| Category | Set-top box | Function | Operators |
| Digital Set-top Box | Cable digital set-top box | Receive cable television network | Broadcasting |
| transmission over the digital TV |
| program signal, convert it into |
| an analog signal, making the |
| client’s analog TV can watch |
| digital TV |
| Terrestrial digital set-top box | Receive the TV signal transmission |
| tower to transmit the digital television |
| program signal, convert it into an analog |
| signal, so that the client’s analog TV can |
| watch digital TV |
| Satellite digital set -top box | Receive live satellite transmission |
| of digital TV program signal,it will |
| be converted into analog signals, |
| making the client’s analog TV can |
| watch digital TV |
| Network set – top box | OTT Set-top box | Connected to the TV and the Internet, | Internet operators; |
| allowingusers to use television to receive | telecom, Broadcasting |
| Internet video content and interaction, | operators have begun |
| generally with Internet search, shopping, | to try IPTV + OTT and |
| games and other derivative functions. | DVB + OTT |
| At present, most OTT set-top boxes | |
| equipped with Android system. | |
| IPTV Set-top box | Can be connected to the TV and | telecom operators |
| broadband network, provide similar |
| services like OTT set top box , the |
| difference is: |
| 1,The content that IPTV set-top box provides |
| isn’t richer than OTT set-top box, but it can |
| provide live content; |
| 2,provide IPTV and OTT content |
| required license; |
| 3,The IPTV program is transmitted |
| by the operator controlled private |
| network, and the OTT program is |
| transmitted over the Internet. |
