NETGEAR will showcase its new switch models and major updates to its Engage Control software during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The company has expanded its M4350 switch portfolio with the addition of the new M4350-16M4V and M4350-16C.

The M4350-16M4V offers secure, lockable connectivity with Neutrik etherCON, opticalCON QUAD and powerCON TRUE1 connectors. It features 16x 2.5G PoE++ ports, including eight etherCON, plus 4x 25G SFP28 uplinks via a modular card slot Optional uplink cards include RJ-45 or opticalCON QUAD connectors for single-mode or multimode fiber.

The new M4350-16C model addresses throughput challenges in large AV-over-IP deployments. With 16 ports of 100G connectivity, the M4350-16C delivers the bandwidth required for aggregation and core layers where multiple high-resolution video streams converge.

The M4350 series offers enterprise-grade managed switching from 1G to 100G built for AV and IT networks. With high-power PoE++, redundant modular power and hitless failover, it ensures mission-critical reliability for broadcast and AV-over-IP.

The new models support SMPTE ST 2110 timing with grandmaster and boundary clock functionality. Trade Agreement Act (TAA)-compliant SKUs are available for government use.

NETGEAR will also have its network design services team at the NAB Show to answer the questions of attendees. The company will also give personalized demos of its updated Engage Controller version 2.4, which features NETGEAR’s profile-based approach for reliable, simplified switch configuration.

NETGEAR will also offer on-demand sessions at its booth on the design of IP-based broadcast networks for live production and facility environments. More than 110 NETGEAR partner manufacturers will show their broadcast solutions powered by the company’s networking technology.

See NETGEAR at 2026 NAB Show booth C.7303.

More information is available on the company’s website.

ATLANTA—swXtch.io will feature two new networking solutions extending the company’s reach across more cloud and on-prem workflows at NAB Show New York, set for Oct. 22-23 at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

The company will exhibit its SRT-X Gateway, a pure software solution that offers high density, and showcase its groundSwXtch virtual overlay network for on-prem networks.

Shipping in January, SRT-X Gateway is a specialized implementation of the company’s cloudSwXtch overlay network offering efficient, scalable SRT streaming. swXtch.io’s application of multicast technology to SRT transport substantially increases streams capacity over competing solutions, allowing users to move hundreds of broadcast-quality compressed video workflows through a single cloudSwXtch and/or groundSwXtch network, the company said.

SRT-X Gateway’s density, along with its containerized software design, brings value to REMI production workflows seeking a streamlined solution for low-latency AVC/HEVC streams over SRT, swXtch.io said.

Its higher capacity also allows users to scale with ease, while swXtch.io’s stream-based pricing model reduces the cost per flow over time. Users are only billed for each active stream that enters or exits the gateway, enabling cost predictability and smarter scaling strategies based on production demands, the company said.

SRT-X Gateway’s multicast application simplifies configuration and ease of use through its ability to accept one source and distribute it to many endpoints, adding switched functionality to SRT’s point-to-point connectivity, it said.

“swXtch.io developed SRT-X Gateway to serve the specific needs of moving SRT workflows and protecting SRT content between ground and cloud,” said swXtch.io CEO Brent Yates. “The proven SRT capabilities found within cloudSwXtch have been applied to a purpose-built solution that is affordable, secure, easy-to-use and quick-to-configure and deploy. Our customers also have a solution that can dynamically scale up and down with their needs and reduce extraneous usage and network infrastructure costs.”

See swXtch.io at NAB Show New York booth 762.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Alphabet’s GFiber, the broadband provider formerly known as Google Fiber, has announced that it recently worked with Nokia to demonstrate network slicing.

Network slicing enables the segmentation of a customer’s home network into different “lanes,” each optimized for a specific use, the operator said.

The GFiber Labs demonstration used gaming as the test scenario. Two gaming consoles were operated side by side while congestion was introduced into the network using a traffic generator. As expected, the network experienced lag, stuttering and pixelation, GFiber said.

Then, a dedicated lane—or “slice”—was created to reserve bandwidth specifically for gaming traffic. The result: the driving game demo transitioned from jittery and glitchy to smooth and responsive.

In announcing the results, GFiber noted that in the long term, network slicing has the potential to significantly change how home internet functions, particularly when driven by user needs.

Traditional one-size-fits-all connections treat all traffic equally. However, internet usage varies: gamers prioritize latency, remote workers require video stability, home businesses depend on uptime and security, and emerging applications such as AI and VR may demand next-level performance. Network slicing could provide a way to improve network performance by enabling real-time customization for the individual needs of a household and its users, the operator explained.

This provides customers with the ability to tailor their internet connection to the categories of use that matter most in their homes. Rather than prioritizing traffic behind the scenes, this approach offers more control, flexibility and ways to achieve optimal performance when needed, GFiber said.

There is also potential for “transactional slices”—temporary, automated slices that activate for a few seconds to secure sensitive activities such as financial logins. These slices could connect users directly to services like banks without routing traffic across the broader internet, enhancing security without disrupting the user experience, the operator said.

Network slicing also represents the next logical step in GFiber’s service evolution, particularly for its lifestyle products—Core, Home and Edge—which are designed to align with the diverse ways people live and work. This new capability adds real-time customization and control at the network level.

However, further development, particularly in automation, is needed before network slicing can be deployed more broadly, GFiber said.

GFiber reported that it plans to continue its collaboration with Nokia later this year to explore implementation strategies.

GERMANTOWN, Md.—EchoStar’s Hughes Network Systems has opened a new manufacturing facility and private 5G incubation center in Germantown, Maryland. 

The Hughes Manufacturing Facility (EXM) produces U.S.-made hardware, including the Hughes HT3000W JUPITER System satellite modem and the Hughes HL1120W Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite terminal. 

In addition to about 400 engineers, technicians and manufacturing staff, the Hughes EXM facility utilizes advanced robotics to assist in the manufacture of high-tech products such as satellite modems and terminals. The EXM facility will also serve as a testing ground for private 5G solutions just now reaching the market for Enterprise applications as well as secure 5G networking applications critical to the U.S. Department of Defense.

"Hughes has deep roots in this community. Our capabilities evolved from a long-ago startup in Rockville, Maryland, and we have grown into what is now the leading provider of broadband satellite services, products, and managed network solutions," said Paul Gaske, COO, Hughes. "The EXM facility allows us to continue a proud tradition of designing and manufacturing leading edge products here in Maryland."

Located in the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology on the Montgomery College campus, the new manufacturing center will offer hands-on training and educational initiatives for students, helping to develop a pipeline of local technical talent. Students will be able to interact with leading engineers at Hughes through internships, mentoring, and shadowing opportunities. This 140,000-square-foot space is the first-ever manufacturing facility on a community college campus in the U.S.

As a leading satellite technology and managed service provider for government entities and defense agencies, Hughes said it will use the new manufacturing center to provide the U.S. Department of Defense with much-needed, secure onshore manufacturing capabilities.

"The opening of EXM solidifies our dedication to technological innovation, engineering expertise, and fostering the next generation of industry leaders," said Hamid Akhavan, president and CEO, EchoStar. "The products imagined, designed, and fabricated in this building further advance our mission of connecting everyone, everywhere."

swXtch.io has launched a strategic partner program at 2024 NAB Show, aimed at building an intelligent cloud networking ecosystem for the broadcast, media and entertainment industry.

 The swXtch.io Federated Partner Program connects industry customers with swXtch.io, technology partners, systems integrators and public clouds to help these customers move their on-premise networks to the cloud. (swXtch.io is a wholly-owned subsidiary of IEX Group, Inc.)

According to swXtch.io, the benefits of joining their Federated Partner Program include limited membership, online sales training, and a self-serve ‘partner portal’ that offers lead sharing and deal registration opportunities.

 “At netorium, we’re committed to providing optimal solutions for our customers and seek to stay on the forefront of technology,” said netorium CEO Frank Hermann, a member of the swXtch.io Federated Partner Program. “We’re pleased to partner with swXtch.io to further enhance our offerings and ability to serve customers while helping them overcome the challenges of migrating to the cloud.”

swXtch.io is also demonstrating interoperable cloud networking workflows featuring cloudSwXtch and partner solutions at Booth W4429. cloudSwXtch is an intelligent media network that helps users to create unified cloud-based broadcast networks.

“As the network switch, cloudSwXtch moves packets between sources and destinations,” said Brent Yates, CEO of swXtch.io. “Within that infrastructure we bring technologies together including multicast, PTP, JPEG-XS and lossless UDP that connect media workloads and allow processes to work with great efficacy. Our capabilities offer a compelling value proposition for cloud innovators seeking to become part of a reliable cloud networking infrastructure that helps them realize the full potential of their solutions in the cloud.”  

CLAREMONT, N.C.—Network connectivity solution provider CommScope has launched SYSTIMAX 2.0. The enhancements to the building and data center connectivity portfolio are designed to provide customers with the latest structured cabling solutions and support to meet the most demanding network infrastructure challenges, the company said. 

“With the SYSTIMAX 2.0 enhancements, CommScope is expanding its support for future customer needs with continuous technology innovation, world-class performance and reliability, application assurance and unrivaled global support,” stated Luc Adriaenssens, vice president of enterprise product management and R&D, CommScope. “We will be evolving the SYSTIMAX portfolio of products and services to ensure we continue to meet those needs.”

CommScope noted that for nearly 40 years, SYSTIMAX solutions have led the trajectory of tomorrow's network technologies, supporting customers’ network evolution within a fluid business environment. As the trusted solution in structured cabling, SYSTIMAX technology has been synonymous with exceeding the standards of enterprise connectivity, continuously evolving to redefine how building, data center and campus networks operate, the company said. 

SYSTIMAX 2.0 enhancements are designed to carry that legacy forward, leveraging CommScope’s rich history of performance and reliability in copper, fiber and network intelligence.

The upgraded portfolio includes two new innovative solutions 

The GigaSPEED XL5. Customers increasingly need to support higher-demand devices on their twisted-pair Ethernet networks. The GigaSPEED XL5 technology is CommScope’s new multi-patented solution for customers needing to step up from 1 Gbps copper before making a commitment to 10 Gbps copper. The GigaSPEED XL5 solution supports applications such as multigigabit backhaul connectivity for advanced wireless access points. This new solution supports 2.5/5 gigabit Ethernet applications in 4-connector, 100m channels with bundled cables, while maintaining the ease of installation of our GigaSPEED XL solution.

VisiPORT. CommScope’s new VisiPORT solution is an automated copper and fiber port status and capacity monitoring system that improves efficiency, reduces errors and removes the need for ongoing database maintenance. Using real-time data to lead decision-making reduces errors; the VisiPORT solution detects and transmits events upon the insertion or removal of a plug and can provide alerts on unexpected or unapproved patching activity. The solution is easy to deploy and provides instantaneous port status and port capacity information with the ability to set user defined thresholds for action. The VisiPORT solution is comprised of intelligent copper panels and fiber shelves with built-in port sensors and system controllers. The solution leverages the port-sensing technology that is foundational to CommScope’s comprehensive imVision Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) solution. In a fast-changing environment, data center and facilities managers need simple real-time insights to improve efficiency and reduce connection errors. The SYSTIMAX VisiPORT solution meets this need. 

The company has also enhanced SYSTIMAX Assurance with 360-degree customer support from 80+ Systems Engineering teams around the world and more than 10,000 SYSTIMAX-certified partners in 130 countries. 

The SYSTIMAX Assurance program now includes 24/7 live premium technical support and a host of other benefits all backed by our 25-Year Product Extended Warranty and Application Assurance. 

For additional information visit http://www.systimax.com/. 

Change is inevitable in the media and entertainment industry, and that aura resonates throughout a business transformed through consolidation. Today’s most recognized global broadcasters have largely grown through acquisitions, developing into corporate conglomerates with many different independent divisions and teams.

Naturally, the technology choices these teams made as independent entities must come together in ways that ultimately serve a common purpose. The challenges in bringing these disparate systems and technologies together are often complex, and there is no greater example than considering cloud strategies.

Businesses of all types typically standardize on a singular cloud provider upon entering the cloud universe. They invest time and money into cloud provisioning, the process of choosing, deploying and managing software and hardware resources. The next step is to build out an infrastructure that emphasizes the cloud-specific features most important to the business’s operations. As businesses advance through their journeys, they invest more resources and essentially attach themselves to the specifics of the cloud they selected.

As companies grow, the transition to a multi-cloud environment is inevitable. The different teams that suddenly come together have all made substantial investments in accepting and building an infrastructure around a specific cloud provider. They have favored providers that meet their expectations for network jitter, bandwidth costs, and/or loss characteristics across ground-to-cloud links. In the end, they need to develop an interoperable multi-cloud solution that abstracts the different networking realities of each cloud.

The Road to Multi-Cloud 

While multi-cloud may be inevitable, it’s not easy. For broadcasters, the journey typically starts with building a hybrid network in which some likely workloads are migrated to the cloud first, and run in parallel to on-prem workloads. Ultimately the desire to have unified processes leads to a grander vision -  a properly configured hybrid network that seamlessly integrates the broadcaster’s on-premises network with a public cloud network with a common media workflow supporting both.

Initially, most broadcasters build their hybrid cloud networks with independent processes that  separately support their on-prem and cloud networks. That approach requires two different skillsets, two different sets of deployment methods, and two different product suites. When confronting the requirement to integrate multiple clouds into those hybrid workflows, the problem becomes even more complex.

The reality is that the public clouds are very different, with unique provisioning processes and networking realities. When the time for multi-cloud arrives, it’s critical to have what we at swXtch.io call a common data plane implemented across on-prem broadcast networks, on-prem distribution networks and cloud networks to make a multi-cloud strategy work.

swXtch.io and its cloudSwXtch virtual overlay network provide the foundation to establish that common data plane, which normalizes the network behavior of each cloud provider. For example, broadcasters using a virtual machine within one cloud may experience a sudden reduction in bandwidth because of that cloud’s service agreements and congestion state. cloudSwXtch accounts for those differences and makes the network behave similarly on different clouds. 

cloudswXtch provides a self-configuring network that reduces the reliance on the network specifics of different cloud services. cloudswXtch also offers a common set of features across the different clouds in a multi-cloud network, reducing the need for multiple teams with cloud-specific solutions. This provides a single view of packet flows with many benefits. For instance, if an application in one cloud originates a source stream that is added to a multicast group, that stream can natively flow into another cloud’s multicast-aware endpoints using a standard IGMP join command. 

Using cloudSwXtch, the broadcaster’s multi-cloud network can function like one global network, with a common data plane connecting all clouds, on-prem and edge distribution networks. As media businesses scale, whether through acquisitions, expansion into other regions, or a general need for more capacity, redundancy, or elasticity. Ultimately, enabling homogeneity among the cloud networks that account for their different idiosyncrasies is an important consideration in making a multi-cloud strategy work.

More information is available here. 

As broadcasters migrate towards IP networks for video transport both outside and inside the studio, many existing, proprietary systems are being phased out in favor of products that offer interoperability based on standards.

First introduced in 2007, the SMPTE 2022 standard has since expanded to cover more types of IP video transport. The first two sections of the standard cover IP protocols for compressed, constant bit-rate video signals in MPEG-2 transport streams, based on COP3 from the Pro MPEG Forum. Newer sections of the standard cover two different kinds of variable-rate compressed video signals, as well as methods for carrying uncompressed video and hitless protection switching. Each section of 2022 is described below.

ST 2022-1:2007 “Forward Error Correction for Real-Time Video/Audio Transport Over IP Networks” defines row/column FEC (Forward Error Correction) for IP video streams. Along with Section 2, this standard has been widely implemented. Row/Column FEC works by grouping IP video packets into logical rows and columns, and then appending one FEC packet to each row and each column. 

Fig. 1: SMPTE 2022 interoperability tests conducted by the Video Services Forum In the event that one packet is lost from a row or a column, the data in that packet can be perfectly recreated using the contents of the FEC packet in conjunction with the other packets in the row or column. This method works quite well, and allows the packet stream to survive lengthy bursts of lost packets.

ST 2022-2:2007 “Unidirectional Transport of Constant Bit Rate MPEG-2 Transport Streams on IP Networks” specifies how constant bit rate compressed video signals that are encoded within MPEG-2 transport streams are encapsulated into IP packets. This standard covers the transport layer (RTP and UDP) as well as comments about timing and buffer sizes.

ST 2022-3:2010 “Unidirectional Transport of Variable Bit Rate MPEG-2 Transport Streams on IP Networks” defines IP packets for variable bit-rate MPEG-2 TS streams that are constrained to have a constant bit rate between PCR messages (called piecewise-constant).

ST 2022-4:2011 “Unidirectional Transport of Non-Piecewise Constant Variable Bit Rate MPEG-2 Streams on IP Networks” is similar to Section 3, except that it removes the constraint on bit rates.

ST 2022-5:2012 “Forward Error Correction for High Bit Rate Media Transport Over IP Networks” expands on Section 1 to allow larger row/column FEC combinations to support signals with bit rates up to 3 Gbps and beyond. A minor revision to this standard is scheduled to be published in 2013 by SMPTE.

ST 2022-6:2012 “Transport of High Bit Rate Media Signals over IP Networks (HBRMT)” specifies a way to transport high bit-rate signals (including uncompressed 3 Gbps 1080p video) that are not encapsulated in MPEG-2 transport streams.

2022-7 (approval pending) “Seamless Protection Switching of SMPTE ST 2022 IP Datagrams” describes a way to send two matching streams of packets from a source to a destination over different paths, and have the receiver switch automatically between them. This allows a perfect video signal to be reconstructed at the receiver as long as both paths do not fail simultaneously.

Another section originally called 2022- 8 was proposed to define a mapping for JPEG2000 over MPEG-2TS over IP with FEC. This capability appears to have been fulfilled by the publication of VSF (Video Services Forum, www.videoservicesforum.org) Technical Recommendation TR- 01 “Transport of JPEG 2000 Broadcast Profile Video in MPEG-2 TS over IP.”

The VSF has also arranged a number of successful interoperability tests (“interops”) to demonstrate that devices from different manufacturers are able to send and receive bit streams to one another. Fig. 1 shows a list of the interoperability tests that have been performed to date.

2022 INSIDE THE STUDIO?
Work is currently underway in the Joint Task Force on Networked Media to map out a strategy for using packet-based networks in the professional media industry. This group, which held its first meeting in March, is a cooperative effort between SMPTE, the VSF and the European Broadcasting Union. SMPTE 2022 may be considered by the task force for encapsulating uncompressed SDI and HD-SDI signals so they can be transported over IP networks within a studio, in place of baseband signals over coaxial cables.

Other standards groups, such as IEEE 1722 Audio Video Transport Protocol, use different methods for encapsulating SDI video, one of which eliminates the RTP headers found in 2022 and maps video into Ethernet frames (packets). IEEE 1722 also dispenses with FEC (since packet loss is very rare within local networks) and groups all of the data associated with each line of video into an integer number of Ethernet frames, potentially making it easier to build devices that perform switching between video signals. Results from the task force are expected to be ready in 2014.

As a wide-ranging standard for IP video, SMPTE 2022 will certainly become more important as IP technology continues to penetrate the professional video production market.

Thanks to Carl Ostrom, Jack Douglass and John Dale (all very active members of the VSF) for providing information that was used in writing this column.

Wes Simpson is an industry consultant and author of “Video Over IP, Second Edition,” from Focal Press. Your comments are welcome towes.simpson@gmail.com.