On Demand Services on DTT?

Elmo

If an on demand service was to appear on DTT what are the technical aspects to such a service? Can currently approved equipment support on demand?

Not a paid for On-demand service. E.g. a selection of today's programmes from RTÉ, TV3 and TG4.

Carter P Fly

Cable and IP VOD from a STB requires a middleware application and a return path which means you cant generally access vod services from generic STB's.

There is already an RTE player which allows you to watch a selection of RTE programming online. In order to make this available on your STB is a competly different kettle of fish backend server and software wise.

evilivor

Elmo wrote: »

If an on demand service was to appear on DTT what are the technical aspects to such a service? Can currently approved equipment support on demand?

Not a paid for On-demand service. E.g. a selection of today's programmes from RTÉ, TV3 and TG4.

The newer internet enabled Sony tvs have TV3’s catch-up TV and web content available on them if that's of any use.

Elmo

How does top up TV work?

I am talking specifically about VOD via Terrestrial means.

Carter P Fly

Explain what you mean by Top up TV?

Standard Vod types are
Subscription Vod,
Premium vod
timshift or catch up tv.

Theres also Network PVR

Skys red button is staggered broadcast and ist really vod at all.

VOD is the abilty to make an individual request for a media asset and have it broacast specifically to you, no providers in the republic currently have cable or terrestrial vod. I think magnet may have an online version with limited content.

What are you actually referring to, things like top up tv etc are usually brand products and therefor the term is pretty meaningless.

Also vod is not suited to terestrial DTT broadcast for a load of reasons, nealy all VOD operators are cable and IPTV providers.

Elmo

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Explain what you mean by Top up TV?

Standard Vod types are
Subscription Vod,
Premium vod
timshift or catch up tv.

Theres also Network PVR

Skys red button is staggered broadcast and ist really vod at all.

VOD is the abilty to make an individual request for a media asset and have it broacast specifically to you, no providers in the republic currently have cable or terrestrial vod. I think magnet may have an online version with limited content.

What are you actually referring to, things like top up tv etc are usually brand products and therefor the term is pretty meaningless.

Also vod is not suited to terestrial DTT broadcast for a load of reasons, nealy all VOD operators are cable and IPTV providers.

Thanks.

I gather that Top Up TV in the UK is VOD Terrestrial service. ???? (I was using the brand as an example).

Can a similar service to Top Up TV be provided for free on a DTT system?

Carter P Fly

Topup tv in the UK is not VOD, its content played out on a range of linear channels. Its similar to Sky red button transmissions


TV Favorites is broacast accross 20 different channels and Picturebox broacast on 7 according to their website (Click more info on these two here: https://secure.topuptv.com/php/display/topuptv/chooseService.php)

Vod needs a return path, you need to be able to interactivly instruct the stream to start when you request it. terrestrial tv is one way communication.

Elmo

So have I got this right?

Picture Box on DTT is not a VOD, it is spreads 28 films across 7 channels? and allows the viewer to choose when the watch those films at anytime?

watty

No, not at any time. You can only do "any time" on fibre, cable etc IPTV, not broadcast. Only starting at set times if it's on DTT and not broadband.

Onikage

Haha... no. Not on DTT, never. +1 the best you can hope for.

Elmo

watty wrote: »

No, not at any time. You can only do "any time" on fibre, cable etc IPTV, not broadcast. Only starting at set times if it's on DTT and not broadband.

So how do veiwers watch picture box on dtt? Is it simple 7 channels repeating the same scheudule?

Carter P Fly

Its staggard broadcast on a carousel which is commonly called NVOD (near vod) or STV (scheduled television).

Basically you get limited content and put it in a schedule and have it play out on multiple channels at 15 or half hr intervals so at any one time theres a large chance youll catch the beginning of each show within 15 mins to a half hr. The STB software can mask this and present it in such a way that it doesnt look like multiple channels, It just tunes to the correct stream behind the scenes.

Elmo

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Its staggard broadcast on a carousel which is commonly called NVOD (near vod) or STV (scheduled television).

Basically you get limited content and put it in a schedule and have it play out on multiple channels at 15 or half hr intervals so at any one time theres a large chance youll catch the beginning of each show within 15 mins to a half hr. The STB software can mask this and present it in such a way that it doesnt look like multiple channels, It just tunes to the correct stream behind the scenes.

So as such i would be wrong to suggest nvod on one multiplex for a slection of rte, tv3 and tg4 programmes. Or is it best left to just film.

Carter P Fly

Elmo wrote: »

So as such i would be wrong to suggest nvod on one multiplex for a slection of rte, tv3 and tg4 programmes. Or is it best left to just film.

In VOD catchup TV is way more popular then Films so if anything making these available at as close to possible intervals (which is why the top up tv use 20 channels) is exactly what you would want to be doing.

Also Catchup TV and films have different audiences. People are ok with waiting for a film but they want to watch their repeat of fair city that the missed earlier NOW. this is why top up tv uses only 7 slots for films.

Elmo

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Also Catchup TV and films have different audiences. People are ok with waiting for a film but they want to watch their repeat of fair city that the missed earlier NOW. this is why top up tv uses only 7 slots for films.

Fair City would never be let on Saorview NVOD in any case

How much of an interval is there on "TV Favourites" how many channels do they take up?

Carter P Fly

Elmo wrote: »

Fair City would never be let on Saorview NVOD in any case

How much of an interval is there on "TV Favourites" how many channels do they take up?

No Idea, I dont have access to their broadcasts, Just what they have on their website and experience in similar setups throughout europe.

scath

Suprised no-one mentioned http://www.youview.com/ ? This service is the successor to Project Canvas. This has DVB-T and IPTV combined in the stb so that the box can contect to the IPTV server of the broadcasters and retrieve streams.

I have been advocating it to RTÉ but there are issues around it to be resolved and requires by-in by RTÉ NL etc...

Am unsure if Youview have yet gone MPEG4 and T2 ie Youview HD, but am sure they would be and surely these boxes might work here except on the catch-up side the server settings would need changing to incorporate Irish broadcasters settings. As is they wouldn't work here due to the MPEG2 issue and afew other things.

Elmo

scath wrote: »

Suprised no-one mentioned http://www.youview.com/ ? This service is the successor to Project Canvas. This has DVB-T and IPTV combined in the stb so that the box can contect to the IPTV server of the broadcasters and retrieve streams.

I have been advocating it to RTÉ but there are issues around it to be resolved and requires by-in by RTÉ NL etc...

Am unsure if Youview have yet gone MPEG4 and T2 ie Youview HD, but am sure they would be and surely these boxes might work here except on the catch-up side the server settings would need changing to incorporate Irish broadcasters settings. As is they wouldn't work here due to the MPEG2 issue and afew other things.

Do you need an internet connection? Seems you do, as far as I am concern that is a monthly subscription. To me it just seem to be a Smart STB Upgrade box.

Carter P Fly

the internet connection is the required return path. you'll never get any sort of vod or near vod on a generic box.

Elmo

Carter P Fly wrote: »

the internet connection is the required return path. you'll never get any sort of vod or near vod on a generic box.

So nvod on dtt could not be provided without somekind of broadband connection?

fat-tony

correct;)

icdg

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Its staggard broadcast on a carousel which is commonly called NVOD (near vod) or STV (scheduled television).

Basically you get limited content and put it in a schedule and have it play out on multiple channels at 15 or half hr intervals so at any one time theres a large chance youll catch the beginning of each show within 15 mins to a half hr. The STB software can mask this and present it in such a way that it doesnt look like multiple channels, It just tunes to the correct stream behind the scenes.

As I understood, the "VOD" aspect of TopUp TV was that its programmes were broadcast overnight and saved on the STB's hard drive. The subscriber was then able to play back the programmes of their choice at any time during the day.

Of course, this isn't really VOD at all, just automated recording of a selected range of programming. I don't think Top Up TV are doing well at all, it is a strange offering. They are offering Sky Sports 1 & 2 (as well as ESPN, and oddly, GOLD) as regular subscription channels too. Its a wierd, wierd offering, and I don't know why you would take it over Sky or Virgin Media.

Elmo

icdg wrote: »

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Its staggard broadcast on a carousel which is commonly called NVOD (near vod) or STV (scheduled television).

Basically you get limited content and put it in a schedule and have it play out on multiple channels at 15 or half hr intervals so at any one time theres a large chance youll catch the beginning of each show within 15 mins to a half hr. The STB software can mask this and present it in such a way that it doesnt look like multiple channels, It just tunes to the correct stream behind the scenes.

As I understood, the "VOD" aspect of TopUp TV was that its programmes were broadcast overnight and saved on the STB's hard drive. The subscriber was then able to play back the programmes of their choice at any time during the day.

Of course, this isn't really VOD at all, just automated recording of a selected range of programming. I don't think Top Up TV are doing well at all, it is a strange offering. They are offering Sky Sports 1 & 2 (as well as ESPN, and oddly, GOLD) as regular subscription channels too. Its a wierd, wierd offering, and I don't know why you would take it over Sky or Virgin Media.

I assume if you don't want the hassel of a contract. Again i am looking at this as a free service.