OTTAWA, Canada—Ross Video has unveiled updates to its portfolio of signal processing solutions with the release of Newt V4.0 and an upgrade to the SRG-4500 reference generator.

Newt is a compact UHD-over-IP SDI / HDMI converter. It adapts to the industry’s rapidly changing IP environments, bridging Quad-SDI and HDMI 2.0 interfaces to JT-NM tested SMPTE ST 2110 media streams. Newt is fluent in the NMOS, EmBER+ and DashBoard open standards protocols, offering the freedom to be used in various IP environments.

New for 2021 is that addition of SSM, NMOS and diagnostics to help networks running trouble-free. With its small form factor, low power usage and low cost-per-stream, Newt is a “set and forget” problem solver, the company said.

“These enhancements make it easier for Newt to fit into a wider variety of network environments,” said Alun Fryer, manager, product marketing and solutions at Ross.

Ross also has added support for Precision Time Protocol (PTP) to its SRG-4500 master sync generator. The sync generator can support all of the reference timing and test signals needed in today’s complex broadcast facility. The new PTP software upgrade option brings drop-down configuration support for ST 2110 and AES67 profiles to build IP or hybrid SDI network. PTP support is available as a software option that can be installed in the field. No new hardware is required.

“An important thing to note about IP facilities is that almost all still have some baseband equipment and are in need of traditional timing signals like black burst,” added Fryer. “This is where the SRG-4500 excels; it provides both IP and baseband signals and ensures that both these domains are locked and in phase, which is crucial in system design.”

Both updates are now available.

More information is available on the company’s website.

OTTAWA—Ross Video announced a number of updates to products during the Ross Live | 2020 program, including for the Raptor and Newt IP gateway and conversion systems and the Gator Toolbox.

Both the Raptor and Newt platforms are now offering free software updates. The Raptor update, version 3.1, brings improved resilience to network and PTP failures, as well as new diagnostic features to track and debug network issues. Version 3.1 also supports AMWA NMOS IS-04/IS-05.

The Newt update, version 3, will enable users to monitor four 2110 video streams on one display in a quad-split format.

The Gator Toolbox is a 4K UHD signal conversion platform, offering up/down/cross, HDR conversion, standards conversion and frame synchronization for UHD workflows over 12G-SDI in a modular openGear form factor. The new V2, available via a free software update, adds SQD (quad-link gearbox in and out) and user presets for quick recall of common configurations. There is also support for discrete AES audio embedding/de-embedding and support for fiber.

The Raptor and Newt updates are available now, Gator Toolbox V2 will be released in June.

For more information, visit www.rossvideo.com/live.  

OTTAWA—NEP Australia is making the switch to an all IP-enabled production infrastructure based on the SMPTE ST-2110 standard for video over IP, and it has turned to Ross Video to help provided the necessary equipment. Among the products that NEP Australia is bringing in is the AIMS-compliant Newt family of point-of-use IP signal converters.

NEP Australia is transitioning from an SDI to an all-IP infrastructure for outside broadcast and live production from two IP-centralized production hubs in Sydney and Melbourne that allow for remote Software Defined Production.

The Newt from Ross features open control and can work in a wide range of environments with Ross DashBoard, NMOS IS-04/IS-05, EmBER+/Ravenna and a published JSON API for custom integrations.

The choice to go with Newt was a collaboration between NEP Australia and Ross Video to have a system to drive NEP’s video monitors, according to Marc Segar, director of technology for NEP Australia.