1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IPTV receiver and a method of discovering an IPTV service, and more particularly, to an IPTV receiver and a method of discovering an IPTV service using an Internet protocol.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventional TV services are provided such that a cable, terrestrial, or satellite broadcast provider transmits content created by a broadcaster through a radio communication medium such as a broadcast network and users view the broadcast content using a TV receiver that can receive signals of the communication medium.
As digital TV technologies have been developed and commercialized, it has become possible to provide a variety of content such as real-time broadcasts, Content on Demand (CoD), games, and news to viewers not only using the existing radio medium but also using the Internet connected to each residence.
One example of provision of content using the Internet is an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service. The IPTV service provides an information service, moving image content, broadcasts, etc., to a television using high-speed Internet.
While the IPTV service is similar to general cable broadcasting or satellite broadcasting in that it provides broadcast content such as video content, the IPTV service is characterized in that it also supports bidirectional communication. The IPTV service also allows users to view a desired program at a desired time, unlike general terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, or satellite broadcasting.