Opportunity knocks with DVB Native IP
We invited representatives of the companies that have been most active in developing and promoting DVB’s new solution for native IP broadcasting, DVB-NIP, to share their thoughts on where the most interesting opportunities are likely to emerge. Read what they wrote (below the video).
Broadpeak
Guillaume Bichot, Director & Head of Exploration
Broadpeak is a key contributor to the DVB-NIP specification, adapting DVB- MABR technology to broadcasting. With DVB-NIP, adaptive streaming technology can now be operated in a coherent way across all segments of a media/video distribution network, including the broadcast segment. The underpinning technology, as provided in our nanoCDN product, is already in commercial operations, powering Astro Sini for example.
Initial commercial demand is likely to be in B2B sectors, for example delivering live television channels or popular live events via satellite, as a contribution link to local PoPs (points of presence), to public Wi-Fi hotspots, or addressing satellite mobility use cases (such as maritime or in-flight entertainment).
Though very relevant, DVB-NIP deployment in the B2C segment may take longer depending on the ability of operators to update existing set-top boxes.
DVB-NIP may potentially see the TV set acting like an OTT terminal (and not an HDMI display) while the STB will act as an access point, increasing the value of the combination and the user experience. This would probably allow the switch-off of legacy MPEG transport stream broadcasts in a reasonable term and to finally operate with one single ABR- based distribution platform, rather than operating two siloed ecosystems forever.
EasyBroadcast
Mohsen Haddad, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer
DVP-NIP is a game changer in the broadcast, media and satellite industry. Combining classic satellite broadcast and OTT to get the best of both worlds will lead to improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and additional revenues for all players.
The keywords here are reach, quality of service, efficiency, and providing consumers with the live and on-demand content they want, anytime, anywhere, on any device, with broadcast-grade quality. Providing such experiences through satellite, using either one-way or two-way distribution, means that we can reach more consumers (i.e., improving revenue) in places or contexts where it was not possible before because of the lack of connectivity or its quality. Can you imagine the potential of deploying such technology on boats and planes or providing video services in shopping malls with Wi-Fi hotspots? How about bringing education to rural areas? We firmly believe that the short-term business will come from deploying OTT over satellite for B2B, B2G and greenfield B2C.
Contributing to the technical development of DVB-NIP was important for EasyBroadcast because such an endeavour can only be achieved through collaboration with industry players.
The interoperability brought by these standardization efforts is essential for accelerating the adoption of this technology.
EKT
Richard Smith, CEO
We strongly believe that the DVB-NIP standard is going to change the way content delivery over satellite is perceived. Satellite video delivery has essentially not really changed since the 70s: we went from analogue to digital, then SD to full HD and now 4K, but it is essentially a multicast transport stream delivered to the main TV in the house. This has not kept track with changing multi-screen and multi-device viewing habits and new OTT competition.
NIP changes all of this, with the ability to stream to mobile devices and deliver VOD over satellite, and makes satellite as a delivery platform relevant again.
EKT is playing a major role in bringing affordable DVB-NIP solutions to operators. By being one of the early developers and adopters of the standard and by integrating with various partners, we are able to deliver affordable NIP- enabled consumer devices.
We have thought a lot about the existing and new market opportunities, along with the challenges of legacy DVB and security. As such we developed a number of solutions covering low cost one-way DTH to high-end commercial solutions for schools, shopping centres, ships, etc. We and our partners have embraced DVB- NIP and can bring you an ‘out-of-the-box’ working solution!
ENENSYS Technologies
Christophe Trolet, Products Director
ENENSYS, with its focus on new technologies and especially video delivery, has participated in the development of the DVB-NIP standard since the work began in DVB. We strongly believe in the optimization DVB-NIP can bring to the industry and the opportunities it enables.
Consumer demand for OTT live- streamed content is significant and can create traffic storms on networks, sometimes beyond the network capacity, resulting in a poor customer experience. ENENSYS already offers MABR technology with its OTT@scale product to reduce bandwidth occupancy on delivery networks; we have now invested in DVB- NIP, as it is the ideal solution to broadcast MABR OTT content over satellite for large-scale distribution to edge devices.
By offloading traffic from existing CDNs and distribution networks using broadcast and multicast technologies, DVB-NIP optimizes delivery directly to the network edge, is infinitely scalable for a fixed distribution cost, and optimizes satellite capacity.
Furthermore, DVB-NIP is also capable of working in delivery-only (unconnected) mode, which is particularly relevant for addressing remote regions, underserved by internet access, enabling delivery of the most popular broadcast content.
DVB-NIP is the ideal technology to optimize OTT distribution!
Eutelsat
Laurent Leveil, Head of Multiscreen Services
There is a great opportunity for the media industry with any technology that enables the convergence of OTT and satellite broadcast. At Eutelsat, we believe that DVB-NIP is the appropriate standard for this. DVB-NIP will bridge the gap between OTT and traditional broadcast services.
With DVB-NIP, we will develop services that allow service providers to integrate satellite broadcast along with their CDN- based terrestrial delivery in a seamless way. This will benefit our traditional customers – broadcasters and pay-TV operators – looking to streamline their delivery. For native OTT service providers looking at extending their reach or addressing scalability challenges, access to satellite broadcasting will be made much easier.
We believe that DVB-NIP is the right standard and by choosing this we feel we are on the right path to transition from legacy transport technology for the benefit the whole media-industry chain.
Quadrille
Xavier Battas, CEO & CTO
The adoption of DVB-NIP represents a market opportunity for satellite operators to converge satellite and IP network technology. It also streamlines the required technology for DTH operators: instead of MPEG-2 for satellite and IP streaming for OTT services, operators will only need to manage a single IP protocol. This also mitigates the risk of obsolescence and the cost of maintaining MPEG-2 equipment as it becomes increasingly niche in comparison to massively deployed OTT equipment.
What’s more, this convergence allows DTH operators to offer a solution with new network efficiencies. As per the ‘fat tail’, 80% of users watch only 2% of the entire content catalogue, so operators can deliver the most popular content over the satellite network and reserve the IP network for specialized content. The benefits include a high-quality viewer experience, reduced congestion and operational costs for IP networks, and lower CO2 emissions associated with the IP network.
At Quadrille, we believe DVB-NIP will likely have its initial impact on new DTH operators looking to offer broadcast and OTT bundled services. Other likely implementation verticals include entertainment services on transportation and ‘hotspot’ locations that attract a large number of users around a single access point in places with limited internet infrastructure.
SES Satellites
Tom Christophory, General Manager, New Technology and Standards
IP clearly is the future direction of the broadcast industry – already widely used in production, it is only natural that over-the-air broadcasting will follow. The new DVB-NIP standard is a fantastic opportunity for satellite operators and their media customers to provide existing and new content formats that consumers can watch on their tablets and other IP connected devices, be it at home or in public locations.
The fact that DVB offers a standards- based solution for native IP will contribute to the development of an ecosystem with headend equipment and consumer devices from different manufacturers. Initially, the most prominent use case will be the feeding of video to the edge, whether in cell towers, terrestrial transmitters, or cache servers on transportation (ships, planes) and in local communities.
Over time, DVB-NIP has the potential to become the future satellite DTH broadcasting standard. For SES, the market introduction of DVB-NIP is an important milestone as it will provide cost savings (a unified headend for OTT and broadcast, plus lower CDN and technology costs) and added revenues (reaching beyond traditional STBs and IDTVs) to our broadcast customers.
ST Engineering iDirect
Rami Moussawi, Senior Product Manager
At a time when the broadcast sector is seeing unprecedented change, with digital firmly on the scene, the classic challenge of latency issues around internet media has been a barrier to satellite formatting. Now, the arrival of new technology allows the industry to dramatically reinvent OTT outreach and completely change the status quo.
Combining the power and bandwidth of satellite with huge viewer convenience and flexibility, the ability to send OTT video content over satellite represents a completely new – and highly significant – industry landmark. The delivery of native IP over satellite, with a standards-based approach thanks to DVB-NIP, creates a range of possibilities for mobile and multi- room viewing, education and many other use cases, and enables significant network cost savings.
From the perspective of ST Engineering iDirect, the coming together of the companies to create the innovative SKYflow ecosystem has redefined satellite’s role in OTT delivery. It will enable service providers and telcos to deliver content to any device in any location and will satisfy the many use cases that require satellite delivery of OTT services.
This article first appeared in Issue 60 of DVB Scene magazine (PDF)
See also: DVB Coding & Transport Solutions
