Interactive multimedia services to the home. Comparison of architectural elements

This article presents important differences between the most prevalent (or likely to be prevalent) types of Loop Transport Systems, Switching Networks, Servers, and Set Top Units, from the perspective of the impact that one subsystem's type has on other subsystems, and on the network. The impact of the type of a subsystem, like Set Top Unit or Server, on applications, content, and other non-network-level elements is not discussed here.<>