Changes
Existing video headends undergo changes. Use of smartphones and tablet computers besides traditional televisions to consume video content creates opportunities for operators eager to serve their customers on their terms. While rich selection of consumer devices is a challenge, also the ongoing shift from analog to digital and from digital to IP is a crucial aspect, especially when network architectures change and distributed access arrives.
Legacy
In spite of the changes, many traditional functions are still needed. Operators gather content through various receivers supporting satellite, terrestrial, IP and a bunch of other transmission formats. Although new consumer devices enter markets, most operators need to support legacy set-top-boxes and their users. A shift to all IP does not mean sudden death of linear television; a carrier grade broadcasting must work in parallel with the IP-based multiscreen movement, 4K has to co-exist with standard definition, offline movies should complement real-time binge watching.
Partner
While video headends must still be modular, scalable and robust; your video headend provider should become flexible. A partner supporting the ongoing shift. Arrival of distributed access insists video headend suppliers to understand what video delivery over distributed access requires and what the CCAP cores are capable of managing. An extent of conditional access system vendors requires video headends capable of supporting tens of CA systems.
Continuity
Video headend products must be supported and evolve, now and in the future, as the life cycle of broadcasting has always been understated. Whilst IP migration takes place, dense edge QAM’s are needed too. Though global cloud-based systems enter markets; regional and local channel reception and multiplexing have not disappeared, not to mention PSI/SI processing that has so far been only way to refine consolidated electronic program guide for subscribers. A guide that new OTT service players cannot easily consolidate together.
