Middleware... we initially used something that started with an E... I don't remember. It was junk, and the developers were not too bright. We ended up going with Minerva - it's great. AT&T U-Verse runs Minerva, so that has to tell you something.
Our headend was built by Avail Media. I don't know what software they used on the Linux encoders. I do know the 4-port ASI cards (which were something like $1200/ea) come with Linux software to encode from ASI to MPEG 4 and stream out via multicast. Initially we used some cheap-o STB's made by... again, the name escapes me. Mood or something. They were decent, actually. We ended up going with Motorola STBs because they supported HD. Again, U-Verse uses Moto STBs, so that tells you something. Middleware provides the guide. On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 6:18 PM, Blake Covarrubias <bl...@beamspeed.com>wrote: > We're operate a small cable TV company in a minor section of our service > area and carry about 55 channels which includes most of the major networks. > > We're interested in deploying IPTV. What middleware software would you > recommend? You mentioned you used Linux in your headend environment. Can you > elaborate on that setup, such as the software you were using to convert the > channels to IP Multicast, set-top boxes being used, software providing > channel guides, etc etc? > > Thanks. > > -- > Blake Covarrubias > > On Nov 9, 2009, at 9:25 AM, Jayson Baker wrote: > > > Building the headend isn't that difficult, you're right. > > > > Ours was actually pretty simple. We used multi-channel satellite > receivers; > > each tuned 32 channels I think. It had an ASI output. > > > > We'd take the ASI stream, and run it into an ASI-input PCI card. Each > card > > took 4 ASI streams, and was about $1000 each. > > > > Linux software on the server pulled each channel out of the ASI and > > converted it to MPEG 4. Cheap, easy, simple. > > > > They'd put out a multicast stream, which our network took and pushed out > the > > fiber ring. We even had it going down some wireless links, so I could > get > > it at my house 20 miles away. > > > > The money in the headend comes in when you by the middleware -- this you > > cannot just "roll your own" Middleware handles billing, authentication, > > licenses, guide, etc. > > > > > > Making deals with companies to rebroadcast their channels is going to be > > another major hurdle. Unless you are big (i.e. have $$$) don't think > you'll > > be carrying anything in the Disney/ESPN/ABC family. And forget about > HBO. > > You'll need a fancy (i.e. $$$) lawyer who has been down this road before > to > > negotiate these deals. When we set ours up, we hired a lawyer away from > > Comcast. After everything was in place, he went on to other things. > > > > > > Echostar has an IPTV solution, you may want to look into that. AFAIK, > you > > pay them for everything, and they handle it all. Their feed, their > headend, > > their encoders, their middleware, their STB's. One nice thing about that > is > > it's the same DISH Network interface a lot of satellite users are already > > used to. > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 9:16 AM, jree...@18-30chat.net < > jree...@18-30chat.net > >> wrote: > > > >> Thats the problem, if I had 50K sitting around for gear, I would not be > >> putting > >> it into TV (well, maybe I would be, but more BW, more towers, faster > >> clients, > >> etc come to mind sooner). > >> > >> I can build a head end for far far less then that, If I stuck to the > free > >> channels or made my won deals with each channel. There are 1000's (well, > >> close) > >> of free to air channels out there. Some even give explicit permission to > >> rebroadcast the channel, as long as you notify them etc. I was hoping to > >> find a > >> place that would let me purchase channels X, Y, and Z, etc. The locals > are > >> easy > >> enough to deal with. So, Looks like I will need to do my own head end, > no > >> biggie > >> over all. Who do I talk to about licensing? I knwo some channels are > >> direct, > >> some are not. Is there a list? And, can a person who already has a > license > >> sub-license to me? Like MDU style? I know Charter does that, if you have > >> enough > >> people (IE I suspect enough money) If I could sublet off of a existing > >> licensee > >> and do my own IP transport, that would work out pretty well. Anyone have > a > >> license contract they can share? (most seam to have some NDA stuffs) > >> > >> can...@believewireless.net wrote: > >>> When we looked into Avail Media, it was a $500,000 investment to start > >>> if I remember correctly. (Headend, set top boxes, etc.) > >>> > >>> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 10:06 AM, Jayson Baker <jay...@spectrasurf.com> > >> wrote: > >>>> Have a look at Avail Media. We used them in the past for an FTTH > >> project I > >>>> was involved in. > >>>> They will provide you the headend, and satellite feeds from their > >>>> super-headend (aggregator). > >>>> They work with the networks and it makes licensing and such a little > >> easier. > >>>> > >>>> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 7:44 AM, jree...@18-30chat.net < > >> jree...@18-30chat.net > >>>>> wrote: > >>>>> I have been looking at some IPTV options and basically, there does > not > >> seam > >>>>> to > >>>>> be a whole lot of options. I can A) build my own IP headend B) nada . > >> I > >>>>> can not > >>>>> find a single IPTV provider that truly caters to the resident, soho, > >> etc. > >>>>> There > >>>>> is one that does so for huge cable op's but thats not where I am at, > >> yet =) > >>>>> > >>>>> I can build my own head end no problem. Licensing is the primary > issues > >>>>> there. I > >>>>> am guessing that is what is stopping the explosion of retail IPTV and > >>>>> instead > >>>>> pushing the more a la carte IP video streamers like NetFlix, HuLu, et > >> al. > >>>>> > >>>>> So, what options exist for IPTV ? > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>>> WISPA Wants You! Join today! > >>>>> http://signup.wispa.org/ > >>>>> > >>>>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>>> > >>>>> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >>>>> > >>>>> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > >>>>> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >>>>> > >>>>> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > >>>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>> WISPA Wants You! Join today! > >>>> http://signup.wispa.org/ > >>>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>> > >>>> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >>>> > >>>> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > >>>> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >>>> > >>>> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> WISPA Wants You! Join today! > >>> http://signup.wispa.org/ > >>> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> > >>> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >>> > >>> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > >>> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >>> > >>> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > >> > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> WISPA Wants You! 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