Streaming Distribution Bandwidth Reduction
by: Michael Agostinelli
TV broadcaster video streaming distribution uses a large amount of costly data transfer bandwidth. Streaming data transfer costs and PVR/DVR storage costs can be high and there may not be enough video streaming server capacity during peak viewing periods. Smart multicast and shared PVR/DVR content can dramatically reduce distribution bandwidth while increasing the quality and reliability of TV services.
The data transfer bandwidth required for a TV broadcaster to provide streaming services to thousands or hundreds of thousands of simultaneous viewers can be gigabytes or even petabytes. Each stream typically has 2-15 Mbps data transfer rates for each unicast viewer. Streaming also requires multiple formats and stream rates for different types of devices and user available connection speeds. if you have 10,000 users with two stream formats, you would need 20,000 times 15 megabits a second of Internet bandwidth. In addition to the high amount of data transmission costs, the number of simultaneous streams can require or exceed the total video server capacity.
A majority of users typically only watch 30 unique streams (news, sports, new shows, etc). This allows a dramatic reduction in the data transfer bandwidth by using one to multipoint (multicast) video distribution to smart redistribution endpoints. This is setup by installing an endpoint redistribution server inside the broadcasters TV network that can mirror and create unicast streams. Each endpoint can generate multiple unicast streams which are provided to nearby devices. The cost of bandwidth to the broadcast (contribution network) tends to be much higher than the cost of data distribution inside the own network (direct Internet access bandwidth). You only need to distribute the highest bitrate stream once, then generate all the other stream formats once you’re inside the broadband service providers network.
Data storage for PVR and DVR services can be high. Instead of limiting the amount of data storage for PVR and DVR services, you can use a restart TV service that stores the content for all the broadcast channels over a period of time – such as 72 hours. PVR and DVR users can access the shared on demand storage using their storage program ID and time stamps.
Mr. Michael Agostinelli is Chairman & CEO of Epic Video Technologies, Inc. (Epic). Epic is the technology leader in end-to-end, cloud based, streaming IPTV solutions. The company utilizes a patented hybrid (combination of central and localized clouds) cloud solution that allows broadband service providers to offer television services to their subscribers at low cost while providing a superior user experience.