Many educational institutions need to upgrade the systems used to deliver video content to classrooms, either to replace aging technologies or to support a greater range of content and viewing devices. IPTV networks, particularly those based on newly available technologies, offer significant video quality improvements and provide a unified user interface for live, pre-recorded, on-demand, and Internet-sourced video. IPTV systems can be installed incrementally as an overlay to an existing network, or can be deployed as complete replacements of an existing system. Recent cost reductions, particularly in key software and server components, have now made IPTV technology affordable for virtually any school system.

1.
_______________________________________________________________________
IPTV
for
Schools
21st
Century
Solutions
White
Paper
Created
by
Visionary
Solutions,
Inc.
August,
2013
http://www.vsicam.com
_______________________________________________________________________
http://www.linkedin.com/company/visionary-­‐solutions-­‐inc.
http://www.facebook.com/vsiptv
http://www.twitter.com/vsiptv
http://www.youtube.com/vsiptv

2. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
Executive
Summary
Many
educational
institutions
need
to
upgrade
the
systems
used
to
deliver
video
content
to
classrooms,
either
to
replace
aging
technologies
or
to
support
a
greater
range
of
content
and
viewing
devices.
IPTV
networks,
particularly
those
based
on
newly
available
technologies,
offer
significant
video
quality
improvements
and
provide
a
unified
user
interface
for
live,
pre-­‐recorded,
on-­‐demand,
and
Internet-­‐sourced
video.
IPTV
systems
can
be
installed
incrementally
as
an
overlay
to
an
existing
network,
or
can
be
deployed
as
complete
replacements
of
an
existing
system.
Recent
cost
reductions,
particularly
in
key
software
and
server
components,
have
now
made
IPTV
technology
affordable
for
virtually
any
school
system.
Introduction
Today’s
students
live
in
a
multimedia
world.
Innovative
teachers
use
video
technology
in
the
classroom
to
enhance
course
material
and
reach
pupils
who
may
have
different
learning
styles.
The
challenge
for
many
school
systems
is
coming
up
with
a
technology
platform
that
is
flexible,
scalable
and
affordable
enough
to
delivery
top-­‐quality
video
content
to
students
of
all
ages.
Many
forward-­‐
looking
educators
have
recognized
the
limitations
of
traditional
video
delivery
systems
based
on
dedicated
coaxial
cable
networks
or
videotape/DVD
projectors.
These
schools
are
moving
rapidly
to
deploy
Internet
Protocol
Television
(IPTV)
throughout
their
facilities.
Modern
IPTV
systems
are
a
far
cry
from
the
postage-­‐stamp-­‐
sized,
low-­‐frame-­‐rate
Internet
video
offerings
of
just
a
few
years
ago.
Using
technology
that
is
built
to
take
advantage
of
private
networks,
IPTV
can
deliver
full-­‐motion,
HD
video
content
at
a
quality
level
that
meets
or
exceeds
that
of
broadcast,
satellite,
Blu-­‐ray
and
cable-­‐TV
systems.
IPTV
technology
has
been
chosen
by
AT&T
for
their
fast-­‐growing
U-­‐verse®
platform
that
competes
directly
with
cable
and
satellite
TV
in
serving
hundreds
of
channels
of
HD
content
to
consumers
across
the
country.
Comparable,
affordable
technology
is
available
for
the
school
district
or
site
level
ecosystem.
IPTV
systems
can
deliver
video
directly
to
devices
that
are
already
in
most
schools,
including
desktop/laptop
PCs,
tablets,
smartphones,
and
specialized
devices
such
as
digital
signage.
This
makes
adopting
IPTV
technology
less
expensive
and
more
attractive,
as
pieces
of
your
network
are
already
in
place.
In
fact,
it
is
not
uncommon
for
new
IPTV
deployments
to
be
done
in
stages,
allowing
applications
to
be
moved
onto
new
systems
as
they
become
ready
for
deployment.
“Innovative
teachers
use
video
technology
in
the
classroom
to
enhance
course
material.”

3. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
IPTV
System
Architecture
The
job
of
an
IPTV
System
is
to
efficiently
transport
video
signals
from
a
source
to
a
display.
Between
these
two
endpoints,
there
must
be
an
IP
network,
as
well
as
video/audio
encoders
to
convert
content
into
streams.
Systems
also
include
a
variety
of
optional
equipment
such
as
servers
to
handle
tasks
such
as
playing
scheduled
video
programs,
acting
as
video
on
demand
(VoD)
suppliers,
controlling
viewer
access,
and
publishing
channel
guides.
To
get
a
better
understanding
of
a
typical
IPTV
System,
it
is
beneficial
to
look
at
each
of
the
major
system
components.
Sources
Video
can
originate
from
a
wide
variety
of
sources
in
an
IPTV
system.
Video
cameras
with
coax,
FireWire,
USB
or
HDMI
outputs
can
feed
live
signals
into
the
system,
or
they
can
record
video
onto
tape,
disk,
or
flash
memory
cards
for
later
editing
and
encoding.
Real-­‐time
video
feeds
from
satellite
TV,
over-­‐
the-­‐air
broadcasts,
cable
TV
systems
or
Internet
video
sources
can
be
encoded
in
real
time
for
use
in
schools.
Pre-­‐recorded
video
on
tapes,
discs,
flash
memory
cards,
or
computer
files
can
be
captured
and
converted
into
live
video
streams
or
loaded
on
servers
for
on-­‐demand
playback
at
the
viewer’s
request.
Video
from
other
devices
such
as
smart
phones
or
computers
with
built-­‐in
USB
cameras
can
also
be
delivered
via
IPTV.
Video
signals
may
have
to
be
converted
into
formats
that
are
compatible
with
the
protocols
used
on
the
IPTV
network.
This
process,
called
encoding
or
transcoding,
accepts
many
different
forms
of
raw
video
as
input
and
conditions
them
for
use
on
the
system.
The
most
popular
standard
today
for
encoding
IPTV
video
is
known
as
Advanced
Video
Coding
(AVC),
also
called
H.264
in
reference
to
the
international
standard
number.
This
compression
format
can
be
decoded
by
virtually
all
types
of
PCs,
smartphones,
tablets,
standalone
video
playback
devices,
and
by
any
modern
IPTV
set
top
box
(STB).
AVC
encoding
can
be
done
either
offline
or
online.
In
offline
encoding,
which
is
used
for
pre-­‐recorded
content,
a
server
runs
a
software
package
to
encode
a
captured
video
file.
On-­‐line
encoders,
such
as
the
AVN443
from
Visionary
Solutions,
can
take
the
output
from
virtually
any
video
source
and
provide
a
compressed,
packetized
AVC
stream
that
can
be
delivered
real-­‐time
over
an
IPTV
network.
Networks
With
today’s
technologies,
virtually
any
data
network
can
be
used
for
IPTV
services.
A
basic
complement
of
Ethernet
switches
and
IP
routers
can
usually
be
configured
to
provide
at
least
limited
services,
reducing
the
need
to
upgrade
major
system
components
when
launching
a
basic
IPTV
system.
As
traffic
levels
increase,
network
upgrades
may
be
required,
such
as
adding
higher
capacity
switches
and
routers
and
increasing
the
bandwidth
of
interconnections.
One
important
network
capability
is
multicasting.
This
technology
permits
one
video
source
to
deliver
real
time
streams
to
dozens
(or
thousands)
of
receivers
simultaneously.
While
this
capability
is
built
into
most
recent-­‐vintage
enterprise-­‐class
networking
equipment,
multicasting
is
often
not
enabled
in
basic
enterprise
networks.
Enabling
multicast
requires
changing
the
configuration
data
inside
the
network
routers
and
switches,
and
in
some
cases,
a
firmware
upgrade
may
be
required.
(Only
rarely
will
older
equipment
need
to
be
completely
replaced.)
Multicasting
permits
much
more
efficient
use
of
network
bandwidth,
and
greatly
reduces
the
workload
of
video
sources
such
as
encoders.
Multicasting
can
even
eliminate
the
need
to
install
servers
for
replicating
streams
being
delivered
to
multiple
viewer
devices.

4. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
Servers
A
number
of
functions
are
usually
relegated
to
servers
installed
within
an
IPTV
network.
One
common
function
is
to
supply
VoD
services,
where
video
content
is
stored
inside
servers
and
transmitted
to
viewers
on
request.
A
server
is
also
typically
employed
to
provide
a
channel
guide
function,
allowing
viewers
to
see
and
select
programs
that
are
currently
playing
or
are
available
in
the
VoD
content
library.
This
server
may
also
provide
mechanisms
to
control
which
viewers
are
allowed
to
view
each
content
element,
by
means
of
device
IDs,
passwords
or
other
security
protocols.
The
software
to
provide
this
control,
called
“middleware,”
has
recently
been
made
affordable
and
easy
to
use
by
the
release
of
cloud-­‐based
products
like
PackeTV
Views™
from
Visionary
Solutions.
Servers
may
also
be
required
for
transcoding
video,
which
involves
converting
content
from
one
compression
format
to
another,
or
changing
the
bit
rate
of
the
content.
Another
use
of
servers
is
to
format
and
supply
video
signals
to
mobile
phones
and
tablets
by
way
of
HTTP
streaming.
Viewing
Devices
A
key
advantage
of
IPTV
systems
is
the
wide
range
of
devices
that
can
be
used
to
receive
and
display
video
signals.
This
flexibility
helps
to
dramatically
reduce
the
initial
deployment
costs
of
the
system,
and
avoids
the
disruption
of
converting
large
groups
of
users
over
to
new
equipment.
Most
recent-­‐vintage
desktop
and
laptop
PCs
are
capable
of
real-­‐time
playout
of
IPTV
streams,
using
a
variety
of
different
software
packages.
One
popular
package
is
the
VLC
player,
which
an
open-­‐source,
free
download
in
use
on
Windows,
Apple
and
Linux
devices.
Media
player
software
also
comes
bundled
with
every
Windows
PCs;,
and
Apple
QuickTime®
also
works
well
with
IPTV
streams.
For
standalone
displays
and
projectors,
IPTV
systems
support
a
variety
of
self-­‐contained
players
and
set
top
boxes
(STBs).
Traditional
STBs
from
vendors
like
Amino
can
support
many
different
kinds
of
IP
video
streams,
and
frequently
offer
advanced
configuration
options
that
permit
customization
for
many
different
display
applications.
Display
connections
can
also
vary
significantly,
ranging
from
composite
and
component
analog
video
through
VGA
and
DVI
interfaces
to
HDMI
ports.
Other
standalone
devices,
from
vendors
such
as
Roku,
Apple,
and
Google,
have
a
more
limited
range
of
features
and
functionality,
but
are
inexpensive
and
widely
available.
Two
different
kinds
of
wireless
networks
are
commonly
used
to
deliver
IPTV
services:
Wi-­‐Fi
or
3G/4G
LTE.
Wi-­‐Fi
based
private
IP
networks
that
are
owned
and
operated
by
the
educational
facility
provide
nearly
the
same
set
of
configuration
options
as
a
wired
network,
and
can
support
multicasting,
advanced
channel
guides
and
other
enhanced
operations.
Many
tablets,
laptops
and
other
portable
devices
can
be
setup
to
use
Wi-­‐Fi
connections.
Smart
phones
and
tablets
that
use
3G
or
4G
LTE
services
from
commercial
wireless
operators
have
a
much
more
limited
set
of
capabilities
for
private
IP
video
services,
because
they
need
to
connect
using
a
wireless
data
plan.
These
carrier-­‐based
systems
are
much
more
restricted
in
the
range
of
permitted
protocols.
In
most
circumstances,
video
delivered
through
these
networks
is
constrained
to
use
HTTP
streaming
or
similar
Internet-­‐compatible
technologies.

5. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
Education
Applications
Services
can
be
delivered
over
IPTV
networks
to
support
a
broad
array
of
educational
methods
and
objectives.
Students
of
any
age,
from
preschool
to
graduate
students
and
adult
learners,
can
benefit
from
well-­‐designed
video
content.
We’ll
present
a
number
of
typical
education
applications
here,
however,
there
are
many
more
that
can
be
successfully
accomplished
with
IPTV
systems.
Live
and
Pre-­‐Recorded
Programming
–
This
form
of
video,
often
called
“linear
TV,”
offers
the
type
of
programming
provided
by
broadcasters
and
television
networks.
These
one-­‐way
services
deliver
entertainment,
educational
and
news
content
on
a
predetermined
schedule
by
way
of
a
number
of
pre-­‐
designated
channels
setup
in
an
IPTV
system.
Viewers
select
the
channel
they
want
to
see
using
some
type
of
channel
guide,
which
can
be
printed
or
delivered
electronically.
These
channels
can
be
directly
converted
from
commercial
or
public
television
broadcasts,
or
they
can
be
created
by
an
administrator
from
live
or
pre-­‐recorded
video
content.
Morning
Announcements
–
Schools
everywhere
have
been
pleasantly
surprised
by
the
increased
levels
of
students’
attention
to
announcements
provided
using
video
technology.
Whether
the
content
features
an
administrator,
other
students
or
animations,
these
short
video
broadcasts
can
measurably
increase
awareness
and
message
retention.
With
an
IPTV
system,
an
inexpensive
camera,
a
real-­‐time
video
encoder,
and
a
wired
or
wireless
network
connection,
announcements
can
originate
virtually
anywhere
on
school
property.
Multicasting
can
be
used
to
distribute
the
source
stream
to
dozens
or
even
hundreds
of
destinations
simultaneously.
Staff
Meetings
and
Training
–
IPTV
networks
can
be
used
to
reduce
the
cost
and
simplify
logistics
of
many
staff-­‐related
events.
Live
streams
can
be
created
from
almost
anywhere
with
a
simple
portable
systems
consisting
of
a
camera,
an
encoder,
and
a
network
connection.
If
two-­‐
way
(or
multi-­‐way)
communications
are
required,
multiple
encoder
sites
can
be
used.
Or,
if
only
audio
communications
are
required,
telephone
conferencing
systems
can
be
used.
Pre-­‐recorded
or
live
training
content
can
be
streamed
in
real-­‐time
to
multiple
buildings,
thereby
reducing
or
eliminating
the
need
for
staff
travel
between
facilities.
Student/Sports/Cultural
Events
–
Community,
alumni
and
parental
involvement
is
an
important
goal
for
many
educators.
One
way
to
improve
outreach
to
these
valuable
constituencies
is
to
provide
engaging
video
content,
using
both
live
and
on-­‐demand
methods.
Real-­‐time
multicast
transmission
can
be
used
within
the
school’s
private
network,
and
HTTP
streaming
or
other
formats
can
be
used
for
Internet
delivery.
Home-­‐Bound/Off-­‐Campus
Students
–
Providing
lessons
and
live
communications
can
provide
valuable
continuity
for
students
who
are
affected
by
illness,
live
in
remote
or
rural
locations,
or
are
unable
to
travel
to
campus.
IPTV
infrastructure
can
provide
live
links
from
classrooms
to
a
shared
bank
“Students
of
any
age,
from
preschool
to
adult
learners,
can
benefit
from
well-­‐
designed
video
content.”

6. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
of
streaming
encoders,
which
are
used
to
deliver
video
to
the
remote
pupils
over
the
Internet.
As
the
out-­‐of-­‐school
population
changes,
these
encoders
can
easily
be
connected
to
different
classrooms.
Student-­‐Produced
Content
–
A
great
way
to
stimulate
creativity
and
engagement
for
students
is
to
include
video
workshops
and
assignments
into
the
curriculum.
Using
IPTV
to
share
the
results
with
other
classes
can
provide
benefits
to
other
students.
Some
schools
have
gone
so
far
as
to
have
student-­‐run
television
programming
on
a
regular
basis,
including
morning
announcements
and
even
extending
to
student
television
“stations.”
Digital
Signage
–
Clear,
effective
communications
to
a
diverse
student
population
can
be
provided
using
modern
digital
signage
technology.
In
place
of
expensive,
special
purpose
signage
devices
deployed
at
each
display
location,
IPTV
systems
can
be
configured
to
use
a
single
centralized
signage
signal
generator.
The
video
output
from
this
unit
can
be
used
to
feed
into
an
encoder
to
create
a
multicast
IPTV
stream,
which
that
can
be
distributed
throughout
the
school
to
displays
that
are
equipped
with
low
cost
standalone
decoders
or
STBs.
The
signage
signal
can
also
be
distributed
as
an
IPTV
channel,
allowing
any
connected
display
or
computer
to
be
used
for
digital
signage.
Why
Replace
COAX/CATV?
When
deciding
whether
to
replace
an
existing
in-­‐school
video
distribution
system,
many
factors
come
into
play.
Here
are
some
potential
benefits
of
converting
to
an
IPTV
system:
Flexibility
/Scalability
–
Additions,
changes
and
upgrades
can
be
expensive
and
difficult
on
traditional
coax-­‐based
video
systems.
IP
networks
can
be
easily
reconfigured
by
datacom
technicians
using
standard
hardware
and
software
tools.
IP
infrastructure
upgrades
can
be
performed
incrementally
as
traffic
loads
grow,
and
system
improvements
can
be
phased
in
gradually.
New
encoders
and
display
devices
can
be
added
whenever
new
applications
arise.
Unified
Solution
for
Live
and
On-­‐Demand
Content
–
In
many
installations,
coax
systems
are
only
used
for
live
or
real-­‐time
video
distribution.
For
on-­‐demand
content,
a
parallel
system
of
tapes,
discs
and
portable
players
is
often
used.
With
an
IPTV
system,
live
and
on-­‐demand
streams
can
be
easily
share
the
same
network
and
use
the
same
viewing
devices,
significantly
simplifying
the
management
of
valuable
video
assets
and
network
resources.
Single
Network
–
Using
a
converged
IP
backbone
for
many
types
of
services
in
the
classroom
can
drive
significant
cost
savings.
By
consolidating
traditional
intercom,
telephone,
datacom
and
video
services
into
a
single
IP
network,
the
job
of
maintaining
and
managing
the
system
becomes
greatly
simplified.
Multi-­‐Location
Content
Sharing
–
School
districts
with
multiple
buildings
frequently
need
to
make
programming
available
in
several
locations
simultaneously.
On
an
IPTV
system,
existing
data
connections
between
facilities
can
be
used
to
cost
effectively
transport
video
streams
and
files.
This
practice
can
reduce
the
number
of
encoders
and
servers
required,
and
help
economize
on
content
license
payments.

7. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
Wider
Content
Variety
–
IPTV
systems
can
deliver
content
from
many
different
sources,
including
live
broadcast,
cable
and
satellite
channels
as
well
as
on-­‐demand
servers
with
large
video
libraries.
In
addition,
educators
can
easily
display
all
types
of
Internet
based
content,
such
as
YouTube
and
Vimeo
clips,
using
the
same
IP
infrastructure.
Video
from
devices
such
as
smart
phones
and
still
cameras
can
also
be
easily
uploaded
and
distributed
over
IPTV
networks.
Uses
Existing
Classroom
Equipment
–
PCs,
laptops,
projectors
and
other
equipment
that
is
already
present
in
many
classrooms
can
easily
be
connected
to
IPTV
networks.
These
devices
typically
require
only
software
upgrades
or
downloadable
app
installations.
This
can
represent
a
major
cost
savings
as
compared
to
technologies
that
require
hardware
interfaces
or
adapters
for
every
viewing
device.
As
a
bonus,
installation
costs
are
typically
reduced,
since
the
viewing
devices
are
already
connected
to
an
IP
network
in
most
cases.
Supports
More
Device
Types
–
Portable
devices
such
as
laptops
and
tablets
can
be
difficult
or
impossible
to
use
with
non-­‐IPTV
systems.
With
IPTV,
these
devices
can
use
existing
Wi-­‐Fi
infrastructure
and
employ
the
same
viewer
interface
as
hardwired
devices.
Higher
Quality
–
IPTV
systems
are
purely
digital
transmission
systems
which
do
not
suffer
the
degradations
of
analog,
cable-­‐based
systems.
Signals
can
easily
be
sent
to
hundreds
of
displays
over
networks,
crossing
many
miles
between
sites.
Standard-­‐definition,
enhanced-­‐definition
and
high
definition
signals
can
all
be
delivered
over
the
same
network.
Signal
quality
on
an
IPTV
system
can
be
equal
to
or
better
than
DVDs
and
Blu-­‐ray
discs.
Financial
Considerations
Once
the
decision
has
been
made
to
implement
an
IPTV
solution,
two
different
deployment
scenarios
are
typically
used.
The
first
approach
uses
gradual
rollout,
with
new
services
added
incrementally.
The
second
is
a
complete
replacement
of
an
existing
system.
Both
approaches
have
benefits,
and
provide
the
opportunity
for
a
customized
implementation
plan
appropriate
for
your
school
or
business.
Option
1:
Start
Small
and
Grow
–
This
deployment
scenario
takes
advantage
of
an
IPTV
system’s
ability
to
use
existing
equipment
on
an
IP
network
that
is
already
in
place.
Service
can
be
launched
with
a
single
encoder
and
delivered
to
a
selected
population
of
classrooms.
As
new
services
are
added,
additional
encoders
can
be
used
to
feed
new
channels
to
an
expanding
set
of
classrooms.
As
traffic
levels
increase,
the
IP
network
infrastructure
can
be
augmented
to
remove
any
bottlenecks.
All
of
this
can
be
done
with
zero
impact
on
in-­‐service,
legacy,
cable-­‐based
systems,
until
the
point
in
time
when
those
older
systems
are
no
longer
worth
maintaining,
when
the
remaining
services
can
be
moved
to
the
IPTV
network.
This
approach
helps
to
minimize
upfront
cash
outlays,
and
spreads
the
overall
cost
through
multiple
budget
cycles,
without
impacting
the
quality
of
the
resulting
installation.

8. IPTV
for
Schools
–
21st
Century
Solutions
Option
2:
System
Replacement
–
Existing,
cable-­‐based
systems
can
be
removed
and
replaced
channel-­‐for-­‐channel
and
user-­‐for-­‐user
with
an
IPTV
system.
This
scenario
provides
the
quickest
path
to
delivering
all
the
benefits
to
viewers.
This
approach
helps
simplify
user
training,
and
avoids
any
confusion
for
viewers
having
to
operate
two
different
video
distribution
networks
simultaneously.
Through
the
use
of
existing
classroom
equipment,
and
the
installation
of
low-­‐cost,
high
quality
encoders,
the
upfront
costs
of
a
complete
IPTV
system
can
be
surprisingly
modest.
Conclusion
All
of
the
major
building
blocks
of
IPTV
delivery
systems
are
based
on
mature,
stable,
standardized
technologies.
This
provides
a
solid
foundation
for
building
networks,
and
supports
interoperability
between
equipment
from
different
suppliers.
System
upgrades
can
be
performed
on
a
gradual
or
a
complete
replacement
basis,
allowing
deployments
to
work
within
a
variety
of
budget
structures.
The
resulting
installations
support
a
wide
variety
of
viewing
devices
which
can
access
an
unlimited
range
of
content.
Educators
who
choose
to
deploy
high-­‐quality,
all-­‐digital
IPTV
networks
throughout
their
facilities
will
be
well-­‐positioned
for
future
growth
as
new
content
sources
appear
and
as
educational
technologies
continue
to
evolve
in
the
21st
Century.
Visionary
Solutions,
Inc.
has
established
a
strong
record
over
the
past
decade
for
delivering
reliable,
high-­‐performance
IPTV
encoding
solutions
for
professional
applications.
Every
Visionary
Solutions
product
is
easy
to
configure
and
install,
and
fully
supported
by
a
responsive
and
experienced
customer
service
team.
For
more
information
about
any
Visionary
Solutions
product,
or
to
schedule
a
live
demonstration,
please
contact
our
sales
department
at
1+
805-­‐845-­‐8900,
email
us
at
sales@vsicam.com,
or
visit
our
website
www.vsicam.com
to
locate
a
nearby
dealer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
VISIONARY
SOLUTIONS
INNOVATIVE
NETWORK
VIDEO
SOLUTIONS
_____________________________________________________________________________________