PackeTV® Views Whitepaper

_______________________________________________________________________

PackeTV®

Views

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

White
Paper
Created
by
Visionary
Solutions,
Inc.

October,
2013

http://www.vsicam.com

_______________________________________________________________________

http://www.linkedin.com/company/visionary-‐solutions-‐inc.
http://www.facebook.com/vsiptv
http://www.twitter.com/vsiptv

http://www.youtube.com/vsiptv

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

Executive
Summary

One
of
the
biggest
challenges
facing
IPTV
system
providers
is
managing
how
viewers
select
the

channels
and
content
that
they
want
to
see.
Keeping
track
of
multiple
live
and
pre-‐recorded
assets
and

providing
an
easy-‐to-‐use
portal
for
users
can
be
time-‐consuming
at
best,
particularly
given
the

complexity
of
many
commercially
available
middleware
packages.
An
ideal
channel
guide
system
would

allow
producers
of
video
content
(including
end
users)
to
easily
create
a
listing
in
the
overall
channel

guide
without
requiring
complicated
database
manipulation.
With
the
development
of
newer
tools

based
on
software-‐as-‐a-‐service
cloud
concepts,
deployment
costs
can
be
reduced
while
at
the
same

time
making
these
“middleware”
systems
easier
to
deploy
and
manage.

Simpler
is
better
for
many
system
operators,
including
school
systems,
commercial
enterprises,
local

governments,
healthcare
facilities,
and
universities.
PackeTV®

Views
from
Visionary
Solutions
Inc.
(VSI)

offers
an
efficient,
organized
and
cost-‐effective
way
for
administrators
and
end
users
to
efficiently

publish
and
view
all
types
of
video
content.
Once
a
channel
framework
is
in
place,
local
administrators

can
update
the
channel
listing
guide
without
intervention
from
the
overall
system
manager.

Multiple
program
listing
views
are
supported,
allowing
different
channels
guides
to
be
displayed

based
on
each
viewer’s
permission
level.
With
this
functionality,
a
professional
channel
guide
can
be

deployed
cost
effectively
for
virtually
any
organization,
even
one
with
limited
experience
in
digital

media
programming.

Introduction

Video
distribution
systems
are
the
ideal
portal
for
providing
access
to
content,
and
one
of
the
keys

for
successful
digital
content
distribution
is
making
it
easy
for
viewers
to
find
what
they
want
to
watch.

Channel
guides
are
a
popular
means
for
providing
information
to
viewers.
User-‐friendly
icons
and
short

text
descriptions
of
the
available
channels
and
programs
provide
an
easy
mechanism
for
viewers
to
play

content
with
a
simple
click
of
a
remote
or
a
mouse.
Over
the
years,
many
types
of
channel
guides
have

been
deployed,
and
they
have
been
implemented
on
custom
IPTV
networks
using
a
wide
range
of

technologies.
Until
recently,
implementing
a
channel
guide
required
custom
programming,
expensive

servers,
and
software
packages
known
as
“middleware”
that
provide
services
to
handle
transactions

between
viewers’
devices
and
video
servers.

In
legacy
installations,
complex,
expensive
middleware
is
used
to
control
the
channel
guide
and
to

manage
viewer
permissions.
For
large
video
service
providers
(such
as
CATV
systems
and
IPTV
carriers),

these
systems
can
be
prudent,
because
they
are
needed
to
promote
channels
and
programs
to
entice

viewers,
as
well
as
to
control
the
revenue
flows
for
subscription
channels
and
pay-‐per
view
events.

However,
for
many
smaller
(and
particularly
private-‐network
based)
IPTV
providers,
these
features

are
not
only
unused
but
also
make
it
more
difficult
to
manage
video
channels
and
assets
efficiently.

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

Key
Channel
Guide
Requirements

Creating
the
optimal
channel
guide
for
an
IPTV
network
is
as
much
a
matter
of
design
as
it
is
of

technology,
but
certain
attributes
apply
in
nearly
all
cases,
including:

Ease
of
Use
–
At
its
heart,
a
channel
guide
has
one
purpose:
to
provide
viewers
with
a
simple,

attractive
way
to
find
and
watch
their
desired
content.
Viewers
should
be
able
to
scroll
through

the
available
offerings
and
select
a
specific
video
program
using

a
standard
keyboard,
mouse
and
web
browser.
The
overall
user

experience
can
be
enhanced
through
the
use
of
graphics,

featuring
appropriate
icons
for
each
content
item.

®

Ease
of
use
requirements
also
extend
to
the
functions
of
enterprise

administrators,
who
are
responsible
for
creating
the
channel
guides

that
are
accessed
by
viewers.
Ideally,
when
new
content
is
created,

these
people
should
have
an
easy,
intuitive
system
for
creating
new

entries
in
the
channel

guide
along
with
the
associated
data
and
icons

that
are
visible
to
users.

Platform
agnostic
–
Video
delivery
systems
are
often
built
up
over

time
in
organizations,
as
user
needs
evolve
and
budgets
permit.

Several
different
technologies
from
multiple
vendors
may
be

employed
to
deliver
on-‐demand
video
files
and
real-‐time
or
live
video

programs.
Channel
guides
should
be
compatible
with
all
of
the

deployed
technologies,
providing
users
with
a
single,
common
access

point
for
all
varieties
of
content.
With
a
unified
guide,
users
can
avoid

the
headaches
of
using
multiple
portals
to
play
content
residing

across
incompatible
systems.

Centralized
Administration
–
Keeping
the
information
in
a
channel
guide
up
to
date
is
easier
when

multiple
parties
are
able
to
add
channels
and
content,
but
chaos
can
result
without
an
established
rule

and
protocol
chain.
A
best-‐in-‐class
IPTV
channel
management
system
will
have
provisions
for
setting
up

permissions
for
various
levels
of
users
and
the
ability
to
create
templates
that
can
be
shared
across

multiple
users.
The
system
should
also
allow
any
issues
that
arise
to
be
immediately
corrected
by
an

onsite
administrator,
who
is
supported
by
a
technology
vendor
with
a
responsive
customer
support

team.

Supports
User-‐Generated
Content
–
In
many
commercial
IPTV
systems,
content
is
generated
by
a

central
group
that
manages
the
programming
that
will
be
offered
to
viewers
and
tightly
controls
the

channel
guide
that
will
be
presented
to
users.
This
is
unfortunate,
because
users
often
have
the
ability

to
create
content
themselves
(using
low
cost
digital
cameras
and
PC-‐based
editing
tools)
and
also
can

find
content
from
a
variety
of
online
sources
that
they
would
like
to
share
with
other
viewers.
If
a

channel
guide
system
is
simple
enough,
users
can
create
and
curate
content
of
their
own
choosing
to
be

shared
with
others.
Network
administrators
should
also
be
able
to
establish
approval
rules
to
ensure

that
content
is
reviewed
and
acceptable
before
pushing
it
out
to
a
wider
audience.

“PackeTV

Views
will

revolutionize

the
IPTV

market
as
the

ideal,
low-‐cost,

web-‐based

IPTV
channel

guide

solution.”

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

Reduced
Expense/Complexity
–
Many
traditional
middleware
packages
currently
used
to
create

channel
guides
are
expensive,
require
dedicated
hardware
servers,
and
are
complex
to
program
and

support.
While
these
packages
are
useful
for
IPTV
service
providers
with
hundreds
of
thousands
of

paying
customers,
they
can
be
overkill
for
organizations
that
may
have
fewer
channels
of
content
that

are
shared
by
dozens
or
hundreds
of
viewers.
A
good
solution
will
provide
the
essential
functions
that

an
individual
organization
requires
without
the
expense
and
complexity
of
an
over-‐complicated
system.

Applications

Organizations
of
many
types
can
benefit
from
a
channel
guide
management
tool
to
support
their

video
delivery
systems,
and
increase
viewership
by
providing
an
easy-‐to-‐use
method
for
content

selection
and
access.

Educational
organizations
of
all
types
will
increasingly
be
using
video
delivery
to
enhance
their

courses,
for
both
live
instruction
and
pre-‐recorded
courseware.
Primary
and
secondary
school
systems

(K-‐12)
need
to
create
age-‐appropriate
channel
guides
for
a
range
of
students.
Colleges
and
universities

can
index
a
wide
range
of
content
to
supplement
curriculum
in
any
academic
discipline,
while
also

providing
a
mechanism
for
students
to
share
content
they
have
created
or
located.

Business
and
non-‐profit
enterprises
can
use
video
for
a
variety
of
purposes,
including
training,

conferences,
and
employee
communications.
Organizations
that
have
multiple
locations
can
distribute

video
programming
cost
effectively
over
corporate
networks
to
employee
desktops,
allowing
viewers
to

see
live
events
occurring
at
different
facilities.
This
content
can
also
be
recorded
and
time-‐shifted
to

support
multiple
time
zones.
Making
all
of
this
content
available
to
the
correct
viewers
can
be
simplified

with
an
on-‐line
channel
guide,
particularly
if
it
can
be
quickly
modified
to
present
new
content
as
soon

as
it
becomes
available.

Government
video
applications
span
the
range
from
pre-‐recorded
training
and
constituent

communications
to
live
coverage
of
legislative
sessions
and
natural
disasters.
In
many
cases,
the
content

is
created
or
gathered
in
multiple
departments,
and
shared
across
a
secure
network.
Coordinating
all
of

these
resources
can
be
difficult.
A
channel
guide
management
tool
can
be
an
effective
solution.

Health
care
facilities
often
have
responsibilities
for
providing
video
services
to
both
staff
members

and
patients.
Continuing
medical
education
can
often
be
supported
by
high-‐quality
video
content.

Patients
can
be
provided
information
about
procedures
that
they
are
about
to
undergo
and
information

about
post-‐discharge
care.
With
simple-‐to-‐use
program
guides
that
are
tailored
to
provide
content
to

their
specific
needs,
both
employees
and
patients
will
benefit.

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

PackeTV®
Views

As
a
leader
in
IPTV
and
related
video
technologies,
VSI
has
supplied
equipment
and
software
to

support
a
huge
variety
of
video
delivery
applications.
One
longstanding
obstacle
to
deploying
cost

effective,
IPTV
systems
has
been
the
expense
and
complexity
of
deploying
traditional
middleware

solutions
to
provide
channel
guides.
Typically,
these
systems
require
dedicated
servers,
tight
coupling
to

a
homogeneous
set
of
video
source
devices,
specialized
interface
or
player
software
loaded
on
each

user’s
device,
and
significant
efforts
to
install
and
customize
for
a
particular
organization.

PackeTV®

Views
was
developed
to
make
channel
guide
creation
much
simpler
and
significantly

more
user-‐friendly.
Through
the
use
of
cloud-‐based
services,
any
organization
can
deliver
high-‐quality

channel
guides
to
all
viewers,
both
within
and
outside
the
organization.
Any
type
of
video
can
be

displayed,
either
on-‐demand
or
real-‐time,
as
long
as
the
viewer’s
device
has
suitable
media
player

software
installed
(such
as
QuickTime,
VLC,
Adobe
Flash
plug-‐in,
etc.).

The
overall
system
architecture
is
deceptively
simple,
because
all
of
the
functions
are
provided
by

way
of
Software
as
a
Service
(SaaS)
systems
hosted
by
VSI
in
the
cloud.
From
a
practical
standpoint,

what
this
means
is
that
the
only
hardware
requirement
for
users
is
a
working
Internet
connection.
The

PackeTV®

Views
system
can
be
accessed
through
standard
firewalls,
and
is
secured
through
user
login

accounts
and
passwords.
Video
streams
can
only
be
played
by
devices
that
have
physical
network
access

to
the
video
servers,
providing
additional
security.
Unauthorized
users
who
are
outside
of
the
network

scope
of
the
video
source
will
not
be
able
to
view
the
content.

PackeTV®

Views
features
intuitive
controls
that
can
be
easily
operated
by
both
technical
and
non-‐
technical
personnel.
Operators
simply
open
the
URL
with
the
channel
lineup,
build
a
content
feed

customized
for
the
intended
audience,
and
instantly
push
the
media
to
viewers.

Each
user
has
an
individual
login
and
password
that
must
be
entered
before
using
the
channel
guide.

This
process
identifies
the
user
so
that
the
permissions
can
be
controlled
to
provide
a
customized
list
of

content
offerings
(a
user’s
“View”)
that
is
specific
to
one
individual
or
a
whole
group
or
viewers.
Each

“View”
contains
a
collection
of
icons,
each
one
corresponding
to
a
single
channel
or
VoD
program.
To

watch
the
content,
a
user
simply
clicks
on
the
desired
icon
using
a
standard
browser,
causing
their

device
to
begin
downloading
the
video
from
the
correct
network
server
and
open
a
media
player

window
on
the
user’s
device.

Certain
users,
who
have
been
given
Enterprise
Administrator
privileges,
can
create
entries
in
the

channel
guide
that
can
be
published
to
other
users.
Each
entry
consists
of
an
icon
with
a
user
selectable

image
and
a
URL
that
points
to
the
video
content’s
source.
Users
can
choose
from
a
library
of

predefined
icon
images
or
they
can
upload
a
picture
of
their
own
choosing.
Templates
can
be
produced

to
simplify
providing
common
formats
to
multiple
users.
Also,
Enterprise
Administrators
can
create

“Views”
that
allow
anonymous
sign-‐ons
for
public
users.

Fast,
Simple
Setup
for
IPTV
Channels

PackeTV®

Views
provides
a
solid
technical
platform
to
support
simple
or
sophisticated
channel

guides,
allowing
organizations
to
create
a
user
experience
that
will
encourage
viewers
to
actively
use
the

system.
By
eliminating
unneeded
functions
and
delivering
services
from
a
centralized,
cloud-‐based

server,
VSI
can
provide
a
sophisticated
product
at
an
attractive
cost
for
any
video
delivery
system.

Conclusion

Almost
any
private
video
network
can
benefit
from
giving
users
an
easy
way
to
access
content
by

means
of
a
professional-‐quality
channel
guide.
Through
the
use
of
remotely
server
capacity,

PackeTV®

Views
delivers
a
sophisticated,
user-‐friendly
product
that
is
simple
to
use
and
cost-‐effective

to
install
and
maintain.
PackeTV®

Views
will
revolutionize
the
IPTV
market
as
the
ideal,
low-‐cost,
web-‐
based
IPTV
channel
guide
solution.

For
more
information
about
PackeTV®

Views
or
to
get
a
product
demonstration,
please
contact

Visionary
Solutions
Inc.
ph:
805.845.8900
ext.
181,
email:
sales@vsicam.com,
web:
www.vsicam.com

_____________________________________________________________________________________

VISIONARY
SOLUTIONS

INNOVATIVE
NETWORK
VIDEO
SOLUTIONS

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PackeTV® Views Whitepaper

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