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The difference is the delivery model. Internet streaming is unicast, and (correct me if I'm wrong!) Cable TV viewers are receiving multicast feeds to their neig
by feld 12y ago
The difference is the delivery model. Internet streaming is unicast, and (correct me if I'm wrong!) Cable TV viewers are receiving multicast feeds to their neighborhoods.
OTA broadcast is also best described as multicast.
Satellite -- I don't have the fine details of how this works, but I think it's basically multicast streams your receiver is tuning into.
The fact is that internet streaming is much more convenient for users, but each user puts a measurable load on the system.
edit: I know that they're not literally multicast unless they're an IP network, but it's a good comparison
edit2: ISPs bringing CDN servers/equipment in-house is a good way to mimic other forms of TV distribution, but it is expensive as it requires bandwidth upgrades to support the constant stream of data coming into their network which their users may not ever request.
- joezydeco 12y agoI don't have the fine details of how [satellite] works, but I think it's basically multicast streams your receiver is tuning into. It's plain old broadcast/downlink. A digital stream multiplexed with MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 channels of video data. There's also an in-band signalling stream for other uses (guide data, turning subscribers on and off, etc).
- nextw33k 12y agoIPv6 has multicast built in, lets hope the ISP's leave it switched on, as it will help their interconnects and create a new set of application innovations. I for one would like to see a p2p multicast protocol for super fast file delivery, no more queuing for a download, you just get whichever part is being sent out at that time. Or Dropbox/Google Drive uploads that automatically send to the different geographical endpoints rather than wait for the data centre to replicate it...