P2PTV
Encyclopedia
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
(P2P) software applications designed to redistribute video streams in real time on a P2P network; the distributed video streams are typically TV channels from all over the world but may also come from other sources. The draw to these applications is significant because they have the potential to make any TV channel globally available by any individual feeding the stream into the network where each peer joining to watch the video is a relay to other peer viewers, allowing a scalable distribution among a large audience with no incremental cost for the source.
Technology and use
In a P2PTV system, each user, while downloading a video stream, is simultaneously also uploading that stream to other users, thus contributing to the overall available bandwidthBandwidth (computing)
In computer networking and computer science, bandwidth, network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth is a measure of available or consumed data communication resources expressed in bits/second or multiples of it .Note that in textbooks on wireless communications, modem data transmission,...
. The arriving streams are typically a few minutes time-delayed compared to the original sources. The video quality of the channels usually depends on how many users are watching; the video quality is better if there are more users.
The architecture of many P2PTV networks can be thought of as real-time versions of BitTorrent: if a user wishes to view a certain channel, the P2PTV software contacts a "tracker server" for that channel in order to obtain addresses of peers who distribute that channel; it then contacts these peers to receive the feed. The tracker records the user's address, so that it can be given to other users who wish to view the same channel.
In effect, this creates an overlay network
Overlay network
An overlay network is a computer network which is built on the top of another network. Nodes in the overlay can be thought of as being connected by virtual or logical links, each of which corresponds to a path, perhaps through many physical links, in the underlying network...
on top of the regular internet for the distribution of real-time video content.
The need for a tracker can also be eliminated by the use of distributed hash table
Distributed hash table
A distributed hash table is a class of a decentralized distributed system that provides a lookup service similar to a hash table; pairs are stored in a DHT, and any participating node can efficiently retrieve the value associated with a given key...
technology.
Some applications allow users to broadcast their own streams, whether self-produced, obtained from a video file, or through a TV tuner card
TV tuner card
A TV tuner card is a kind of television tuner that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk much like the Tivo digital video recorder does.-Variants: The interfaces for...
or video capture card.
Many of the commercial P2PTV applications were developed in China (TVUPlayer
TVUnetworks
TVU Networks Corporation is a company that manufactures live mobile television broadcasting equipment and offers an Internet television broadcasting platform that uses P2PTV technology. Founded in 2005, the company is based in Mountain View, California.....
, PPLive
PPLive
PPTV, developed by PPLive, is a leading online TV service offering both live streaming and video-on-demand of TV programs/shows, movies, drama, sports, news and entertainment video contents. The service is accessible either from its website or from client software installation...
, QQLive
QQLive
QQlive is a live streaming video freeware created by Tencent, which takes advantages of advanced P2P streaming media technology to ensure program keep fluency with many people viewing at the same time. It attracts 3,000,000 visitors per day.- Introduction :...
, PPStream
PPStream
PPS.tv is a Chinese peer-to-peer streaming video network software. Since the target users are on the Chinese mainland, there is no official English version, and the vast majority of channels are from East Asia, mostly Mainland China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore...
). The majority of available applications broadcast mainly Asian TV stations, with the exception of TVUPlayer, which carries a number of North American stations including CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
, and Fox News. Some applications distribute TV channels without a legal license to do so; this utilization of P2P technology is particularly popular to view channels that are either not available locally, or only available by paid subscription, as is the case for some sports channels. Distributing links to pirated P2PTV feeds on a U.S.-based Web site can result in the U.S. government seizing the Web site, as it did with several P2PTV aggregation sites prior to Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
. By January 2009, there were about 14,000 P2P channels on PPStream.
Other commercial P2PTV applications outside China are Abroadcasting (USA), Zattoo
Zattoo
Zattoo is an Internet Protocol Television system, with offices located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in Zurich, Switzerland. It is available on computer, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and runs on the operating systems Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux. The basic resolution for channels is...
(Switzerland/USA), Octoshape (Denmark), LiveStation (UK).
Issues for broadcasters
- Broadcasting via a P2PTV system is usually much cheaper than the alternatives and can be done by private individuals.
- No quality of serviceQuality of serviceThe quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
(QoS). Compared to unicastUnicastright|200pxIn computer networking, unicast transmission is the sending of messages to a single network destination identified by a unique address.-Addressing methodologies:...
ing (the standard server-client architecture used in streaming mediaStreaming mediaStreaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
) no one can guarantee a reliable stream, since every user is a rebroadcaster. Each viewer is a part of a chain of viewers who can all have a negative influence on the reliability of the stream (by having a slow PC, a filled downlink or uplink or an unreliable consumer grade DSL or cable connection). - Less control. If a broadcaster prefers to limit access to their content based on regions, and would like good data on viewer behaviour, such as volume, trends and viewing time, then a traditional broadcasting solution offers more control.
- Professional broadcasters and distributors have used a hybrid solution for many years. Distribution servers are not centrally installed, but are rolled out in a smart, decentralized way. A central management facility manages content distribution over multiple peer servers (also known as edge servers, or caches), strategically located near user swarms (generally popular access ISP networks), manages load balancing, redirection of users, view reporting and QoS. An example is AkamaiAkamai TechnologiesAkamai Technologies, Inc. is an Internet content delivery network headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.The company was founded in 1998 by then-MIT graduate student Daniel M. Lewin, and MIT Applied Mathematics professor Tom Leighton...
.
Branded webtv service for end-users
- BabelgumBabelgumBabelgum is a free to view Internet television platform supported by advertising. The project was set up in 2005 by Italian media and telecommunications entrepreneur Silvio Scaglia and scientist Erik Lumer, with the aim of developing interactive software for distributing TV shows and other forms...
.com (non-live, used peer-to-peer technology until March 2009) - BBC iPlayerBBC iPlayerBBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
(live and non-live, used peer-to-peer technology until December 2008) - JoostJoostJoost is an Internet TV service, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis . During 2007-8 Joost used peer-to-peer TV technology to distribute content to their Mozilla-based desktop player; in late 2008 this was migrated to use a Flash-based Web player instead.Joost began development in 2006...
.com (non-live, live trials) - LiveStationLiveStationLivestation is a platform for distributing live television and radio broadcasts over a data network. It has been developed by Skinkers Ltd and is now a new company called Livestation Ltd...
.com (Windows, Linux, Mac) – based in United Kingdom - Miro (non-live)
- ReelTime.comReelTime.comReelTime.com is an Internet-based video on demand provider located in Seattle, Washington. It was founded as Reeltime Rentals Inc. in 2004 and went public in September 2006 at the same time that its online service was launched. The company's Directors are Michael Gersh and Beverly...
(non-live) - ZattooZattooZattoo is an Internet Protocol Television system, with offices located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in Zurich, Switzerland. It is available on computer, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and runs on the operating systems Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux. The basic resolution for channels is...
.com (Windows, Mac) - Hypp.TVHypp.TVHypp.TV is a Malaysian subscription-based internet protocol television service owned by Telekom Malaysia Berhad. It provides IPTV channels over ADSL and video on demand programming delivered via broadband. Hypp.TV is an example of telecommunication convergence...
(live and non-live) – based in Malaysia - pldtwatchpad.com (live and non-live) – based in the Philippines
Commercial solutions for broadcasters
- AlluviumAlluvium (peercasting)Alluvium is open source peercasting software developed by the , first released in 2003. It comprises three components, Core, Media Player, and Server. Alluvium allows video and audio programming to be broadcast over the Internet using swarming technology...
– based in Texas, USA - OctoshapeOctoshapeOctoshape is a proprietary streaming media platform. It uses throughput optimization technology to deliver HD quality streams and to break through congestion in the last mile to provide more resilient delivery...
(Windows, Linux, Mac) - PandoPando (application)Pando is proprietary software for P2P file sharing. It's mainly aimed at sending files using both peer-to-peer and client–server architectures that would normally be too large to send via more conventional means.Stable release: win 2.5.1.11 , mac 2.5.1.4...
- RawflowRawflowRawFlow is a provider of live p2p streaming technology that enables internet broadcasting of audio and video. Rawflow was incorporated in 2002 by Mikkel Dissing, Daniel Franklin and Stephen Dicks. Its main office is in London, UK...
- SyQic (PC and Over-The-Top STB)
Unclassified (yet)
- AfreecaAfreecaAfreeca is a video streaming service based on P2P technology, owned and operated by Nowcom in South Korea.The site mainly retransmits TV channels, but also allows users to upload their own videos and shows. The head of Afreeca's parent company Nowcom, Mun Yong-sik, was arrested in 2008 for...
– based in South Korea - CDNetworksCDNetworksCDNetworks founded in 2000, is a full service content delivery network , with increasing business in the United States.-Content delivery services:...
(CDNCDN-Places:* Canada , a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories* Côte-des-Neiges, a neighborhood in Montreal, Quebec-Technology:...
service) - CoolStreamingCoolStreamingCoolStreaming is a P2PTV technology that enables users to share television content with each other over the Internet. The technology behind CoolStreaming is similar to that of BitTorrent. The viewers upload content at the same time the programs are downloaded and viewed...
(discontinued service) - Cybersky-TVCybersky-TVCybersky-TV is a free software application for sharing television signals using a P2PTV technology. It allows users with a broadband internet connection to share the TV channels they are able to receive...
– software - PeerCastPeerCastPeerCast is an open source streaming media multicast tool. PeerCast uses peer-to-peer technology to minimize the necessary upload bandwidth for the original multicaster.The website of PeerCast appears to be abandoned since December 2007...
(Windows, Linux, Mac) - PPLivePPLivePPTV, developed by PPLive, is a leading online TV service offering both live streaming and video-on-demand of TV programs/shows, movies, drama, sports, news and entertainment video contents. The service is accessible either from its website or from client software installation...
– based in China mainland, Chinese only program. - PPStreamPPStreamPPS.tv is a Chinese peer-to-peer streaming video network software. Since the target users are on the Chinese mainland, there is no official English version, and the vast majority of channels are from East Asia, mostly Mainland China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore...
– based in China mainland - PulsePULSE (P2PTV)PULSE is a P2PTV application developed by the European FP7 NAPA-WINE research consortium.PULSE stands for Peer-to-Peer Unstructured Live Streaming Experiment and is a peer-to-peer live streaming system designed to operate in scenarios where the bandwidth resources of nodes can be highly...
– (Windows, Linux) LGPL P2PTV engine with announcement portal and unrestricted access - SopCast – Windows and Linux P2PTV Software and Network
- TriblerTriblerTribler is an open source peer-to-peer client with various features for watching videos online. The user interface of Tribler is very basic and focused on ease of use, instead of including features...
– linked to P2P-Next, relies on BitTorrent protocol - TVUnetworksTVUnetworksTVU Networks Corporation is a company that manufactures live mobile television broadcasting equipment and offers an Internet television broadcasting platform that uses P2PTV technology. Founded in 2005, the company is based in Mountain View, California.....
– Windows and MacOSX P2PTV Software and Network - TvAnts – software developed by Zhejiang UniversityZhejiang UniversityZhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
.
See also
- Comparison of streaming media systemsComparison of streaming media systemsThis is a comparison of streaming media systems. A more complete list of streaming media systems is also available.-General:The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of streaming media systems both audio and video...
- Comparison of video servicesComparison of video servicesThe following tables compare general and technical information for a number of notable video hosting services. Please see the individual products' articles for further information...
- Digital televisionDigital televisionDigital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
- Grid castingGrid castingGrid casting or gridcasting is a file and stream sharing system that cooperates transparently by using idle bandwidth on a user's computer to deliver large scale live or on-demand broadcasts...
- HTTP(P2P)HTTP(P2P)HTTP is a protocol based on HTTP. It is intended to improve page and object retrieval performance when web servers suffer server-side congestion. Examples of server-side congestion include the Slashdot and Flash crowd effects...
- Internet televisionInternet televisionInternet television is the digital distribution of television content via the Internet...
- IPTVIPTVInternet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
- List of music streaming services
- List of streaming media systems
- MulticastMulticastIn computer networking, multicast is the delivery of a message or information to a group of destination computers simultaneously in a single transmission from the source creating copies automatically in other network elements, such as routers, only when the topology of the network requires...
- PeercastingPeercastingPeercasting is a method of multicasting streams, usually audio and/or video, to the Internet via peer-to-peer technology. It can be used for commercial, independent, and amateur multicasts. Unlike traditional IP Multicast, peercasting can facilitate on-demand content delivery.-Operation:It usually...
- Portable applicationPortable applicationA portable application , sometimes also called standalone, is a computer software program designed to run independently from an operating system...
- Protection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations TreatyProtection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations TreatyThe WIPO Protection of Broadcasts and Broadcasting Organizations Treaty or the Broadcast Treaty is a treaty designed to afford broadcasters some control and copyright-like control over the content of their broadcasts...
- Push technologyPush technologyPush technology, or server push, describes a style of Internet-based communication where the request for a given transaction is initiated by the publisher or central server...
- Software as a serviceSoftware as a ServiceSoftware as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
- Streaming mediaStreaming mediaStreaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
- WebcastWebcastA webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
- Web televisionWeb televisionWeb television, also commonly referred to as web TV, not to be confused with WebTV, Internet television or catch up TV, is an emerging genre of digital entertainment that is distinct from traditional broadcast television...
External links
- EBU Project Group D/P2P (Peer-to-Peer) website
- Abroadcasting
- Octoshape
- LiveStation
- p2ptube, Program to watch movies in the internet