Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Hey well that's some good news right?

And the site seems to be still down at the moment.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

People talk of new STBs, surely all current boxes are capable (following software/firmware updates) of IPTV if a little slow at the process. Is it no coincidence that the new Samsung V+ boxes are capable of the more streamlined MPEG4 format?

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

All the STBs have a network port, but surely all of them would need a firmware update. There are different brands, different models and all connected to the same network.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

But they all have to conform to the DVB-C standard ;)

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Exactly. Basically, Virgin's deployment hinges on them either adhering to that standard or sending out several million IPTV boxes to their subscribers.

What I reckon they could do, initially for a period of say 6-12 months, is trial it as a cable TV "replacement" in a certain area, then trial it alongside their current TV subscriber base, then roll out the changes if there's enough interest and it's viable, both on a bandwidth and initial cost basis, to do so.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

I'm not sure where you are getting this IPTV box thing from. Nothing in the press releases mentions IPTV boxes.

What has been mentioned is an IPTV delivery platform to the headends. That's it. From there to the STBs can still be the current technology

Even if it's not cable VoD is already IP based (as far as I am aware) so I would expect the current STBs can already do full IPTV if required

---------- Post added at 19:09 ---------- Previous post was at 19:07 ----------

However what it could mean is that the headends could also deliver IP based TV over the cable modems

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Would this mean that the red button would finally work on the 24 hour BBC News channel?:erm:

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

No it can't and no it isn't just a platform for delivery to headends. That is not and has never been where the capacity issues lie.

No the current cable VoD isn't IP based at all.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Every IPTV deployment in this country so far has required a specialised STB to access the service either via the internet or some other means.

Delivery to the headends is, by comparison, very easy. Delivering from headends to customers is an entirely new salmon stream to swim up.

Are you talking about the VoD like catchup TV, movies, music videos, etc? If so, it's still a big comparitive step to full IPTV.

But now I think about it, when I compare what the current solution for VoD is, adding IPTV to it doesn't seem so bad. It just means that if you want to watch a particular channel without watching a particular programme that the software would need to automatically load the next programme segment on the channel, be it trailers or the next TV show.

This is what I first thought it could be, as it draws comparisons with BT Vision and Tiscali TV. But Virgin's cable network is strained enough with the amount of cable modems taxing the headends. Plus, how would customers react when they find out that they've hit the STM limit just for watching a couple of TV shows?

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

:D

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Nagra3 is close to being hacked:

There will be NO disscussion of HOW to hack ANY system or any indication on how to do so.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Won't be much use for an IPTV solution anyway.

IKS is hardly 'hacking' and for a nice responsive operator IKS is a minor irritation and brought down quickly.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Having had VM cable services before moving to an area which doesn't have it in the area, this post seems interesting to me. I know it was wrote back in September, has any progress been made since then?
Also, just to be clear, does this mean that all the channels available on VM could soon be available to people in homes nowhere near a cable network?
I currently have BT Vision, and am really impressed with the on demand selection which comes with it. The only annoying thing is that any HD films or shows have to be downloaded over a period of a few hours. I recall VM were able to stream HD shows on demand.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

Unfortunately i don't think non cabled areas will be getting it any time soon. This IPTV roll out is for cabled areas and cabled customers will basically be able to browse ondemand content from the internet like Youtube etc. It will be with Tivo software. As far as i know VM were doing a freeview box in non cabled areas but that was all their plans were.

Re: Virgin Media to rollout new IPTV platform
 

IPTV is nothing to do with content hosted on the Internet, it refers to the way in which content is taken from the existing digital hubsites and the Seachange VoD kit that lives in them to the STBs.

VM are doing trials of IPTV over VDSL2 in an offnet area.