Sat-over-IP technology

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The Sat-over-IP technology (also DVB-via-IP , Sat-IP for short , SAT> IP , SAT2IP , SAT-to-IP , SAT-2-IP ) describes a protocol and an IP -based architecture for the Reception and distribution of digital satellite signals via a local network . It is an alternative to the previous HF -based building-internal intermediate frequency distribution of DVB-S (2) signals using coaxial cables .

technology

introduction

With a SAT> IP system, DVB-S or DVB-S2 signals are converted and encapsulated in IP packets, so that they can then be distributed over any IP network like normal IPTV .

Conventional satellite TV reception systems convert the received satellite transmissions to an intermediate frequency (IF) for distribution via coaxial cable so that these RF signals can be received directly or with multi-switches at the satellite receiver and set-top boxes.

SAT> IP can convert digital satellite television signals provided by an LNB or multi-switch directly into IP signals and at the same time pass them on to an existing data network. It enables the use of digital satellite signals on multimedia IP devices. One advantage of this technology is that an existing IP network can be used for the distribution of satellite signals and at the same time there is no need to set up an additional coaxial cable network for satellite reception.

SES SA introduced SAT> IP at the fifth annual SES Industry Days conference. The first devices to implement the SAT> IP protocol were presented in 2012. Any IP-enabled multimedia device can then be used as a satellite IP receiver. SAT> IP is aimed in particular at satellite TV distribution in-house, but can be used in large apartment buildings and community reception systems, or if IP networks are already in place.

Several SAT> IP servers and clients can also be operated together on the same network for free-to-air and for encrypted pay-TV transmissions.

The SAT> IP protocol was developed jointly by the SAT> IP project partner, the satellite operator SES SA, the British broadcaster BSkyB and other companies. It is intended to standardize the SAT> IP project internationally.

A prototype and first certified SAT> IP converter was developed by Inverto Digital Labs, a Luxembourg-based set-top box and software company.

According to Telestar, the required data rate is around 30 Mbit / s per HD stream and 10 Mbit / s per SD stream.

The VDR ("Video Disk Recorder") program that runs under Linux is compatible with the SAT> IP protocol; the vdr-plugin-satip plug-in is required for this.

SAT> IP server

The SAT> IP server contains an HF tuner and HF demodulator, which are part of the receiver in conventional satellite systems. The server makes this available to the IP network as a common resource. It converts the satellite TV signals to IP without transcoding; Each RF tuner / demodulator on the server thus supplies an MPEG transport stream from a satellite transponder ; this data stream can be sent to one or more SAT> IP clients (“ unicast ” or “ multicast ”). Many servers contain several HF tuners / demodulators in order to be able to deliver several programs (from different transponders) at the same time.

The server can be in the form of a master set-top box (also as an addition to conventional receiver operation) by the television or in a distribution device (analogous to an HF multi-switch) near the antenna or on the antenna in the LNB as a so-called "IP -LNB "must be attached.

SAT> IP protocol

Converted to IP, the satellite TV signals can be distributed over any IP network. The SAT> IP protocol should be manufacturer-independent and was developed to enable SAT> IP client devices to communicate with SAT> IP servers.

The SAT> IP protocol is a remote tuner protocol and is based on existing protocols such as IP and UPnP , RTSP and HTTP , which may have been extended.

The SAT> IP protocol can be divided into a media level and a control level. On the media level, the SAT> IP server produces media streams in unicast or multicast RTP / UDP. At the control level, clients request access to satellite, transponder and MPEG streams via RTSP or HTTP. Only the transport stream packets that are required for the requested TV transmission are sent over the IP network.

On March 24, 2014, the SAT> IP protocol was ratified by CENELEC as a European standard under the designation "EN 50585: 2014" and published on May 23, 2014.

Encrypted pay TV transmission

Encrypted pay TV streams are supported by some SAT> IP hardware clients (integrated CI / CI + slot in the client). Examples of such clients are televisions from Panasonic or the Volksbox Receiver from Inverto. Encrypted pay-TV streams cannot be displayed with SAT> IP software clients. An exception applies to the SAT> IP -compatible head-end station from Digital Devices, here the CI slot integrated in the SAT> IP server can be passed on to a SAT> IP software client (example client: DVBViewer). However, this communication takes place outside of the current SAT> IP specification 1.2.

Even with SAT> IP clients, the pay TV content is decrypted through the route (subscriber card -> CAM (conditional access module) -> CI / CI + slot). The content is sent encrypted to the client and only there is decryption by the client.

Problems

If several SAT> IP clients request the same (television) program and the SAT> IP server sends the data stream via multicast, many WLAN base stations fall back on a special multicast mode in accordance with the WLAN specification, which ensures particularly secure transmission should guarantee. A gross data rate of only 6 Mbit / s is provided for this mode, which is not sufficient even for an SD program . Therefore, in newer WLAN base stations (as well as in some routers ) you can set that multicast packets are to be converted into unicast packets by them (for each individual recipient). Although this multiplies the transmission volume, it allows a WLAN base station to remain in the (much) faster unicast mode, in which each client can then be supplied with sufficient bandwidth.

Products

SAT> IP server products

The first certified SAT> IP device that is actually sold is the IDL400S multibox server from Inverto. The Linux -based box can transfer up to four selected TV / radio program data streams from the satellite signals to a maximum of four simultaneously requesting user PCs, smartphones, smart TVs, game consoles or connected video devices via a wired or wireless home network. This converter also supports the DLNA protocol.

The Zinwell ZIM-1800 SAT> IP switch / server is the second device that has been certified according to SAT> IP.

More SAT> IP products, which were introduced in 2012/13, the Triax -TSS400 server Grundig SAT Systems GSS.box type DSI 400, Schwaiger MS41IP- + -MS51IP server with client DSR41IP Receiver, Telestar Digibit R1 server with Digibit B1 client receiver, the AMS IP router from ASTRO-Strobel-GmbH and from Blankom the SIA-108, a professional head-end station .

In May 2015, SES and the Korean company "I DO IT Co.", the manufacturer of the "SELFSAT" panel antennas , presented the first flat antenna with an integrated SAT> IP server.

SAT> IP clients

  • Smartphones and tablet computers (through corresponding apps such as Elgato (subject to a charge) or VLCPlayer (freeware))
  • DLNA-compatible set-top boxes
  • TV sets with integrated SAT> IP client
  • UPnP / DLNA-compatible television sets (only if the SAT> IP server also supports HTTP streaming and a codec is available or licensed on the client)
  • PCs (through appropriate programs such as: Windows Media Player, VLC Player, TVersity, DVBViewer, Boxee or Kodi)
  • some game consoles

Some HDMI sticks also allow the use of Sat-over-IP technology and can therefore retrofit older televisions for this type of reception.

IP LNB

The SES announced that an IP- LNB has been developed that delivers IP signals directly and provides a total of up to eight channels from any transponder in an orbital position. These channels can be forwarded directly to fixed and mobile devices via IP unicast or multicast.

The IP-LNB was developed in cooperation with the OEM manufacturer FTA Communications Sarl under the “Inverto” brand and is called “iLNB 8 channel SAT> IP LNB with PoE Adapter”. With eight integrated DVB-S (2) tuners, twice as many bouquets can be received as with standard SAT> IP servers. Power is supplied by a Power-Over-Ethernet adapter via the network cable.

The Triax announced that an IP LNB was being developed.

SAT> IP-compatible head-end stations for DVB-C and DVB-T

In the meantime, head-end stations compatible with Sat-over-IP have also been developed which convert digital cable television ( DVB-C ) or digital terrestrial television ( DVB-T ) into the SAT> IP protocol instead of satellite television .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ vdr-plugin-satip , SAT> IP VDR plugin for DVB-S / S2 / T / T2 / C / C2.
  2. ↑ Standards Development - List of Technical Bodies - EN 50585: 2014 . CENELEC . Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  3. ↑ SELFSAT> IP, the world's first SAT> IP antenna, enables satellite transmissions for mobile receiving devices. In: ses.com. SES, May 6, 2015, accessed May 13, 2017 .
  4. ↑ satvision.de: Schwaiger DSR51IP in the test: Hidden Sat> IP reception . Satvision, July 26, 2013
  5. ↑ SES, Inverto, Abilis and MaxLinear revolutionize satellite TV home distribution with industry's first IP-LNB ( English , PDF; 160kB) SES SA . April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  6. ↑ Inverto - IDLI-8CHE20-OOPOE-OSP. FTA Communications Sarl, accessed July 17, 2014 .
  7. ↑ INVERTO ILNB only € 359.95: 8 channel SatIP LNB with PoE adapter at reichelt elektronik. Reichelt Elektronik, archived from the original on July 23, 2014 ; Retrieved July 17, 2014 .
  8. ↑ First certified SAT> IP LNB server. Hirschmann GmbH , August 16, 2016, accessed on November 6, 2017 .
  9. ↑ digital-devices.de: Octopus-Net ( memento from January 3, 2017 in the web archive archive.today ), a head station for DVB-C / DVB-T to SAT> IP.