Broadcasters have spent years trying to integrate different vendor technologies in their facilities. As the industry has moved closer to software, that struggle has become more pronounced. Currently, media exchange protocols need timing synchronization accuracy that’s beyond most IT hardware, while the reliance on SMPTE ST-2110 and NDI can lead to significant computer resource consumption, latency and vendor lock-in.

However, a groundbreaking initiative led by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with key contributions from both broadcasters and vendors, could be about to revolutionize how media is exchanged.

The European Broadcasting Union’s Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) project published its first white paper in 2023, recommending the adoption of an IT-focused approach with best practices that involve developing solutions using a layered architecture and creating a unified infrastructure for media production. The idea of the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) came when Canadian broadcaster CBC began to reflect on the move to software-first cloud architecture for its facilities. CBC’s proposed approach also included a layered model in which each layer has distinct responsibilities. At the base lies the physical IT equipment, moving up to applications and user interfaces at the top. The crucial missing piece, they realized, was a software-centric approach to media exchange.

Compute Heavy
“We didn’t want to use a streaming technology like SMPTE ST 2110, for example, or NDI to exchange video, audio and timed data,” explained Félix Poulin, co-chair of the Dynamic Media Facility Group at the EBU and director, global innovation collaborations, CBC/Radio-Canada. “The idea is not to go outside of the software on one computer; we want applications to share video frames and audio chunks directly within a computer’s memory.”

The concept of exchanging memory between applications isn’t new, but most of the currently available solutions are driven by specific vendors, and some broadcasters are not keen on being tied into one vendor’s way of doing things. MXL, therefore, is a direct response to the need for interoperability, tackling each layer of the DMF reference architecture independently, with media exchange being the obvious first target.

“Using a streaming technology like ST-2110 or NDI requires a lot of computer resources,” Poulin added. “You need to packetize the image and organize it in a certain way, and then you need to serialize it and send each packet one by one. To reconstruct the video and audio, buffering happens, which takes time, so there’s latency building up in a complex system.

“But using direct memory access, like memory sharing, saves all of this work,”
he continued. “You save compute, therefore power, therefore efficiency. You solve latency, because the application will put parts of the video image in its memory as it’s working on it, and then that image is available to be picked up there. There’s no additional process.”

Early experiments have shown latencies of less than 1 millisecond for each transfer of video, a significant improvement over the 20 milliseconds per device typically expected with ST-2110.

Why Broadcasters Are Embracing MXL
For broadcasters, MXL is crucial in future-proofing their operations. CBC is currently working on a major project for its Toronto headquarters, Poulin said, aiming for a dynamic and adaptable technology platform. “If we were going to be a static, purpose-built facility like before, with studios that are a certain size and have a certain number of cameras, we would be limited if we decided two years later to do another kind of show with that facility,” he said.

The industry’s shift to software, alongside the issue of getting different vendors’ technology to talk to each other, made it clear that accelerating interoperability was paramount. MXL became the key to “unlock that vendor ‘lock-in’ problem,” Poulin said.

MXL will also help broadcasters like BBC, which has resources in multiple locations across the U.K. “Networks are so fast these days, you get hundreds of gigabits per second down inexpensive fiber,” explained Peter Brightwell, lead engineer at BBC research and development and co-chair of the DMF Group. “We have the option of being able to move our resources around the country, to wherever there is the most capacity.

“What we really want is to not just do things in different ways depending on where they are, whether they’re local, within the cloud and so on,” he added. “That’s the idea of a Dynamic Media Facility. About a year ago, we had a workshop in Geneva, then CBC hosted another one in Toronto at the beginning of this year, where we brought together several of those key vendors to challenge the industry to work together. It’s gone very well.”

Open-Source Approach
Instead of the traditional, lengthy standardization process, the EBU and its partners have opted for an open-source approach to MXL. “We decided to go with an open-source approach because usually our industry would have gone through a standardization process at this stage,” Poulin said. “We’d bring in standards bodies, write the text about the solution; eventually we get it ratified and then start to see first implementations.”

Instead, a software development kit (SDK) has been developed, and making it open source means the kit can be used by all vendors and thus become automatically interoperable. “The vendors we approached were enthusiastic and I think most of them were ready to go in that direction,” he said. “The EBU called the first meeting in November to test how far we could go, and everybody in the room said, let’s do it!”

Added Brightwell: “In an open-source project, everybody can see everything that’s happened. And like the best open-source projects, you get to influence it by doing work and actually contributing something to the community.”

But what does this mean for standards such as SMPTE-ST 2110 and NDI? Both Poulin and Brightwell said ST 2110 should continue to play an important role in the industry. “2110 is not going to go away,” Brightwell said. “It’s there at the inputs and the outputs and now the edges.”

Poulin added: “2110 was an enabler to get there. It was the move to get out of industry-specific connectivity like SDI, to go to IP connectivity. It will still be the interface of choice between compute clusters. 2110 will still be used.”

The first release of MXL code is expected towards the end of this year, very likely in the fourth quarter. “In terms of the other layers, we’ve identified a couple of immediate priorities,” Brightwell said. “One is to work on the joined-up timing model. One of the great things about working in software is you can add this sort of thing very easily, the hooks are there to put time stamps into MXL payloads, as they’re called, so that they can be used downstream.

“One of the questions we’re often asked is, if you have two separate pieces of technology, how do they find each other?” he continued. “That’s a fundamental part of what we call the control layer and that is going to be our immediate next step.”

At IBC2025, the EBU announced a partnership with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) to create the Joint Taskforce on Dynamic Media Facilities (JT-DMF), which will bring together vendors, end users and system integrators, and aims to ensure that the next wave of live production infrastructure can benefit users and vendors alike. “There are a lot of questions surrounding orchestration,” Poulin said.
“We need to solve a number of these problems in that category. The joint task force now begins working on these different aspects by priority.”

The momentum behind MXL is undeniable. “It’s been so fast from when we started with the idea, to a number of vendors being willing to work in open source, to releasing an early version of code in June,” Poulin said.

Multivendor demonstrations at IBC showcased the progress, and work is underway to finalize a production-ready Version 1. Poulin hopes that by NAB Show in April, vendors will have solutions incorporating MXL available for purchase.

MXL represents a significant leap forward for the broadcasting industry, promising greater interoperability, efficiency and adaptability in an increasingly software-driven world.

This article originally appeared in TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope.

RICHARDSON, Texas—Fujitsu Network Communications has announced that Canada’s national public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada, has selected Fujitsu’s 1FINITY optical networking platform to connect the Olympic Studio and the production center in Montreal.

The CBC/Radio-Canada network must effortlessly support peak traffic demand across multiple platforms including live-streaming, on-demand video, and mobile apps and its video editing and post-production operations require an ultra-fast, low-latency network to transport the extensive broadcast-quality digital video content, the companies said. 

To meet those needs, the Fujitsu 1FINITY T-Series transport blades, which provide secure, reliable, high-speed data up to 600 Gbps, have been installed on the fiber-optic links that connect CBC/Radio-Canada remote studios and their Montreal broadcast center.

“As a national, multi-platform broadcaster and champion of Canadian culture, CBC/Radio-Canada delivers uniquely Canadian content across a world-class network,” said Annie Bogue, head of sales and marketing at Fujitsu Network Communications. “We are proud to be a part of their evolving broadcasting and communications environment with our scalable 1FINITY platform.”

MONTREAL—ETL Systems has announced that CBC/Radio-Canada’s new state of the art production center in Montreal has been equipped with ETL Systems’ RF distribution equipment.

The Canadian public broadcaster is using the equipment to ensure the reliability of RF signals being carried from the rooftop antenna park to the satellite reception facility.

The new 420,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Maison de Radio-Canada will broadcast 13 radio stations and CBC’s French-speaking arm with 20 TV channels and 80 radio channels operating out of the hub. The new center is completely fiber-based and will help the broadcaster move towards IP.

ETL’s RF distribution equipment was supplied through its partner Consultation Pefau Consulting, which it has worked with since 2016.

The broadcast center has included ETL’s Hurricane 64x 64 RF switch matrix (HUR-10) equipped with active fiber optic input modules, L-band Alto line amplifier and 8, 16 and 32-way single L-Band Active Dextra splitters.

Bill Pryle, RF consultant at ETL Systems noted in a statement that broadcasters are having to upgrade infrastructure to meet the ever-growing demand for news, information and entertainment. 

“During the last 5 years, lots of broadcasters, especially in North America, have either upgraded or moved broadcasting facilities to expand, improve or ensure the quality of service being provided,” Pryle said. “In CBC/Radio-Canada’s case, its new facility in Montreal is state-of-the-art and has moved the broadcaster towards IP, which will support its broadcast of huge one-off events or regular local ones, as well its ability to essentially transmit channels and information anywhere at any time."

“That’s why CBC/Radio-Canada wanted to ensure all RF equipment used in its new facility met stringent requirements around reliability and could work hand-in-hand with IP,” he added. “ETL’s RF matrices, RF amplifiers and RF splitters met these criteria and will play their part in distributing the satellite signals to the satellite receivers - to ensure continued quality coverage.”

The installation is the second time that the broadcaster has used ETL’s RF distribution equipment. It also worked with the manufacturer on the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto in 2016, where ETL’s StingRay RF Over Fibre equipment is installed.

WATERLOO, Ontario—CBC/Radio-Canada (CBC) has renewed a multi-year agreement with Dejero to be the broadcaster’s primary field contribution solutions provider and to assist with its transition to IP workflows, the company announced.

Currently, CBC is relocating its French Services HQ to the groundbreaking all-IP Maison de Radio-Canada (MRC) broadcast center in Montreal. Upon completion later this year, the new SMPTE ST 2110-compliant MRC will be one of the most advanced IP broadcast facilities in the world, supporting CBC's multiplatform and digital strategy.

Dejero is supporting the all-IP infrastructure at the MRC by providing the broadcaster with its latest solutions, including WayPoint 204 SMPTE ST 2110 receivers, EnGo 260 mobile transmitters, rack-mounted PathWay transmitters and the LivePlus mobile app for iOS and Android devices across the network. Dejero is also providing CBC with connectivity and cloud-management services, the company said.

“Dejero’s proven track record, partnership and ongoing support have been invaluable to CBC over the last decade," commented François Vaillant, executive director, engineering solutions at CBC/Radio-Canada. "Some of the key factors that stood out for us when we examined Dejero’s technology during the selection process were that their solutions clearly met CBC’s needs and expectations, being reliable and agile, particularly when broadcasting in bandwidth-constrained scenarios from the field."

“We are thrilled to have been re-selected as the field contribution technology partner of CBC/Radio-Canada, a close relationship we have cultivated for over a decade," said Bogdan Frusina, founder of Dejero. “We look forward to continuing our support of CBC/Radio-Canada as it transitions to IP workflows and completes its groundbreaking project in Montreal.”

More information is available on the Dejero website. 

HACKENSACK, N.J.—To assist with CBC/Radio-Canada’s new Montreal broadcast center transition to the SMPTE ST 2110 standard, the broadcaster has chosen to equip the facility with LiveU technology to create an IP-based system.

LiveU products that will be added to the Montreal facility’s operations include LU600 HEVC field units, servers and supporting equipment. The setup in Montreal will be similar to what CBC/Radio-Canada has in its Toronto facility to support broadcast, digital and radio operations.

“CBC/Radio-Canada broadcasts from locations around the world, requiring an integrated solution to deliver high-quality live transmissions over IP to its audiences,” said Avi Cohen, LiveU COO and co-founder. “CBC/Radio-Canada has given us the opportunity to work towards the development of a mix of products that support SMPTE ST 2110 for CBC/Radio Canada.”

LiveU Canadian reseller partner, DXM Technologies, will support CBC/Radio-Canada in this endeavor.

LAVAL, Quebec—Embironix is contributing to CBC/Radio-Canada’s new Maison de Radio-Canada broadcasting center in Montreal, announcing that it is providing its 25GE IP monitoring and conversion product.

The 25GE product offers 25GE single-stream SMPTE ST 2110 IP to UHD-to-HDMI 2.0 conversion with full SMPTE ST 2022-7 hitless redundancy. The 25GE is also compatible with all of Embrionix’s IP products, including the emVIEW, emFUSION-3 and emFUSION-6 IP gateways, and the emVIRTU all-IP processing platform.

Embrionix’s gateways were previously installed at the broadcast center for HD/UHD IP/SDI conversion requirements.

The Maison de Radio-Canada is a 418,000-square-foot facility that will be home to production and postproduction activities for both CBC’s French and English TV and radio services, as well as its digital services. 

WUPPERTAL, Germany & MONTREAL—CBC/Radio Canada’s planned state-of-the-art Montreal headquarters, Maison de Radio-Canada, will have a touch of German in it upon completion, as Riedel Communications will supply its Artist and Bolero wired and wireless intercom systems as part of the broadcast center’s communications backbone.

The MRC, which will open in 2020, will be entirely IP-based, utilizing SMPTE ST 2110-30/31 and NMOS IS-04/05/07 standards. Riedel will assist with this by providing the Artist-1024. The latest software-defined node in the Artist series offers 1024 nonblocking ports in a 2RU frame and uses software-definable Universal Interface Cards that combine networking, mixing and management on a single card. A card can be configured to act as a SMPTE ST 2110-30/31 or MADI subscriber card, or as an Artist fiber/router/processor card. There is also the Director configuration software that allows for the changing of connectivity type and scaling up of port count.

Bolero, an AES67-based wireless intercom system that integrates with Artist for a unified wireless communications environment, will handle all wireless communications in the MRC. Bolero is a six-channel, 1.9 gigahertz system that incorporates Riedel’s Advanced DECT Receiver technology for RF environments that can create multipath reflections.

In addition, more than 250 Riedel 1200 Series SmartPanels are set to be installed at MRC. The SmartPanels are ST 2110-30/31 native and provide an app-based user interface for intercom, high-quality audio monitoring and integration of third-party control systems via the SmartPanel Control Panel app.

Riedel says that this installation will be one of the largest for Artist in North America upon completion.

MONTREAL—When CBC/Radio-Canada opens its new broadcast center Maison de Radio-Canada in Montreal in 2020, it will do so with the support of Grass Valley’s iTX integrated playout platform as part of its infrastructure. With the iTX system, which supports SMPTE ST 2110, the broadcast center’s production teams will be able to manage multiple formats and mix IP live inputs using back-to-back IP sources and file-based clips for more than 100 TV, radio and web channels.

The iTX platform provides IP/SDI format flexibility and scalability for future readiness, as well as an advanced end-to-end workflow. This open standards-based IP approach enables CBC to be fully format and resolution agnostic, while also being able to adapt its services the changing viewer demands.

In addition, the iTX comes with full disaster recovery between the broadcaster’s facilities in Toronto, which has its own iTX system, and Montreal. A second phase of this development will be an upgrade to the Toronto facility, expected to begin sometime in 2020.

CBC/Radio-Canada Executive Director Francois Vaillant says that utilizing the same technology between the two language services in Toronto and Montreal simplifies the broadcasters operation, training and maintenance process.

BURLINGTON, MA—Canadian national broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada has renewed a support agreement with Avid Technology for a term of five years.

“Based on the success of these previous agreements, we decided to increase the term of this latest agreement to five years,” said Scott Stewardson, Executive Director, Production Solutions Media Technology and Infrastructure Services at CBC/Radio-Canada. “Having this support in place will enable us to improve efficiency and have predictable support costs when transitions occur.”

The agreement gives CBC/Radio-Canada the ability for its production teams to remain current with the latest versions of Avid software as they produce content for mobile, web, radio and TV, said Stewardson.

CBC/Radio-Canada’s broadcast operations are extensive and include 27 TV stations, 82 radio stations, 11 foreign bureaus, seven specialty TV channels and Canada’s only nationwide radio network and international service. All are integrated with multiple websites.

The Canadian broadcaster relies on the Avid MediaCentral platform for news production and post production for original programming. According to Avid, it has one of the largest MediaCentral|Newsroom Management installations in the world.

More information is available on the Avid website.