TABLE OF CONTENTS With the increased use of digital video and high-speed broadband networks, transferring real-time audio and video over a broadband network has become popular. The technology is known by several names, including IPTV (Internet Protocol TV), streaming video, video over IP and IP video.
Rather than downloading and storing large audio and video files, then playing them back, data is sent across the network in "streams." Streaming breaks the audio and video data into small packets suitable for transmission. The real-time audio and video data flows from a video server or real-time video encoder, through a network, and is decoded and played by the receiver (or "client") in real time. Thus, the user can start viewing a video without waiting until the end of the download process.
Telcos are adopting IPTV over DSL and FTTH as a way of offering video services to compete with cable and satellite TV. They are now able to offer VoIP (Voice over IP), video-on-demand (VOD), gaming, music, interactive television and local, national, and premium television programming.
Streaming video over a network is not a trivial task. First, even compressed video data requires relatively high bandwidth. Limiting the bit rate to about 700 kbps is desirable to support streaming two standard-definition video streams over a single 1.5 Mbps DSL connection. For this reason, using the new H.264 and SMPTE VC-9 video codecs are highly desirable. The lower bit rates achievable with H.264 and VC-9 also enable a larger area to be serviced since DSL...
