Here is a list of 17 mistakes or necessary questions to ask your current or potential In-house IPTV and Enterprise IPTV provider.
1. No support for distribution to desktop, laptop, smartphone and tablet
Enterprise IPTV
A typical RF coaxial television system is only going to allow for the distribution of specific displays and tvs. Do you need to access video content over the corporate wide area network at the desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, set-top box, Smart TV, TVs, and Displays? If yes, VidOvation TV is the right choices. The way users function and interact in the corporate setting is rapidly changing. We are not bound to the displays in our offices, break rooms, hallways, lobbies, etc. We need to access our corporate content right at our fingertips on ANY device. This is an absolute necessity for your enterprise content delivery network.
Call VidOvation today at +1-949-777-5435 for help with your Enterprise IPTV needs.
2. Getting stuck with one content provider (CATV/SAT) or without open architecture
The biggest down-side to working directly with a content provider is their tendency to 
control the content allowed on your network. Even if you were able to switch, the hardware and software provided by them will “miraculously” be incompatible with everything others content. You will want to ensure that you can pick and choose the content for your network as you like as well as implement open architecture equipment as to keep your options open all the time. This is important for cases in which, say one provider raises rates, you can have the ability to switch to another vendor. Also, it allows you to mix and match the content from multiple different satellite and cable providers.
3. No support for Digital Rights Management or DRM.
In the case of DirecTV and Dish Network, they use encryption called Pro:Idiom and it can be quite problematic. DirecTV and Dish Network will not turn off encryption unless you have an approved DRM system or digital rights management system. You want to make sure you ask your IPTV vendor, “Do you have an approved DRM system approved by DirecTV and Dish Network?” There’s a very short list. Our solution happens to be on that list. You need to ask those questions. We’ve had clients try to go it on their own. “Well, I’ll put my own IPTV system together,” and what happens is you’ll be stuck with standard definition. You won’t be able to get high definition or the system just won’t work at all. This is what you need to ask your vendor to make sure that they have the capability to help you with all these different hurdles that may come up.
4. Not allowing integration of your own VOD content with your providers
A great enterprise video networking system has the capacity for the storage and dissemination of corporate content to employees. Stored video can be relevant information, updates or training for employees. An example of this may be a corporation-wide HR video that must be watched by everyone by the end of the day. With your own content distribution, an activity that cost a large amount of time and money can now be accomplished very efficiently within the hour.
5. Not allowing for Your Own Live Video Distribution
Live content distribution can be incredibly valuable in the enterprise world. Today’s businesses are expected to respond quickly to news, changes, and emergencies, and this is the best way to do it. The ability for an executive to reach his entire team instantly in regardless of location is priceless.
6. Insufficient or Non-Existent Video Conferencing Functions
Whether you are in separate offices, abroad, or connecting to potential clients across the globe, the video conferencing functions of enterprise video networking are often undermined by potential providers. Whether you are picturing top level conferences or live video networking and collaboration among employees, make sure you aren’t missing out on this important piece of the picture.
7. Lacking Scalability, Security, and Flexibility
Choosing a scalable and flexible system is the only way to ensure your investment has longevity. You may want to add more channels and more viewers to your system at a future date. Additionally, you want to have the capacity for selective user upgrades without changing out set top boxes.
8. Non-Friendly User Interface
Designers get too crazy. The best GUI (graphical user interface) is a familiar user interface. You don’t want to get stuck with a video system on your corporate network that everyone hates. We prefer to use an intuitive design for the menu with a CSS (cascading style sheet) editable format enabling simple customization and tailoring to your enterprise. Make sure you can easily brand and customize your IPTV system.
9. Creating Hell for IT Administrators
For IT Administrators, it’s always about keeping trouble off the network, and video, using large amounts of bandwidth, is perceived as trouble. It is important to ensure that you have a sophisticated design that can allow for video to have the smallest impact possible on your networks bandwidth.
10. Limited User Authentication Options and Weak Traceability Features
Top executives may need access to critical corporate information and everything below while entry-level employees may only need some training materials. You may have your unique set of administrative rules allowing access to a particular network and television assets. Furthermore, being able to trace a particular person’s usage or viewership is something you may desire. For example, in the case of important content, you will want to be sure that everyone has watched an important video. VidOvation TV systems tie into the corporate network active directory to control all video access and authentication options.
11. No Integration with Digital Signage
Digital Signage is prevalent in every industry. Depending on your application, you may want to run breaking news, welcome information, live event coverage or advertisements to the lobbies, hallways, break rooms, etc.
12. No Integration with Property Management System
When there’s no one around, let your enterprise video networking system stay on security watch. Allow your security team live and recording access to your facilities security cameras and let them be able to access it from any of their devices.
13. No Personal Recording Functions
We take enough notes on paper. In many cases, this is not the ideal format to record something. With personal recording functions built into your enterprise video network, you can record video clips for personal storage.
14. Foregoing High Definition Video Quality
With the increasing demand of HD video quality, there’s no doubt you will want this as an option. With the right implementation, you should be able to upgrade from standard definition as needed and do so with minimal disruption to network bandwidth.
15. Lack of Customization
Hospitals may seek extra features to play in telemedicine applications. Hotels may desire the help desk messaging features. Military implementations may include 16 streams simultaneous playback functionality. Universities may want advanced solutions for their classroom e-learning applications.
16. No integration with Catering and Food Services
You’re in your VIP suite, and you have an on-screen menu. We have done integration with some venues where this page is more of a template, with an XML file that pushes the menu items there, and then you can click on an item. Depending upon your needs, if you just want a simple electronic menu that you can edit and update that displays on a food channel or a food ordering channel at the venue, that’s very simple to do. We can do some custom programming and integrate an interface with Aramark or your food service provider at your venues. We can work on customizations for you. Ask your vendor, “Can you do some professional services to integrate catering and food services into the IPTV system?”
17. Lack of Low Latency and Synchronous Video
In sports venues, some owners and facility managers have been very upset by this where displays that are in proximity to a live sporting event are way out of sync or delayed. There are many systems out there that have a second of delay or hundreds of milliseconds of delay between displays, and then seconds of delay between the action on the field and the live action on the IPTV system. VidOvation customized the firmware on the Amino set-top box to guarantee synchronous video and a minimal delay between the live action and the IPTV system.
