[mythtv] More things about IPTV...

[Robert Johnston]

On 1/14/06, Robert Johnston <anaerin at gmail.com> wrote:
> I've been doing a bit (Okay, a lot) of digging (As I'd really rather
> use my Myth box when we change provider than have to have a
> set-top-box (Or two) cluttering my already full cabinet.
>
> So, my little bit of digging reveals that:
>
> IPTV is broadcast over Multicast (Which most *nix kernels are now set
> up to recieve).
>
> Multicast IP's are in the range 224.0.0.0/24.
>
> So when you tune to channel 23, your STB binds to (For example)
> 230.0.0.23, and announces to the Router that it wishes to join
> Multicast Group. The router then sends packets to the device that
> requested it (And the whole multicast group).
>
> The heart of this is already handled in VLC (The code's here:
> http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/file/trunk/src/network/udp.c)
>
> As VLC can send out a multicast stream that is compatible with IPTV
> STB's, I think using VLC as a starting point for making an IPTV
> frontend.
>
> This won't solve problems with encryption, or how to do VOD/PPV, but
> for general programming (And getting a start on integrating an IPTV
> "Tuner" within Myth).

Oh, also, a page that nicely links to the relevant RFC's:

http://www.quixotic-research.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=30

And (the start of) an IPTV client for the Hauppague Media MVP (Which
we can also use to start something), along with an IPTV stream
analyser:

http://www.quixotic-research.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32
--
Robert "Anaerin" Johnston