Features
High-definition set-top box refers to the technical equipment required to watch high-definition TV. In addition to meeting high-definition channels, it also has the network function of high-definition interactive digital TV, and allows viewers to When enjoying high-definition images, you can enjoy online education, online appointment registration, online payment and other “one-stop” online services through high-definition interactive TV without leaving your house. Even all expenses such as telephone bills, water and electricity bills, and gas bills are also available. You can check and pay on the interactive network. With the popularization of the Internet in the country, there is now a new type of digital equipment such as network high-definition set-top boxes (also called high-definition boxes) that use broadband access to browse online video resources and online game interaction.
1. High-definition playback, network connection: The reason why the high-definition player has the word "HD" is because it can play high-definition movies, and at the same time can use the resources on the Internet (videos, pictures, text information, etc.) ), so the network TV box is generally equipped with high-definition processing chip wired interface and network cable WIFI network card, so that users can easily connect to the Internet.
2. TV display: The word "TV" in the name means that the TV box is mainly displayed by the TV. The network TV set-top box can not only link to the high-definition HDMI data cable, but also the traditional three-color The AV cable is more compatible.
3. External devices: rich external device expansion interfaces, which can link mouse and keyboard, camera, game console, external storage (U disk, SD card and hard disk), etc.
Installation and use
The installation of high-definition set-top boxes is actually not something that users can complete independently, because the TV line needs to be upgraded, and a splitter is installed in the user’s home to keep all the old and new TV signals, so you need to register After receiving the set-top box, the staff will agree on a time for on-site installation, after which the user can receive high-definition TV signals at home. The charge for the TV signal after the connection is the same as before.
Principle promotion
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued the "Notice on Promoting the Development of High-definition Television" and pointed out that high-definition television should follow the principle of "encouraging development and overall planning" and be large-scale and intensive. It is required to adhere to the integrated development of links from production, broadcasting to transmission and reception, and improve the overall service level of radio and television. Upon approval, on September 28, 2009, the first program of CCTV and Beijing Satellite TV, Shanghai Oriental Satellite TV, Jiangsu Satellite TV, and Hunan Satellite TV will be broadcast simultaneously in high and standard definition on September 28, 2009.
How to distinguish
1. Different network access
Simply put, "network set-top box" can be regarded as a INTERNET Internet access to the "set-top box" of video programs. That is to say, the ordinary set-top box is connected to the coaxial cable and takes the cable TV network; while the network set-top box is connected to the network cable and takes the Internet.
2. The main functions are different.
The programs watched by traditional TV are fixed and cannot be connected to the Internet, nor can they follow the consumer’s own preferences. Dominates TV programs and does not have content and applications that can be loaded. And connect to the network set-top box, connect to the Internet through a network cable or wireless WIFI, and realize web browsing, video and film playback, online chat, game entertainment, online movie and TV, etc. on the TV. You can support video programs according to your own preferences, or you can install applications at will .
3. The content of the program is different
From the content of the program, the ordinary set-top box receives each TV channel, while the network set-top box realizes each channel through the Internet. The same functions as computers, such as: watching movies and TV online, gaming and entertainment, web browsing, microblogs, blogs, sending and receiving emails, online chats, etc.
Related news
The first set of CCTV, Beijing Satellite TV, Shanghai Oriental Satellite TV, Jiangsu Satellite TV, and Hunan Satellite TV will be broadcast simultaneously in high and standard definition on September 28. Audiences across the country will be able to see high-definition television images of the military parade on National Day.
As a pilot in Beijing, Shijingshan District ushered in the first batch of users of high-definition set-top boxes. From the 19th, Gehua Cable began to deliver high-definition interactive digital TV set-top boxes to users in the three communities of Times Garden, Yangzhuang North District, Bajiao Street, Shijingshan, and No. 9 Huangsi Street, Chaoyang District.
On the morning of the 19th, the reporter rushed to the temporary office of Gehua Cable in Shijingshan Times Garden Community and saw that some residents had already consciously started queuing to receive HD set-top boxes. The original of this book, if the household registration is not in the place of residence, and as long as you hold the ID card and real estate certificate, you can receive a Changhong brand HD set-top box from the staff of Gehua Cable for free. Of course, the ownership of the set-top box is still owned by Gehua Cable. , Users just use it for free. After the connection, the charge for the TV signal remains the same as before, still at 18 yuan per month.
It is understood that in just two days of the weekend, Gehua Cable in Shijingshan District has upgraded the lines of nearly 3,000 households and installed high-definition set-top boxes. It is expected that before the National Day, the number of high-definition interactive digital TV users will be expanded to tens of thousands, 300,000 users will be promoted by the end of the year, and 1 million and 1.3 million will be promoted in the next two years.
Design and application
Various additional functional business layers with different requirements and actual network deployment further bring more engineering challenges. The broadband data rate changes at any time, and the delay will also affect the duplex communication. Differences in the head-end video decoders will also bring about device interoperability issues. The equipment may be installed in a network beyond the control of the service provider, or it may be part of a network that adopts low-level standards, subject to unbalanced QoS.
Nowadays, a typical network TV set-top box already has a series of conventional functions. The following tasks must be performed strictly in real time: receiving, processing, and decoding compressed voice/image data streams on the network, and simultaneously sending them to listeners and viewers. Similarly, digital rights management protection and conditional access functions are also required. Therefore, from the very beginning, it is necessary to carefully select the solution architecture and carry out a careful design.
1. Assume that the data rate is constant. The nature of the service flow on the IP network is bursty and easily blocked. Using memory buffering will compensate for network jitter, handle audio/video synchronization, and separate media streams from control processing signals.
2. It is assumed that all data can be received. Although the loss of data packets is a natural characteristic of the network, after all, the loss of video frames and voice data streams will affect the user experience. Many media systems cannot achieve loss concealment, and these are necessary for both audio and video.
3. Expect broadband throughput as advertised. And the data rate on different network segments is different. When compensating for various changes on the network, the content codec rate is lower than the throughput rate claimed by the network.
4. Use a decoder designed for fixed media. Network TV set-top boxes need to use decoders designed for communication systems that will inevitably change.
5. Partition processing is too strict, which makes some new applications unable to use their processing power in new ways. Inflexible partitions can lead to a situation where although the design can perform functions well, the Internet browsing speed is slower and the effect is poor.
6. Designed for multicast. Although the network uses the IP protocol, the duplex communication between the IPTV set-top box and the server is not specific. TV multicast requires set-top boxes to predict what programs will be available and when they will be broadcast without a dedicated communication support channel. In fact, when a set-top box is installed in a car or a portable system to provide satellite TV, there is no support channel available at all. 2. Measure the peak network load. Many media processors are limited by network processing capacity and efficiency. As a result, it will cause the loss of video frames and the interruption of VoIP calls. Many problems that are not obvious in the laboratory appear to be very prominent in the actual network.
7. Foresee the unpredictable. Orderly and predictable things are extremely rare in the application field. For example, network congestion will delay program streaming, wireless connection will also be interrupted, video streaming, VoIP voice streaming and large data streaming will compete for bandwidth, and sometimes these situations occur at the same time. When these situations are unavoidable, the ability to appropriately reduce service levels will help differentiate your design from your competitors.
8. Allow customers to customize the interface. For set-top boxes to be popularized, their design must allow service providers to customize user interfaces. At this time, appearance and feel are critical to adapting to a certain production line.
9. Have the ability to upgrade on site. For service providers, the cost of driving out to upgrade will be very high. Through software upgrades that can be implemented remotely on the network, this type of cost will be saved.
Market demand and technological development are driving this concept to evolve. Some models require video-on-demand (VOD) and TV multicast functions; some realize the bundling of TV and VoIP services; and many products require Internet browsing or have personal video recording functions, digital media adapters, or videophone functions.
There are problems
From a national perspective, cable set-top boxes are distributed by 300 cable TV operators across the country. This also leads to the problem that set-top boxes cannot be used in the whole country. Marketization.
Except for cable TV operators in a few first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen that give users HD set-top boxes for free, most cities have failed to popularize high-definition set-top boxes.
"80% of cable operators do not have the ability to give users HD set-top boxes for free." An operator who did not want to be named truthfully told Tencent Home Appliances that funding is its biggest problem , The vast majority of cable operators are still at a loss after the two-way transformation of digital TV, and local government funding support is limited. Users who want to watch 3D channels can only buy high-definition set-top boxes from local cable operators.
"The inability of set-top boxes across the country will result in high costs. High-definition set-top boxes range in price from 1,000 to 3,000 yuan. The practicality of set-top boxes is gradually weakened with the popularity of smart TVs, which is also indirect As a result, users’ desire to buy high-definition set-top boxes has diminished.” The above-mentioned terminal TV companies are worried that set-top boxes will become a stumbling block for users and a stumbling block for the development of 3D TV programs and 3D TVs.
Reason analysis
It is necessary to spend more money on channels and less public response.
The first threshold: the signal source of TV programs must be high-definition.
Second threshold: The transmitted signal must be high-definition. The third threshold: I bought a high-definition TV and a high-definition set-top box.
CCTV, Beijing Satellite TV, Shanghai Oriental Satellite TV, Jiangsu Satellite TV, and Hunan Satellite TV will collectively broadcast high-definition TV programs, and citizens are expected to watch the National Day military parade in "high-definition". If citizens want to watch these high-definition programs, in addition to having a high-definition television, they also need to purchase an additional high-definition set-top box of about 1,500 yuan. However, due to the lack of high-definition channels, most citizens reacted indifferently to this. The definition of high-definition TV will be nearly 5 times higher than that of ordinary TV. The color TV manager of Suning Appliance explained that the so-called high-definition TV is a TV with a resolution of "1366×768", that is, 1366 pixels in the horizontal direction and 768 pixels in the vertical direction. The resolution of ordinary standard-definition TV is only "720×576", that is, 720 pixels in the horizontal direction and 576 pixels in the vertical direction. More than 80% of the TV sets on the Guangzhou market can meet the high-definition requirements.
But "even if you have a high-definition TV, you can't watch high-definition programs." There are three "thresholds" to watch HD TV, and we cannot see without any of them. The first requirement is that the signal source of TV programs must be high-definition, and secondly, the transmitted signal must also be high-definition. These two "thresholds" are basically beyond the control of consumers, and can only passively wait for the advancement of related work. After the above two conditions are met, citizens must have high-definition equipment (high-definition televisions, high-definition set-top boxes) to enjoy the visual experience brought by high-definition.
Solve the problem
Free high-definition set-top boxes for users
In order to be used as a pilot in Beijing, Shijingshan District ushered in the A group of users of high-definition set-top boxes. Gehua Cable began to distribute high-definition interactive digital TV set-top boxes to users in the three communities of Times Garden, Yangzhuang North District, Bajiao Street, Shijingshan, and No. 9 Huangsi Street, Chaoyang District. These three communities became the first batch of high-definition interactive digital televisions in the city. Pilot demonstration plots. The person in charge of Gehua Cable stated that HD STBs are promoted and popularized in a planned and step-by-step manner in accordance with the relevant regulations of Beijing. Related notices will be posted in the community before installation to inform users in advance.