IPTV: The future of Television

The world of television is fast changing. With the advent of HDTV and digital cable, beginning of a new era has been marked where technology is getting advanced and penetrating deeper into the lifestyles of people. A new invention IPTV (Internet protocol TV) is another sign of advancement which is sure to move the world on its heels.

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is a digital TV service where the content instead of being delivered through cables, is transferred through technologies used for computer networks. It is a platform entirely based on interactive TV software and videoconferencing so the day is not far when you can actually respond to the game shows on your TV with your TV remote. IPTV can be bundled with web access and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).If you have ever watched a video on internet, in broader sense, it is the same technology. But for IPTV to work you need to have very high speed internet connection, a slow connection just won’t work. That’s why lots of telecommunication companies are eyeing this competitive market to make hay will the sun shines as they have their own local networks, a must for reliable IPTV, and all of them are getting ready to provide a triple play (IPTV, internet access and VoIP).Set top boxes are here to stay but with many modifications and advancements as it is not always possible to have a running PC beside your TV.

IPTV has many possibilites. Video on Demand is a reality with IPTV. You can browse online the movie catalogues and select a movie to playback. Interactivity, program guide, picture in picture are some of the other enviable features, which although is still possible with many satellite TVs but to a certain extent. Using wireless phones to schedule a recording of your favorite show, accessing photos, music from PC to TV are other features that can happen.

It comes with its own limitations as well. Since it uses Internet Protocol which transfers video stream in the form of packets, it is liable to loss of packets on the way and can cause delays, so is unreliable. Channel switching may take time because of the delay time in flow of packets. Internet connection has to be fast enough to prevent any breaks in the relay.

The deep pockets of telecommunication industry have already started pumping in the money to make it a success. Although many big challenges lie ahead for IPTV but with the way the technology is surging, high speed broadband reaching people and efforts being put into overcoming its limitations, IPTV is surely the next big thing in the league.

Be Sociable, Share!
  • Tweet
This entry was posted in Hardware, Internet and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.