Russian OVP - Telebreeze
There are several companies in Russia that have developed their own platform for IPTV and OTT. Including such developers are in the regions. One of the recently started active commercial activities is Telebriz from Tomsk. The team separated from Elecard several years ago, a very well-known Tomsk coder and other television software developer active in the international market. Partly as a result, Telebriz also had foreign customers from the very beginning, while the company began to work in Russia not so long ago. For several years, the solution was developed for the needs of specific operators, and the creation of a ready-made commercial version that satisfies the vast majority of customer requirements was completed just a month ago.
According to Nikolay Pesegov , the company's general director, the Telebriz service is convenient for small and medium-sized operators, up to 10 -20 thousand subscribers, since the company works according to the revenue sharing scheme. For larger operators, it is more profitable to buy the solution, install it and service it yourself. Telebriz also provides this option - in this case the solution is deployed on the client side, the system integrator selects one of the recommended equipment and installs all the necessary software. Naturally, the service is provided then under the brand name of the operator.
The cloud solution works on the Telebriz equipment and is provided on the SaaS model - the operator says which channels he needs and ensures sales to the end user, and Telebriz takes over the rest of the work on supporting and maintaining the system. The company has already built a truly global cloud infrastructure, with several points of presence in Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia. The cost for an operator depends both on the number of subscribers and on the number of TV channels it needs.
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The solution is used both by startups - for example, MiTv in Belize or ALBAX TV in Azerbaijan , and large pay-TV operators for narrow tasks. For example, the largest Greek television provider Ellas TV uses the OTT Telebriz platform for mobile broadcasting.
Telebriz does not sell content. The operator concludes contracts with the rights holders himself, Telebriz organizes the reception of content (for the coded channels, the operator receives access cards). As Nikolai explains: “We service the system at our facilities in the data centers. We receive the signal on request of the provider. Accordingly, he does not need to buy expensive equipment and hire technical staff. In data centers, you can usually install satellite antennas for a fee - on the roof, for example. ”
Recently, the first customers appeared in Russia. These are Ruslana TV , a pay-TV operator via the Internet from Khanty-Mansiysk, and Zoom TV , a startup, a pay-TV operator, which broadcasts TV channels over the Internet to SMART TV — TVs connected to the Internet. The Zoom TV example is very indicative. The operator uses the Telebriz platform, but is developing its player with its own interactive features. This allows a startup to be relatively cheap, without a serious investment in the first stage, to launch an innovative service. Your own player is needed because Zoom TV organizes a TV viewing in a completely different way, collecting a personal stream of interesting programs from all TV channels. The TV application and the method of selecting programs from the operator are their own, and in this case it required the streaming broadcasting of TV channels with which the operator entered into a contract or received from an obligatory multiplex, the possibility of cutting TV channels according to programs, timeshift for 3 hours (otherwise the transmission will not dock) , subscriber identification (done by a unique device identifier) ​​and the ability to receive subscription fees.
One of the important parameters of the IPTV / OTT solution is support for a variety of user devices — multiplatform. The operator can control the delivery to all user platforms at once from one office. According to Nikolai Pesegov, Telebriz supports 95% of devices, including not only popular platforms based on Windows, MacOS, Linux, SmartTV, iOS and Android, but also MAG or Roku devices made on its Linux platform. which are not found in Russia, but of which more than 7 million have already been sold in the USA. The delivery protocol is an adaptive standard HLS, supported by almost all platforms.
The part that is responsible for the graphical user interface is common to all platforms. Applications are developed separately, because there are features specific to different platforms, in particular, the work of a special peer-to-peer delivery module.
The second important parameter for the OTT solution, especially the cloud one, is the video delivery technology to the subscriber. Telebriz offers partners a hybrid option - both broadcasting from servers and peering, which removes the load from these servers.
As Nikolai Pesegov explains, the principle of peering itself is always the same: the user receiving the video simultaneously distributes it to other users. Solutions differ in nuances - in logic, in accordance with which it is chosen, from whom and in what volume the user device takes the stream (algorithm for selecting peers and seeds). Currently, peering is supported by almost all devices, with the exception, perhaps, of only smart TVs. Nikolay: “There are no principal restrictions, but there are administrative ones: for example, Samsung does not allow spreading compiled code and does not allow peering”.
Peering problems occur when the broadband Internet access provider restricts the outgoing Internet channel. That is why the delivery network must be hybrid - with servers that will take over the broadcast if there are not enough user outgoing channels.
Now Telebriz is developing a new approach. Any standard HLS stream becomes peering automatically when viewed with the Telebriz player.
Yes, naturally, since the Telebriz solution is not focused on end users, but on operators (including on operators broadcasting via the Internet), this is a closed infrastructure, and installing the player on a user device is logical for a subscriber who subscribes to services. - as before was the purchase of consoles.
The third important aspect is content capture. Nikolay: “Since the solution is in the cloud, we can provide almost any channel that the operator needs. The operator only receives a license to broadcast it. At the moment, Telebriz is ready to provide more than 1000 channels to operators wishing to start or expand OTT business, in the next year or two, this number will increase to 4,000 TV channels. ” Usually, most TV channels come from satellites in the clear. If the TV channel is encrypted, the operator, as already mentioned, provides an access card, Telebriz receives the channel and broadcasts it to the operator’s subscribers.
Well, the fourth aspect is the platform itself. Telebriz includes a full range of software products for conducting OTT business, ranging from encoding servers, media servers, video-on-demand servers, client and content management systems, players for all platforms, content preparation systems, advertising inserts, etc. As explained in the company, the development of coders was carried out in partnership with Elecard (using H.264), but all the other components of the solution were made independently. It turned out that it is easier to make one's own than to deal with the problems that arise when integrating with third-party solutions.
The number of bitrate options depends on the partner operator's needs. Typically, the channel is cut into chunks for 10 seconds with 3 - 4 bitrate options. For an HD channel, a bitrate of 5-6 Mbps is enough, for SD - two. If the bit rate is less than 512kbps, then watching it on the big screen is almost impossible, but if the operator assumes reception on mobile devices, then such a stream can be useful to him.
Since the stream is divided into chunks, the organization of delayed viewing (Catch up TV) is quite simple. Chunks are stored on the server, and you can collect any program by timestamps.
The billing module allows both manual entry of payment information - this is convenient for those partners who offer reception on set-top boxes or other stationary devices and use a one-year subscription - and integration with payment systems such as PayPal and QiWi. Subscriber identification can also be arranged differently. You can use the device ID - if it is a stationary admission. You can use the user login password, for example, if the operator allows viewing from an arbitrary device. The number of simultaneous views for one subscriber can be limited - also if the operator wants.
As Nikolai says, “by and large, the customer management system is standard, like everyone else, except for the possibility of inserting targeted advertising.”
The content protection system is integrated at the request of the operator who chooses and pays for it. As noted in the company, additional DRM for pay-TV operators, distributing the signal according to the point-to-point scheme and controlling each connection, is most often not required, there was only one such case in the practice of Telebriz.
As Nikolai explains, the company has been successfully selling solutions for a year, but the main development was completed about a month ago, when 90% of customer needs were met. Now Telebriz is moving to the stage of marketing and sales scaling.
Source: TeleSatellite
According to Nikolay Pesegov , the company's general director, the Telebriz service is convenient for small and medium-sized operators, up to 10 -20 thousand subscribers, since the company works according to the revenue sharing scheme. For larger operators, it is more profitable to buy the solution, install it and service it yourself. Telebriz also provides this option - in this case the solution is deployed on the client side, the system integrator selects one of the recommended equipment and installs all the necessary software. Naturally, the service is provided then under the brand name of the operator.
The cloud solution works on the Telebriz equipment and is provided on the SaaS model - the operator says which channels he needs and ensures sales to the end user, and Telebriz takes over the rest of the work on supporting and maintaining the system. The company has already built a truly global cloud infrastructure, with several points of presence in Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia. The cost for an operator depends both on the number of subscribers and on the number of TV channels it needs.
')
The solution is used both by startups - for example, MiTv in Belize or ALBAX TV in Azerbaijan , and large pay-TV operators for narrow tasks. For example, the largest Greek television provider Ellas TV uses the OTT Telebriz platform for mobile broadcasting.
Telebriz does not sell content. The operator concludes contracts with the rights holders himself, Telebriz organizes the reception of content (for the coded channels, the operator receives access cards). As Nikolai explains: “We service the system at our facilities in the data centers. We receive the signal on request of the provider. Accordingly, he does not need to buy expensive equipment and hire technical staff. In data centers, you can usually install satellite antennas for a fee - on the roof, for example. ”
Recently, the first customers appeared in Russia. These are Ruslana TV , a pay-TV operator via the Internet from Khanty-Mansiysk, and Zoom TV , a startup, a pay-TV operator, which broadcasts TV channels over the Internet to SMART TV — TVs connected to the Internet. The Zoom TV example is very indicative. The operator uses the Telebriz platform, but is developing its player with its own interactive features. This allows a startup to be relatively cheap, without a serious investment in the first stage, to launch an innovative service. Your own player is needed because Zoom TV organizes a TV viewing in a completely different way, collecting a personal stream of interesting programs from all TV channels. The TV application and the method of selecting programs from the operator are their own, and in this case it required the streaming broadcasting of TV channels with which the operator entered into a contract or received from an obligatory multiplex, the possibility of cutting TV channels according to programs, timeshift for 3 hours (otherwise the transmission will not dock) , subscriber identification (done by a unique device identifier) ​​and the ability to receive subscription fees.
One of the important parameters of the IPTV / OTT solution is support for a variety of user devices — multiplatform. The operator can control the delivery to all user platforms at once from one office. According to Nikolai Pesegov, Telebriz supports 95% of devices, including not only popular platforms based on Windows, MacOS, Linux, SmartTV, iOS and Android, but also MAG or Roku devices made on its Linux platform. which are not found in Russia, but of which more than 7 million have already been sold in the USA. The delivery protocol is an adaptive standard HLS, supported by almost all platforms.
The part that is responsible for the graphical user interface is common to all platforms. Applications are developed separately, because there are features specific to different platforms, in particular, the work of a special peer-to-peer delivery module.
The second important parameter for the OTT solution, especially the cloud one, is the video delivery technology to the subscriber. Telebriz offers partners a hybrid option - both broadcasting from servers and peering, which removes the load from these servers.
As Nikolai Pesegov explains, the principle of peering itself is always the same: the user receiving the video simultaneously distributes it to other users. Solutions differ in nuances - in logic, in accordance with which it is chosen, from whom and in what volume the user device takes the stream (algorithm for selecting peers and seeds). Currently, peering is supported by almost all devices, with the exception, perhaps, of only smart TVs. Nikolay: “There are no principal restrictions, but there are administrative ones: for example, Samsung does not allow spreading compiled code and does not allow peering”.
Peering problems occur when the broadband Internet access provider restricts the outgoing Internet channel. That is why the delivery network must be hybrid - with servers that will take over the broadcast if there are not enough user outgoing channels.
Now Telebriz is developing a new approach. Any standard HLS stream becomes peering automatically when viewed with the Telebriz player.
Yes, naturally, since the Telebriz solution is not focused on end users, but on operators (including on operators broadcasting via the Internet), this is a closed infrastructure, and installing the player on a user device is logical for a subscriber who subscribes to services. - as before was the purchase of consoles.
The third important aspect is content capture. Nikolay: “Since the solution is in the cloud, we can provide almost any channel that the operator needs. The operator only receives a license to broadcast it. At the moment, Telebriz is ready to provide more than 1000 channels to operators wishing to start or expand OTT business, in the next year or two, this number will increase to 4,000 TV channels. ” Usually, most TV channels come from satellites in the clear. If the TV channel is encrypted, the operator, as already mentioned, provides an access card, Telebriz receives the channel and broadcasts it to the operator’s subscribers.
Well, the fourth aspect is the platform itself. Telebriz includes a full range of software products for conducting OTT business, ranging from encoding servers, media servers, video-on-demand servers, client and content management systems, players for all platforms, content preparation systems, advertising inserts, etc. As explained in the company, the development of coders was carried out in partnership with Elecard (using H.264), but all the other components of the solution were made independently. It turned out that it is easier to make one's own than to deal with the problems that arise when integrating with third-party solutions.
The number of bitrate options depends on the partner operator's needs. Typically, the channel is cut into chunks for 10 seconds with 3 - 4 bitrate options. For an HD channel, a bitrate of 5-6 Mbps is enough, for SD - two. If the bit rate is less than 512kbps, then watching it on the big screen is almost impossible, but if the operator assumes reception on mobile devices, then such a stream can be useful to him.
Since the stream is divided into chunks, the organization of delayed viewing (Catch up TV) is quite simple. Chunks are stored on the server, and you can collect any program by timestamps.
The billing module allows both manual entry of payment information - this is convenient for those partners who offer reception on set-top boxes or other stationary devices and use a one-year subscription - and integration with payment systems such as PayPal and QiWi. Subscriber identification can also be arranged differently. You can use the device ID - if it is a stationary admission. You can use the user login password, for example, if the operator allows viewing from an arbitrary device. The number of simultaneous views for one subscriber can be limited - also if the operator wants.
As Nikolai says, “by and large, the customer management system is standard, like everyone else, except for the possibility of inserting targeted advertising.”
The content protection system is integrated at the request of the operator who chooses and pays for it. As noted in the company, additional DRM for pay-TV operators, distributing the signal according to the point-to-point scheme and controlling each connection, is most often not required, there was only one such case in the practice of Telebriz.
As Nikolai explains, the company has been successfully selling solutions for a year, but the main development was completed about a month ago, when 90% of customer needs were met. Now Telebriz is moving to the stage of marketing and sales scaling.
Source: TeleSatellite
The author: Olga Zhernakova
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/240577/
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