This is an interesting website I stumbled onto that explains details of the complication of compression and the resulting lack of standards (or excess of them). I am of course a total sucker for low-fi diagrams of complex technical concepts, especially when it comes to video technology. (I will be contributing some of my own here eventually)
One of my favorite more lighthearted sections on the site includes a chart comparing Television to PC distribution standards. This comes from the section titled “The Mermaid of Convergence”
TV vs. PC
Delivery models:
Push. /vs/ File download and pull.
Delivery methods:
Real time with guaranteed quality. /vs/ Non real time (e.g. FTP and HTTP) or best effort.
Transport:
Delivery-medium aware protocol (MPEG-2 TS). /vs/ Delivery medium unaware protocol (IP).
Device interfaces:
Based on IEEE 1394 and USB. /vs/ Based on Ethernet and USB.
Device consumption model:
Based on perennity (i.e. 10 years). /vs/ Based on planned obsolescence(i.e. 2-3 years).
Device installation model:
Plug and play. /vs/ Plug and pray (but improving).
Device colour:
Typically black. /vs/ Any colour
Usage model:
The box is to view pictures and to listen to music /vs/ The box is used to run applications, including listening to music and viewing video and images.
Access to content:
Via Electronic Program Guides, e.g. based on DVB SI. /vs/ Via the PC screen or web browsers providing access to search services.
Information consumption models:
Information is consumed “as is” /vs/ Via interaction with processing of information (e.g. editing).
Information consumption environments:
“Couch potato” - lean backwards - turn your brain off. /vs/ “Mouse potato” - lean forward - turn your brain on.
IPR management:
Content has copyright protection enforced in STBs. /vs/ Content used to not be protected (but more and more protected).
Payment models:
Service provider specific. /vs/ No payment or multiple service provider each with his own payment system.
Advertising:
Carpet bombing. /vs/ Selective bombing.
Regulation:
Tight. /vs/ Absent.
More thoughts as I dig into this in greater depth later, and perhaps I can track Leonardo Chiariglione down for a conversation on the insanity of attempting to establish best practices for museum video production.