Build a Profitable IPTV Network!

A lot of customers are now building out thier own IPTV complete network with the TikiLIVE Enterprise platform. We have explained in detail how you can build a profitable IPTV network below.

This article outlines how IPTV is destined to change the way we view and distribute content to our audience on both a local and international level and briefly discusses how our customers are using TikiLIVE to monetize their content.


1.0 IPTV is an Expanding Market

1.1 What is IPTV?
An Internet Protocol Television Solution (IPTV) refers to a method of sending content over a securely managed network that streams content directly to individual viewers and locations. Integrating an IPTV solution within a network allows a service provider to push audio and video to an enclosed network or grant public access through the internet. This is crucial because it serves to fundamentally change the provider’s operational costs over time leading to increased savings as well as simultaneously expanding the availability of services for their customers. The three essential pieces to making an IPTV Network are the content source, supporting server network and your viewers.

Figure 1: Connect any Source to your Network:

Figure 2: Scalable Networks Allow for Unlimited Connections:

Figure 3: Networks are Built to Deliver to Multiple Users and Devices

IPTV is exploding in the professional market as corporations experiment with adding multiple sources of revenue to their business plans through online content delivery. The “per-user-cast” method of delivery grants opportunities for advertisers to target specific viewers based on rules preferences. Exact matching of user experiences allows for smarter campaign targeting and distribution leading to greater Returns on Investment (ROI). As the network is extremely secure and has the ability to synthesize detailed statistics regarding the consumer’s preferences, it’s an excellent platform on which to add e-commerce references, advertising, and other services on items the audience typically invests in. In fact, as advertisers improve their ability to define the behavior of consumers they’ll have a significant opportunity to decrease the use of low-impact marketing and devote assets to personalized ads that drive meaningful business results and impulse purchasing.

1.2 Content Acquisition
IPTV Solutions allow one to acquire and share content on unprecedented levels. Users and producers can transfer, record and archive content just as easy as they can browse a webpage. By integrating a secure, closed network one may protect their content and distribute it to those parties they have approved. Many content repositories, such as YouTube, allow for users and networks to pull content from their extensive collection increasing their distribution.

1.3 Means of Delivery
IPTV Networks enable one to deliver their content utilizing the most current methods for data transfer through the internet. Content producers can deliver content originating from most video and audio sources to the supporting network. The network then delivers the content to an audience through secure or public points of access to the internet. The following diagram details just how technologies and networks interact to deliver content originating from a broadcaster to their audience:

Figure 4: IPTV Networks End-To-End Delivery Diagram

1.4 Simplifying the Usability for the End-User to View the Content
The final portion of an IPTV Network centers on the viewer’s experience and must be developed to be seamlessly utilized through web browsers, set-top boxes and mobile devices TikiLIVE simplifies the user’s navigation by incorporating large button interfaces with advanced filtering and channel selection methods. Integrating an easy to use keyboard allows one to enter in text directly from their television with their remote control:

Figure 5: IPTV Keyboard:

A Channel Lineup display allows one to browse through the channel guide and select which content they would like to view. Based off of a TV-Guide layout, the user can easily scroll through the available channels to know what is current LIVE and what is coming up on all the network channels. A Sample of Schedule display can be found in Figure 3.

Figure 6: Channel Selection Interface

2.0 Monetize your Content through an IPTV Network
As the content and advertising industries have become better acquainted with IPTV they’re already beginning to see the real opportunities for their revenue sources as well as a secure method for auditing delivery impressions and achieving more tangible business results.

TikiLIVE provides multiple revenue sources for their administrators such as leasing out the ability to broadcast, selling advertisements as well as collecting Pay-Per-View royalties.

Figure 7: Multiple Revenue Streams through TikiLIVE

Example Revenue Sources are:

•Subscription Based Broadcasting – The Admin can set broadcasting packages that the user base can sign up and pay on a re-occurring payment plan.

•Integrated Advertising – Network Administrators can assign specific advertising campaigns within their network and track impressions and click-troughs.

•Pay-Per-View Ticket Sales – Broadcasters can set ticket prices on their content and sell them to their audience. The site admin collects a percentage of the transaction to account for feeds and bandwidth.

3.0 Specific Functions and Feature Unique to TikiLIVE

TikiLIVE provides a service provider with the ability to deliver a much more personalized entertainment experience to customers with a much higher standard for video quality. The end result is compelling to content providers, advertisers, and consumers alike and does not sacrifice good business practices nor does it require major investments in hardware or other overhead. In particular, TikiLIVE allows the service provider to deliver only those channels that the consumer wants at any given time unlike traditional television in which every channel is delivered to every home on the network. For the first time it will be economical to deliver a college basketball game to any viewer regardless of location rather than just a particular local community.
While interactive TV has been around for more than a decade, supporting technologies and public interest are only now dictating that it can support a feasible business plan. This can be attributed to TikiLIVE’s ability to offer benefits in the form of interaction and convenience to the consumer. For one thing, it raises interactive television to a new level by giving the viewer a sense community. TikiLIVE gives the viewer access not just to an event but to information surrounding that particular piece as well as any other related content. The audience retains the ability to check the content’s viewer statistics or even live footage of another event or show. For example you can do a lot of things using a Set Top Box like: receiving and displaying TV signals, connect to different networks, playing games using the popular consoles available on the market, browse the Internet, send e-mails, and access videoconferences.

They are really easy to use, a user just plugs the STB into the aerial and TV set via composite, component or S-video cable. For the audio part you can plug it to your VCR or sound system. The box is scanning and return the available tv channels. The stream is then received and decoded so the analogue TV can recognize it.

Figure 8: IPTV TikiLIVE Mini PC Set Top Box Front Panel

Figure 9: IPTV TikiLIVE Mini PC Set Top Box Back Panel

READ MORE ABOUT THIS MINI PC SET TOP BOX

Using a Multimedia Remote with Keyboard lets you control your Multimedia PC wirelessly. Have a look at this new revolutionary concept:

Figure 10: IPTV TikiLIVE Remote Control

Figure 11: IPTV TikiLIVE Remote Control

READ MORE ABOUT THIS AMAZING REMOTE CONTROL

3.1 Transcoding with the Monster Encoder
Integrate the Monster Encoder to allow your user base to transcode their content and share it with their audience through the TikiLIVE Network. The Encoders are on a clustered environment utilizing a hands-off encoding process that relies on a connection to the internet.

3.2 White Label Opportunities
TikiLIVE can be completely white labeled and re-designed to keep the network operating under your own brand or genre. Several of our clients have white label solutions specializing in sports, entertainment, religious broadcasting, music and much more.

3.3 Scalability
TikiLIVE allows the site admin to set up customized packages to allow the broadcast to choose which subscription best suites their streaming needs. Limit a package to just a few users for the amateur producer or remove all limitations for your professional clients. The TikiLIVE network can function on a clustered environment or plugged into a CDN to stream to any audience size.

3.4 Stream in HD through The HD Wave
The HD Wave enables our users to instantly stream any part of their desktop in either Standard or High Definition. Snap to a specific zone within your desktop and stream that specific video or audio source. Sharing Video, PowerPoint Presentations or Web Pages has never been so easy. Additionally one can stream a specific video source or capture device and stream true HD content from an HD Camera or Blu Ray player.

3.5 Create Pseudo-Live Channel Lineups with The Channel Manager

A. The Channel Manager allows users to publish video and audio into playlists, complete with integrated advertisements, by seamlessly dragging and dropping content into the channel lineup.

Figure 12: Drag and Drop Content

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B. The Channel Manager makes it easy for anyone to manage an unlimited number of Standard or High Definition channels and playlists that can be transcoded to be delivered through multiple standards over various device players such as IPTV Set top boxes, iPhone/iPads as well as other popular mobile devices.

Figure13: Channel Lineup

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C. Integrate external content providers, such as YouTube, and pull in content from their domains and insert it into your channel lineup. Preschedule multiple lineups or loop a single playlist to keep your content live 24 hours a day.

Figure 14: Integrate 3rd Party Media

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D. Preview your playlist before starting to distribute it to your audience.

Figure 15: View your Playlist Prior to Publishing

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3.6 Back Office Control and Business Tools:
The back office of a TikiLIVE network provides sufficient tools to moderate content and manager your user-base with complete statistical analytics for both pay per view sales and streaming reports, included are:

•Geo targeting and identification
•Complete viewer, broadcaster and channel statistics
•Customization of monitoring and support tools
•Customization of user pricing for Pay-per-view and Subscription based broadcasting
•Integrated advertising platform with the ad network of your choice

3.7 Expand your Distribution
Control the use of your player by white listing permitted affiliates, partners and external sites to allow them to embed to content on their domain. This will help increase your exposure but still providing links back to your white labeled TikiLIVE Network.

3.8 Remote Access and Control
As this is a secure data network, the user possesses the ability to look up player-specific information right on the TV while watching a live feed. Likewise, one would be able to send photos or home movies from their PC right onto the TV and chat with friends while watching a show “together” across great distances. Don’t forget that a live video chat lobby can be integrated to meet other people interested in the same content directly from the IPTV player. Another perk that is unique to IPTV is the ability to utilize time-shifting capabilities. This will make Digital Video Recorder (DVR) obsolete as the user may control what they want to watch, when they want and skip over items that of minimal interest. Lock in advertisements to ensure that the sponsor’s messages are being received regardless of the user’s selection. Finally, integrate a mobile-friendly management portal to use a cell phone to manage channel lineup when away from home to ensure that the content being viewed by children is pre-approved.


4.0 IPTV is the Future for Content Delivery
So while the part of the acronym IPTV that’s most widely understood is TV, it is by no means the most important element. The shift toward “all-IP”-based communications will not only change the entertainment experience but our entire process of communication and interaction. It places users squarely at the center of their own universe and allows them to choose the content and level of interaction regardless of their location or budget. The ever increasing mobile market grants content producers and viewers alike the ability to stream and view content from just about anywhere, even remote locations. Coupled with detailed statistical history of user’s viewing habits, IPTV Networks now have the ability to direct their messages and advertisements to the most applicable audience, increasing the Return on Investment.

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For more information about how to start your own IPTV network you may CONTACT US anytime.

The Eyepartner Team