[iptv-users] What do look for

[Dan White]

On 02/17/12 11:31 -0700, D J wrote:
>Having major issues with IPTV. I am not versed in this technology. However,
>trial by fire as they say. What should I be looking for, without sounding
>ambiguous.

Learn wireshark, really well. Or spend some money on some good video
analysis tools. Read up on IGMP, PIM, and Multicast.

Everyone's network is going to be different. Assuming that your network
carries some similarities to the one I work with:

Always attempt to isolate a problem as much as you can. Where possible,
setup labs for every component in your network... a lab headend, lab
middleware, lab set top boxes, lab DSL/Access networks. Try to get as close
to the source (headend) as you can to see if you can reproduce the problem.
If not, work your way back methodically until you find the segment that is
introduces video artifacts.

Every component is likely to introduce problems as some point, unless you
happened to buy the correct equipment at the right time, and had a good
crystal ball when choosing the vendors for the various components of your
network. Do the heavy lifting on troubleshooting the problem so you know
which vendor to point the finger at, or if you should really be pointing at
yourself, which you're probably going to be doing a lot in the early
stages of deployment.

It's probably worth your time to bring in a consultant to work with you if
you are not traditionally a video provider. As a broadband/telco provider,
we moved into IPTV and made some assumptions about how to deploy it based
on our experience with IP (primarily internet service).

You may have QoS problems that aren't evident in your initial testing with
friendlies, and your network is going to grow overtime in ways that will
make those problems more apparent. Design in your QoS from day 1.

Possibly most important is to communicate with your customers and fellow
employees about video problems. Learn from your mistakes. Customers are
quick to anger when it comes to choppy video, but that's nothing compared
to how they feel after they've had to put up with a problem for 3 months. 

Be weary of unnecessary upgrades. Invariably an upgrade in some piece of
your network will reveal two new problems - one in the upgrade, and some
other obscure problem in your network (like a problem with IGMP). Move
slowly and test well, because if you do have more than one problem in your
network, your vendors will start pointing all 10 fingers at all the other
vendors, and at you.

-- 
Dan White