Method and apparatus for automatic switching of multicast/unicast live TV streaming in a TV-over-IP environment

摘要

A system for live TV transmission over IP networks incorporates a content encoder receiving live TV broadcast and converting to RTP packets for multicast streaming. A streaming server receives the multicast RTP packets from the content encoder and converts the multicast stream to a unicast stream. The streaming server is also responsive to RTSP commands for trick mode operation. A settop box is connected through an IP network for receiving multicast RTP packets from the content encoder and generating RTSP commands for trick mode operation, the setup box issuing a leave multicast group signal upon issuing a trick mode command and receiving unicast transmission of RTP packets from the streaming server controllable by the trick mode commands.