IPTV Project

We started the IPTV project in 2006 in order to satisfy the needs of our existing internet clients.
First we created a windows based program using the vlc plugin to deliver content to the clients. We started with 4 streaming servers and 40 tv channels. Due to the fast growing number of webtv users we had to grow.

We added more servers and devided the equipments into to categories:

• Streamers - the servers responsible for stream conversion and acquisition.
• Restreamers - the servers responsible for delivery of content to the final clients.

In order to optimize bandwidth usage across the network we had to come up with new ways of delivering the content as close as possible to the client. We started to colocate servers all across the country and modify the restreamer software to only request channels clients are watching. This solution enabled us to save almost 80% of the bandwidth previously used. For a while this was enough and the clients were more than satisfied.

At some point after we started looking for a set top box to start delivering the content not only to the computer but to the tv in the living room also. This proved to be more complicated to achieve than we thought. Not because we did not have the skills or the knowledge, but because we could not get any hardware manufacturarer to listen to us.
When this proved to be more then we could handle we hired local agents to discuss this on our behalf with all the major hardware manufacturers. We started to have some success and finaly started to aquire information required to move further. We had stb boards flying from all continents to test and decide. For a brief moment in time we were victorious, it looked like we will be able to deliver our service to the clients and make them happy. Looking at what was out there already usable, we realize that will have to compromise on quality in order to achieve anything. We were not prepared to do that. None of the mainboards had a usable interface or they had hardware issues/problems. We said ok. This is it, we have the hardware will just have to build the software ourselves, it seemed easy for a moment. We started recontacting the hardware manufacturers for the platforms that worked and talking to them about implementing new software on their platforms. Some of them dismissed the idea so fast we could not comprehend, some of them said ok, let`s give it a try. We signed masive NDA`s in orther to get access to SDK (Software development kit). We waited and waited, in the end just 1 delivered. We tryed to compile the sdk and discovered missing files. We tried to solve this by talking to the manufacturer ( trough the sales guy ) and we relaized that however helpfull the sales guy was, and he was triyng belive me, the software company was making evrething possible to not give us access to all the code. We at first said, ok it`s a language and distance problem. We settled to meet at the Berlin IPTV Convention and see how we can settle this problem. Meeting the sales guys was very interesting and they did evrething possible to make us feel good, but then we meet the software company wich nomatter how we addressed the problems said no,no,no,no and again no. I honestly said they do not understand our problems, so let`s show them what we need. We got our laptops and started giving them examples, we did so until the convention closed. They said ok, we understand nothing more. The sales guy said let`s meet tonight and talk about this over dinner some more. Meeting later we found what out the real problem, the sales guy explained: the software company has decided not to help us because giving somebody else access to the software will result in posible revenue loss for them. And for the first time in 3 years i understood the problem. When a software company attached to a manufacturer is charging 50.000 usd to change a logo in the software they will never give us access to the software, just because we could do it for less.
We said ok, let`s try a different approach. Will try to find an established resseller in our country of any manufacturer that has masive sales. After passing trhough most we finaly did it, we found one able and willing to help us. They actualy understood the project, that was a first in our eyes, most important we had no language barrier. After a year of tweaking sending and receiving files,updates and reverse engineering, WE DID IT. It took only 5 years and 6 months, but we have a functional STB and we are ready to deliver. BE READY!!!