Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), is a method of delivering television content over Ethernet networks rather than through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. IPTV gives viewers the ability to stream real-time video content.

Today, digital media consumers across the U.S. and the world are choosing to distribute video content over IP networks. Receiving video across an IP network is made possible by a device known as a decoder.

In the second of a three-part series on encoders, decoders, and IP display control, you’ll learn what AV professionals need to know about decoders, how they work, and the benefits they provide.

What Is a IPTV Decoder?

Simply put, an IPTV decoder is an electronic circuit that decodes digital video and audio from a video encoder and converts the stream to uncompressed formats compatible with traditional television and video displays. Applications where various types of video displays are used to view video content over a network, will necessitate the use of an IPTV decoder. This can include flat panel monitors, LED video walls, video projectors, and consumer TVs.

Benefits of IPTV Decoders

An encoder-decoder pairing can be used to transport video across long distances, from various sources. Typically, the quality of video on traditional analog distribution systems degrades over long distance. However, leveraging video decoders in an AV over IP configuration enables video transport over long distances without quality loss. Using data compression and decompression minimizes Ethernet bandwidth allowing greater amounts of video programming to be distributed over a network.

How Are IPTV Decoders Used?

Video decoders are found in a variety of professional video applications. Their ability to provide high-quality conversion of video in standard definition and high definition resolutions to digital video data in MPEG2 and H.264 formats make them an effective choice. One popular usage is in a retail store, where displays may be used to announce in-store promotions and new products.

IPTV makes streaming across an Ethernet network possible, and decoders play an integral role in the delivery of video content to viewers.

Contemporary Research (CR) offers AV over IP solutions, including IPTV decoders. To learn more about CR offerings, view our solutions.

Read the first blog in the AV over IP Solution series; Encoders: A Solution for IPTV Video Distribution.