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Recommendations for Professional Quality Private IPTV Setup |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
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Recommendations for Professional Quality Private IPTV Setup
[Also posted in IPTV forum]
Hi. We are looking to route Sky HD and DTTV Freeview around our building using IPTV over an existing (1000mbs) IP network. Up to 12 sources (6 Sky HD STBs and 6 DTTV Freeview STBs - all racked centrally). Up to 12 concurrent destinations (LCD displays and projectors). Each destination would be linked 1:1 to one of the 12 STBs and would need to have access to all channels on the STB, so we're looking at unicasting rather than multicasting (although potentially some frequently accessed channels could be multicast). Looking to achieve full HD (1080i) resolution. What we seem to need is one or more multi-stream encoders that take the output from the STBs (HDMI or Component Video + digital audio) and stream the output as separate unicast streams to decoders attached to each display/projector. We would need IR feedback from remotes at the displays (over the same IP network) to control the STBs. We've identified a number of companies that appear to have the technology (although maybe not at full 1080i) but I am unclear how mature that technology is. This will be a fairly major investment for us so we don't want to jump in too soon and find it is flakey and will need to be replaced in a short while (we're currently using domestic-grade extenders from Gefen and Keene to route Component Video and Digital Audio over the Cat5e network with good quality but poor reliability - however we're happy to stick with that if IPTV needs further development to meet our needs). Any comments, and pointers to appropriate kit, would be welcome. Many thanks. Last edited by nakbrooks : 08-02-2009 at 16:58. Reason: Added cross-post info. |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 6,462
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HDMI distribution is do-able but tricky. Getting the signals from one place to another is the easy bit. Making sure that all the displays are HD compatible and then handling multiple EDIDs is much harder.
What is is about your current system that is proving unreliable? |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
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Main issue with current system is the Gefen equipment used to convert from Component Video plus audio to Cat5 and back again. I'm using six pairs of these: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4141. They need a lot of tweaking to get a good signal and I'm being plagued with periodic drop-out of sound (turning the Gefens off and on again resolves this - but it means a trip to the systems rack at the other end of the building each time). The Gefens also don't do IR feedback so I'm having to use a separater set of Keene equipment for that, which takes up an extra Cat5 cable per receiver.
For DTTV I'm using Keene equipment (this one: http://www.keene.co.uk/electronic/ke...eiver/C5B.html). This works well, and does IR over the same cable, but it can't handle HD. Also, all these decides take up a lot of space in the rack and there is no potential to control them through software (which I could potentially do with IPTV gear). Really just looking to make the whole thing more flexible, reliable and expandable, and also future-proof it (e.g. facilitate piping TV to PC screens in future). |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 6,462
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[LIST][*]Was the current system spec'd and assembled by your own team or did you use an AV Installation company?[/LIST][LIST][*]What sort of establishment do you have - Offices, Hotel, Education, Home, Other (if so, pls specify)?[/LIST][LIST][*]How is the system likely to expand further - More screens, More sources, More control, Other?[/LIST][LIST][*]Has a budget been agreed for this next phase of the project?[/LIST][LIST][*]Is there a time scale for the project?[/LIST][LIST][*]Are you looking to install the kit yourselves or bring in an AV contractor?[/LIST]
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
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To answer your questions: Quote:
Was the current system spec'd and assembled by your own team or did you use an AV Installation company?
Spec'd and assembled by us. Only intended as a stop-gap solution. Aim was to install something more sophisticated once other building works completed (which they now are).Quote:
What sort of establishment do you have - Offices, Hotel, Education, Home, Other (if so, pls specify)?
It is both offices and a private residence. About 9,000 sq ft total over 4 floors. Located in rural area in South West England.Quote:
How is the system likely to expand further - More screens, More sources, More control, Other?
More control, ability to integrate with public IPTV as and when it becomes available in this neck of the woods, possible addition of webcam sources (security cameras), ability to pipe video to desktop PCs, possibly add DVD jukebox source. Unlikely to be significantly more conventional screens.Quote:
Has a budget been agreed for this next phase of the project?
Next phase would be to replace Gefen/Keene kit with either better video over Cat5 solution (we've looked at things like the klicktv PRO range) or, preferably, IPTV solution. No budget yet set (we're still trying to get a feel for the current state of the art and ballpark costs) but we don't expect to do it for less than £5k and I guess it could be twice that. This excludes the IP network itself and screens/sources (all of which are already installed), its just the encoders/decoders and control equipment we need.Quote:
Is there a time scale for the project?
Depends upon cost and whether the current state of the art makes it worth doing now. We'd need something that gives a substantial improvement on the stop-gap solution and which would last us at least 5 years. We're happy to wait a year if technology is likely to be significantly better/cheaper in that timeframe.Quote:
Are you looking to install the kit yourselves or bring in an AV contractor?
Depends upon the complexity. If it is reasonably plug and play we'll do ourselves (we're fully capable in the area of IP networking). If it needs lots of A/V-specific tweaking then we're willing to use specialists (but we're not really looking for something that needs a load of tweaking - we want it to be install and forget as far as possible).
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