TECHNICAL
Other operators are using the X1 platform as a white-label offering to provide their subscriber with the ultimate entertainment experience. In addition, operators have tried to replicate the X1 experience with their own hosted video platform. There is a core driver behind the adoption of ABR receive in the Pay-TV industry. Pay-TV operators serve two main types of customers – residential subscribers and businesses, including those in the hospitality industry. As operators migrate residential networks to use multiscreen ABR, they must maintain linear QAM and analogue-based video for business accounts, resulting in unnecessary duplication and significant operational costs. Video content coming into the headend must be transcoded to ABR profiles for multiscreen delivery to residential networks, and it also must be processed to feed linear QAM and/or analogue networks. Going through two different workflows to feed two different types of subscriber networks can be costly. To help operators support existing hospitality networks, the ABR Receiver was created as a way to re-use multiscreen video streams for legacy deployments. This removes the duplication. The same ABR streams used to serve residential subscribers and over- the-top deployments can be repurposed to feed the edge.
Challenges to Overcome With ABR Receive
Any time operators adopt a new technology there are challenges they must overcome. The cost of replacing CableCARD gateway devices and TVs at hospitality sites is high and there are a large number of boxes in the field. Another issue is replacing coaxial cabling at hospitality sites. It’s not practical to assume a hotel or hospital can update this infrastructure. Usually, the WiFi or internet service at these locations is not good enough to also support ABR video. For these reasons, the transition to ABR delivery at hospitality locations can’t happen overnight. Currently, about half of set-top boxes in the global TV market support legacy formats. Digital terrestrial television, satellite, and cable operators will need to bridge the gap to IP with an ABR receiver. What’s more, the global 4K set-top box market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4% from 2023 to 2030 8 . The commercial application segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. Significant expansion of the hospitality industry, malls, and hospital constructions, among other activities, is creating favourable growth opportunities for STBs in the commercial sector. As a result, operators will need to plan to continue supporting QAM-based linear delivery for the foreseeable future.
Benefits of ABR Receive
Using ABR receive, operators can bridge their next-gen and legacy video network infrastructure. The benefits of utilising ABR for receive include: n Increased operational efficiency: With an ABR receiver, operators can eliminate duplication in the headend, using the same ABR streams for business accounts that continue to serve linear workflows. Not only does this boost operational efficiencies, but it also reduces costs for operators. n Better viewing experiences: Changing from ABR back to multicast IP, QAM or analogue allows operators to provide a more enjoyable experience during large events by synchronising screens in venues like sports bars and stadiums. n Robust content protection: Content protection is a key requirement for operators. ABR receivers offer secure end-to-end content protection with robust decrypt capabilities. Furthermore, ABR content protection is non-proprietary and more standardised than CableCARD. ABR receive can work with any ABR packager that delivers encrypted HLS, DASH, or CMAF video profiles.
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Volume 46 No.2 MAY 2024
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