Customer Reviews

Video Over IP, Second Edition: IPTV, Internet Video, H.264, P2P, Web TV, and Streaming: A Complete Guide to Understanding the Technology (Focal Press Media Technology Professional Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A well written book and great introduction into digital/audio broadcast incl. Video Conference and compression techniques (incl. H.264). Level: beginner / intermediate. The writing styled is clear and non-technical readers should understand it quickly.

But what's being technical? Some would argue that understanding the different levels of H.264 is technical (not covered in detail). Or understanding 'calculating network bandwidth' (covered on 2 pages). It's certainly not a book for techies in the field. I would consider a hard-core technical book like 'Peer-to-Peer Video Streaming'.

The only topic that to me was not properly covered is P2P. It was expecting more on this especially since P2P is mentioned on the subtitle. But that's a small detail of an otherwise great book.

This is very well written book. For an beginner in the digital video/audio broadcast field like me, the book provides a good overview of the various video and audio standards as used by broadcasters and telecomms and internet service providers. The writing style used is very clear and the diagrams used also support the text.

The downside of the book is that it is not detailed enough me (my background is in computers/telecomms). For example, RTP, the protocol used at the hard of digital media streaming, merits only three pages. I have the impression that the book's audience is too broad - the book attempts to address users, broadcasters, and telecomms engineers. There is no detailed explanation of how the networking protocols work. The video/audio protocols are explained in some detail, but in the case of the network protocol already mentioned, RTP, no details are given, and no reference for further study is given.

In summary, the book is good as an easy introductory read, computer professionals especially will be want to look elswewhere.

it covers a very wide scope and great book for someone who is new to the video/IP area and likes to have an overall picture of the technology. Well written, and easy to read.

This is an excellent book. It provides a good introduction to Video over IP as well as the broadcast industry as a whole. There are other books that delve heavily into general material that this book covers. For example, if you want an intro to SIP and/or H.323, then this book is for you. If you want an in-depth packet and frame level text, then look else where.

I didn't find anything wrong with this book. It was very helpful for me and my purposes.

I highly recommend this book. Wes Simpson's book is very well written where both experts and beginners can understand the complex subject of video over IP. There are chapters that cover the basics and others that cover advanced concepts. This book is a MUST READ for anyone in the Video Over IP business. There is a whole series of Engineering books edited by Merrill Weiss from Focal Press. Wes Simpson and Merrill Weiss are both valued resources and technology advocates in the Broadcast Television Industry.

If someone wants to get a good introduction of the Video Over IP,
this is the book. It does not overwhelm the readers with
details and at the end of reading this book, a reader
gets a high level understanding of various aspects.

It is a heavy burden to be considered a "Media Technologist" these days. The blistering pace of change and emerging devices means your reading list never decreases in length. So chose carefully.

Video Over IP, is on the Required List. Simpson gives a Clear and precise description of network distribution and the major protocols. Well written and so logical that it feels seamless in presentation.

So if you want to get in the professional "technology" club ----Get this book! Power Down all of your electronic devices for 6 hours each weekend for 6-8 weeks and READ. Real "Technologists" have little choice.