feature iptv/hybrid tv

Hybrid TV is grabbing headlines these days, promising to give consumers seamless access to a combination of broadcast digital sources and multimedia content from the Internet via their TV. However, organisations worldwide are already quietly deploying a different kind of ‘hybrid TV’ known as Local or Building IPTV. Colin Farquhar, CEO of Exterity, reports.

Building IPTV: ‘Hybrid

TV’ for ‘organisations’

B

uilding IPTV also combines video and network technologies, but is focused on internal organisational needs rather than consumer

entertainment. Organisations in hospitality, retail, event venues, broadcast, education, government, corporate and many other areas are finding that Building IPTV can leverage TV and video content to increase staff productivity, enhance customer relationships and build revenue, and do so in a way that conserves capital resources and reduces operational expenses.

How Is Building IPTV used?

Colin Farquhar, CEO of Exterity: Building IPTV uses an organisation’s existing IP network - the same network used for email, business

applications,

Internet access and sometimes phone service - to

distribute TV and video content via TVs, AV displays, and even personal computers.

Before reviewing what Building IPTV is and its benefits, it’s worth looking at just a few examples of how organisations use it.

• Corporate: provide real-time news for decision makers and staff at their desktops for faster response to market conditions, more effective live and on-demand training and sales presentations.

• Broadcast: replace limited-area RF ring mains with a flexible solution that can span a metropolitan area, build easily-expanded broadcast and post- production facilities, stream breaking news and feeds from competitors to staff and decision-makers. • Education: supply instant

classroom access to global sources of information in a wide variety of languages. Video on Demand (VoD) eliminates the management burden of tapes and discs and makes content more widely available.

• Hospitality: provide the latest TV, news, music, films and sport to guests, local and from their own country, in their rooms and in conference facilities, hotel bars and

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restaurants. Bespoke applications can generate additional revenue through interactive access to room services, reservations, and even advertising for local attractions.

• Venues/stadiums: make live coverage of events available throughout a facility so visitors never miss a moment of the action. Generate ticket sales and additional revenue by displaying event advertising and retail merchandise information.

What is Building IPTV?

Building IPTV uses an organisation’s existing IP network - the same network used for email, business applications, Internet access and sometimes phone service - to distribute TV and video content via TVs, AV displays, and even personal computers. This makes it very different from other forms of IPTV with which people are more familiar, all of which instead involve content distribution over the Internet. Examples of the latter include home video sites like YouTube, telco IPTV providers such as BT Vision or Tiscali,

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