[cable]

There's no reason Apple TV/non YouView boxes wouldn't not support multicast, as long as the software is written in a way to support it.

[interestednovice]

Is the current BT branded Home Essentials package for those on benefits also moving to EE or is it staying under the BT brand like those for customers who are only landline customers?

I think it is staying with BT. Slightly differently, I am in an area where the Openreach network only provides ADSL services - and if I try to put my details in to order EE broadband, it redirects me to BT since EE only offer “fibre” (FTTC or FTTP) packages. Reading into this (possibly incorrectly) I think other non-standard packages are the same.

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There's no reason Apple TV/non YouView boxes wouldn't not support multicast, as long as the software is written in a way to support it.

True, in theory.

I don’t think the tvOS system player does support it though, and software extensions are limited by Apple on tvOS.

[i.h]

There's no reason Apple TV/non YouView boxes wouldn't not support multicast, as long as the software is written in a way to support it.

Not only is multicast a bit "special" from a network perspective (particularly wifi - note that BT's own TV Box Pro initially launched without wifi support) and there is no guarantee Apple has exposed that functionality to third party apps, they'd have to implement the conditional access system that BT TV uses (try accessing the TV streams from VLC on a computer - except for the preview channel, at best you get some very corrupt video as it is encrypted in some way).

Like I said, it's a guess, though the reimplementation of the CA system is a definite barrier and not one BT controls.

I think it is staying with BT. Slightly differently, I am in an area where the Openreach network only provides ADSL services - and if I try to put my details in to order EE broadband, it redirects me to BT since EE only offer “fibre” (FTTC or FTTP) packages. Reading into this (possibly incorrectly) I think other non-standard packages are the same.

Again, a guess, but I would assume this new EE system isn't set up to provide PSTN (traditional phone) services, they've only implemented Digital Voice and maybe they aren't ready with whatever solution they have for ADSL customers - those who don't get upgraded to FTTP in the next two years, at least. Openreach have implemented their "stop sell" on PSTN but areas that can't get VDSL/FTTP are still an exception to the rule.

I assume you'd get an EE branded device once (old) BT stocks are exhausted though. There are some pictures of Smart Hub boxes on ISP review where there's a label explaining that it might say BT or EE and not to worry about it

[cable]

developer.apple.com  - ignore the references to IOS. Besides, It's the routers (hops) along the way that facilitate multicast. with the internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), along with class D IP addresses. Multicast is actually used a lot more than you think it is.

How to use multicast networking in your app - Discover - Apple Developer
Apps use multicast networking to see and talk to other devices on their local ne…
  Source: developer.apple.com

Besides EE have worked with apple to launch a bespoke solution. It's not impossible run a YouView box inside a virtual machine and have it running in a Apple TV app container.

[i.h]

developer.apple.com  - ignore the references to IOS. Besides, It's the routers (hops) along the way that facilitate multicast. with the internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), along with class D IP addresses. Multicast is actually used a lot more than you think it is.

Besides EE have worked with apple to launch a bespoke solution. It's not impossible run a YouView box inside a virtual machine and have it running in a Apple TV app container.

I don't think you can safely presume what I know or think.

There's a substantial difference between how it is used within the local network, for device discovery (ie what Apple's really talking about in that developer article), and how it is used for IPTV, especially where wifi is involved and you can't use that to efficiently transfer large amounts of data in a multicast fashion (it will try to do so at a very low data rate). I will reiterate that BT seemed to have trouble getting it to work with their own set top box, as it required a later firmware update to enable wifi functionality.

I'm not aware of any other IPTV provider using multicast on the Apple TV - indeed Swisscom explicitly mentions that they had to go unicast

www.v-net.tv 

Swisscom exemplifies the changing face of Pay TV distribution | Videonet
Sign in Analysis Advertising Connected Home Connected TV Delivery Infrastructure…
  Source: www.v-net.tv

The second notable device and distribution innovation at Swisscom is the recent introduction of Apple TV devices as a second set-top box option shipped by Swisscom for on-network Swisscom customers (in a Swisscom home). These now sit alongside the ‘original’ Swisscom-developed STB platform that harnesses Android Open Source Project. This also turns Swisscom Pay TV into an app experience and delivers content as unicast ABR, rather than the classic multicast IPTV delivery into the classic Swisscom-developed STBs.

All content, including the approx. 15 UHD linear channels from Swisscom, are served as unicast ABR streams through the Apple TV set-tops – which becomes the first unicast STB deployed by Swisscom. Asked about the trajectory towards all-ABR television, Schmidt pointed out that everyone knows the world is moving to all ‘OTT’ whether in the near or far future.
“There is a lot of innovation in this direction, so we will be driven in this direction. Companies will need core networks that are ready for unicast [as the default TV delivery].”

[cable]

I don't think you can safely presume what I know or think.

There's a substantial difference between how it is used within the local network, for device discovery (ie what Apple's really talking about in that developer article), and how it is used for IPTV, especially where wifi is involved and you can't use that to efficiently transfer large amounts of data in a multicast fashion (it will try to do so at a very low data rate). I will reiterate that BT seemed to have trouble getting it to work with their own set top box, as it required a later firmware update to enable wifi functionality.

I'm not aware of any other IPTV provider using multicast on the Apple TV - indeed Swisscom explicitly mentions that they had to go unicast

www.v-net.tv 

When did I say that I was presuming what you know or think?

device discovery is exactly the point of multicast, that's the point of knowing what devices are needing to receive the packets, i.e. the subscribed group (that's for the purposes of IGMP, not whether or not you are a TV subscriber) of data! its not 1:1 as in unicast or 1:all which is broadcast.

also, Define the local network! at the end of the day your home gateway has a point to point link to BT/EE network. Your typical home gateway uses network address translation to hide your homes internal devices from the wider internet behind a public IP address. if you google what's my IP, it will tell you your public IP, where as if you look on your device it will tell you your local IP (e.g. 192.168.x.x.). effectively the ISPs services which are not exposed to the wider internet are. effectively, for intents and purposes an intranet.

[i.h]

As of yesterday, you can't skip ads on recordings from the ITV channels made on a BT TV box in internet mode. (aerial input not affected)

www.ispreview.co.uk 

EE and BT TV Customers Can No Longer Skip Adverts on ITV - ISPreview UK
Residential customers of UK broadband ISP BT and EE, specifically those taking t…
  Source: www.ispreview.co.uk

I wonder if this is a sign of more to come.

[WillPS]

As of yesterday, you can't skip ads on recordings from the ITV channels made on a BT TV box in internet mode. (aerial input not affected)

www.ispreview.co.uk 

I wonder if this is a sign of more to come.

Hope something is done about this, it's very anti-consumer - the right to choose to watch the ads on broadcast media has existed for decades and hasn't threatened the commercial TV model in that time, I don't see why it suddenly starts doing so now when from the consumer's perspective nothing has changed about the way they watch.

[cable]

Hope something is done about this, it's very anti-consumer - the right to choose to watch the ads on broadcast media has existed for decades and hasn't threatened the commercial TV model in that time, I don't see why it suddenly starts doing so now when from the consumer's perspective nothing has changed about the way they watch.

The technology of ad blocking simply didn't exist on traditional TV. If anything its consumer behaviour of Ad blocking that has led to this. Expect other broadcasters to follow suite. On Sky Stream, if you have ad blocking, you can fast forward ITVX (even without premium) and Channel 4

[i.h]

The technology of ad blocking simply didn't exist on traditional TV. If anything its consumer behaviour of Ad blocking that has led to this. Expect other broadcasters to follow suite. On Sky Stream, if you have ad blocking, you can fast forward ITVX (even without premium) and Channel 4

There is no real technical reason as to why BT couldn't do this on the aerial feed, or why Sky or Virgin couldn't also be asked to do this. BT's multicast infrastructure is used for these channels, ITVX itself plays no part.

So it would be fair to ask why ITV was able to force BT to agree to this, what differentiates BT from Virgin in terms of being "cable TV"?