The internet has changed the way people communicate, stay informed, and do business. Now, the same technology is poised to change the way people watch television. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) delivers shows and movies efficiently using the same technology that drives the internet. Because of this, IPTV has capabilities that cable and satellite television providers do not.
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IPTV, programming is broken down and transmitted as packets of information along a secure network. This means that the quality of the end product is high and consistent. For current subscribers of satellite television IPTV offers improved quality as well as reliability as weather does not affect the end product. Subscribers also do not have to deal with a dish and all of the hassles that can come along with it. Video quality is comparable to that of cable, but IPTV has other benefits that cable cannot currently provide, which are discussed later in this article.
IPTV typically requires a set-top box, or decoder if the end user wishes to watch it using a television set. This decoder is actually a small computer that hooks up to your existing television in the same way a cable box or DVR would. Information is transmitted to the set-top box via a broadband internet connection as packets and the box assembles these packets into the end product: a television show or movie. Users watching through a PC do not need any special equipment. IPTV is generally broadcast along its own network. Because it is not competing with internet traffic, programming is delivered quickly without breaking up.
Internet Television has the potential for interactivity that is not available through other television providers. Interactivity can be built into the service. Users can chat using their remotes, allowing friends to share programming in real time hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Subscribers may even be able to create peer-to-peer internet television communities based on shared interests. Television watching can become a social event no matter where a person is. Online gaming is another area in which IPTV caters to a social experience with users able to play, chat, and share stats.
Other exciting features include automatic widescreen switching, an online program catalogue, fully supported HD, and the ability to connect with other IT connected devices. Users can now make their internet television sets a part of their home networks. Another very exciting prospect is the ability to receive television programming on internet-enabled devices. This means that users can take their television programming with them. Options can be customised to the user, with users in the same household able to use different IPTV features simultaneously on different devices.
IPTV is poised to revolutionise the way people receive and interact with their television service. As more and more areas are getting broadband capability, this technology is sure to become available to a larger audience. As internet technology grows, so too will IPTV. Users will be able to customise their television experience and share that experience with friends and family. With the expansion of this technology, television watching may never be the same.
