assets. Considerations include utilization monitoring and content security. For this reason, separate hardware appliances are used for broadcasting which have been designed and configured specifically for these and other purposes.

In selecting an appropriate broadcast appliance we must first determine its specific purpose. If nonlinear VOD content will be broadcast then the appliance must have adequate storage capacity. If the broadcast appliance will be used exclusively for linear (live) content then the storage capacity is unnecessary. The application of each type of broadcast appliance is shown above in Figure 2 above.

In either case, live or VOD, there are many key services that a broadcast system is able to provide that would not be available from an encoding appliance. The Backspace Fusion is an example of a broadcast appliance that can provide both linear (live) and nonlinear (VOD) broadcasts. The software provided with Fusion allows for a vast array of broadcast specific features including fast channel changes, access control lists, provision for wireless networks, and Backspace exclusive Conditional Access Snap-In (CAS).

The broadcast appliance, Backspace Fusion for example, serves a critical role in content delivery as it is the gatekeeper between your media assets and your media consumers. It is this system which ultimately decides what media asset is delivered, and to what device or what subscriber it gets delivered. Backspace Asset Management Software, Plasma, has a unique Conditional Access Snap-In module that performs this qualification process diligently and instantaneously. Completely transparent it checks to see if several key conditions are met during each and every stream request. If all conditions are not satisfied then the stream is not delivered. In this manner it is effortless to control the proper distribution of media assets.

In designing a broadcast appliance, consideration must also be given to how many channels will be broadcast and whether they will be multicast or unicast, how many VOD titles will be made available and their bitrate and quality, how many subscribers will be viewing concurrently, and what type of infrastructure will be used for delivery. All of these concepts are critical to the design of an IPTV broadcast appliance with respect to both hardware and software capabilities. Backspace Professional Services was established in order to assist with properly configuring a broadcast appliance for each specific deployment.

Summarizing, an IPTV system broadcast appliance is key in providing the

appropriate feature sets to accommodate the specific needs of media delivery while at the same time applying the required level of system security during each stream request. A broadcast appliance should address both delivery and security requirements.


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DISPLAY

Once broadcast to the client via IP infrastructure, the encoded media must be decoded and displayed on the client receiving device. This device is usually a Set Top Box but can also be a PC. A Set Top Box (STB) is purpose-built for receiving IP streams over Ethernet and displaying them via A/V output onto a television set. A standard personal computer can also be used as a receiving device depending on the media being broadcast and the parameters and conditions under which it is licensed, encoded, and delivered.

When deciding on the user interface for presenting media to the subscriber,

consideration should be given for ease of use and familiarity. The user interface should be intuitive and simple to use while still allowing for compelling features such as quick search for content and the ability to dig down for detailed information on a media asset. An interactive programming guide (IPG) is an important feature which allows for these features. Figure 4 below shows examples of user interfaces for both the set top box and the PC. These user interfaces are typical of those included in Backspace Asset Management Software Suite, Plasma.

The user interface, both PC and STB, will assist in automating operations of the

IPTV system. Each time a media asset is selected for viewing the user interface will report the utilization of the media asset to the asset management system for proper record keeping. In addition, the user interface will initiate incidental billing processes in the case of pay per view and video on demand usage. Plasma includes provision for all of these necessities.

When selecting a receiving device for viewing media assets it is critical to properly pair the device to the IPTV System. Specifically, the set top box should allow for all codec algorithms, plug-ins, and ActiveX controls the system will use for broadcast and delivery. The set top box should be capable of meeting the bandwidth requirements placed on it by the inbound broadcast media. The set top box should have adequate video output capabilities to match the media to be presented such as standard analogue or HD video signals. The set top box should be secure from tampering. Finally, the set top box should be capable of incorporating provision for all constraints required by content rights owners such as CC, V-Chip, and CGMS/A.

Again, Backspace Professional Services specializes in properly designing and

deploying IPTV system’s to meet with all of the aforementioned constraints and requirements. Backspace Plasma IPTV Software Suite and SDK Toolkit incorporates intuitive interface navigation and compliance with critical specifications into a seamlessly integrated fully featured IPTV system.


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Figure 4 Typical User Interfaces included with Plasma

PC User Interfaces

Set Top Box User Interfaces


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Backspace IPTV Power Plant

SUMMARY

An IPTV system is a unique combination of hardware appliances and software tools purpose-built to provision and monetize media assets broadcast over IP networks.

Hardware appliances must be specified and constructed to meet the

requirements of the IPTV system. Separate appliances are used for ingest & transcoding, broadcasting, presentation, management, and data housing. Backspace Power Plant IPTV System provides for all of these hardware appliances. All of these hardware appliances must interact with each other and do so through the use of task specific software, for example, Backspace Plasma IPTV Software Suite and SDK Toolkit.

Software as well must be specified and designed to meet not only the requirements of the IPTV system but also the requirements of the content rights owners with respect to quality and protection against piracy. Therefore, it is critical to not understate the importance of software throughout an IPTV system.

Software protects, manages, monitors, and monetizes media assets by

automating many routine tasks including customer billing and vendor reporting. Software manages subscribers by ensuring the correct lineups and packages are delivered to their portal, their usage is tracked, and their billing automated. Software assists in tracking facilities equipment and ensuring system uptime. Backspace Plasma IPTV Software Suite and SDK Toolkit provides for all of these concerns.

Careful consideration must be given to each and every component of an IPTV

system to ensure interoperability, scalability, and integrity. Backspace Communications IPTV Power Plant, Plasma Software, and Professional Services facilitates the process of IPTV system design and deployment.


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Backspace Communications, LLC 770 Lawrence Drive, Suite 130

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

(805)545-7770

Documents

IPTV System Design Guide [ IPTV 101 ]