Modern TV viewing technologies

Television technology is undergoing radical changes. Not only are the television sets changing (for example, 3d and curved models, which were considered very promising a couple of years ago, are no longer considered promising), but also the technology itself. The modern alternative to the usual cable TV or satellite TV is interactive television, which uses the Internet to transmit and receive the signal. Its main representatives are OTT and IPTV.

More and more people are choosing these formats because of this set of advantages:

• interactivity;
• no need to lay additional wires or install antennas;
• for watching it is not necessary to have a high-speed Internet connection (up to 50 Mbit/sec it is enough to watch TV and surf the Internet from computer, laptop or phone);
• possibility to choose an interesting content (video on demand);
• the ability to choose the time to watch your favorite TV programs.

What is the difference between IPTV and OTT

OTT stands for Over The Top and is a subclass of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). IPTV and OTT use the Internet Protocol to transmit content but have a number of differences:

• IPTV broadcasting is under the control of the operator, which guarantees reliability and image quality by managing the bandwidth of network resources;
• OTT does not imply binding to the network of the service provider, the viewer gets the content from the right holder, it can be watched from any device and any country;
• IPTV assumes a set of channels and will only work in the network of the operator to which you are connected;
• OTT has a wide range of features, works independently, but the image quality and download speed depends on the connection to the network.

OTT technology involves dividing the transmitted media files into small segments and transmitting them as such. This is to reduce the minimum reception speed on the viewer side. Simply put, it is done so that the video does not «slow down».

OTT involves two main formats: watching TV channels on the OTT platform and watching interesting content in numerous virtual libraries. The most well-known OTT services are Netflix, Megogo, Amazon Video, HBO Now, and Ivi.

How to watch?

To watch interactive TV you need a TV with Smart support or a special player. If you choose IPTV, you must connect it to the operator. If it is OTT, you just need to choose and start using an interesting service. Each distributor chooses its own way of monetizing the service: some do with advertising, others offer to pay for specific content or subscribe for a period of time and watch everything available on the resource.

Don't forget that you can watch movies and photos simply by connecting your TV to your computer or home storage. In order to set up such a home media network, it is important to have DLNA compatible equipment.

What is DLNA and how it differs from Smart TV

DLNA is a standard for transferring data between compatible devices over wired or wireless channels. It allows all compatible devices to exchange information in server-client mode. DLNA is comparable to Smart TV, often allowing televisions that support one standard to work with the other. However, there is a fundamental difference between these ways of transmitting information.

Smart TV provides connection to the Internet, while DLNA provides connection only to a specific server. That is why the degree of DLNA protection is much higher (a computer or home storage with virus protection is used as a server).

The built-in DLNA support of the TV is similar to Smart TV and provides connection using a USB socket or Wi-Fi module.

Wired network and Wi-Fi connection have both advantages and disadvantages. A wired connection allows you to connect TVs even in houses with reinforced concrete walls that block the radio signal. On the other hand, you often have to drill through walls to lay the cable, not everyone wants to take that step. Wireless network does not require complex manipulation, but it is highly susceptible to obstacles (walls of reinforced concrete, with rebar, thick brick partitions).

Using DLNA compatibility, you can connect from your smartphone to your home computer and copy the files you want remotely. If you want to watch a movie on a wide-screen TV that is on a laptop or lying in the network storage, you don't need a flash drive anymore either.

Our company has its finger on the pulse of technology and offers to connect IPTV, as well as choose OTT compatible equipment that supports the DLNA standard.