IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television and is a way for content to be delivered over the Internet rather than over-the-air, through satellite, or by cable. It is a form of streaming video, which means content can be played on your television as it is being delivered rather than waiting for the entire video to be downloaded and then played. The video is stored on servers and streamed to the television when the video is accessed by the viewer.
Unlike traditional television where the signals are broadcast for all the channels, when you change the channel in an IPTV scenario, the previous channel stops streaming and the new channel is streamed to your television.
Why use IPTV?
IPTV differs from other Internet delivered video in that IPTV uses developing standards to deliver content to subscribers through a device – the set top box – which streams the content to your television in a reliable and secure fashion. It offers the viewer interactivity through options such as time-shifted television and video on demand.
Many set top boxes also allow additional interactivity by providing extra material, such as actor biographies, that can be accessed at the same time as the video is being viewed, or by allowing chat windows over the Internet connection so you can share the experience with someone outside your living room.
Working with TikiLIVE you’ll be able to offer the many benefits of IPTV with your HD content.
How It Started
- The term IPTV was introduced in 1995 when a company called Precept introduced a product called IP/TV, which transmitted audio and video traffic over the Internet.
- The company was purchased by Cisco in 1998 and Cisco kept the IP/TV trademark and continues to provide IPTV set top boxes.
- With the “/” removed, the term came to describe the industry in general – another case of a trademark becoming part of the general culture.
- In 1998, the first continuous live webcasts were streamed.
- By 1999, telecommunications companies were experimenting with streaming video over broadband by providing video on demand services.
- More companies began to explore the IPTV arena throughout the world. By the mid-2000s, IPTV was really taking off.
- In 2006 Saskel, a Canadian company, was the first to offer HDTV over IPTV.
- In 2014 NBC took advantage of the advances in technology and delivered the Winter Olympics events to 36 different IPTV HD channels.
Where Is It Headed?
- In 2008, there were a little over 21 million IPTV subscribers with revenue just under $7 billion.
- According to the ABI Research Company, the worldwide number of users of IPTV in 2013 was over 90 million with revenue of nearly $38 billion.
- The number of IPTV users is projected to nearly double by 2020.
Why Has IPTV Grown?
At first IPTV was limited due to equipment costs, inefficient video compression, and slower Internet capabilities. These hindrances are no longer a problem for most of today’s Internet users. Today HD video can be captured on smartphones, software prices for creating video has dropped precipitously, and high speed broadband which makes HD video streaming more efficient has gained in popularity and availability. Viewers are becoming more comfortable with the technology and are actively seeking ways to take more control over television content.
As technology has improved and costs have decreased, broadcasting has become more than a dream to more and more people. TikiLIVE makes those dreams even more attainable with our HD streaming solutions that allow you to broadcast to the viewer’s television. For individuals and companies wishing to take advantage of those growing number of consumers and the increasing revenue, TikiLIVE can give you access to IPTV set top boxes to provide your own HD content.
The Set Top Box Revolution
Set top box makers partner with vendors to provide shows to the viewer through the viewer’s television. Disney, PBS, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and HBO are just some of the providers that make content available on major set top boxes. What makes the set top box solution so desirable is the high quality that can be delivered now, and the proliferation of boxes that can stream content to your television for less than $100. Even when you add in subscription costs for the various vendors, set top box solutions are financially attractive. Combine the price with more interactivity and convenience for the viewer and add the quality of the streaming HD video, and it is little wonder that IPTV has experienced such rapid growth.
Who Are the Players?
- Roku
In terms of content provided, Roku is the major player in set top boxes. They offer free and premium channels and they have hundreds more channels than their competitors.
The TikiLIVE platform lets you be part of that by allowing you to broadcast your HD content through Roku right next to YouTube, Hulu, and others. Your HD content can be viewed on your subscriber’s television just like any other IPTV vendor.
- Apple TV and Chromecast
Apple TV and Chromecast are two other popular set top boxes for which we provide the means to deliver your content through mirroring.
Your TikiLIVE content stream is accessed through the user’s mobile device and then sent to their television.
- TikiLIVE Branding Option
We also offer white label set top boxes, which you to deliver your content to your subscriber’s television through a set top box that carries your brand. Instead of having your video on a Roku or Apple TV box, your HD content will be synonymous with the label on the box delivering that content.
What Do You Do Next?
IPTV is going to continue to grow and be an alternative to traditional television. Why not be part of that growth? TikiLIVE offers the solutions that allow you to have the latest and most efficient methods to format and deliver your content. We can allow you to be an IPTV player in no time at all! More importantly, we allow you to be an IPTV player with the confidence that your reputation will not suffer due to the use of inferior technology.
For more information or questions about how TikiLIVE can help you, please contact our highly qualified support group. If you prefer, you can reach us by phone at 305-289-4557 for the same expert assistance.
