With "IP Television Basics", Lawrence Harte and Robert T. Flood add another book to their IPTV series. The book gives an introduction to IP television, how it operates, what services it can provide, why and how companies efficiently upgrade data networks for IPTV, develop new advanced television services, and expand their market through the use of global television channels by using IPTV equipment and software.

Compared to proprietary television systems and services, IPTV systems offer many low cost devices and software application development tools that allow companies to upgrade or replace existing systems with more cost effective and easy to use IPTV equipment. IPTV systems use standardized protocols, which gives end-users and system administrators more control as well as the possibility to develop advanced, traditionally unchangeable and limited communication services, such as personal media channels and television on demand. IPTV systems commonly use text-based protocols and therefore allow for relatively easy development and integration with information systems to produce new revenue producing services, such as electronic programming guides and interactive shopping channels.

Some of the most important topics featured are:

• Descriptions of the functional parts of IP television systems
• Fundamentals of how IP television works
• The VoIP terms and concepts used by IP television professionals
• What new services are possible through the use of IP Television
• How data networks can be upgraded to offer IP television capabilities
• Why it is easy to integrate IP television systems with information systems
• How to manage IP television systems
• Typical costs of IP television systems
• How IP television is evolving
• Other Issues impacting the deployment of IP Television

The book will be available June 2005 and can be ordered online from Althos Publishing.