IPTV and Online Video are two terms which far too often get confused as one and the same. But what exactly are the differences?
When scouring the web for the latest news, we came across this new Online Video show, The Social Web TV. They present panel discussions and interviews with Internet industry leaders, and have wonderfully rich content, with pop-up links for blogs and websites appearing as they’re mentioned on screen. However, this show was incorrectly labelled on Marc’s Blog as an IPTV show. This is just one of many times that IPTV and Online Video have been confused. Yes, the two work hand in hand, and often the same content can be found on both systems, but there are several key differences.
IPTV, or Internet Protocol TV is provided via a “walled garden” approach (or private, managed network), which is engineered to ensure bandwidth efficient delivery of large amounts of multicast video traffic. This can carry large amounts of information and so is of a high quality – it can even deliver HD TV content. Due to the costly investment in IPTV, Broadcast IPTV is delivered as free (though generally ad-supported) or fee based. These channels often only require an internet connection and a compatible device – such as a PC; a computer connected HDTV; 3G mobile devices; enabled set-top boxes. By using set-top boxes with broadband internet connections, video can be streamed to homes much more efficiently than current coaxial cables.
Online Video on the other hand is, well, Online Video or Internet TV. It runs on existing structures such as broadband; ADSL; Wi-Fi; cable; and satellite; and is delivered via the open, public, global internet. This makes it a rather appealing option for content owners as these structures are already in place.
IPTV is generally marketed and funded by large telecommunications companies, offering a different service to existing cable and satellite providers. In the US, AT&T provide an IPTV service, as do BT Vision in the UK. Content on IPTV is generally from large, successful companies and distributors (the powerful control given to the distributors makes it very attractive to companies fearful of theft and piracy); whilst Internet TV more generally covers video from smaller companies and user-generated content.
A helpful summing up of the choice for the industry presented by Robin Good’s blog is:
“The industry [was left with] a choice between an open and highly diversified grassroots Internet-based TV panorama vs. a highly-commercial, secure and controlled multiplicity of private networks modeled after traditional cable and satellite TV operations governed by major world telcos.”
This seems to present a rather negative view of IPTV services, though they are offering a very different service as opposed to Online Video. And perhaps the main difference lies in whose content is delivered over which medium. With IPTV providing a viable, more efficient alternative to cable, and Online Video allowing distribution to any rights holder; it seems that there’s plenty of room for these two services to compliment each other, rather than compete.
Moral of this story: both IPTV and Online TV, while slightly different, offer new and exciting opportunities to existing broadcasters, brand owners, content providers and new businesses looking to enter the digital TV arena. Let Flypaper.tv help you decide which is right for you, and how to better exploit these opportunities!
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