Having on-board internet connectivity has become a necessity, with most superyachts typically using a combination of cellular and satellite technologies, and depending on location of the vessel, possibly also marina Wi-Fi. Whether owners, guests or crew, everyone on board expects the same high-quality, seamless entertainment experience they’d enjoy at home. And critically, this applies regardless of whether a vessel is docked in Monaco, anchored off Corsica or cruising across the Atlantic.    

We live in the digital age and people have grown used to accessing digital platforms such as streaming services for their entertainment. For yacht owners, the challenge comes because while at sea not only are costs high, running into thousands of dollars per month, but also bandwidth is limited, and the network is often stretched thin by the number of connected devices on board, so unable to cope with demand. This leads to a poor entertainment experience where video streams buffer and lag, which is incredibly frustrating for guests. And given the trend towards even larger yachts with additional crew members and more guests, this problem is only going to worsen.

Delivering a seamless viewing experience
Depending on the size of the yacht and the number of guests and crew aboard, you could potentially have 20-plus separate users all streaming at the same time. In this scenario, the data load quickly stacks up, squeezing the available bandwidth and resulting in slow connections for everyone else. Streaming video consumes a significant amount of bandwidth, particularly when viewers are watching in higher resolutions. Therefore, handling streaming more efficiently can have a significant impact on the network quality for all other users. One approach that could help alleviate the strain is DVB-NIP (also known as DVB Native-IP)-enabled technology. DVB-NIP is a new standard enabling high-quality video to be delivered direct to internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, direct via satellite.

Delivery via this method doesn’t replace the need for internet connectivity but rather can be used to reduce congestion on the overall network, ensuring a seamless experience with no buffering, for the entire time aboard. The advantage lies in how DVB-NIP sidesteps the usual rules of internet consumption. It can be used to deliver video content to many devices simultaneously, without requiring additional bandwidth per user. This prevents the network from becoming congested and overloaded, which means that a high-quality and uninterrupted viewing experience can be enjoyed, regardless of how many people are streaming video at any one time. For yachts, especially those catering to multiple guests with high expectations, this opens up some interesting possibilities.

The use of multicast distribution significantly reduces the burden of the yacht’s network
from an internet connectivity perspective.

On-board media hotspots
DVB-NIP can also be used to enable the creation of a media hotspot so that internet TV channels as well as on-demand entertainment content can be distributed efficiently using multicast distribution. Much like traditional broadcast distribution, with multicast distribution, content can be sent from one sender to multiple viewers. This doesn’t overload the network in the same way as standard streaming does, which generally uses unicast distribution where individual streams must be sent to each viewer.

The use of multicast distribution significantly reduces the burden of the yacht’s network from an internet connectivity perspective. Rather than clogging up the network when everyone on board is drawing down expensive and finite connectivity to stream Netflix or a blockbuster film, DVB-NIP allows content to be delivered once and accessed locally. This way, guests could use tablets to watch internet TV channels and premium programming on demand, all without overloading the network.

Happy crew as well as happy guests
As any superyacht owner knows, it’s very important to keep the crew happy because a happy crew will be a more motivated and productive crew, who are more likely to work safely and efficiently, creating a positive experience for owners and guests. It’s therefore important that crew have access to high-quality internet connectivity and entertainment during their downtime, so they can watch their favourite shows and movies when it suits them. Just as DVB-NIP enables guests to stream video seamlessly, it can also be used to ensure that crew have an enjoyable, high-quality viewing experience.

Alongside entertainment, DVB-NIP also gives captains and yacht managers new tools to serve the crew because it can also be used to deliver video and file content such as training materials, safety videos or even downloadable reading. Crew can access resources when it suits them, and the experience isn’t compromised by poor connectivity or limited bandwidth. It’s a small change in how content is delivered, but it can have a noticeable effect on the smooth running of day-to-day operations.

Key takeaway
Of course, none of this does away with the need for internet connectivity. Social media, online gaming, internet browsing, communication, navigation and weather data all still require reliable, high-quality internet connectivity. However, by offloading bandwidth-heavy traffic like video streaming, network load is reduced, which improves the quality of internet connectivity and overall on-board experience for all concerned. That matters when owners and guests expect every aspect of their stay to be premium.

For now, DVB-NIP remains largely under the radar in the superyacht world. But as the pressure on bandwidth grows and guest expectations rise, the ability to pre-position or stream content without overwhelming the network could well become a necessity.

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