Contemporary Research Battle Royale
AV over RF vs. AV over IP ... You decide đŸ’ª
In today's advancing world, it is easy to be swept up in the excitement of new products and technologies. In Pro AV, we are often faced with making a decision of distributing AV over RF or IP. There is a growing convergence between digital RF and IPTV technology, with more encoders equipped to deliver media streaming over RF and IP distribution systems. The convergence occurs in both directions, with some digital RF shifting to IP, sharing streams over both, and IPTV applications moving to RF distribution. Which distribution method do you prefer?
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Breaking Down AV over RF
What makes RF coax the optimal choice for HD content distribution? Its simplicity. It’s just a modest center copper wire surrounded by an isolation core, yet can prove superior to IPTV, which can be limited by bandwidth and distance.
RF is digital media distribution – simplified. RF involves the modulation of an AV signal to a frequency which can be assigned any channel that is compatible with a TV's cable or antenna input. AV over RF often is the choice for locations that have coaxial cabling already in place. It also is a popular choice for new installations because of its simplicity, reliability, scalability, and ability to transmit HDTV over long distances.
Although AV over RF can simplify AV distribution, there are still important considerations to make when choosing how to distribute content:
- Number of locations/screens to be served
- Distances involved
- Expansion plans
- Any existing RF Distribution infrastructure that may be used
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Breaking Down AV over IP
From its inception, AV over IP gained popularity as a convenient way to distribute video minus the separate dedicated coaxial cabling infrastructure needed for RF distribution.
By its nature, AV over IP provides flexibility when setting up a network. It transforms an AV signal from a single source transmitted through a dedicated connection into digital data traveling on an Ethernet network. AV content is divided into small, digital packets with connections logically made by network software rather than by physical matrix switches, point-to-point extenders, and direct connectors. Although AV over IP can simplify AV distribution, there are still important considerations to make when choosing how to distribute content:
- Existing cabling infrastructure
- Number of locations and screens
- Distances involved
- Expansion plans
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What about Hybrid AV Solutions?
Contemporary Research delivers cost-effective, reliable, and scalable end-to-end RF and IPTV hybrid video distribution designs with display control. Both solutions work seamlessly together while also allowing for a smooth transition from RF to IPTV. Enjoy the benefits of both AV over RF and AV over IP.