Video over IP and audio over IP describe a new, internet-based, method of transmitting video and audio content in much the same way Serial Digital Interface (SDI) cables have done for years.

Video over IP

We are currently at the forefront of an IP revolution. For nearly 80 years, the broadcast industry relied on expensive, inflexible infrastructure comprised of bulky and disparate hardware systems and long-term vendor agreements that were ripe to be disrupted. But now, an industry that was slow to change has awoken to the possibilities of a more flexible, dynamic future and today we are seeing the adoption of IP for live and live linear video delivery across the media industry.  We are going through one of the most rapid and significant industry transformations in history and IP is a huge enabler of this movement.

The media industry is migrating quickly to hybrid IP networks to transport broadcast-quality live and live linear video through and across its workflows. IP networks can be the internet, fiber, cellular (4G,5G), or IP over satellite, and with the right video platform can consist of combinations of hybrid networks with bonded or sequential hitless networks for 99.999% + reliability.

Video channels broadcast by EuroSat IPTV are received by:

  • Cable Networks around the world that redistribute satellite-delivered and/or ip-stream content to subscribers via their terrestrial cable facilities;
  • Broadcast Networks around the world that use satellite to distribute programming to their affiliates across a country or region who then redistribute this content; and
  • Direct-to-Home (DTH) companies High Powered satellites to directly deliver TV channels to homes of their subscribers.

In the IP world, to provide one to many mapping we substitute the physical DA with an abstracted logical model using IP routers. Instead of having individual SDI cables connecting the equipment together, we take advantage of the IP-router’s ability to be able to duplicate packets and create a multicast system.

IP routing generally works on the unicast model; when a computer requests data from a server, there will be just one source and one destination. However, if a playout server wants to send an online film to many users, a mapping of one to many is used and this is called multicast.

EuroSat IPTV utilizes Multicast to save bandwidth.