A survey of channel switching schemes for IPTV

In spite of the increasing deployment of IPTV services, various functionalities still need to be improved. One of the main challenges is a reduction in startup delays, especially in channel switching, a problem that is quite relevant in IPTV systems due to bandwidth limitations, as well as the employment of buffers and distribution structures. The problem is essentially more serious in P2P IPTV systems, since the dynamic nature of P2P networks requires larger buffers and the exchange of more signaling messages to establish the overlay structures. Since users expect to be able to switch channels quickly, IPTV services must reduce startup delays to just a few seconds or even milliseconds. The aim of this article is to provide a survey of existing channel switching schemes for IPTV systems.