Multicast features

For a better understanding of the multicast concept, you can compare multicast transmission to the transmission of TV programs.

Table 1: Comparing TV program transmission and multicast transmission

TV program transmission

Multicast transmission

A TV station transmits a TV program through a channel.

A multicast source sends multicast data to a multicast group.

A user tunes the TV set to the channel.

A receiver joins the multicast group.

The user starts to watch the TV program transmitted by the TV station on the channel.

The receiver starts to receive the multicast data addressed to the multicast group from the multicast source.

The user turns off the TV set or tunes to another channel.

The receiver leaves the multicast group or joins another group.