PPLive - Old wine in new skins?

Ok ok, video streaming is old. And, P2P is old, too. But what do we get if we combine them?
PPLive!

PPLive is yet another P2p streaming application network that allows streaming of video, including TV channels, to be extremly smooth. PPLive was created at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in the People’s Republic of China. It is part of a new generation of P2P applictions, that combine P2P and IPTV. Just like in classic P2P technology, all PPLive users become broadcasters and recievers themselves, thus reducing the cost, jitter and network load of traditional streaming. That means that the more users are online, the faster the programs can be loaded. While PPLive seems to be a great web application, it's use is legally questionable. Especially, the copyright issues with blockbuster movies being fed into the net from Chinese TV channels raise questions. How can it be that movies like Pirates of the Caribbean2 and Da Vinci Code are available via PPLive streams while they are still played in the cinemas?

In my opinion, yet another example of a great technology and China's struggle or unwillingness to protect IPR. However, the business model seems to work: Ads are shown during loading stage and in lower part of the the player during the program.


PPLive Homepage
PPLive in Wikipedia