WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has released more details about the SMPTE ST 2110 IP Media Roadshow at the 2026 NAB Show, announced last month.

On Tuesday, April 21, SMPTE will hold a a first-of-its-kind, full-day in-person bootcamp, designed to equip media professionals with the practical knowledge needed to confidently design, deploy, and operate IP-based production systems.

The program runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Rm. N252 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Grounded in real-world broadcast, live production, and hybrid environments, the Roadshow goes beyond theory — focusing on how IP media systems actually perform in the field. As the organization responsible for developing and maintaining the SMPTE ST 2110 standards, SMPTE brings a depth of expertise and vendor-neutral perspective unmatched by any other training provider, connecting specification language directly to operational practice.

“The industry’s shift to IP-based production is well underway, and professionals need more than theory — they need practical, systems-level knowledge they can apply from day one,” said Jesse Janosky, Senior Engineering Leader and ST 2110 Instructor at JPM Technology Consulting. “This Roadshow bridges that gap — grounding standards in the real-world decisions engineers face every day.”

Full-Day Program Schedule
Opening with a welcome and introduction to the SMPTE ST 2110 Working Group from Merrick “Rick” Ackermans — Director of RF and Transmissions Engineering at CBS/Paramount, Chair of the SMPTE ST 2110 Drafting Group, and a SMPTE Fellow — the bootcamp moves through six structured modules that progress from foundational concepts to hands-on system design. Jesse Janosky provides a run-of-day overview before the technical sessions begin.

• Module 1 — ST 2110 Foundations & Standards Overview (Chris Lapp, Cisco): An introduction to the ST 2110 standards suite and the foundational principles of IP-based media transport.
• Module 2 — Precision Time Protocol (ST 2059) for Live Production (Willem Vermost, EBU): A deep dive into how PTP enables deterministic synchronization across live production facilities, followed by a supplementary session on warning signs and failure modes when PTP begins to drift, led by Steve Kolta of Meinberg.
• Module 3 — Audio Over IP in ST 2110 Environments (Andreas Hildebrand, Lawo): Coverage of AES67 and ST 2110 audio transport standards, including packetization, flow configuration, MADI over IP, and practical deployment considerations.
• Module 4 — Network Fabric Design for Media (Gerard Phillips, Arista Networks; Chris Lapp, Cisco): Multicast routing, bandwidth planning, and redundancy strategies for networks carrying real-time, uncompressed media, followed by a session on identifying bottlenecks led by Cassidy Lee Phillips.
• Module 5 — Deployment and Operational Failure Points (Nestor Amaya, EVS): Identification of the design decisions and configuration errors most commonly encountered in the field, and a practical framework for avoiding them.
• Module 6 — Team Practicum: Sample RFP and System Design (Jesse Janosky & Cassidy Lee Phillips): A collaborative exercise built around a realistic RFP scenario covering client needs assessment, workflow mapping, functional diagramming, product research, and deployment partner qualification. The day concludes with team RFP presentations.

What attendees gain extends well beyond the six modules. A shared technical vocabulary, greater confidence in infrastructure decision-making, and a clearer picture of where adjacent technologies — including IPMX, NDI, Dante, and JPEG-XS — fit within the broader standards landscape are among the key takeaways. The program is suited for broadcast and media engineers, systems integrators, live and remote production teams, media IT and cloud professionals, early-career professionals, and students.

Registration is available a la carte and includes a NAB Show Floor Pass. Non-members pay $550; SMPTE members, NAB members, students, and government attendees are eligible for the $450 rate. Discounts are also available for SMPTE Education alumni.

Register for the show here. Click here for more information about the SMPTE ST 2110 IP Media Roadshow /

RASTATT, Germany—Lawo and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) have partnered to launch the SMPTE ST 2110 Practical Lab, an immersive training program to assist the industry’s transition to IP-based workflows.

The Practical Lab, hosted at Lawo headquarters in Rastatt, Germany, offers a hands-on environment to design, synchronize and troubleshoot live-production IP networks, the company said.

The lab builds on SMPTE’s education path, which includes:

• Introduction to SMPTE ST 2110 (Independent study.) — Ongoing enrollment throughout 2026. https://www.smpte.org/introduction-to-st2110
• Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 (Instructor-led, virtual/online.) — In-depth technical exploration of ST 2110 with peer learning through an online flipped classroom model. https://www.smpte.org/virtual-course/st2110
• SMPTE ST 2110 Boot Camp (Intensive instructor-led, virtual/online training) — The next Boot Camp session to be held in January. https://www.smpte.org/smpte-st-2110-boot-camp-january

Once media professionals who have completed these courses can apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios using Lawo solutions, including A__mic8 audio stagebox, .edge SDI/IP gateway, VSM, HOME management platform and HOME Apps.

Key dates include:

• Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 (Virtual): Dec. 2–18.
• SMPTE ST 2110 Boot Camp: Jan. 12, 2026, to April 30, 2026.
• Practical Lab: Booked after the Boot Camp or SMPTE ST 2110 course and offered remotely during a one-day self-paced list of hands-on exercises.

“The transition to IP is one of the most significant evolutions in broadcast technology,” said Wim Van Roy, educational architect at Lawo and 2025 education director at SMPTE. “By partnering with SMPTE and the wider industry to deliver this Practical Lab, we’re empowering professionals to confidently design and operate ST 2110 workflows—supporting the industry’s future towards dynamic media facilities powered by SMPTE ST 2110 standards.”

More information about the Practical Lab is available online.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MONTREAL—The Los Angeles Clippers have tapped Grass Valley and integration partner BeckTV to provide fully native 2110 IP 4K switcher solutions for Intuit Dome, the new home of the NBA franchise.

Located in Inglewood, California, Intuit Dome opened for the 2024-25 season as a premier destination for basketball and live entertainment. Designed to be the most technologically advanced arena in the United States, the venue required a no-compromise, state-of-the-art IP production infrastructure to support Clippers basketball, concerts, and other live events, GV said.

To meet these demands, Grass Valley supplied three fully native 2110 IP switcher systems, all paired with top-of-the-line Kayenne control panels. These systems will serve as the heart of production across three different control rooms, ensuring seamless operations for dozens of operators working on a variety of high-profile events.

“We needed a solution that could deliver uncompromised IP 2110 switching across all of Intuit Dome’s productions, and Grass Valley provided exactly that,” said Brock Raum, senior engineer at BeckTV. “The ease of use of the Kayenne panels ensures that operators can move between control rooms seamlessly, which is essential for a venue of this scale.”

Integration partner Beck TV recommended Grass Valley’s solutions as the only true native 2110 IP 4K full raster switchers on the market, with the ability to provide the required flexibility, reliability, and scalability of the facility’s production operations.

Additionally, the collaboration with BeckTV, a top-tier partner of Grass Valley, ensured a seamless integration process, GV said.

“This deployment, in collaboration with our trusted partners BeckTV, further solidifies Grass Valley’s leadership in large venue builds and elite sports productions,” said Alex Keighley, senior vice president of sales for North America at Grass Valley. “As more venues transition to fully IP-based workflows, Grass Valley continues to set the standard for innovation and performance in live event production.”

BURLINGTON, Mass.—Avid has announced improvements to its Avid | Stream IO software subscription solution for broadcast production ingest and playout that are designed to further enable and support IP-based workflow. 

At IBC 2024 Avid will demonstrate an upcoming version of Stream IO software, planned for release later in 2024, that natively supports uncompressed IP ingest and playout offered by SMPTE 2110, as well as compressed IP-based ingest and playout with support for SRT and RTMP protocols. 

“The enhancements in this new release reflect Avid’s drive to increase efficiency and enable Avid customers to stay ahead of the increasing demand for high quality news, sports and live entertainment content,” explained Tim Claman, chief product officer at Avid. “Broadcasters can now ingest and playout any feed for any production workflow, while taking advantage of a lower cost of entry, thanks to Avid | Stream IO’s software-based subscription licensing model.”  

Avid | Stream IO is the next-generation ingest and playout solution that enables fast turnaround workflows for news and sports. With a flexible software architecture that supports flexible deployment on common off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, Avid | Stream IO is configurable for both SDI streams and IP-based formats, allowing production teams to migrate from legacy workflows to IP workflows at their own pace. It also supports high precision imagery including 1080P, UHD and HDR – at a lower cost per channel than traditional hardware-based systems. 

This upcoming software release builds on other recent performance improvements to Avid | Stream IO, including a doubled channel count to support two, four and now up to eight channels in a single system, the ability to build media playlists ready for playback during production directly from the web remote console, closed captioning on playout, and increased codec support. 

Avid | Stream IO runs on COTS hardware and is available through subscription.  

For more information, visit www.avid.com/products/avid-stream-io. 

PARIS—Citius, Altius, Fortius has traditionally been the motto for the Olympic Games, Latin words for “Swifter, Higher, Stronger.” In 2021, the motto was officially modified to be Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter, meaning “Swifter, Higher, Stronger – Together.”

As we roll up to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, July 26-Aug. 11, NBC, the official U.S. broadcaster for the games, will demonstrate its interpretation of the motto with a broadcast that is swifter, higher and stronger. The network has been working for nearly two years in both Paris and at the NBC Sports hub in Stamford, Conn., to ensure that everything has been pulled together, according to Darryl Jefferson, senior vice president of engineering and technology for NBC Olympics and Sports.

Pre-Configured, Pre-Tested and Pre-Installed
This will be Jefferson’s first games as head of NBC Olympics’ tech operations, succeeding long-time veteran Dave Mazza, who retired in 2022. Jefferson has been with NBC Olympics since 2008, managing Post Production and Asset Management teams and was instrumental in the development of the networks’ innovative Highlights Factory/Asset Management System.

“We started design and peer review about 20 months ago, with build, configure and test in our integration facility,” Jefferson said. “We tested video paths, workflows, delivery mechanisms and failure modes all before items shipped out. We ship gear mostly pre-configured, pre-installed, and pre-tested, for both speed of deployment and for peace of mind.”

With a broadcast as complex as the Olympics, with numerous venues and the need to integrate feeds from the primary Olympics video system, the number of moving parts is staggering. Take something like the intercom system—viewers are never aware of it, but it plays a crucial role in coordinating between all the different venues and crews.

“It has indeed been quite a challenge,” he said. “Our dedicated comms group has especially focused on inter-communication with our large presence in Stamford. Candidly, managing those comms-trunking resources at this size and scale has required re-thinking and expanding many of our core resources, and resources that are also sent out at our venues, as well. Part of the challenge of lashing up two cities far apart is seamlessly allowing folks to communicate.”

Seamless to Viewers
Moving its system to a new Olympics venue every two years is an incredible challenge, but NBC will ensure viewers will see a seamless broadcast—so seamless that many may not realize that although the action is happening in Paris, many of the commentators and on-air talent will be in Stamford.

(Read: NBC to Air Record Amount of Live Paris Olympics Coverage)

Among many benefits of this Paris-to-Stamford approach is that the network has less equipment to rip out and relocate—or abandon—after each Olympic broadcast. It seems counter-intuitive that having two such widely separated technical areas and operations is more efficient than having it all in one place, but the reality is that separation increases speed and efficiency.

“The biggest leap is splitting large parts of our team between Paris and Stamford,” Jefferson said. “Transporting large quantities of cameras, effects gear and studios full of equipment all the way home has historically not been financially viable. In some cases, the latency was unacceptable. That split approach allows us to cover more sports with fewer total people traveling than just a few Games ago.”

However, between the time of the old four-year cycle and the new two-year cycle that took effect 30 years ago, the industry has gone through a revolution in connectivity and capability.

“With new tools, robust networks, capacity with cloud infrastructure, and the ability to approach signal transport differently, there exists a whole host of new options today,” he said.

Emerging Technologies
High-end sports broadcasts are among the first to use emerging technologies, and NBC’s preparation to broadcast more than 5,000 hours of live Olympics coverage from Paris is no exception. Add in the complexity of covering a sporting event spread over several arenas and locations, and it’s like preparing for the Super Bowl… times 10.

Jefferson and his team found there were several new things that had to be handled carefully for this Olympics broadcast, which will be broadcast in 4K/HDR and 5.1.4 immersive audio.

(Read: Peacock to Use AI-Generated Al Michaels' Voice for Recaps of Olympic Games)

“It may be a tie between getting HDR support everywhere we may need it, and the large cut over to support IP in many places,” he said. “Although we’ve had important experience with both, there exist so many devices, solutions, vendors and third parties that do not support wide color gamut today, or equipment through which color information doesn’t survive.

“Testing every graphics device or element of delivery to ensure all is consistent has required a decent amount of patience,” Jefferson added. “In a similar way, building a resilient and nimble IP system has also been a process.”

I assumed that the native Olympic video infrastructure would be 4K/UHD. However, Jefferson said that is not the case. “Our format is 1080p HDR [HLG] at 50Hz,” he said. “We are thrilled that this mezzanine format will be supported at every venue and site.”

As you might imagine, a very large number of vendors provide the gear to make the broadcasts work. In addition to the gear that NBC brings to the Olympics, the Olympics organization has its own broadcast service that works behind the scenes and supports all national broadcasters. The Olympics Broadcast Services (OBS) positions all the cameras at the events and provides feeds and much more to the dozens of national broadcasters, including NBC.

“We have worked with OBS on their camera positions and event orchestration,” Jefferson said. “We also worked with Sony on switchers, cameras and monitors, with EVS on replay devices and IP orchestration, with Grass Valley/Cisco on core /IP routing, Avid on editing and asset management, Chyron on graphics, Riedel on SimplyLive, and so many more.”

‘Healthy Mixture’ of IP and SDI
One of the most basic decisions assembling a system of this size is where to use the SMPTE ST 2110 IP video standard and where to use the older SMPTE SDI standard. Where and how these two are used makes a big difference in how signals are routed, and routing signals at the Olympics is one of the core tasks.

“We have a healthy mixture of both, but are about 60% ST 2110 handoff, venue and core orchestration,” Jefferson said. “In some cases, we support both formats within a Tech Center, or gateway translation to convert one to the other. Fortunately, we have spent the last few Games [since Tokyo] making the transition over time, and certainly learning all the lessons.”

(Read: NBCU to Expand Accessibility Efforts to Record Levels of Summer Olympics)

Jefferson detailed how the NBC Olympics team took IP/SDI integration step-by-step in order to maximize compatibility and minimize conflicts. “First [we used] a lifeboat router, larger core switches, and a split router in support of both HDR/SDR,” he said. Now [we have] one single format, signal redundancy and a streamlined approach. Each of these steps has been critical in uncovering the complexity and flexibility of IP.”

In addition to SDI and ST 2110, NBC is also using some of NewTek’s semi-proprietary Network Device Interface (NDI) standard. “We are using NDI in some areas, specifically NDI v6, with support of HDR and enhanced audio,” Jefferson said.

Viewer Insight
Jefferson promised a host of new features for NBC’s broadcast of the Summer Olympics. A lot of it sounds technical, but the goal is to give the viewer insight that wasn’t previously possible.

“We have a whole trove of new technology, some of which is well behind the camera [ST 2110 and Dante, HDR and ATMOS everywhere], new encoding mezzanine formats, and also a good deal of enhancements to bring viewers further behind the scenes,” he said. “Backstage cameras, audio from coaches, cameras in the stands with families, even biometrics on family and coaches. The goal of all this technology is to bring more elements of storytelling around each athlete’s journey.”

The Olympics are more than just another big sporting event. It is an international cultural experience, a massive stage on which scandals are magnified and missteps are ridiculed. Bad guys have been known to use this hyper-focus of media to perpetrate big crimes—and viewers expect that such coverage will be captured with all the depth and clarity of the sports events themselves.

However, the winning part of the broadcast is the part that tells the small stories: The struggles, burdens, perseverance and stamina of the individuals who participate. When the camera shows the sweat on a face and fierceness in the eyes, it is giving you what you can only get from an experienced and well-equipped television crew.

This summer, NBC stands poised to deliver its best Olympics yet.

MONTREAL—Grass Valley is reporting that French National Public TV Broadcaster France Télévisions, rebranded as france tv, has selected its next-generation Kaleido KIP-X240 IP Multiviewer as part of an enterprise wide transition from SDI to SMPTE-2110 (ST-2110).  

The france tv group, which includes five national, 24 regional channels and 9 overseas channels, has taken immediate delivery of 12 KIP-X240’s as part of a three-year contract Grass Valley won in response to an RFP. 

With two of its channels—France 2 and France 3—already broadcasting in UHD, france tv anticipates acquiring more units over the course of the contract to eventually replace their SDI-based Grass Valley Kaleido-X and Kaleido-MX multiviewers in use company-wide. The new KIP-X240 IP Multiviewers will be configured with Mellanox 2110 cards that enable ST-2110 UHD and HD/3G video monitoring.  

“We are thrilled to support France Télévisions as they continue to enhance their broadcast capabilities, using the latest high-quality products and services from Grass Valley enabling them to deliver efficient productions that will benefit their media production workflows,” said Mark Gardner, vice president of sales for EMEA at Grass Valley. “The integration of our KIP-X240 multiviewers into their SMPTE-2110 workflow is pivotal for dynamic, real-time video monitoring and we are proud to be part of this visionary project.” 

“The French broadcast TV market is moving rapidly to ST-2110 for its exceptional quality and operational efficiency,” said Yannick Olivier, solution architect 2110 for france tv. “Our ST-2110 transition is intended to lay the groundwork for higher quality live UHD-HDR and 3GHD production, particularly for premiere sporting events, such as the major international competitions this summer. We know that the KIP-X240s will integrate seamlessly within our control rooms, while preserving the X-Edit functionality we’ve come to rely on with our SDI-based Kaleidos.” 

X-Edit enables operators to design the layout and configuration of multiple live video images on a single large display. As an open standards-based platform that is also NMOS-compliant, the KIP-X240 leads the industry in offering the highest number of simultaneous video and audio signals monitoring in a 1-RU frame. Its support for a wide range of I/O formats includes up to four simultaneous IP streaming outputs in a mix of compressed and uncompressed signals. The KIP-X240 also supports a wide range of video codecs and transport streams. 

“In making our choice, we factored in our trust in Grass Valley and the Kaleido reputation. We also appreciate the KIP-X240’s ease of integration and configuration within our existing workflow,” Olivier added. “We are delighted to work with Grass Valley on this project and to continue deploying the new generation of the Kaleido family.”  

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is a highly respected organization that works to establish technical frameworks for the creation and distribution of films and television programs. Although it is not the only group involved in broadcast standards, some of its good works involve such critical signal distribution standards as the Serial Digital Interface (SDI), ST 2022 and ST 2110.

SDI, first defined in 1989, remains a popular and reliable method of transporting high-quality video signals from point-to-point within a facility or field production. (The current version of SDI is “SMPTE ST 2083.”) However, since 1989, our world has become increasingly data-oriented and it soon became obvious that transporting broadcast-quality video signals over IP networks was both necessary and advantageous. SMPTE’s first standard to marry SDI video with IT was the ST 2022 standard.

“When the need for uncompressed IP networks in live TV production arose, companies turned to the SMPTE ST 2022 family of standards, the online media-over-IP standard available at SMPTE, to build infrastructure,” said Thomas Bause Mason, SMPTE director of standards development. 

“SMPTE ST 2022 was designed for content contribution, and was not well-suited for live TV production. A better standard needed to be created that reflected the needs of live TV production.”

That standard is ST 2110. First published in 2017, it is catching on quickly. 

“When it comes to large-scale infrastructure, almost all new facilities built [that have] IP networks for production are using SMPTE ST 2110,” Mason said. “SMPTE ST 2110 was also greatly adopted by equipment manufacturers, and SMPTE ST 2110 products are widely available.”

Core Parts Are Done
The core parts of the SMPTE ST 2110 standards family are done and were published starting in 2017, Mason said. Since then, all documents in the family except for one (ST 2110-30) went through revisions to clarify their provisions and to fix minor issues, while considering compatibility with existing implementations. These revisions were published in 2023. (SMPTE recently announced that SMPTE Standards will now be available at smpte.org to members at no additional cost.)

Perhaps the biggest benefit of using ST 2110 is that it uses standard IP networks. This has many advantages, including a large body of IP specialists that can build and maintain such networks. Another big advantage is that high-speed networks suitable for live television use commercial-off-the-shelf products that are relatively common and inexpensive. 

SDI, as well as it works, is for television only. SMPTE ST 2110 uses what the rest of the world uses.

Manufacturers are wasting no time building products compatible with the ST 2110 standard.

“Imagine has introduced SMPTE ST 2110 technology into almost every product family in our line,” said John Mailhot, CTO for infrastructure at Imagine Communications. “We see ST 2110 as the basis of design for almost every large media project in our pipeline, and even small/medium facilities are seriously considering the redundancy and scalability advantages of an ST 2110 approach.”

Mailhot said that Imagine’s Selenio Network Processor uses SMPTE ST 2110 to carry up to eight uncompressed UHD signals in each direction over 100G network interfaces, alongside their related audio and ANC components. This consolidation reduces the amount of cable (fiber) and the associated construction and project management time significantly.

“The ability to pick-and-choose from a marketplace of QSFP [quad small form factor pluggable] optical power options ensures that 100G [and 400G] IP connections can reach even the farthest corners of large facilities or even campuses,” he said. “In university settings, we are able to run 100G network connections between sports facilities on opposite corners of large campuses, building consolidated production environments that would have been much more expensive and difficult using traditional SDI approaches.”

Launching Products
Blackmagic Design launched two products last year using the SMPTE ST 2110 standard: the 2110 IP Converter and the DeckLink IP. The 2110 IP Converter 3x3G is a rackmount converter that converts 3G-SDI devices to 2110 IP broadcast systems, and the DeckLink IP is a family of three PCIe cards that capture and playback 10-bit uncompressed, broadcast-quality video directly into ST 2110 IP-based broadcast systems.

“Blackmagic Design views ST 2110 as an important tool for the industry,” said Dave Hoffman, business development manager for Blackmagic Design. “From a simplicity and flexibility standpoint, ST 2110 creates a universal language we can all speak and work in.”

Hoffman pointed out the features that make the company’s 2110 IP converter the right fit for many applications.

“Unlike using an array of miniconverters, the Blackmagic 2110 IP Converter 3x3G is rack-mountable and includes a front panel with an LCD, so users can walk up and change settings at any time,” he said. “The front-panel LCD also has the benefit of allowing live video monitoring of all input and output channels. Plus, the LCD includes network diagnostic tools to assist in troubleshooting issues in complex 2110 IP broadcast systems.”

Matrox Video offers both point-of-use ST 2110 converters as well as ST 2110 network adapters for OEM applications.

“ST 2110 is important for broadcasters, venue and stadium operators, and other media companies seeking to move to IT-based production workflows,” said Francesco Scartozzi, vice president of sales and business development for Matrox Video. “As an open SMPTE standard, like SDI, customers can choose best-of-breed products from their preferred vendor and maintain compatibility. ST 2110 production workflows use general-purpose networking equipment, which means users can easily upgrade an ST 2110 network from 10GigE to 25GigE, and even (in the future) to 100GigE without changing the whole infrastructure.”

Scartozzi said that another advantage ST 2110 offers is its ability to process video, audio and auxiliary data streams separately, depending on the capacity of the network. For example, with the right network connection, one Matrox ST 2110 NIC can support up to four 25 Gbps links and can process up to 32 channels of HD with full redundancy enabled.

“Matrox Video is an expert in ST 2110 and supported the standard before its SMPTE ratification,” he said. “We provide components to OEMs, who then build end-user products for media production, and are being used in ST 2110 productions worldwide today. The knowledge and expertise we gained during the development of ST 2110 OEM network cards has been poured into Matrox ConvertIP, which converts 3G/12G SDI to/from ST 2110. This lets broadcasters work with baseband signals inside their IP video network, and display ST 2110 on SDI/HDMI monitors.”

Manufacturer Agnostic
Chris Scheck, head of marketing content at Lawo, pointed out that an advantage of ST 2110 is that it is manufacturer-agnostic. That means customers can pick the best gear for their operations and production workflow, and avoid being locked into any particular manufacturer’s equipment universe. 

A recent addition to Lawo’s IP-native product portfolio is .edge, its hyper-density SDI/IP conversion and routing platform with up to 192 SDI connectors on 2RU.

“We recently introduced HOME Apps for server-based multiviewer generation, up/down/cross conversion, stream transcoding and graphics insertion,” Scheck said. “A lot more HOME Apps are on the roadmap, some of which will be introduced over the coming months.”

Scheck said that both these product lines feature JPEG XS compression and decompression for lossless, yet bandwidth-saving stream transport. On top of that, Lawo’s HOME Apps support NDI, SRT, H.26x, and will support more formats/protocols as soon as they become relevant.

PAC-12’s New 2110 Facility
ST 2110 is making strides in the real world of big-time sports production as well. The Pac-12 Network, a major collegiate sports producer on the west coast, recently fired up a 42,000 square-foot broadcast and production facility that it will use for production of more than 850 live events each year.

The Pac-12 Network system, designed and installed by Advanced Systems Group, uses a hub-and-spoke design where content acquired at the sports venues is backhauled to control rooms in San Francisco. This model reduces onsite staff and minimizes reliance on costly mobile trucks. 

Pac-12 also exploited the universities’ existing Internet 2 IP backbone for A/V transport and centralized production, creating the largest private IP network in the U.S. dedicated to sports. Pac-12 selected the Imagine Magellan control system for IP routing, control and monitoring, and Arista high-speed Ethernet switches. Imagine’s Magellan formed the ST 2110 orchestration backbone of the facility, while Arista’s switching and routing is the core transport component. 

There were many other vendors involved in the Pac-12 build, including Calrec Artemis audio consoles, Grass Valley K-Frame video switchers, Ross XPression graphics, Evertz Dreamcatcher replay systems, just to name a few. The audio in the Pac-12 Netword system is AES67, a standard for audio-over-IP that’s part of the ST 2110 protocol. Interoperability between the two is paramount, and requires careful network orchestration so that the two transports are handled separately and all I/O’s align properly.

“Implementing audio redundancy within an IP infrastructure is not a trivial undertaking,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of Advanced Systems Group. “We got caught in a couple of places where those became very interesting challenges. Everything worked out, with many thanks to the impressive cooperation of the Calrec, ASG and Imagine teams. It was definitely a learning lesson.” 

Identifying What's 2110-Compliant
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is a non-profit organization founded by leading manufacturers to promote the adoption of standards as the industry transitions toward an IP future. AIMS has catalogued nearly 300 products related to SMPTE ST 2110 from 45 manufacturers (available at ).

“Originally a specialized solution for high-end or spatially constrained projects, SMPTE ST 2110 has evolved into the primary choice for designers building reliable, scalable IP-based systems,” said Andrew Starks, marketing working group chair for AIMS. “There is a tremendous innovation happening within the SMPTE ST 2110 community.”

Does this mean that the industry is rolling toward a future that is all IP and does not use SDI?

“SDI’s affordability, industry-wide familiarity, and proven reliability ensure its continued relevance,” Starks said. “Presently, most SMPTE ST 2110 systems incorporate some level of SDI integration, acknowledging its practicality and the need to support legacy equipment.

“This reality underscores the importance of interoperability between SDI and SMPTE ST 2110,” Starks added. “Such interoperability influenced key aspects of ST 2110’s design, notably in the handling of ancillary data (ST 2110-40). As SMPTE ST 2110 equipment becomes more affordable, and as the industry gains more tools and expertise in managing IP media networks, we anticipate a shift towards predominantly IP-based systems.”

The economy, familiarity and ever-growing capacity of IP networks make them a natural medium for carrying television signals. As SMPTE ST 2110 takes hold and more products are exposed to more people, expect to see ST 2110 forming the backbone of an increasing number of facilities.

Remote production solutions provider Quicklink has added SMPTE 2110 support to its product portfolio with the launch of the Quicklink TX (Skype TX) 2110, bringing the integration of Skype and Microsoft Teams callers into ST 2110 media workflows. This new support enables the the Quicklink TX solution to integrate seamlessly with uncompressed IP video workflows conforming to the SMPTE ST 2110 specification, according to Quicklink.

The SMPTE ST 2110 suite defines standards for transporting video, audio, and metadata essences as separate streams over professional IP networks. Quicklink's support for ST 2110 empowers broadcasters to unlock new efficiencies in live production, the company said

"We have seen a rapid growth of demand for IP video and adoption of the ST 2110 standard," said Richard Rees, CEO of Quicklink. "By introducing ST 2110 support to the Quicklink TX, our products now align perfectly with customers transitioning their facilities to IP."

The Quicklink TX is offered in a number of channel configurations to integrate remote Skype and Microsoft Teams guests into live productions with exceptional full HD quality. Since its launch in 2015, the Skype TX platform has been adopted by Aljazeera, BBC, ITV, NBC Universal, CNN, COMCAST, CBS, and many more.

Along with 2110 support, Quicklink's platform also supports NDI, SRT and Dante. The Quicklink TX IP-3 and Quicklink TX IP-6 are offered in addition to the established HD-SDI options. The interoperability with ST 2110 infrastructure simplifies workflows and expands possibilities for remote contribution over modern IP networks, the company said.

For more information, click here.

BOTHELL, Wash.—The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced that it will be highlighting the global broadcast and Pro AV market's increasing adoption of Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX) at ISE 2024, taking place Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 in Barcelona.

IPMX is a set of open standards-based protocols designed to ensure interoperability for AV-over-IP systems. At the show, visitors to booth 5E550 will see IPMX-based hardware and software working together seamlessly in live demonstrations, while presentations held in the AIMS-IPMX Theater will focus specifically on the standard's development and adoption.

"Historically, the broadcast and Pro AV industries have operated independently, with Pro AV lacking the uniform standards prevalent in the broadcast industry. In addition, the need to enable a convergence between live production and presentation systems within the two industries has become increasingly apparent. IPMX was created to address both of these issues and has made great strides over the last year," said Andrew Starks, board of directors member and marketing working group chair for AIMS. "The standard is set to really take off in 2024, and we're excited to get things started at ISE by showing off some of its capabilities at our booth, while providing opportunities to learn more from experts at the AIMS-IPMX Theater. It's going to be a landmark event and we can't wait to see you there."

Created by AIMS in collaboration with VSF and AMWA, IPMX implements a standards-based approach based on SMPTE ST 2110, with features and capabilities that target the specific needs of the broadcast and Pro AV industries. In addition to simplifying the implementation of SMPTE ST 2110 and ensuring interoperability for AV-over-IP systems, IPMX incorporates core features tailored to Pro AV installations. These features include asynchronous audio and video support suitable for both live production and Pro AV presentations, 4K60 transmission over a single gigabit network, and HDCP for content security. IPMX also includes a control layer, provided by AMWA's NMOS specifications, which enhances device interoperability and eases the dependency on a myriad of proprietary control system protocols, AIMS said. 

Throughout ISE 2024, AIMS will be providing demonstrations of IPMX in a multivendor digital signage system; digital signage application featuring HDCP content — utilizing IPMX's HKEP protocol; interoperable HDR application; and an NDI/IPMX gateway. Concurrently at the AIMS-IPMX Theater, end users, industry associations, solutions providers, and technology developers will be sharing their knowledge and perspectives on how the adoption of IP technology and IPMX is transforming all types of media organizations, today and in the future. Presentations will include "Exploring the Foundations and Future of IPMX," "Demystifying CODEC options in AV-over-IP," "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About JPEG XS," and many more.

More information about AIMS and its work is available at www.aimsalliance.org. 

Steve Reynolds, president of Imagine Communications, explains how decisions about technical infrastructure and topology must align with operating cost requirements, and why he expects SMPTE ST 2110 to continue to establish itself as the global standard for live production in the coming months.

What industry trends have particularly stood out for you in 2023, and why?
One of the most significant trends of 2023 has been the transformation that has taken place in connected television (CTV). While the success of streaming services was initially centred on subscription video on demand (SVoD), there’s been a notable shift towards an ad-supported model for monetising content. And consumers are onboard — there’s been a huge uptick in the number of viewers engaging with ad-supported content and a shift in consumer preference towards the same.

Part of this can be attributed to the state of the economy in 2023; money is tight these days, so people are understandably drawn to free services. But it also reflects a degree of subscription fatigue, a hot topic among industry analysts. Today’s consumers are seeking a broader array of content, and the emergence of free ad-supported television (FAST) and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVoD) platforms has given them access to more extensive libraries, original content, and live broadcasts, such as sporting events. 

As consumers are increasingly embracing these services, content owners are beginning to view CTV as an integral component of their business operations. In the early stages of CTV, a variety of silos were established for streaming, FAST channels, and direct-to-consumer offerings. This fragmentation occurred because media companies had small groups tasked with quickly launching these services with lightweight solutions that weren’t necessarily suited to a more mature business model. Integration with other aspects of their operations was challenging, but this was less of a concern when the primary objective was to get streams live and attract viewers quickly. 

These silos started to dissolve in 2023 as media companies began to consider how to incorporate CTV into their core business. This involves unifying their operations, reducing operational costs across multiple platforms, and reaggregating advertising inventory across the full range of services. Essentially, the CTV industry is maturing, transitioning from its initial gold rush phase to a more sustainable, long-term approach focused on maximizing scale and profitability from CTV services.

What impact are you seeing those trends having on the media and entertainment industry?
The impact of CTV has been quite significant in a lot of ways. Creating and distributing content now requires a versatile approach capable of spanning multiple platforms—from linear, to streaming, to on-demand and direct-to-consumer. There is a growing realization that there is no one-size-fits-all operational model. Instead, a mix of models is needed, as has always been the case in our industry. 

For example, pay-TV and free-to-air broadcast coexisted for decades, with each serving a valuable role and enjoying profitability among diverse consumer groups. This pattern is likely to continue in the future. We will begin to see the emergence of hybrid monetization models, combining the strengths of linear television—such as broad audience reach and sponsorship opportunities—with the precision and addressability offered by newer, more targeted platforms. For media companies, the key to future success lies in this hybrid approach.

How do you see those trends developing further in 2024?
Over the past few months, there has been considerable debate regarding the role of the cloud in optimizing costs, and I expect that conversation to continue throughout 2024. 

Many media companies have come to recognise that running certain operations in the cloud may not always be the most cost-effective solution ― particularly for continuous, round-the-clock activities. In situations where companies already have a facility, studio, or broadcast centre in operation, running origination from these premises can make financial sense, as they’re already investing in personnel, power, cooling, and rack space. In addition, costs related to data ingress and egress, computing resources, and storage all add up. 

However, there are situations when the cloud is unquestionably the better choice, like in occasional-use scenarios or to test a new service offering. Here, it makes more sense to leverage the cloud’s scalability and variable cost model than to invest heavily in on-premises infrastructure that will largely remain idle. Furthermore, it’s essential to consider content distribution across the cloud. If a company’s audience primarily accesses content through connected TVs or devices like iPads, the content needs to reside in the cloud anyway. 

So, decisions about technical infrastructure and topology must align with operating cost requirements, while also factoring in the location of the consumer and their content consumption preferences. The industry is evolving and becoming more adept at assessing and deciding when to adopt each approach. 

Do you expect to see any new trends within the industry in 2024, and what will they be?
The key trend that I believe we’ll see in 2024 is a focus on profitability and efficiency across the media industry. As I’ve touched on already, growth was the key focus for the past several years―growth in subscribers, growth in viewership, growth in library size or hours of live sports. 

A lot of that growth came at a cost that is just not sustainable. So now, we are seeing the pivot back towards more rational and scalable business models. It’s well understood that the TV economy is powered by two sources: sell the content or sell the audience watching that content. The early CTV services focused on subscription; they are now seeing that audience monetization through advertising is just as important to raise average revenue per user (ARPU) to levels required to justify the high content spend.  

That’s going to lead into what I feel will be one of the key questions our industry faces in 2024, which is how we blend the advertising models of TV and digital to create a new, optimized ad model for CTV. In many ways, CTV inventory is better than linear TV because it has the capabilities to be addressable and measurable. 

But if you treat CTV inventory like digital inventory, you erode its value by taking away the premium aspects of TV such as brand safety, mass simultaneous reach, or fixed placements for sponsorship. CTV is clearly over-indexed towards digital at the moment, which is why you see the imbalance between supply and demand driving CPMs down. In 2024, we need to find the formula that moves CTV back towards premium rates and fixing the viewer experience to make CTV advertising more valuable.

In conjunction with this, I also expect to see an increase in regulations in 2024, particularly concerning CTV services. In 2023, Ofcom in the UK announced its intention to apply the same content and advertising regulations to CTV that have long been applied to traditional broadcast TV. This is likely to become a global trend in 2024, with other jurisdictions following suit. 

And the same applies to privacy regulations. The GDPR has established a baseline for European countries, and the CCPA in California is a notable example of similar developments in the US. These consumer privacy regulations will affect how we personalize content and target advertising and present a challenge in leveraging technology within their constraints. Ultimately, we will find solutions to these challenges, but they introduce a new set of obstacles that we must navigate to continue advancing in our industry.

Looking at a purely technical trend, I think we’ll see a more pragmatic view of artificial intelligence (AI). While this technology may have been somewhat overhyped in its early stages, it’s a valuable tool that will continue to weave its way into our industry. Generative AI, for instance, can be brought back into the industry in the same way that earlier technologies like machine learning and pattern recognition have been. 

For example, Imagine’s Care Group is looking at how they can respond more efficiently to customer questions on our software and systems. They are doing this by building a knowledge base leveraging our extensive ticket system data and then training AI on it. So, the advancements in AI are tangible, but it’s crucial to approach them realistically and practically, understanding that they are tools to solve problems rather than magic wands.

In 2024, we’ll also see SMPTE ST 2110 continue to establish itself as the global standard for live production ― a progression that underscores the growing significance of IP technology within our industry. Organizations like the VSF, through their ground-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground initiatives, have played a pivotal role in this shift. 

And while ST 2110 has previously been reserved for major events, we’re seeing that change as the technology matures and becomes more suitable for more everyday use and routine events. The standard’s growing popularity stems from its cost-effectiveness and flexibility, particularly when coupled with software control and network orchestration. In addition, the ratification of JPEG XS has been a pivotal moment in enabling live, low-latency, high-quality contribution to the cloud, further accelerating the adoption of IP technology.

Finally, in 2024 I expect to see an increased focus on green initiatives in terms of power consumption and e-waste. This was a hot topic at IBC2023 and one that needs to continue being discussed.  While ST 2110 and IP-based production is inherently more environmentally friendly compared to older SDI solutions, regulatory changes in the EU and other regions may mandate that carbon footprints become a standard consideration when making technology decisions. 

And when it comes to reducing e-waste, COTS equipment offers a longer lifespan and greater versatility than older modular equipment. As infrastructure transitions to ST 2110, COTS equipment can be repurposed — rather than rendered obsolete — an approach that not only reduces e-waste, but also represents a proactive decision to invest in sustainable technology solutions.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The rebrand of the old NBC Sports Washington network has gone live with the launch of Monumental Sports Network and the announcement that the rebranded regional sports network will be offering a host of new features and digital experiences for its coverage of the 2023-24 NBA and NHL seasons. 

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), the parent company which acquired the network in 2022, announced the rebranding in June of 2023, which took place on Sept. 20. The linear channel is available at the same channel number where NBC Sports Washington was formerly found via pay TV providers. 

"Since acquiring NBC Sports Washington one year ago to the day, we have spent every day since building what we believe will be the best local media experience for the greatest fans in all of sports," said Zach Leonsis, president of media & new enterprises at Monumental Sports & Entertainment. "Our fans deserve the best experience possible, so we challenged ourselves to push every standard and deliver an extraordinary media platform. We're excited to begin the network's transformation this month with additional plans to unveil several significant upgrades throughout the course of the Capitals and Wizards regular seasons."

Monumental Sports Network is also building a brand-new production plant and broadcast studio, set to be delivered by early 2024 – located right next to Capital One Arena, at Gallery Place. 

This two-story, SMPTE 2110 facility will feature two major league quality studios which can also combine on non-conflict nights to create one single regional telecast worthy experience. The facility will also feature two insert studios and five control rooms to produce multiple events simultaneously.

Upon the opening of the new production plant and studios, Monumental Sports Network plans to upgrade its video quality from 1080i (shooting at 30 frames per second) to 1080p (shooting at 60 frames per second) so fans can enjoy their favorite live and original programs in stunning HD. The new facility is also built to upgrade its video quality to 4K in the future. In addition, Monumental Sports Network will plan to pursue its alternate telecast strategy upon the opening of the new facility. Further announcements will be made this winter.

"While the local media ecosystem continues to evolve, we seek to build the exemplar local media platform in all of sports. The value of live sports rights continues to grow, which is why we are so confident in making these significant investments back into our local rights," continued Leonsis. "We will do more with our live rights than ever before, upgrading the existing live experience, and producing more programming to the benefit of our fans and business partners. We look forward to debuting many more additional upgrades and enhancements throughout the NBA and NHL regular seasons."

A key part of the relaunch is enhanced video functionality for live-streaming of games with authentication of their Pay TV credentials, on-demand viewing of original programming and game replays, exclusive behind the scenes content and more, the network reported. Monumental Sports Network's new digital presence is also optimized across desktop, tablet, and mobile experiences. Users who had the previous Monumental Sports Network app downloaded on their digital devices will receive a new version of the app via a standard app update.

Additional features of the new digital experience include: 

• Access to multiple camera angles during live games with additional functionality including the ability to rewind and watch in slow motion.
• Personalization features that tailor a user's experience towards their favorite teams and players.
• Access to hundreds of hours of original behind-the-scenes programming, new shows including Hometown with Rachel Nichols and much more.
• Ability to watch Monumental Sports Network's live, 24/7 linear feed on-the-go on multiple devices.
• Opt-in ability to receive score alerts, team and player updates, as well as a new Monumental Sports Network newsletter.
• Daily editorial and video clips covering the Capitals, Wizards, Mystics, and Go-Go which can be saved to a user's list for later viewing.
• Sportradar integrations providing users with advanced, real-time sports data and betting analytics.
• Ticketmaster integration for ticket management and account linking.
• Consistent look and feel across all platforms, allowing for an intuitive experience across all devices.
• Pay TV subscribers receive all these benefits for free by signing in with their TV Everywhere (TVE) credentials on Monumental Sports Network's online and mobile platforms.

Monumental Sports Network partnered on these enhancements with ViewLift, a leading end-to-end digital platform developer providing OTT distribution solutions for content owners across multiple device platforms, including web, mobile, connected TV devices, smart TVs and gaming consoles, to design and develop the brand-new digital experience.

The network also announced a number of improvements to the linear channel. These include new branding and a new logo as well as new programming. 

Other enhancements include: 

• New Digital Properties: The digital experience is available on desktop, mobile, tablet, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. It features all the live programming, on-demand game replays and TV episodes, and exclusive behind-the-scenes digital content.
• New Social Channels: Follow us at @MonSportsNet on X, Instagram, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube.
• New Paid Media Campaign: Monumental Sports Network is partnering with Gupta Media to launch its first-ever ad campaign and will be seen in print, online and out-of-home boards around the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.
• New Visuals Inside Capital One Arena: Fans attending games and events can expect to see Monumental Sports Network signage around the venue as well as on the court and ice during game intermissions.
• New Fan Engagement Opportunities: Check out the "Rock the Red Carpet" event during the Capitals Opening Night on October 13 where Monumental Sports Network will provide live coverage and host a station for fans to win fun prizes. Throughout the Capitals and Wizards seasons, Monumental Sports Network will host watch parties for fans throughout the DMV.
• New Digital Newsletter: Sent three times a week, the Network's newsletter will keep fans up to date on the latest programming, as well as a roundup of the best digital content from our network and our teams.

To understand the development of Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX)—a set of open standards and specifications for AV-over-IP deployments—we must first delve into the broadcast industry and the implementation of SMPTE ST 2110.

First Steps
The story starts about a decade ago, when it became clear that an IP infrastructure would not only be viable for television broadcasting, it would be the preferred platform. After all, 10 Gb datacenter-scale internet switches were readily available and offered ample bandwidth. 

Furthermore, following Moore’s Law, high-bandwidth switch ports would continue to improve at a rapid pace, and they would become less expensive as they did. This technology trajectory sparked SMPTE, in addition to vendors and other relevant organizations, to explore and advance the use of IP technology in the broadcast industry.

For guidance, the informal consortium closely observed the transition that occurred in the audio industry, which began its shift toward IP-based production around 2010. What they found is that every vendor initially developed its own proprietary solution, which led to a market full of incompatible audio-over-IP systems.

The situation was far from ideal; it didn’t favor the vendors who built the systems, nor was it advantageous for customers who wanted to integrate equipment from different manufacturers. The result was the creation of a chaotic environment that took the audio industry a considerable amount of time to untangle.

To avoid a similar scenario, leading standards bodies in the broadcast industry sought a different approach toward IP-based systems: Establish a common, industry-wide technical roadmap leveraging off-the-shelf commercial networking technologies. This would allow end users to select switches, cameras, multiviewers, replay systems, and other equipment from various manufacturers and seamlessly integrate it into comprehensive systems. 

To achieve this goal, a group of broadcast engineers, technologists, vendors, business executives, and others founded the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), a trade organization dedicated to fostering the adoption of industry standards to help facilitate the broadcast and media industry’s transition from SDI to IP.

Next Stop: Pro AVFinal Destination
AIMS was instrumental in promoting the adoption of SMPTE ST 2110—a suite of standards for transporting digital video, audio, and metadata over IP—the Advanced Media Workflow Association’s (AMWA) NMOS specification for networked media, the AES67 standard for audio IP, and other related technologies in the marketplace. 

Through the work of AIMS, SMPTE, AMWA, the Video Services Forum (VSF), and others, the broadcast industry was remarkably successful in establishing a common ground based on these standards. Today, virtually every new project utilizes and builds on these technologies, fostering a more comprehensive and interoperable broadcast ecosystem.

With broadcasters now fully embracing Video-over-IP, AIMS set its sights on the Pro AV industry, which like the audio industry before it, began its journey to an IP infrastructure with proprietary solutions. To address the industry’s need for a common set of standards and protocols in the transition to AV-over-IP—ensuring interoperability across a diverse range of applications, from enterprise conference rooms to digital signage systems in football stadiums—the organization began development of IPMX.

[Why It's Time for Pro AV to Take Digital Twin Metaverse Technology Seriously]

Fortunately, AIMS had a running start in its creation. Not only do Pro AV applications share many of the same requirements as broadcasting, but with the successful establishment of a multi-vendor, interoperable ecosystem in the television broadcast domain, AIMS had a clear path to follow. Established technologies including SMPTE ST 2110, AMWA NMOS IS-04 and IS-05, and others would serve as the foundation within the IPMX framework for the packaging and organization of video content.

However, while the broadcast and Pro AV industries have many requirements in common, Pro AV environments do present some additional ones, and accommodating them has been at the core of IPMX’s development. For example, facilitating extended display identification data (EDID) negotiations over IP networks when connecting displays to sources has been a significant area of focus and development for IPMX. 

In addition, high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) is essential for HDMI applications, but isn’t typically employed in traditional SDI broadcasts. By ensuring the secure handling of protected content, HDCP support holds great significance within the IPMX framework, and was a key priority in establishing a robust and comprehensive standard.

To overcome these technical hurdles, they were parceled out to individual standards groups and trade associations based on their knowledge and experience in certain domains. For example, AMWA was tasked with addressing EDID negotiations and facilitating format chats and negotiations throughout the entire workflow. 

And within the VSF, an IPMX working group addressed the intricate aspects of signal-level details, which encompassed crucial areas such as the functioning of HDCP negotiations and the mapping of formats into the SMPTE ST 2110 standard. Through such advancements and augmentations, IPMX has evolved as a comprehensive solution that expands on existing standards to ensure seamless interoperability and efficient format negotiations within the IPMX ecosystem.

The standard has made significant progress since AIMS began its work. Approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the components comprising IPMX have already been published, including the initial drafts of VSF’s TR-10 suite of Technical Recommendations, which recently became available for download on VSF’s website. The TR-10 suite outlines the differences between SMPTE ST 2110 and IPMX, with documents covering everything from system time and definitions, to using AMWA NMOS APIs, to the transparent transport of AES3 audio using the RTP protocol.

[Dirty Hands and IPMX]

In addition, ongoing studies are being conducted to determine optimal profiles and levels for specific codecs in various applications. The current focus is primarily on establishing market-facing profiles and levels, and specifying the mandatory and optional features that vendors must adhere to in order to obtain IPMX certification.

The primary goal of AIMS and its members is to ensure that IPMX attains the same level of adoption and widespread implementation in the Pro AV industry as SMPTE ST 2110 has in broadcasting. Currently, IPMX is following a trajectory similar to that of SMPTE ST 2110, and is expected to reach a comparable level of market acceptance in the near future. And as the final stages of standardization are completed, a surge of IPMX-certified products is expected to hit the market, marking a new era of AV-over-IP deployments.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech sister brand Systems Contractor News.

MONTREAL—Grass Valley has announced that NVP, one of Italy’s largest broadcast service suppliers, has fully tested and brought online its NVP Innovation Hub based on open standard SMPTE ST 2110 with a variety of Grass Valley technologies. 

The NVP Innovation Hub is located in the media city of Cologno, Milano.

The NVP Innovation Hub consists of two production studios, six dubbing rooms, and an OB VAN gateway. The gateway area allows for quick integration of any OB Van from the NVP fleet into the Hub’s production studios. Productions can be done in formats ranging from SD SDR to UHD HDR WCG.

The Grass Valley solutions used in the Hub include GV Orbit orchestration, Grass Valley’s AMPP SaaS platform, redundant GV Fabric IP switching, a Kahuna 9600 production switcher with a 3 M/E Maverik control panel, a Kaleido-IP multiviewer, and Audio Live for up to 2048x2048 audio routing of AES67 IP streams. 

Grass Valley distributor and systems integrator Video Progetti handled the integration of all Grass Valley equipment. 

NVP has been a Grass Valley customer for more than 10 years, with over 100 LDX cameras and six Kahuna production switchers and wanted to use AMPP to produce tier 1 and tier 2 events for their customers. 

NVP is planning to replicate its Cologno model in its Rome, Naples, and Messina centers as well. Currently, at least one match per day is being managed remotely, with the goal of managing between three and five matches per day by the end of the Serie B 2022-23 championship. NVP plans on increasing even further for the 2023-24 season.  

“The NVP Innovation Hub satisfies all our customers’ production needs from minor sporting events up to tier 1 sports productions and much more,” said Ivan Pintabona, CTO for NVP. “Based on ST 2110, we can cover all conventional and event-based production requirements, especially with redundant IP links to all major national and international venues.” 

Using GV Orbit orchestration, NVP routes sources coming from any venue to their production control room or to a number of other production control rooms based on AMPP on-premises and cloud technology. 

AMPP provides increased scalability and flexibility in production, which NVP has capitalized on to provide an extremely cost-effective remote production solution for smaller sporting events and has proven crucial to allow NVP to augment their on-premises productions tools with cloud resources. 

“NVP, as with other AMPP platform users, has discovered the flexibility and scalability that our unique SaaS and on-prem live production solution provides," said Tim Banks, CRO for Grass Valley. "NVP can now easily handle existing and new clients' production requests, with just a few clicks of a mouse." 

The Hub also includes HiWay Media, part of the NVP group of companies, which owns and operates a specialized OTT platform for sports. HiWay Media allows NVP to help their customers to produce and immediately publish the content to increase monetization. 

“AMPP lets us fully remote our sports production coverage, while maintaining a core 2110 IP-based infrastructure in the Hub,” said Pintabona. “It’s this combination of high-quality production and cost saving through remote production of sports events on an open standards IP platform that our customers truly appreciate.” 

AMPP’s scalability provides for NVP to increase its scope for coverage of sports and other events with the ability to “spin up” AMPP resources on-demand. 

HAMILTON, Ontario—Mobile production company Game Creek Video says it has deployed software from IT network integrator Providius to provide network telemetry and real-time IP media analysis in more than a dozen of its new IP-mobile production units. 

Providius’ NVRT software delivers vital network awareness and visibility plus real-time IP media analysis for Game Creek trucks equipped with an Arista network infrastructure using ST 2110. Game Creek also uses Providius’ BMG (Broadcast Media Guard) platform to acquire, decode, and analyze various IP media flows, including ST 2110-20/30/40, ST 2022-7, and PTP. .

Game Creek Video says it has increased its use of IP, with over 30% of its units now operating on an Arista network core, giving the OB company the added flexibility of networking as well as reduced vehicle weight. Providius’s NVRT software merges streaming network telemetry from the Arista infrastructure and flow metrics from the broadcast control system, delivering a comprehensive view of the infrastructure and providing real-time topology maps, network port-specific packet details, and multicast media tracing in one user dashboard. 

Providius says this simplifies monitoring for the operations team, who can quickly assess the health of their networks without extensive training, and drill down to locate any trouble spots. BMG can actively monitor any IP media on the network, and generate notifications, thereby alerting operations to any potential issues that may impact live production in real-time, according to the company.

"Providius has been an invaluable partner in helping us tackle the complexities of IP media and IT infrastructure on our ST 2110-based trucks. Their NVRT software significantly reduces the time it takes to assess network/PTP-related issues and improves the availability of our IP infrastructure. We use the BMG to identify any packet-level disruptions to our ST 2110 workflows and it provides us with the necessary feedback so we can take corrective action.  We’re happy with the ongoing partnership and look forward to continuing our collaboration." - Keith Martin, Director of Technology at Game Creek Video.

“We love working with the Game Creek team, their state-of-the-art mobile units are the go-to choice of the top broadcasters in our industry. We value our continued partnership and are committed to developing the best possible products to support their mission." - Jamie Horner, VP of Product Development & Marketing.

MONTREAL—Matrox Video has joined the Panasonic KAIROS Alliance and its ConvertIP DSS SDI/IP has received compatibility validation from Panasonic for use with the all-IP production platform, Matrox said today.

ConvertIP DSS allows the integration of traditional SDI signaling and processing into a SMPTE ST 2110 environment, thereby bridging the gap between the KAIROS and SDI devices. With ConvertIP DSS in the KAIROS workflow, KAIROS users can drive SDI monitors or ingest SDI signals into their production switcher during live productions and traditional broadcasts, the company said.

“Panasonic has a long-standing relationship with Matrox Video, and we have worked together on many broadcast projects over the years. Validating the compatibility of these two solutions was very logical,” said Kageyuki (Kenny) Fujimoto, lead manager of KAIROS Alliance at Panasonic. “By verifying this interoperability, we’re giving our partners the confidence to offer the ConvertIP device as a 2110 converter that will work with our KAIROS — ensuring there will be no unwelcome surprises in the middle of a live event.”

The Panasonic KAIROS platform natively supports IP-based video I/O, including SMPTE ST 2110. The KAIROS System Team from Panasonic tested ConvertIP DSS in a fully ST 2110 environment and found it to be compatible with all major resolutions and frame rates, and with the SMPTE ST 2022-7 specification for redundancy in any application where KAIROS could be found. The validation demonstrates that ConvertIP DSS can generate ST 2110 feeds and send them to the KAIROS or take them from the KAIROS and output them as SDI, it said.

Matrox ConvertIP DSS and ConvertIP DSH are compact, standalone ST 2110 and IPMX transmitter/receiver devices. They work on both 10-Gigabit and 25-Gigabit networks to support both HD and full-4K workflows, the company said.

The devices have a redundant media network jack to enable SMPTE ST 2022-7 redundancy, even in full 4K. They are also fanless for quiet operation and fewer points of failure, according to Matrox.

ConvertIP devices support in-band control, but a separate 1-Gigabit RJ45 control port is available for installations that keep control and media networks separate. The RJ45 connection also supports power over Ethernet, eliminating the need for a separate power supply, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Since its publication in 2017, SMPTE 2110 has been deployed extensively throughout the broadcast industry. Across the globe, the standard has become a staple in IP-based television facilities and many of today’s major sporting and broadcasting events, including the 2020 summer Olympics and 2022 World Cup. This trend shows no sign of slowing in the upcoming year. 

And with so much SMPTE 2110-based equipment already deployed in the field, invalidating existing designs through major changes to the standard is a real concern. Instead, the primary goal for SMPTE 2110 in 2023 and beyond is to provide the highest levels of stability for users. 

To that end, there has been a review of the 2110 documents within the SMPTE over the last few years to ensure they reflect current practices, with minor changes made to address issues that have come up during deployments. This review led to the recent publication of revised versions of the 2110 specs.  

However, delivering stability doesn’t mean the standard’s functionality will remain static. Layers of technical recommendations and operating practices have been — and will continue to be — added that build increased capabilities and address new marketplace requirements. 

JPEG XS
The most recent of these has been the adoption of the JPEG XS standard as a codec used with SMPTE 2110-22. Offering low implementation complexity, JPEG XS specifies a compression technology with an end-to-end latency of a few lines. It’s also optimized for visual lossless compression as defined in ISO/IEC 29170-2 for natural and synthetic images; offers typical compression ratios to 10:1 for 4:4:4, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0 images — or even higher depending on the application’s requirements; supports various pixel formats; allows for precise bit-rate control; provides an end-to-end delay equal to a fraction of a frame; and offers lossless compression of image data with precision to 12-bits per component.

The combination of the JPEG XS standard with SMPTE 2110 addresses increasing interest across the broadcast industry to work with compressed formats. To meet this need, JPEG XS can be utilized in a variety of applications that previously transported uncompressed image data. 

These include professional video links (3G/6G/12G-SDI), IP transport, real-time video storage, memory buffers, omni-directional video capture systems, head-mounted displays for virtual and augmented reality, and image sensor compression. This combination of JPEG XS and SMPTE 2110 is documented by the Video Services Forum (VSF) in its publication TR-08 — a document for JPEG XS over SMPTE 2110 that has played a role in recent global broadcasting events.

A major trend in 2023 will be the increasing adoption of JPEG XS as a payload format within SMPTE 2110-22. It will be especially relevant for Ultra HD video, as it lowers costs in large-scale telecom networks by using less bandwidth for signal transport, while still providing a production-quality signal at very low latency.

AIMS' IPMX
Another trend for SMPTE 2110 in 2023 and beyond is the increasing use of the standard in AV-over-IP deployments via IPMX, AIMS’ proposed set of open standards and specifications for the carriage of compressed and uncompressed video, audio, and data over IP networks. 

IPMX was created to address the interoperability challenges in the Pro AV ecosystem, which had previously been dominated by a few proprietary standards from the industry’s top players. Built on TR-08 and leveraging JPEG XS, IPMX is essentially an extension to SMPTE 2110, which serves as its foundation. 

The core requirements of IPMX have been defined through collaboration with leading companies to ensure it serves the needs of manufacturers, integrators, and end users. In 2022, AIMS worked to boost awareness of IPMX through public interoperability demonstrations, including one at InfoComm 2022 in which equipment from a dozen companies was interoperating in a single environment. By the end of the year, IPMX began to see market adoption, with a few early projects being launched. 

In 2023, the stage is set for IPMX to become the core of new IP infrastructure deployments throughout the Pro AV industry. More and more projects will adopt the standard as their foundation, and it will begin to be utilized in bigger rollouts and higher-profile installations. By late 2023 and early 2024, IPMX is expected to really take off, cementing SMPTE 2110’s position in a wide variety of new applications across a range of markets. 

PARIS—French telecommunications and broadcast infrastructure operator TDF Group has deployed Riedel’s MediorNet MuoN technology here as part of a new multi-client media-over-IP network for its operational and service workflows.

Compact MuoN SFPs are enabling the migration from legacy SDI formats, using SMPTE ST 2110 standard to process uncompressed signals, Riedel said.

"Squeezing the horsepower of a cutting-edge FPGA into the compact size of an SFP is no easy feat, and it certainly drew us to Riedel for this ambitious project," said Daniel Rodriguez, head of media innovation programs at TDF. "In addition, the company's MediorNet MuoN technology supports our strategy of progressively migrating from legacy SDI to IP, at the market's pace, with minimal risk thanks to its hybrid nature."

Riedel's SFP-based MediorNet MuoN IP gateways provide multiple interfaces for bridging SDI signals into IP. With a small form factor (SFP+, SFP28), the 3G/HD capable MuoN A SFPs, used by TDF for its HD requirements, can be installed inside a standard 10GE/25GE IP switch, the company said.

The software-defined modules are available with a range of different input and output configurations, including BNC, fiber or HDMI, and can be configured to run encapsulation, such as SMPTE ST 2110 and ST 2022-6, it said.

TDF's media-over-IP network also includes MuoN B Series SFPs, which are used with Riedel's VirtU 32 aggregator for high-end UHD video processing. With up to two UHD channels per SFP, the granularity of Riedel's MediorNet MuoN technology allows TDF to scale its network as needed while decreasing the risks associated with hardware failures, the company said.

Riedel's MuoN technology supports the RESTful API, which made it simple for TDF to tailor the system to its unique needs, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

WASHINGTON—If you work for a broadcaster, you know that distribution over IP is supplanting SDI as the best practice, both for in-studio and remote activities. IP is simply the “better mousetrap,” with more flexibility than SDI, at costs that are no greater and often less.

One of the interesting benefits of working in an IP production environment is that it is better understood by corporate IT departments than the traditional way of working in an SDI “island” that is strictly the concern of the television engineering staff. At a time when skilled broadcast engineers are retiring in great numbers, the transition to IP production infrastructures could not have come at a better time.

“Live production over IP is a definite reality now,” said Ulrich Voigt, vice president for product management at Vizrt. “It has reached a level most of us did not expect.”

Changing Quickly
Liam Hayter, senior solutions architect for NewTek thinks he knows why the change happened so quickly.

“[It’s] the acceptance of lightweight, high-efficiency, and crucially low-latency software-based compression as an acceptable tool for broadcast,” he said. “Early in the IP transition, there was much chasing of uncompressed zero-latency IP delivery, but this becomes heavy and unwieldy—particularly when globally everyone, in every scenario, needed to work remotely.”

As quickly as the IP production steamroller was upon us, that doesn’t mean it was easy or without growing pains.

“There were several hurdles that needed to be overcome to make this a reality and they have been conquered for the most part,” said Steven Bilow, senior product marketing manager at Telestream. “For example, the nondeterminism of IP switching versus SDI used to be a big roadblock. But now, with technologies like ST 2110 and, especially for widely distributed sites, ST 2022-6, as well as ever-increasing format efficiency with technologies like JPEG-XS, these latencies have largely been overcome.”

The inherent flexibility of IP has users and manufacturers thinking of ways to structure systems to capture and distribute signals in novel ways. Producers and content creators are pushing the technology into situations where SDI dares not go.

“We believe completely in the cloud and IP’s ability to transform live production in a way that dramatically expands who and how video is produced and delivered,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “It’s what drives us to keep creating—empowering content creators is at the core of everything we do.”

One of TVU’s users is the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA), a soccer organization based in Latin America. In June, CONIFA produced and broadcast the Copa América, a professional soccer tournament from the remote Chilean city of Linares, with practically no equipment, minimal personnel and on a shoestring budget.

“With the TVU ecosystem, four or five people in different countries participating in production and transmission, a few pieces of basic equipment, and a couple of smartphones, we were able to stream live to the whole world from one small city in southern Chile,” said Diego Bartolotta, president of CONIFA Americas. “Before the Copa América, I was a bit incredulous that we could achieve a quality broadcast of a professional football game with only interconnected phones. But [this broadcast] totally changed my perspective.”

No Immediate Replacement
Although IP is now widely accepted for broadcast infrastructure, existing SDI cabling does not necessarily need to be replaced immediately. There are a few ways to keep both the IP and SDI gods happy.

“With SDI/IP gateways, there is no immediate need to make SDI equipment obsolete,” said Chris Scheck, marketing content manager for Lawo. Hardly anyone is seriously considering this option, because their CFO wouldn’t like the idea, and because [in some situations] there is still no equivalent IP solution.”

“The idea was always to phase out SDI naturally by no longer purchasing non-IP gear, but even that remains tricky as some tools are still firmly rooted in the SDI domain,” Scheck said. “What will happen, however is that SDI routers will disappear over time, because IP natives like Lawo’s .edge can replace them at a lower cost, while also offering almost unlimited scalability of the number of SDI inputs and outputs.”

At least one vendor sees a healthy SDI universe in the foreseeable future.

“As a big part of our business and an OEM supplier to major broadcast equipment manufacturers, we can confidently say that SDI is quite healthy,” said Francesco Scartozzi, vice president of sales and business development for Matrox Video Broadcast and Media Group. “That’s not to say that the IP is not being adopted, but SDI is still quite prevalent. At the lower end of the broadcast pyramid, SDI is very well suited, whether it’s for 3G SDI and 12G SDI for those moving toward 4K. As a supplier to those vendors, we can see these customers are refreshing all the SDI equipment with newer SDI equipment that now needs to handle not only HD-SDI but also the ability to go 4K.”

Monitor and Measurement
Of course, high-quality broadcasts are not possible without tools to monitor and measure the quality of the signals. As the use of IP production has mushroomed in the past few years, manufacturers of test and measurement gear have been racing to make monitoring and measurement practical, and for it to make sense in a live production environment.

“Point-to-point SDI connections used to be far easier to troubleshoot than IP connections. In some ways they still are,” Bilow said. “But the sophistication of tools, such as Telestream’s Inspect 2110 and PRISM, to allow proactive monitoring and problem identification in large-scale media networks has come so far in the past five years that it’s now possible to identify and diagnose even complex problems in a reasonable amount of time.”

Bridging current SDI systems to the IP world can be done with gear from a variety of vendors. One of the first to come up with a solution was NewTek, which developed its Network Device Interface (NDI) line of interfaces and processors.

“Five years ago, ‘IP’ in broadcast mainly referred to the SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards, which is designed to be used on-prem with mainly physical equipment,” Voight said. “If we look at IP production happening today, we see a clear mix of ST 2110 on-prem and NDI hybrid as on-prem and cloud. 

“We see NDI being used today at almost every large media entity, at least as ‘commodity’ IP production technology and ST 2110 for the high-end infrastructure,” he added. “The pandemic has been a catalyst to adopt NDI as one viable IP technology, as it was the only one supporting cloud, remote and work-from-home scenarios.”

New Options
The people producing content focus on getting good images and sound, and combining them in interesting and entertaining ways. However, even they are discovering that IP gives them options that were never before available—or were hopelessly expensive or complex.

For example, it’s easy to have bidirectional signals in an IP environment. And since IP is literally available everywhere, it is not a huge technical consideration to get a feed from India, Korea, Egypt or Peru. What was once complicated and expensive in a satellite uplink world is far easier and much cheaper with IP.

The Covid pandemic pushed broadcasters to embrace IP production systems and techniques faster than they would have otherwise, but the reality is that the advantages of IP are obvious for at least larger productions. Depending on what you’re doing, it can definitely make sense for smaller productions as well.

One final thought: SpaceX now has a constellation of thousands of satellites that can deliver modestly high-speed IP circuit anywhere in the world, and the company is adding satellites at the rate of 50-100 per month. With the ultimate goal of having tens of thousands of satellites and the capability to deliver upload/download speeds of more than 100 Mbps, this literally means that high-quality video can originate from anywhere in the world. At a moment’s notice.

Think of what clever content creators and video producers can do with that capability. 

Looking to a life after co-ax connected video signals has many wondering which path to take—SMPTE or NDI? How can it be we’re at a fork in the road for IP video production?

The simple fact is this: for decades, the evolution of digital video production was a fairly standard and uncompetitive process. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) took the lead and developed standards which the industry has relied upon for many years. With each evolution new higher resolution formats were supported but continued to use co-axial cable with BNC connectors. If you needed to throw a particularly long distance, then a baseband fibre alternative was also an option. 

So why are we at a juncture where system architects are left making a judgment call when developing new production facilities? The answer is simple: Neither NDI or SMPTE IP is “optimum,” and thus the right choice is much harder to select.

An Evolution
The first important IP format, SMPTE ST 2022, appeared in the last decade and was basically SDI packetized into an IP stream. Though not hugely flexible, it did—and still does, have uses. Then came SMPTE ST 2110; it provided greater capability by separating video, audio and metadata into individual IP streams, allowing designers to create facilities with simplified workflows and significantly less hardware. There are other advantages, too many to mention, but a critical one opened the door to remote production with cameras and production galleries located in different countries with a helpful telco in between; global televised sport never looked back.

The latter part of the last decade saw manufacturers, including ourselves, natively supporting SMPTE ST 2110. The choice was simple, the future was bright… wasn’t it? The reality is that SMPTE ST 2110 demands very high-speed IP infrastructure with cost to match. Away from the highly organized environments of studios and outside broadcast, SMPTE ST 2110’s fibre transport can show its fragility making decision makers nervous. Remember it took years to get location drama to stop using film!

This backdrop has been to the advantage of NDI, emanating from NewTek and now a commercial tech spin-off owned by Vizrt. Its mantra could be summed up as “keeping it copper—IP video should be transported over cheaper Cat5/Cat6 networks.” Here the cables are robust and familiar, and the networking infrastructure doesn’t require $40K of training to manage. 

There is, however, a big “however" the video is compressed. Purists in broadcast engineering dismissed this with a sniff and sharp turn of the head, so NDI sat in the dark longer than it should have. Nearly all routes to the consumer result in video being compressed so why should compression matter further up the workflow? Well, it probably doesn’t, thus we are seeing growing numbers of manufacturers supporting NDI. One of the “cons” of NDI was its limited acceptance but this is becoming historical. 

The compression itself can be confusing as the NDI brand has multiple types. NDI, often referred to as “Full NDI” is based on something known as SpeedHQ supporting variations SHQ2 and SHQ7 (both 4:2:2 video types), resulting in HD bitrates around the 100Mb/s. NDI’s other version HX is H264/H265 depending on whether it is HD or 4K (UHD). NDI-HX is a much lower bit rate and may rule itself out for more “premium” production environments wishing to avoid the cost of SMPTE ST 2110, but the non-HX NDI is pretty damn good, when you consider it wasn’t long ago the audience was “enjoying” interlaced Standard Definition.

More Complex Than It Looks
Those “purists” I mentioned will protest that I’ve oversimplified the issue and have clearly overlooked important factors such as compression latency. They’d be right of course; but the true picture is much more complex. Film, CGI and drama workflows are still going to demand minimal if not zero compression and I strongly suspect that in location production, baseband 12Gb/s SDI will have a long life to come. 

Eventually we will all implement IP and the hardware will only ever be present at the “edge” with all processing, distribution and storage being firmly in the cloud. Which format will win is of course difficult to predict. If the discovery model (how you identify and find multimedia IP devices) for SMPTE ST 2110 and its eventual successor matures, then an uncompressed video, standardized by SMPTE, may take the lead. 

For NDI, taking its place in the competitive market might come down to the commercial approach. Having spent some time talking with senior figures in the NDI team—past and present, I believe it’ll be the fee manufacturers must pay to wear the NDI logo that will dictate the take-up.

We are likely to see a battle over the next five years and the resulting uncertainty will make choices difficult. I won’t make a prediction, but I will say that having previously introduced support for SMPTE ST 2110 in our video technology, we are currently putting the final touches to our NDI support ahead of this year’s IBC.  

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Cobalt Digital says it will demo its Indigo 2110-DC-01 SMPTE ST 2110 solution on its  9904-UDX-4K card at the 2022 IBC Show, Sept. 9-13. The new option offers support for high density native 4K ST 2110 audio and video processing on openGear form factor. 

Cobalt will also highlight the new version of the SafeLink Gateway as a virtual machine, and a higher density solution of +MPx-DANTE-64x64, the industry’s first license-based quad-channel 3G-SDI bridge to Dante audio, according to the company. SafeLink reliably transports any audio and video content over the Internet with low latency. Dante is Audinate’s combination of software, hardware and network protocols that deliver uncompressed, multichannel, low-latency digital audio over a standard Ethernet network. 

Cobalt’s Indigo 2110-DC-01 is a highly integrated factory option that includes dual 25G Ethernet interfaces and now supports uncompressed 4K on the Company’s 9904-UDX-4K card. Support for ST 2022-7 seamless redundancy switching is incorporated for improved network reliability as well as IS‑04/IS-05 NMOS for automatic discovery and configuration. This included support makes interfacing to an existing network very straightforward, as the devices are auto discovered by the network management and made available for interconnection.

Indigo, already available on the quad path 9905-MPx openGear card, offers advanced processing with IP inputs and outputs and eliminates the need for any external gateways. When Indigo is combined with the 9904-UDX-4K openGear card a powerful and dense solution is created that is capable of natively processing HD, 3G and 4K IP streams without compromising quality. 

The 9904 platform offers up/down/cross conversion, audio routing, color correction, 3D-LUT processing and supports Advanced HDR by Technicolor. Adding native ST 2110 interfaces to the audio and video processing elements provides a cost-effective, integrated solution. Customers no longer need to put multiple boxes or processing elements in the data path switching between IP and SDI. By processing natively over IP, all this complexity is streamlined, and costs are reduced significantly, Cobalt said.

Cobalt will also highlight its SafeLink Gateway that provides protection for live video and audio data over unsecured networks for legacy devices. SafeLink, previously offered as a hardware solution on the Company’s OG-PC openGear card, is now being launched as a software-only form factor and includes support for UDP, RTP, FEC, and RIST Main Profile, with encryption and authentication.

“We’ve been developing new features for SafeLink all along, but our customers asked us to design a software version in addition to the PC-based hardware solution,” explained Suzana Brady, senior vice president for worldwide sales and marketing at Cobalt. “The timing was perfect, so we are happy to launch it at IBC to a global audience.”

Using Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) - a low latency protocol, SafeLink serves as a secure pipeline that ensures video is transported safely even in live production environments that may experience network delay. The lightweight software version can live on most computers or on Cobalt’s openGear OG-PC-x86-A platform. Control is handled with DashBoard, a free application that handles control and monitoring for all openGear broadcast products.

SafeLink can support up to 8 streams which in turn can be sent to 8 destinations for a potential of transporting content to 64 destinations. SafeLink can also support up to 8 tunnels each of which can support an arbitrary number of streams.

Cobalt has made Dante’s IP-based audio networking solution available to users on a license-basis in a much higher density scale by incorporating the functionality into the Company’s quad channel 9905-MPx in addition to the 9904-UDX processing card existing solution. 

Cobalt will also conduct multiple demonstrations including ST 2110 processing, its line of compression products with a synchronized decoding demo of RIST, and a new feature from Technicolor that allows reversible inverse tone mapping SDR to HDR, followed by SL-HDR1 in seamless fashion.

Cobalt will be in Stand 10.B44 at the RAI.

MONTREAL—Haivision has added SMPTE ST 2110 input support to its Makito X4 encoder, giving broadcasters more options when deploying decentralized IP workflows, the company said today.

The addition of the input enables the Makito X4 to accept a SMPTE 2110 signal directly from cameras and broadcast equipment and encode it with minimal latency into highly efficient H.264/AVC or H.265/HEVC streams with audio and ancillary data, it said.

Using the SRT protocol, the Makito X4 can connect directly to central production facilities, cloud resources or remote locations over public internet connections, the company said.

The SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards support multicast IP streaming of uncompressed video over local area networks, removing the need for SDI video cables in broadcast facilities, production trucks and OB vans. However, due to its high bandwidth requirements, SMPTE 2110 is not suitable for streaming to the cloud or to the internet. The Makito X4 bridges broadcast workflows to the internet or the cloud in real time, it said.

“Makito encoders and SRT have been the cornerstone of video workflows for broadcasters who are driving towards the economies of remote production and supporting production systems, staff and talent wherever they may be,” said Peter Maag, Haivision CMO and executive vice president of strategic partnerships.

“Now, with the Makito X4 bridging local SMPTE 2110 IP networks to SRT-based global networks, broadcasters can realize the benefits of being 100 percent IP-based," he continued.

Haivision’s Makito X4 encoder is a secure, reliable, ultra-low latency H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC video encoder. It delivers high image quality, native SRT streaming and high-density 4K UHD and HD encoding. It is available as a standalone quad-HD/4K appliance or blade that provides up to 84 HD or 21 UHD inputs in a 4U rack module. The Makito X4 is well-suited for live broadcast contribution, remote production, enterprise video and mission-critical defense applications, the company said.  

The latest version of the Makito X4 Encoder software is now available. 

More information is available on the company’s website.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—Sencore has enhanced its VB440 uncompressed video over IP monitoring appliance with enhancements to its audio support, closed captioning and video capture, the company announced this week.

The VB440 is the latest addition to the company’s VideoBRIDGE IP monitoring suite, which focuses on monitoring the latest uncompressed video over IP technologies, including SMPTE ST 2022-6/7 and SMPTE ST 2110, Sencore said.

The VB440’s new audio features include support for SMPTE ST 2110-31 compressed audio, 5.1 and 7.1 multichannel configurations and room meter analytics, it said.

The latest release also adds CEA-608, CEA-708 and OP-47 caption support, including overlays on live video, an engineering view for caption command data and grid view for alignment, it said.

The new release also includes a rolling capture feature that enables users to capture hard-to-catch issues or events, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

LOS ANGELES—VidTrans 2020 will host a major industry interoperability demonstration for technologies used to transport video and audio over IP networks, the Video Services Forum announced last week.

The conference, Feb. 25-27 at the Marina del Rey Marriott, will focus on innovative types of IP networking and video technologies and their use for long-haul video transport and in production studios.

The theme of VidTrans 2020 is “Delivering the Benefits of IP for Media Production.” It will feature an exhibit with a showcase of the latest applications, technologies and products and offer opportunities to socialize.

The exhibit hall and interop will be open Feb. 25-26. An opening night reception will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The gathering will feature an interoperability demo of the Reliable Internet Stream Transport (RIST) protocol.

(Read more: RIST Forges Reliable, Secure Internet Connection)

RIST technology will be demoed by using real-time, contribution-quality video streams. They will be exchanged securely with top-of-the-line encryption over the public internet between Marina del Rey and other remote locations around the world, organizers said.

An emphasis will be placed on multi-vendor interoperability using the upcoming VSF TR-06-02 RIST Main Profile. Nearly a dozen tech providers will participate.

VidTrans 2020 also will include technical sessions on high-performance IP media networking technologies. Experts will present technical papers on a variety of video networking, IP transport and IP production topics. 

Among the conference panel discussions are “ST2110 Becomes Mainstream: Successes and Ongoing Challenges” and “Progress Report: Broadcast Virtualization for On- and Off-Premises Workflows.

More information about VidTrans 2020 is available on the Video Services Forum website.

MONTREAL, Quebec — September 13, 2019 — Matrox® Video today announces that Vizrt, the innovator of software-defined visual storytelling (#SDVS) platforms, has selected the Matrox X.mio5 Q25 SMPTE ST 2110 network interface controller (NIC) card to power its Viz Engine 4 render engine. The next generation of Vizrt’s core graphics engine and video compositing platform, Viz Engine 4 leverages the Matrox X.mio5 Q25 25 GbE NIC card to enable unrivaled multi-channel 4K video I/O over 25 GbE for state-of-the-art virtual studio set and augmented reality productions.

Attendees of IBC 2019 will be able to see the platform drive photo-real, augmented reality graphics at The Big AR Sports Show, daily on the Vizrt booth in Hall 7-7.B01.  

Reinventing virtual studio sets, augmented reality graphics 

Viz Engine 4 revolutionizes how virtual studio sets and augmented reality graphics are designed, rendered, and combined with live video. The programmable graphics pipeline features physical-based rendering and global illumination to help build the foundation, with options like reflection and depth of field providing extra realism. The new Fusion Keyer control meanwhile, allows users to perfectly immerse presenters into a virtual environment, giving a clean, unobtrusive key for ultra-realistic results. 

Exceptional graphics engine for IP-based workflows  

Designed to future proof the Viz Engine 4 ecosystem, the latest render engine features Matrox X.mio5 Q25—a cutting-edge NIC card with multi-channel IP video I/O support from HD to 4K, on-board multi-channel HDR conversions, along with motion adaptive de-interlacing, pristine scaling, and powerful compositing engines for high-density 4K video processing. Architected as a video-aware COTS SMPTE ST 2110 NIC, Matrox X.mio5 Q25 delivers 24/7 reliability and interoperability required of broadcast equipment, while offering the flexibility and scalability expected of IP infrastructures including standard network stack functionality.  

“Vizrt is extremely pleased with the seamless and successful implementation of the Matrox X.mio5 Q25 NIC card into the Viz Engine 4 technology,” said Gerhard Lang, Chief Technology Officer at Vizrt. “X.mio5 Q25’s ground-breaking board design boosts the platform’s compositing capabilities, enables flexible multi-channel high-resolution and HDR output functionality, and provides advanced SMPTE ST 2110 support, making Viz Engine 4 the most future-ready platform on the market.”  

“The evolution of Vizrt’s graphics engine continues, and we are happy to see Matrox SMPTE ST 2110 cards play an integral role in this development,” said Alberto Cieri, senior director of sales and marketing, Matrox Video. “Backed by Matrox X.mio5 Q25’s industry-leading SMPTE ST 2110, IP, UHD, and HDR support and expertise, Viz Engine 4 empowers broadcasters, content producers, and journalists to explore unique and innovative designs to maximize their storytelling potential.” 

Matrox X.mio5 Q25 and the complete range of Matrox SMPTE ST 2110 NIC cards can be seen in action at IBC 2019 from September 13-17, stand 7.B15. 

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About Vizrt 

Vizrt is the world’s leading provider of software-defined visual storytelling tools for media content creators in the broadcast, sports, digital and esports industries. Vizrt offers market-defining software-based solutions for real-time 3D graphics, video playout, studio automation, sports analysis, media asset management, and journalist story tools. More than three billion people watch stories told by Vizrt customers everyday including from media companies such as CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox, BBC, BSkyB, Sky Sports, Al Jazeera, NDR, ZDF, Star TV, Network 18, Tencent, and many more. Vizrt is a global and diverse company with over 700 employees, operating in 30 offices worldwide with 52 nationalities, and recently has acquired IP-based, software-driven live video solution company, NewTek. Vizrt is a privately-owned company by Nordic Capital Fund VIII. Vizrt is mores stores, better told. www.vizrt.com 

About Matrox Video

Matrox Video is a technology and market leader in the field of 4K, HD, and SD digital video hardware and software for accelerated H.264 encoding, realtime editing, audio/video input/output, streaming, A/V signal conversion, capture/playout servers, channel-in-a-box systems, and CGs. Matrox's Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of multi-screen content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, telcos, cable operators, post-production facilities, live event producers, videographers, and A/V professionals worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information, visit www.matrox.com/video. 

Matrox Media Contact: 

Email: pr@mtrox.com

Tel: +1 (514) 822-6000

Website: www.matrox.com

MONTREAL, Quebec — September 13, 2019 —Matrox® Video is pleased to announce that the Matrox X.mio5 Q25, Matrox X.mio3 IP, and Matrox DSX LE5 D25 SMPTE ST 2110 network interface controller (NIC) cards have all successfully passed the most recent Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) Tested program for both the SMPTE ST 2110 standard and the NMOS/JT-NM TR-1001 specification. Matrox’s participation and technical contributions to the testing initiative represents a renewed commitment in maintaining the highest standard for multi-vendor interoperability in SMPTE ST 2110, IP-based deployments.

Returning to the IBC 2019 IP Showcase, the JT-NM Tested program offers prospective purchasers of IP-based equipment with greater, more documented insight into how vendor equipment aligns with open industry standards. The Matrox X.mio5 Q25, Matrox X.mio3 IP, and Matrox DSX LE5 D25 cards underwent the rigorous JT-NM testing program, with each of them seamlessly serving as reference sources for the SMPTE ST 2110 trial. For the NMOS/JT-NM TR-1001 trial, the same Matrox NICs demonstrated their built-in NMOS support with predictable, system-level connectivity for the TR-1001-1 technical recommendation. With built-in support for the NMOS IS-04 Device Discovery and Registration, NMOS IS-05 Device Connection Management, NMOS IS-09 System, LLDP, DHCP, and DNS-SD specifications, Matrox NICs completely abstract all low-level design work enabling OEMs to readily integrate their solutions into the ST 2110 network environment. 

Featured Matrox ST 2110 cards in the JT-NM Tested program: 

• Matrox X.mio5 Q25 ST 2110 quad 25 GbE NIC card for IP workflows from HD to 4K
• Matrox X.mio3 IP ST 2110 NIC card with multi-channel video I/O over 10 GbE plus onboard video processing
• Matrox DSX LE5 D25 ST 2110 dual 25 GbE NIC card for IP workflows from HD to 4K

“Matrox has been a long-time supporter of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard, and we are thrilled to continue this commitment through JT-NM’s IBC 2019 Tested program,” says Alberto Cieri, senior director of sales and marketing, Matrox Video. “Backed by our unique combination of IP know-how and broadcast expertise, Matrox NICs are built to offer the simplest path from SDI to ST 2110, while guaranteeing complete network interoperability and 24/7 reliability for next-generation ST 2110 workflows.”  

See Matrox SMPTE ST 2110 NIC cards in action at IBC 2019 on Matrox stand B15, hall 7 and in the IP Showcase Future Zone in rooms E106-107. 

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About Matrox Video

Matrox Video is a technology and market leader in the field of 4K, HD, and SD digital video hardware and software for accelerated H.264 encoding, realtime editing, audio/video input/output, streaming, A/V signal conversion, capture/playout servers, channel-in-a-box systems, and CGs. Matrox's Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of multi-screen content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, telcos, cable operators, post-production facilities, live event producers, videographers, and A/V professionals worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information, visit www.matrox.com/video. 

Matrox Media Contact: 

Email: pr@matrox.com

Tel: +1 (514) 822-6000

Website: www.matrox.com

MONTREAL, Quebec — September 13, 2019 — Matrox® Video, a world-class provider of cutting-edge SMPTE ST 2110 network interface controller (NIC) cards for OEMs, is pleased to announce that BBright, a leading solutions provider for Ultra HD channel deployments, is launching an innovative range of Matrox-based media production servers for SMPTE ST 2110 workflows. Leveraging the latest Matrox ST 2110 25 GbE network cards, UHD-Channel, the first BBright IP-based media platform offering, will showcase state-of-the-art, 4K video I/O over 25 GbE at IBC 2019, on BBright stand 2.B39.

Next-generation UHD playout, media production platforms

In an effort to meet today’s ever-evolving media consumption demands, BBright is releasing a new wave of flexible, agile, and scalable IP-based solutions. The new BBright UHD-Channel media production server is equipped with Matrox DSX LE5 D25, a 25 GbE SMPTE ST 2110 NIC card which offers complete offload of ST 2110 to preserve CPU resources for media processing operations. This enables the BBright UHD-Channel solution to deliver advanced video I/O of up to two 4K/UHDp60—including ‘clean’ and branded feeds—and/or two 4K live inputs using a 25 GbE link, with SMPTE ST 2022-7 redundancy. With Matrox’s built-in support for NMOS Device Registration and Discovery (IS-04), NMOS Device Connection Management (IS-05), and the JT-NM TR 1001-1 recommendation, BBright’s UHD-Channel solution can seamlessly plug in and operate in SMPTE ST 2110 environments.

“Looking at Matrox ST 2110 NIC cards, it was immediately evident that their high-density, 24/7-reliability, and zero-CPU-usage—combined with their SMPTE ST 2110 technological expertise and interoperability levels—would provide us with the necessary foundation to quickly transition our SDI-based 4K know-how to cutting-edge ST 2110,” said Laurent Appercel, marketing director, BBright. “Our ability to now offer a new range of next-generation UHD solutions means forward-thinking broadcasters can deliver unprecedented 4K playout and media production over IP workflows.”

“Matrox is excited to be collaborating with BBright and pair best-in-class ST 2110 and 4K proficiencies to build a new foundation of groundbreaking SMPTE ST 2110 solutions,” says Alberto Cieri, senior director of sales and marketing, Matrox Video. “As a pioneer in UHD development, BBright is further cementing its reputation as a leader in 4K broadcast solutions with high-density, game-changing video production servers to take content anywhere.”

BBright UHD-Channel (Stand B39, Hall 2) and Matrox SMPTE ST 2110 NIC cards (Stand B15, Hall 7) will be seen in action at IBC 2019 from September 13-17.

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About BBright

BBright company focuses on rapid market transitions around 4K – Ultra HD, HEVC, multiscreen and content delinearization. BBright develops high-end 4K and HEVC software-based technologies running on broadcast-grade appliances such as live Ingest & Replay Playout servers (baseband or transport stream), professional Decoders and reference Test and QC systems for the Ultra HD video ecosystem. BBright serves various customers worldwide which are broadcast equipment manufacturers, 4K content vendors, video network operators (satellite, terrestrial), telco operators (IPTV) and public or private TV channels.

BBright Media Contact:

Email: laurent.appercel@bbright.com

Website: www.bbright.com

About Matrox Video

Matrox Video is a technology and market leader in the field of 4K, HD, and SD digital video hardware and software for accelerated H.264 encoding, realtime editing, audio/video input/output, streaming, A/V signal conversion, capture/playout servers, channel-in-a-box systems, and CGs. Matrox's Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of multi-screen content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, telcos, cable operators, post-production facilities, live event producers, videographers, and A/V professionals worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information, visit www.matrox.com/video.

Matrox Media Contact:

Email: pr@matrox.com

Tel: +1 (514) 822-6000

Website: www.matrox.com

IBC2019, 13-17 September, Stand 7.A05:Pixel Power has today announced it will be adding uncompressed IP playout capability, based on the SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards, to its already well established StreamMaster playout technology. The development comes as a natural progression of incorporating new standards within its software defined technology platforms: StreamMaster Media Processing and Gallium Workflow Orchestration. Like all StreamMaster and Gallium functionality, SMTPE ST 2110 will be supported as software solutions whether on-premise or virtualized in a data centre.

“While we believe SMPTE ST 2110 is certainly the right long term direction, there is still mileage in standards such as ST 2022-6, since broadcasters like the similarity to existing SDI architectures,” said James Gilbert, CEO, Pixel Power. “Our new generation of playout and delivery products, including automation, graphics and branding are based on the StreamMaster Media Processing technology platform that can be easily updated using only software. The flexibility of IP-based, software defined playout and automation platforms are really showing their worth – that’s why we are currently deploying them with major national broadcasters around the globe.”

The SMPTE ST 2110 Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks suite of standards is a major contributing factor in the movement towards one common IP-based connectivity protocol for the professional media industries. The foundation for the SMPTE ST 2110 standards is Video Services Forum (VSF) Technical Recommendation for Transport of Uncompressed Elementary Stream Media Over IP (TR-03). The SMPTE ST 2110 standards suite specifies the carriage, synchronization and description of separate elementary essence streams over IP for realtime production, playout, and other professional media applications.

Pixel Power has a history of breaking new ground and was responsible thirty years ago for taking broadcasters into the world of PC-based graphics systems as they rapidly grew their channel count. As a first to market with live virtualized playout in the cloud in 2015, Pixel Power also took the first steps in showing broadcasters the power and convenience of workflows based on IP transport streams and application virtualization. At IBC2019, Pixel Power will show how broadcasters can benefit from moving to fully software defined solutions for production, playout, automation, branding and graphics.

Pixel Power can be found at IBC2019 (Amsterdam, 13 – 17 September) in its regular position in Hall 7, Stand 7.A05.

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About Pixel Power
Pixel Power provides innovative graphics production and integrated playout delivery systems for broadcasters, outside broadcast truck companies, playout facilities, post production houses, venues and sports complexes. Our award-winning branding and promotions systems, graphics-enabled master control switchers and sophisticated switchable graphics production systems allow producers to deliver dynamic live and pre-recorded content for any SD, HD, 4k, mobile, online or interactive application.

Pixel Power has 30 years’ experience of engineering prowess and dedication to customer support that has made it the industry’s first choice in graphics, branding and playout. With more than 2500 installations worldwide, customers including market-leading broadcasters such as Al Jazeera, BBC, CBC, Disney, Discovery, Ericsson, ESPN, Sky, ViaSat and WDR.

With corporate headquarters in Cambridge, UK, and with regional offices in Grass Valley, California and Dubai, UAE, Pixel Power has a global organisation and is supported by a well-trained and focussed distributor network.

Pixel Power can be contacted online at www.pixelpower.com.

Pixel Power contact:
Name: Ciaran Doran
Title: Exec VP
Email: cdoran@pixelpower.com
Tel: +44 7775 581301

PR Contact:
Name: Jennie Marwick-Evans
Company: Manor Marketing
Email: jennie@manormarketing.tv
Tel: +44 7748 636171

TORONTO—The Technical Committee for the World Broadcasting Union has unanimously voted to endorse the European Broadcasting Union’s “Technology Pyramid for Media Nodes,” a guidance that spells out the basic steps needed to comply with the SMPTE-2110 standard for audio and video transport over IP.

Similar to the USDA’s “food pyramid,” which prioritized the types of foods recommended for daily consumption, the Technology Pyramid categorizes the minimum user requirements to build and manage an IP-based media facility.

Unlike the food pyramid, however, the Technology Pyramid categorizes the building elements for an IP-facility based on current availability of technologies and the need for future standards work. Hence, media transport is at the top of the pyramid because it is the most widely available and developed standard, while security is at the bottom of the pyramid, characterizing that part of the standard as “rarely available.”

The WBU endorsed the EBU’s use of the pyramid to illustrate the current status of SMPTE-2110, adding that many aspects of the standard related to configuration, discovery and security remain unfinished.

“Broadcasters planning the move to new IP production facilities for Television or Radio should engage manufacturers with the Technology Pyramid for Media Nodes and ascertain their degree of compliance,” said Michael McEwen, Head, WBU Secretariat. “Further, the missing standards need to be completed as soon as possible so that broadcasters can make the important migration to IP with the required assurance.”

NEW YORK—AoIP continues to advance, as reflected in the audio consoles that were released at the 2019 NAB Show.

Wheatstone rolled out a new console that packs 64 channels and native IP audio networking into a 40 inch frame that fits most television applications and budgets under $75,000. The Strata 32 targets newsrooms, remote vans and sports venues with dedicated faders for eight subgroups and two masters along with 32 physical faders that can be layered for 64 channels. It integrates seamlessly with all the major production automation systems and comes with IP audio mix engine and optional stagebox.

The company also introduced the Virtual Dimension Three virtual mixer as a standalone user interface into its WheatNet-IP audio network. Virtual Dimension Three can be used anywhere there’s a PC touchscreen or several touchscreens connected over the audio network. Similar in feel and function to the popular Dimension Three hardware surface, Virtual Dimension Three includes familiar buttons, knobs and multitouch navigation and menu-ing for adjusting EQ curves, filtering and other custom settings.

Virtual Dimension Three comes with a rackmount mix engine to handle mixing and processing as part of the Wheat- Net-IP audio network, which provides direct connectivity into major production automation systems.

Ross Video, Grass Valley and Sony have a longtime vendor partnership with Wheatstone’s WheatNet-IP audio network, making for a fully integrated user experience between automation and console functions.

“Automation and virtualization are fundamental to being able to produce more content,” said Wheatstone Senior Sales Engineer Phil Owens. “With Virtual Dimension Three, we’re complementing what is being automated in the control room with the easy accessibility of a virtual interface so that operators can make immediate, precise adjustments as needed.”

The AES67-compatible WheatNet-IP audio network is a complete IP audio ecosystem of consoles, talent stations, I/O units, and accessories.

Wheatstone also introduced a new AoIP appliance to allow users to seamlessly share full studio operation between facilities, sports venues, and other sites in separate locations. The SwitchBlade is a WheatNet-IP audio network appliance that includes AoIP logic control, SIP connectivity and codec bandwidth optimization—all critical for being able to produce content at a sporting or news remote.

SwitchBlade extends the AoIP network beyond the studio walls and lets the operator remotely adjust EQ, dynamics, and turn mics on and off at a remote location from the main studio several miles and time zone’s away. SwitchBlade has two ethernet connections, one for connecting to a SIP service provider or SIP-enabled PBX phone system and the other for connecting directly into the WheatNet-IP audio network. It comes with major codecs, including 256 Kb/s stereo Opus and G.711, for high quality program distribution between studios, networks, and affiliates, news gathering or sports venues.

“Not only will it carry the audio, it carries the control, which means you can send and receive router commands, automation control, and even fader levels across the two locations,” said Jay Tyler, sales director for Wheatstone. ”This is a real game changer because Switchblade finally makes it possible to monitor each point of the audio chain and switch audio locally from network operation centers around the world.”

Using WheatNet-IP’s Application Control Interface (ACI), the SwitchBlade offers up to 24 modules that show up as sources/destinations in the WheatNet-IP NAVIGATOR software, and are therefore available on every WheatNet-IP console surface and monitor selector in the system.

SIMPLE UPGRADE PATH

The most significant difference between Calrec’s new ImPulse and the company’s previous products is that it is built on a native IP backbone, with AES67 and SMPTE 2110 connectivity, according to Dave Letson, vice president of sales for the company.

“ImPulse illustrates a clear direction for Calrec’s future development,” he said. “It’s compatible with existing Apollo and Artemis control surfaces, providing a simple upgrade path for current Calrec customers as they transfer to IP infrastructures.”

Up to four DSP mix engines and controls systems can run independently on a single core. ImPulse sports an AoIP router which supports NMOS discovery and connection management, and mDNS/Ravenna discovery. ImPulse provides 3D immersive path widths and panning, with full monitoring and metering, height and eD pan controls. Paths of all widths can co-exist within a mix and be routed to and from one another with flexible panning and downmixing built in.

SMALL CONSOLE, MORE FADERS

Lawo bumped up the fader count on the third generation of its mc²56 IP audio production console this year. Up to 144 faders are now housed in this small size console. The dual fader option incorporates Lawo’s LiveView thumbnail preview feature, which presents thumbnail previews of associated video streams directly in the fader strips.

This console is optimized for the IP-video production environment, featuring native support for SMPTE 2110, AES67/Ravenna, Dante and MADI audio streams. The mc²56 has adopted the SMPTE 2022-7 standard for Seamless Protecting Switching (SPS), delivering dual-redundant IP-network links to its Nova73 routing engine. Built-in loudness metering is standard, with full loudness control adhering to ITU 1770 (EBU/R128 or ATSC/A85) specifications.

For mobile productions the scalable DSP performance with temporary licenses can turn CAPEX into OPEX.

Lawo also rolled out its new UHD Core, a network-based, software-defined audio DSP engine. Utilizing the IP network as an extension of the console core’s backplane, the UHD Core can be located anywhere on the network. Its ultra-high processing density—with 1,024 fully featured mc² DSP channels—can either be utilized by a single mc² console or shared by a maximum of four boards.

ULTIMATE DESKTOP MIXER

Audio pros of a certain age remember when Mackie first released a tiny mixer—the 1604—that revolutionized the home recording industry. With the introduction of SiX, billed as “the ultimate desktop mixer,” SSL may have brought this revolution full circle.

SiX sports a pair of recording channels with SuperAnalogue mic pres, a one knob version of the classic SSL Channel Compressor, a new two-band Channel EQ, inserts and 100mm faders. There is a two-knob version of the legendary G-Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus and a Listen Mic Compressor on the Talkback.

“With over 30 years’ involvement in the design of SSL consoles, when developing the concept of SiX, I thought hard on what our users appreciate about our larger consoles; what helps their workflow and delivers quality results for them,” said Niall Feldman, director of new products for SSL. “The big challenge was how to deliver those values and features in a compact product. The resultant SiX mixer is one of our proudest achievements.”

SSL also launched its S500m console, which provides all the flagship features of the company System T S500 console in a form factor that is more than 25% lighter, specifically designed for OB and flypack applications where weight and portability are key concerns.

“The complexities involved in today’s major sports and entertainment events means our OB partners still require broadcast consoles with a high specification, yet be robust and easy to transport” comments Tom Knowles, broadcast product manager for SSL. “The S500m brings the portability and added flexibility our clients need for a multitude of broadcast environments, making it the ideal choice as a flypack or transportable OB option.”

SSL also released their Dynamic Automation Software (DAS) at NAB. Designed to work with all System T broadcast production consoles, DAS expands System T’s capabilities.

“Dynamic automation has become a necessity for many of our major broadcast clients, for both live to air and complex television post production tasks,” Knowles said. “By offering this as a software option our clients can adapt their System T capability as they need it.”

COMBINES MIXER AND SURFACE

For smaller facilities and similar-sized budgets, Telos rolled out its Axia iQx AoIP console at the show. The compact mixer combines the mix engine and surface into one unit, enabling quicker setup. iQx is AES-67 compliant and can also support SMPTE 2110-30. Also, there are no limits to the number of sources and connections users can access on the network.

iQ is Telos’ radio console system, that can be used to build custom consoles of sizes from 8 to 24 faders, however it could also be installed as a reliable standby for TV audio production needs as well, according to Marty Sacks, vice president, sales and support for Telos.

“The iQ family can be used as a backup for larger desks in a production environment,” he said.

Webinar – IP Audio Systems

 Standards such as AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110-30 have both appeared within the past three years, and are already making significant impact on the industry. With IP-based audio systems, hundreds of high-quality, 24-bit audio streams can be transported using a single, inexpensive gigabit Ethernet connection, thereby greatly reducing the cost and complexity of multichannel audio production.

TV Technology will be presenting a live webinar at 2:00 pm EST March 21st that will begin with an overview of IP audio technology. The new standards will then be reviewed, followed by a discussion of design tips that can promote interoperability between various IP audio systems.

Webinar topics will include:

• Fundamental concepts of IP Audio
• Understanding AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110-30
• Interoperable IP audio network design tips

Click here to register and learn more. 

LAS VEGAS--This year’s IP Showcase at NAB Show has announced a call for presentations for the event.

The IP Showcase is a joint venture between the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Society of Motion Picture and Technology Engineers (SMPTE), and the Video Services Forum (VSF).

The submission deadline for speaking proposals is Feb. 25. Speaking times are limited during the four-day exhibition; the selection committee is looking for the following types of presentations:

• Tutorial (basic, intermediate, advanced)

• Case study

• Panel discussion

• Market/business case analysis

• Point-of-view/advocacy

• Standards progress/update

Preference will be given to presentations related to the following technology areas on the Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) Roadmap:

• AES67

• SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards for Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks

• AMWA NMOS specifications such as IS-04, IS-05, IS-07, and IS-08

• Timing and synchronization using SMPTE ST 2059-1/2

• JT-NM TR-1001-1 framework for installing, configuring, and interconnecting equipment

More details and the submission form are available at the IP Showcase’s website.

LOS ANGELES—The Video Services Forum has announced that two major industry interoperability demonstrations of the latest technologies for transporting video and audio over IP networks will take place during VidTrans 2019, Feb. 26-28 at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Los Angeles.

The theme of this year’s conference is, “Delivering the Benefits of IP for Media Production” and will focus on the innovative types of IP networking and video technologies and their application both for long-haul video transport and for the production studio. In addition to technical sessions, the conference will also showcase some of the latest applications, technologies and products in its exhibit hall as well as provide abundant networking opportunities at our special events. The exhibition hall and interop will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 26 & 27 and offers an opening night reception on Tuesday.

VidTrans19 will feature two important industry interoperability demonstrations:

RIST (Reliable Internet Stream Transport) technology will be demonstrated through the use of real-time, contribution-quality video streams exchanged over the public Internet between Marina del Rey and a number of remote locations around the world. The emphasis will be on multi-vendor interoperability using VSF TR-06-01 (published in October, 2018), with close to a dozen technology providers participating in the live demos, which will be conducted on-site and via the public Internet.

JPEG 2000 Ultra-Low Latency (J2K ULL) technology will also be demonstrated in a live network during VidTrans19. Four leading technology providers, Artel, Evertz, Grass Valley and Media Links, will feature compatible implementations of VSF TR-01:2018 (released this past June) in a live demonstration in the exhibit hall. This new version of the spec updates the widely-adopted TR-01 for new applications, including Ultra HD levels 1 and 2, HDR video and end-to-end latencies below 1 frame period for many implementations.

This year’s VidTrans conference will comprise two and a half days of informative technical sessions on the latest technologies for high-performance IP media networking. Industry experts will present technical papers on a wide variety of topics related to video networking, IP transport and IP production. Highlighting the conference will be two eagerly anticipated panel discussions: “Challenges and Solutions to the Rollout of 2110 Systems” and “Workflow Virtualization and Cloud-Based Systems – How to Design and Deliver”. The preliminary conference program is available on the VSF site.

VidTrans provides an ideal venue for television professionals to see the latest IP media technologies in person. This low-key conference, attended primarily by industry decision makers, offers a great opportunity to speak directly with key technology providers and users from around the world.

VidTrans19 Conference will also include a number of social networking events, providing attendees the opportunity to interact with colleagues and industry peers.

For more information about the conference, please visit vsf.tv for updates. 

Editors note: Updated, Nov. 7.

WASHINGTON--Government Video Expo, the Mid-Atlantic’s largest video trade show, is partnering with SMPTE for an all-day series of tutorials on the basics of IP for media, including a look at SMPTE-2110, the new standard for video transport over IP. 

“SMPTE in DC: Essential Technology Advances for Media Pros” will take place Wednesday, Nov. 28., and you can register to attend here. For more information on the show, visit www.gvexpo.com. 

Here is the agenda:

9–9:30 a.m.

• Open, Welcome and an Introduction to Professional Video Over IP

Video over IP networks and the internet has existed for more than two decades. Why is SMPTE developing Studio Video over IP (SVIP) — a new set of standards for video over IP? Why are they needed? What is the difference between streaming video and SVIP?

Peter Wharton, President, Happy Robotz

9:30-10:30 

• High Dynamic Range: The Best TV Picture You’ve Ever Seen

This HDR presentation will introduce HDR and discuss HDR standards, terminology and the history of dynamic range. The advanced part of the presentation will cover HDR transfer curves and comparing HDR profiles, as well as compatibility with SDR displays and the consumer adoption of UHD HDR TVs. Although Ultra HD and HDR are usually mentioned together, high-dynamic range is not limited to UHD. HDTV can also benefit from a dramatic improvement in picture quality. HDR offers a more realistic picture, similar to the way we see things in real life. In the future, it’s likely that multiple HDR profiles, optimized for either live TV or post-produced movies, will be utilized.

John Humphrey, Vice President Business Development, Hitachi

11:00-Noon

• Building Scalable Facilities Using SMPTE 2110

The new set of SMPTE standards (ST 2110) provides a technical underpinning for building large-scale media facilities with uncompromised picture quality and low latency, with scalability to large image formats (4K, 8K and beyond) and advanced color depths and spaces. This talk is an overview of the new standards, and also covers the practical details of implementing large-scale systems including control APIs and network topology.

John Mailhot, Systems Architect for IP Convergence, Imagine Communications

Noon–1:00 p.m.

• How Smooth Are Your Packets? Implementation Realities and Best Practices of IP and PTP

This session is a tutorial on the what you need to know to understand the challenges we face in the process of making the transition to IP-based transport for video, audio and data. This move toward infrastructure efficiency has brought new technical challenges requiring broadcast engineers to gain an understanding of the technology and the latest techniques needed to monitor these signals.

The development of SMPTE ST 2110 is a suite of standards that provide encapsulation of uncompressed video within IP packets and for live IP production carrying separate streams of video, audio and data packets. This new standard also allows for SMPTE ST 2022-6 that provides encapsulation of uncompressed SDI as well as ST 2059 for system timing.

This session will take a look at the basic structure of the packets for ST 2022 and ST 2110, how variable delay across the network introduces jitter at the receiver and how measurements can be made on the stream. Latency in the network can produce out-of-order packets or corruption of the data causing packets to be dropped. Therefore, it is important to monitor the stream to ensure an error-free network to ensure transmission of the high bit rate media and how these errors affect the actual video and audio signal. For redundancy in the media network, SMPTE ST 2022-7 can be used to provide a Path One and a Path Two stream so that the downstream device can determine which path is the most appropriate to use. Measurement of the integrity of both paths is important and we will look at ways of monitoring the signal paths.

Karl Kuhn, Sr. Field Video Application Engineer, Tektronix

1–2 p.m.
LUNCH

2:00–3:00

Myths and Realities of Security of Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks

It seems that nearly every day there is another story about an IP network breach. Now "they" want to build professional media creation facilities with IP at the core? What are the risks? And, are the risks as bad as "they" say? Find out the facts about IP network security in this must-see SMPTE session at Government Video Expo!

Thomas Bause Mason, Director Standards Development, SMPTE

3:00–4:00

• The People Side: Managing Change and Skills Transition

The accelerating pace of technological change requires an increased focus on an organization's top resource — its people. This presentation will provide insights, practical approaches and tools for managing change, building and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce.

John McCoskey, Industry Executive, Eagle Hill Consulting - Technology, Media & Entertainment

For more information and to register for GV Expo, visit www.gvexpo.com.

LOS ANGELES—One oft-touted advantage of transitioning from SDI baseband video to an IP equivalent is the ability to use common off-the-shelf (COTS) computer hardware to replace specialty video equipment.

The idea is that the economies of scale the computer industry brings to the table are so far superior to anything the M&E industry can muster, which should make it easier for broadcasters and others to adopt IP-based workflows.

However, a presentation at the SMPTE 2018 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition by Jean Lapierre, senior director of software engineering at Matrox Graphics, sheds a somewhat different light on the issue. While his “Bridging The Gap Between Software and SMPTE ST 2110” presentation did not address the cost issue, it did throw into question the notion of “common” in “common off-the-shelf” computer hardware for M&E applications.

“We think that ST 2110 with full implementation of [ST] 2059 is very difficult using a generic network card and some software,” he said. “It’s much easier if we are leveraging some hardware acceleration on the network card. And we think that the way to do that is to use an FPGA-based network card that actually understands the full ST 2110 implementation.”

PACKET SPACING

Lapierre offered several examples of situations in which a conventional network interface card (NIC) and use of a computer’s CPU would not be up to task.

For instance, traffic shaping is “actually quite tricky to do in software,” he said. Lapierre explained that simply using software to packetize a frame of video and send it as fast as possible on the network is not a realistic solution.

He pointed to an example of 1080p 60 video at a little bit less than 3Gb/s being sent over a 10Gig network.

Sending a frame from a hypothetical source A as fast as possible will take about a third of the memory in a receiver’s buffer. However, if two more sources are added and all three burst their packets onto the network, the network switch will not be able to send all of the packets at the same time. This will require buffering, said Lapierre.

With just three sources, this approach is acceptable. “Where we get into trouble is when you try to move that to scale,” he said.

A far bigger buffer will be needed on the switch; however, it still may be inadequate and have to drop packets, which is undesirable, he explained.

SMPTE ST 2110 addresses this situation through packet spacing, which is “a nice way of spreading packets over time,” which creates holes for other packets to fill as they traverse a network, he said.

In the same example, the same amount of data is sent on the network, but spread out over time, allowing the receiver to build up the frame. With packet spacing, if two more sources are introduced, the switch only has to buffer a smaller part of the second and third source, he said.

However, doing so in software is tricky, said Lapierre. One strategy is to build time loops to build in the needed delay, but that wastes CPU cycles that could be used on an important task.

Additionally, the computer’s operating system may have an essential task to perform, putting the time loop to sleep momentarily to accomplish the task, thereby unexpectedly extending the duration of the loop.

“We think it is better to leave that job to a network card that can do the packet spacing for you.”

PTP-AWARE NETWORK CARD

Precision Time Protocol (PTP), which keeps audio and video packet flows from multiple streams in step in time, is also a challenge in a software implementation.

In this example, PTP would require a network stack, consisting of a grand master clock, a conventional NIC, an operating system and the software implementation, he said.

“Well, my piece of software uses that stack to talk to the grand master to find out what time it is, and by time the message comes back I have to try to figure out how long it took for this message to get there and how long it took to get back,” he explained.

The problem is it can take a variable amount of time to go through the stack, he added.

“We can improve our situation by using a network card that understands our situation,” said Lapierre. However, the precision of PTP that is possible in software is inadequate and “can wreak havoc,” he said.

“What we think is better is if the network card, which is PTP-aware, is the one responsible for doing the time stamping—and why not [also] doing the packet spacing,” he said.

By adding a network interface card to a system with on-board ST 2110 and ST 2059 support, vendors can spend their development time improving their own Software solutions, not dealing with these network interfacing issues, he explained.

“Also, if we look at all the CPU processing we are talking about we will be wasting CPU cycles doing timing loops and things of that nature. To me, if we do that, it sounds like we are doing less with more and not more with less,” he concluded.

At this year’s NAB Show, I was engaged in a discussion about audio over IP with Phil Wagner, recently named president of Apogee, when he mentioned that no one was really discussing how to merge the technology into existing television environments. My own columns have been pointed more toward implementing it into new builds.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

There are really just a few key things to keep in mind when tossing AoIP equipment into the technology mix of a current broadcast plant, but with SMPTE ST-2110-based facilities coming online and AoIP beginning to manifest itself in a very physical sense, this seems like a good time to look at them.

Just as we’ve done since television audio became digital, everything in the plant needs to be referenced to the same master clock. This has traditionally meant providing either black, tri-level, word clock or AES reference (DARS), but network connected devices—surprise—look for their clock on the network, which means we now need to provide them with an IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) clock, which has been referenced to the house master. In the past this might have been achieved with a master clock from the IT world, but broadcast device manufacturers now provide master sync generators that include PTP alongside standard reference signals. Reference remains critical because the audio going through those network cables is still digital, so nasty tics, pops or complete lack of audio is the result when the reference clock is missing or incorrect.

Choosing a specific AoIP technology can seem like a daunting task since incompatibilities remain even with the publication of the AES67 standard. Remember that AES67 is not an end-to-end solution but is a defined set of internet protocols that, if followed, will allow audio to pass from one AoIP device to another. The good news is that virtually all AoIP equipment manufacturers ship their newer products with an AES67 compatibility mode of some sort, which ensures that audio will pass when connecting a box with one AoIP technology to a box with a different AoIP technology.

The bad news is that the audio is all that is guaranteed. Sticking with a given AoIP technology, Dante, LiveWire, Ravenna or WheatNet for instance, provide a more end-to-end solution so that all AoIP equipment on the network is aware of each other and information can be shared between them. It also means having full control of those devices, allowing routing and management. Mixing AoIP technologies doesn’t preclude the possibility of doing any of these things, but the lack of information sharing between technologies can make it very, very difficult.

OPERATING IN AES67 MODE

Careful planning is the best course of action before heading down the AoIP road. Since AES67 is the PCM audio transport of ST-2110, any AoIP devices in the broadcast chain will most likely need to operate in AES67 mode, so it is necessary to determine what, if any, features are lost when switching devices to this mode. Since discovery, control and management are not part of AES67, it is also critical to determine how this will be done prior to adding AoIP devices to the plant.

As previously mentioned, sticking with one technology or manufacturer will solve this problem, but this may not provide all the necessary pieces. There are now some third-party software products that promise to make differing AoIP solutions work together despite their differences, but a demonstration of the software controlling actual hardware seems in order before committing to this.

A solid solution seems on the very near horizon however, and it is already part of the ST-2110 package of standards. Obviously, ST-2110 will need discovery and registration, connection management and control, so the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) Network Media Open Specifications (NMOS) IS-04 and IS-05 have been chosen to solve those needs for ST-2110 devices. This means that AoIP devices in television facilities will use AES67 for audio transport, IS-04 to locate each other, and IS-05 to connect. Actual implementation of these specifications will be through additional software, but this is the current solution planned for SMPTE ST-2110.

A temporary workaround to the lack of discovery, connection and control across all AoIP technologies is to build an AoIP system from a single technology, then isolate this AoIP island from the rest of the plant with the exception of converting signals going in and out of these rooms. This could work for an audio suite (or group of suites) or even live mix rooms where IO to the room is self-contained and does not need to interface with other IO other than for ingest and playout. Outfitting professional broadcast audio consoles (and some semi-pro models) with AoIP alongside SDI, MADI, AES, analog IO as part of the system’s configuration is becoming standard practice. Achieving the same thing in video edit suites and the greater facility will prove a bit more difficult, and will involve more interstitial pieces. But again, advance planning is key, and part of that planning should be looking toward the facility’s future and not just its current state.

Probably the easiest part of adding AoIP devices to a television facility is connecting existing audio and networked audio devices together. There is more to it than just plugging in Ethernet cables for the AoIP devices themselves, since they need to be set up properly on the network. The type of network and its particular setup will determine how complex this actually is. Yet when it comes to interfacing AoIP devices with traditional audio devices there are plenty of solutions available of all types.

Attention needs to be paid to the underlying technology and whether it has an AES67 mode, but not every piece will be part of the broadcast chain.

Jay Yeary is a television engineer who specializes in audio. He can be contacted throughTV Technologymagazine.

LONDON--The SMPTE ST 2110 suite of IP standards for professional media production made its mark last month on Wimbledon when NEP UK put to use an IP infrastructure centered on Grass Valley technology for the first UHD HDR live production of the tennis championship.

NEP UK deployed two SMPTE ST 2110 trucks, Venus and Ceres, for production of the 2018 Wimbledon Tennis Championship for host broadcaster Wimbledon Broadcast Services (WBS).

The setup included multicamera production of all 18 courts, a first for Wimbledon coverage. The camera complement included a net-cam on both Center Court and No. 1 Court as well as other production enhancements.

NEP UK’s Venus and Ceres OB trucks were responsible for HD, HDR and UHD content, delivering world feeds to 20 onsite broadcasters as well as 21 of its own production galleries. A portable IP flyaway system was used to connect the two trucks, forming one of the world’s largest SMPTE ST 2110 OB installations to date. Together they were able to handle more than 118 camera signals. The Grass Valley IP infrastructure handled movement of streams with far less cabling than the miles that would have been needed for a similar baseband setup, Grass Valley said.

The IP infrastructure was built around Grass Valley IQ UCP 25GbE gateway cards. The modular, reprogrammable cards provide bi-directional interfacing between IP and baseband equipment. Each truck is equipped with 70 of the cards, and flyaways have 200. This flexibility makes it easy for NEP to adapt to the specific requirements of any particular event or venue, Grass Valley said.

The trucks, which also were deployed to cover the royal wedding in May, include Grass Valley’s IPEDGE-SVR turnkey IP routing control system with Orbit control and monitoring software, Grass Valley Kayenne and Kahuna video switchers and IP multiviewers. These seamlessly integrate with Arista COTS network switches, AXON Digital Design master control systems, Calrec audio mixing capability and comms facilities from Telex Communications.

“As the Wimbledon 2018 project illustrates, we came together with Grass Valley to create a highly customizable live production capability that delivered high-quality action with unmatched images,” said Rob Newton, CTO of NEP UK and Ireland.

More information is available on the Grass Valley website. 

AMSTERDAM—The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers will make its presence known at the 2018 IBC Show with a slew of sessions and additional resources including the return of the popular IP Showcase.

SMPTE BIG SCREEN SESSIONS

The four-day Big Screen sessions at the RAI Auditorium feature the very latest in cinema projection and sound installation. A world-class forum where creativity meets technology, the Big Screen program allows visitors to hear from the talent behind the camera.

During "HDR Focus: 'Blue Planet 2' and 'The Grand Tour,'" the first of two sessions on high dynamic range (HDR) that will be chaired by Randi Altman of postPerspective, Andrew Dune of the BBC and Chloe Blackwell of Chump will take a look at two innovative productions and explain how they used new HDR technology to build scale and bring the screen to life. During "HDR: From Post to Screen," speakers at the cutting edge of HDR postproduction, VFX, grading, and delivery will share their insights and discuss the change of gear needed to get the workflow right, exploit the potential of HDR, and achieve the holy grail of lifelike images. The panelists — Jeremy Booth of Jellyfish Pictures, Peter Collins of The Farm, Christos Glaridis of Visual Data, and Cara Cheppard of Warner Bros. De Lane Lea Studios — have worked on productions ranging from "The Innocents" to a restored version of "The Deer Hunter."

Jack Watts of Deluxe and Tomasz Witkowski of Sundog Media Toolkit will present "Ensuring the Ultimate Cinematic Experience Every Time," sharing essential information and usage concepts that aid distributors and exhibitors in guaranteeing an authentic cinematic experience. The two speakers will focus on how features supported by the SMPTE Digital Cinema Package (DCP) ensure interoperable implementation of critical new content formats such as immersive audio, HDR, multiscreen presentations, high frame rate (HFR), and more.

Presented by Jonathan Karafin of Light Field Labs and Ben Keen, an analyst and advisor to companies in the media and telecommunications space, "Keeping It Real: Technologies Behind Immersive Entertainment" addresses the technologies that bring people to the cinema and allow them to lose themselves in the story and characters and to forget about the real world. New and emerging technology promises cinema displays capable of producing holographic images, virtual-reality images, immersive sound, and location-based experiences. This session will explore how these advances will make it possible to create an experience that puts the audience inside the story.

During "The Latest Formats, the Best Cinematography," three of the world's top cinematographers will share their latest 4K and HDR project workflows. Geoff Boyle, BSC, will reveal results from his recent and highly anticipated camera tests and showcase recent projects. Bill Bennett, ASC, will bring his work with RealD Flamengo and the ARRI Alexa LF Motocross to the Big Screen stage.

SMPTE GENERAL SESSIONS

"SMPTE ST 2110 Standards Suite: Catalyst for Industry Transformation" will be a special IBC2018 session dedicated to explaining the growing SMPTE ST 2110 Standards suite and why it is essential to the future of the industry. Speakers will examine how, with the publication of each additional SMPTE ST 2110 Standard, professional media creation facilities are transforming the business of content creation.

The session titled "SMPTE ST 2110 Implementation Case Studies: What Have We Learned?" will explore how professional content-creation facilities around the world are leading the industry evolution by implementing the SMPTE ST 2110 standards. Citing their experiences within real-life implementations ranging from greenfield builds to updates of existing facilities, leaders in the realm of IP-based operations will discuss the challenges facilities have encountered and the lessons learned about how best to maximize the benefits of SMPTE ST 2110.

The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) IMF User Group will host "The Interoperable Master Format: Gateway to Component-Based Workflows," a session dedicated to the explosion in the number of content versions resulting from the proliferation of localized versions due to worldwide distribution and acquisition; multiplication of viewer experiences; and the expanding repertoire of audio-visual essence.

The IBC Content Everywhere Hub Sessions provide an engaging way for show visitors to get up to speed with different aspects of "Content Everywhere" and the explosive growth in the consumption of video, TV, and media on IP-connected devices. The panels aim to expand visitors' understanding of the business and technical issues at the intersection of broadcast and broadband. SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange will be moderating this session.

IP SHOWCASE

The Society will again join with the Audio Engineering Society (AES), Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and Video Services Forum (VSF) to support the IP Showcase at IBC2018. Dedicated to educating visitors and highlighting the business and creative benefits of IP, the IP Showcase will provide a unified, industry-wide view of the latest advances in IP technology and how it can add maximum value to the broadcast industry and the individuals and companies that drive it.

Visitors to the IP Showcase will see engineering progress along with real-world examples of IP applications from leading networks and program producers. The exhibition also will assist broadcast/IT engineers, CEOs, producers, and others in determining how they can effectively leverage the recently published SMPTE ST 2110 standards documents. More information about the IP Showcase is available at ipshowcase.org. Details about SMPTE ST 2110 are available at smpte.org/st_2110.

SMPTE PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES

Visitors to the SMPTE stand will have the chance to view the newly released "Magic & Miracles: 100 Years of Moving Image Science & Technology" by executive editor Phil Cianci, a richly illustrated and meticulously crafted history of the Society and its groundbreaking work over the past century, as well as "The Honor Roll and Honorary Members of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers," a limited-edition book that showcases the past century's industry leaders and innovators. Attendees can purchase these books and take advantage of low-cost international shipping options online at magic-and-miracles.org.

Throughout IBC2018, SMPTE staff — including Thomas Bause Mason, attending for the first time as SMPTE director of standards development — will be available to discuss current trends and answer questions about SMPTE activities, resources, and publications, including the latest "SMPTE Standards Quarterly Report," which details the outcome of the June 2018 SMPTE Technology Committee meetings. The report summarizes the current progress of SMPTE committees that are working to create, approve, revise, and remove standards for the industry and is available at smpte.org/outcomereport.

In the year since IBC2017, the Society completed a first-of-its-kind pilot project to define a prototype SMPTE Technical Specifications (TSP) process. Digital Production Partnership (DPP) has proposed the first SMPTE TSP, which focuses on the use of the Interoperable Master Format (IMF), or SMPTE ST 2067, for broadcast and online applications.

The documents represent input by the DPP, SMPTE, the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), as well as manufacturers and end users across the media industry. The draft specification for IMF for broadcast and online applications will address constraints including MXF Track Files, composition playlists (CPLs), output profile lists (OPLs), and IMF packages. The specification will reference other activities as well, such as the EBU.io/qc project for carrying quality-control metadata and EBU-TT, and it includes optional methods for carrying traditional EBU-STL subtitles in Europe and CTA-608/CTA-708 captions in North America.

More recently, the Society announced published standards for binding Ad-IDs to commercials and Entertainment ID Registry (EIDR) codes to programming content. The standards specify the use of Kantar Media's audio watermarking technology, an open solution available for licensing. The SMPTE 24TB Open Binding of IDs Drafting Group created and published two new sets of standards and recommended practices: ST 2112-10 and RP 2112-11 for the Open Binding of Content Identifiers (OBID) and ST 2112-20 and RP 2112-21 for the Open Binding of Distribution Channel IDs and Timestamps. The availability of these standards for persistent binding of identifiers into advertising and programming content establishes a fundamental building block for the advancement of full cross-platform measurement and content integration.

At its IBC2018 stand, SMPTE also will offer details on the results of the SMPTE 2018 Innovation and Technology in Media Entertainment Survey, part of the Society's ongoing work to provide insight into the critical issues that are transforming the media and entertainment (M&E) technology industry. The survey examined artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), immersive media, professional media over managed IP networks, and the Better Pixels Project.

As always, the Society will feature at its stand the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal, which last year earned a Merit Award in the STC International Summit Awards (STC ISA) competition. Copies of the September 2018 "Progress Report" issue will be available in the stand.

SMPTE has published videos of the presentations from the SMPTE 2017 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition (SMPTE 2017) on its YouTube channel youtube.com/smpteconnect. The new content includes more than 50 videos of the expert paper presentations delivered over the one-day Symposium and three days of technical sessions, held last October in Los Angeles and dedicated to exploring media and entertainment technology. The technical papers themselves are available within the SMPTE Digital Library hosted on the IEEE Xplore platform, along with more than 800 SMPTE standards documents currently in force and the peer-reviewed SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal dating back to 1916 — more than 20,000 documents in total. A complete listing of SMPTE publications is available at smpte.org/digital-library.

SMPTE Director of Membership Roberta Gorman and other SMPTE leadership will also be available on the SMPTE stand to discuss membership benefits and the Society's role in global standards and interoperability. Prospective members will be able to join, and existing members may renew their memberships on-site. Through the Student Membership Challenge (SMC), a SMPTE fund that pays for a student's first year of membership, students can join for free. Further information on student programs is available at smpte.org/students.

By now, you’ve heard that AES67 is part of the SMPTE 2110-30 standard and that all the major IP audio vendors offer this audio transport standard as part of their system.

The AES67 format will be useful for streaming audio between the control room and the master control and there’s good reason to believe that it will effectively eliminates the practice of HD/SDI audio embedding/de-embedding with video, and all the hardware that goes along with HD/SDI workflows.

There’s been a great deal of talk about AES67, but that is as far as it’s gone for most broadcasters – essentially a new standard still sitting on the dealer lot waiting for a test drive.

How easy will it be to commission AES67 in your plant?

We decided to take AES67 out for a spin to find out. Earlier this summer we did a trial run of AES67 through a large WheatNet-IP system staged at the Wheatstone factory in New Bern, North Carolina, during what we call a BLADEFest. (BLADEs are the I/O access units that make up the WheatNet-IP audio network). We do BLADEFests periodically to test our system under real-world conditions, and for this one, we added in a few AES67 devices while we were at it.

We added AES67 devices from Genelec, Ward-Beck, Dante, and Axia into the WheatNet-IP system of 12 mixing consoles, 62 hardware BLADEs (or I/O access units), 100 software BLADEs, talent stations, SideBoards, Smart Switch panels, and software including three different vendors’ automation systems. It was all tied together through Cisco and Dell switches.

We ran the system through a series of automated torture tests that included completely rebooting the system and verifying proper operation afterward. We’re happy to say that after more than 160 reboots, not a single connection failure or loss of audio occurred. We also learned a great deal about commissioning AES67 in a plant. Here are a few major findings.

Finding #1. AES67 specifies version 2 of the IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol, or PTP. For an AoIP system to maintain timing and stay synchronized with other AES67 devices, the system timing must be controlled by PTPv2. For that to occur there must be some device in the system that serves the role as PTPv2 timing generator to which all other devices slave their timing. Standardizing timing makes it possible to re-synchronize audio to video since every packet in the AES67 audio stream carries a time stamp. Once the PTPv2 clock is running, it’s possible to begin connecting AES67 devices to the network. 

Once the PTPv2 clock is running, the system is licensed for AES67 and it’s possible to begin connecting AES67 devices to the network.

Finding #2. Before connecting AES67 devices, map out an IP and stream multicast address plan with all devices on the same IP subnet. Each AoIP vendor has their own way of allocating addresses and a plan will assure there’s no overlap and that AES67 devices will be on the same IP subnet since multicasting does not normally cross subnet boundaries. Start with the AES67 devices that are least common or least flexible in specifying or changing multicast addresses.

Finding #3. When adding an AES67 device to the network, set the system sample rate at 48kHz unless you know the device sample rate. AES67 does not require devices to support 44.1kHz and many do not. You’ll most likely find this setting option and others in the admin software that comes with the network system. For example, the WheatNet-IP audio network uses Navigator, an interface screen of which is shown below. 

Finding #4. When adding an AES67 device to the network, pay attention to packet timing incompatibilities. WheatNet-IP uses 1/4 ms packet timing for minimum latency. Most AES67 devices also support 1/4 ms packet timing but some, such as Dante, do not. For those devices that do not use 1/4 ms packet timing, we enabled the AES67 1 ms Support option in WheatNet-IP Navigator, as shown below.

Finding #5. Some AES67 devices do not offer an easy way to manually manage streaming details, although these devices often can ingest these details in the form of an SDP file. In our case, we created SDP files by simply right-clicking on the desired source stream’s name in the Navigator crosspoint grid and opening a window that let us create the file. 

Above are a few sample SDP files from WheatNet-IP and Dante showing multicast address, packet timing, sample rate and stream formats.

Overall, commissioning AES67 in most broadcast plants should be a nonevent as broadcasters begin adopting the SMPTE 2110 suite of standards. 

Andy Calvenese is vice president of engineering for Wheatstone.

Editor's note, Finding #1 was updated July 30, per author's request. 

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) today announced publication of standards, which specify the use of Kantar Media’s audio watermarking technology, for binding Ad-IDs to commercials and Entertainment ID Registry (EIDR) codes to programming content.

"This standard has been called the media industry's equivalent of the 'Universal Product Code [UPC]'" said Jane Clarke, CEO and managing director of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM). "Similar to the standardized ID that improved accuracy and efficiency for the retail consumer packaged-goods industry, Ad-ID and EIDR will enable advertising and content identifiers to remain embedded throughout the media distribution ecosystem."

The SMPTE 24TB Open Binding of IDs Drafting Group created and published two new sets of standards and recommended practices. ST 2112-10 and RP 2112-11 pertains to the Open Binding of Content Identifiers (OBID), and ST 2112-20 and RP 2112-21 relates to the Open Binding of Distribution Channel IDs and Timestamps.

Both will become building blocks for advancement of cross-platform measurement and content integration, SMPTE said. The standards, which support real-time identification of a piece of content, will mitigate inefficiencies in cross-platform video distribution and measurement workflow.

In particular, the ability to embed these IDs throughout the media ecosystems will improve the efficiency of ad agencies, media companies and marketers. Faster ad verification and audience measurement made possible by the identifiers will one day make it easier for marketers to optimize live and on-demand advertising in a manner similar to how they optimize online advertising, said SMPTE.

The identifiers also will make it easier for television networks and content publishers to offer integrated multiscreen experiences, SMPTE said.

A SMPTE Standards Drafting Group, supported by Ad-ID, a joint venture of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) recommended Kantar Media’s audio watermarking technology. It was also recommended by EIDR, an industry association operating a registry of over 1 million unique, global identifiers for digital entertainment assets, including motion pictures and television content; and CIMM, whose members represent leading content owners, large advertisers, and media buying agencies.

The new standards are available for purchase from the SMPTE digital library.

SMPTE has also made available a podcast on the standards.

AMSTERDAM—The IP Showcase will return to the IBC for the third year in a row, according to several broadcast technical and standards organizations.

The Audio Engineering Society (AES), Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and Video Services Forum (VSF) will again host the IP Showcase at the annual IBC Show in Amsterdam, Sept. 14-18.

The Showcase, which started out as the “IP Interoperability Zone” at the 2016 IBC Show, will feature vendors and broadcasters who will provide instructional and case-study presentations and an array of IP-based product demonstrations highlighting the benefits of, and momentum behind, the broadcast industry’s move to standards-based IP infrastructure for real-time professional media applications.

[Read: IP Showcase Returns To IBC2017]

Organizers say the event has been instrumental in helping the industry to galvanize behind the standards-based approach to IP. This is the first IBC show since the publication of documents within the SMPTE ST 2110 Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks suite of standards, the foundational standards for essence-based transmission of video, audio, and metadata.

“The broadcast industry reached a crossroads when it faced the choice of pursuing a standards-based approach to IP or pursuing multiple alternatives and directions,” said Brad Gilmer, executive director of the IP Showcase. “Almost unanimously, the industry chose the standards-based approach, uniting behind SMPTE ST 2110/ST 2059, AES67, and AMWA IS-04/IS-05. As we move from watching the progress of the early adopters into seeing how the industry as a whole will move into the IP transition, the IP Showcase is more important than ever.”

The IP Showcase will feature equipment displays and product demonstrations that emphasize everything industry vendors have achieved in support of IP standards and specifications. The displays will showcase the benefits IP can bring to an operation and will comprise equipment from an estimated 50 vendors — one of the most massive assemblies of interoperable IP products ever. Displays will highlight the benefits of IP signal transport and focus on SMPTE ST 2110-10/20/21/30/31/40, the SMPTE ST 2059 Broadcast Profile for IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP), AES67, and AMWA IS-04/IS-05.

The IP Showcase Theatre will provide an education resource of information about the phases of IP adoption. Vendors, broadcasters, service providers, and integrators alike will highlight their solutions to technical challenges related to the transition from SDI to IP. Choosing from a full slate of presentations on IP technology and installations, professionals ranging from broadcast/IT engineers and CEOs to TV producers can learn how to unlock the full potential of using IP for real-time professional media.

The IP Showcase will take place in rooms E106 and E107 at RAI Amsterdam during the show. More information is available at www.ipshowcase.org.

LONDON--NEP UK is making this year's Wimbledon the first Championships to be broadcast utilising SMPTE ST 2110 compliant fully redundant IP technology.

The company has installed a distributed routing system, connected by main and back up MTP fibre optic cable, to serve on and off-site domestic and international broadcasters.

NEP UK has been working with Wimbledon for 35 years, and this year is delivering IP technical facilities for its in-house production as part of Wimbledon Broadcast Services

Read: BBC To Stream Wimbledon 2018 Tennis Tournament In 4K/HDR]

Since 2014, NEP UK has provided both host and domestic coverage of the event. This year, it is providing 21 control rooms for the host broadcaster plus three for the Wimbledon Channel to serve the World Feed and archive. To support the broadcast, NEP is employing 118+ camera positions and 41+ EVS servers, plus three major OB units and a large fly-pack core to broadcast the event.

“Both the scale and range of requirements for this project are immense, from distributing directly to rights holders own MCRs, the Central Content Store, the World feed, the Wimbledon Channel and now a transmission, distribution and quality control area, as well as an additional two courts. We have also joined forces with Fletcher to provide coverage for the remaining seven courts, allowing all courts to have full coverage for the first time” said Richard Lancaster, technical project manager, NEP UK.

Paul Davies, head of broadcast and production at the AELTC added, “We have worked with NEP UK for a number of years and their experience, knowledge and expertise has ensured that Wimbledon has remained at the cutting edge of broadcast innovation throughout this partnership. This is the first year Wimbledon Broadcast Services comes into operation and we are delighted to continue to partner with NEP for a further four years and are very excited to be covering Centre Court in 4K HDR”

MELVILLE, NY--ChyronHego has released PRIME Graphics 3.0, an update to its integrated broadcast graphics platform that adds support for the new SMPTE ST 2110 standard and IP-based workflows.

The update also adds high dynamic range (HDR) 16-bit color capability, which enables the platform to deliver 10-bit HDR images in user-selectable HLG or S-Log3 formats. By supporting both HLG or S-Log3 formats, ChyronHego claims that PRIME Graphics 3.0 offers customers a future-proof solution that lets them to choose the standard they need.

This integrated broadcast graphics platform incorporates CG, clip player, video wall, graphics-driven touchscreen, and ChyronHego's NewsTicker branding solution within a single 4K/IP-ready graphics design and playout system. The video wall can automatically feed content to any size canvas, with any number of outputs, and any resolution per output.

[Read: Prime Graphics v2.6 Now Available From ChyronHego]

For news production, PRIME Graphics 3.0 integrates with CAMIO, ChyronHego's MOS-based and NRCS-connected graphics asset management solution, allowing news and sports broadcasters to extend their newsroom capabilities.

The resolution-agnostic solution also leverages advanced 64-bit GPU- and CPU-based technologies to handle the demands of rendering graphics and effects, as well as HDR-enabled 16-bit color. 

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND—Barefoot Networks and Fox Networks are demonstrating the application of Barefoot’s 6.5Tb/s Tofino switch ASIC and P4 language for use in broadcast media networks at the EBU Network Seminar, June 19-20.

The demonstration shows how Barefoot's P4-programmable forwarding plane technology and Tofino-powered switch enable the forward plane to perform packet processing functions to parse SMPTE ST 2110-20 headers and dynamically compose video from output that is switched using Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) timestamp and video row number.

"As broadcast media transmission increasingly becomes packetized with Live IP technology, having a programmable forwarding plane is crucial for enabling a rich set of network applications," said Thomas Edwards, vice president of engineering and development at Fox Networks. "With Tofino and P4, we've been able to implement custom forwarding plane functions to make intelligent switching decisions on media streams by looking into packet headers and applying rules that enable us to increase the performance and efficiency of our IP production infrastructure."

Programmable forward plane technology enables complete switch flexibility in terms of manipulating packets and making forwarding decisions. P4-programmable forwarding planes make possible use-cases that are not possible with fixed-function switching silicon, Barefoot Networks said.

This enables users to create simple and scalable packet processing pipelines to meet their specific needs. Products such as Barefoot’s Tofino make it possible for network owners and operators to build new functions and features at the forwarding plane-level and thus derive more value from their networks.

The EBU Network Technology Seminar demo builds on last year’s presentation, which showed how Fox Networks used a Barefoot Tofino switch. For this year’s demo, Fox Networks used the open-source P4 program to implement the forward plane logic. It is open-sourcing its P4 code for other use cases, including RTP header field-based packet forwarding and load balancing as well as Network Address Translation to multicast-replicated packets.

The demo is being supported by open networking experts at STORDIS, which is supplying a 64-port 100GB bare-metal switch powered by the 6.5Tb/s capacity Tofino ASIC.

EBU NTS is taking place June 19-20 from 8:30 a.m. till 6 p.m. at L'Ancienne-Route 17A, CH-1218 Grand Saconnex, Geneva. The demo can be seen at the STORDIS table in the Courchevel room on the 1st floor.

More information is available on the Barefoot Networks website. 

This is the fourth installment in a series of articles about the newly-published SMPTE standard covering elementary media flows over managed IP networks. This month, the focus is on audio transport, specifically on uncompressed, studio quality audio for broadcast applications.

UNCOMPRESSED AUDIO

The full title of SMPTE ST 2110-21 is “Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks — PCM Digital Audio.” This standard is closely related to, and heavily based on AES67, which is titled “AES standard for audio applications of networks — High-performance streaming audio-over-IP interoperability.” Although the document titles may not be totally self-explanatory, both standards are all about transmitting raw, uncompressed samples of audio signals directly within RTP/UDP datagrams using an IP network.

To understand how audio signals are packed into these datagrams, it helps to remember that each individual channel of uncompressed digital audio signal is created using a fixed sampling frequency and a fixed number of bits per sample. In the case of ST 2110-30, all senders and receivers are required to support 48 kHz sampling, at a minimum. In broadcast applications, 24 bits (3 bytes) are generally used for every sample. So, for a 48 kHz, 24-bit stereo audio pair, the raw audio data would consume 48,000 x 3 x 2=288,000 bytes/sec which equals 2.304 Mbps without any packet headers.

PACKETIZATION

An example of how audio samples are placed into packets is shown in Figure 1, where an HD-SDI signal is separated into individual IP packet streams for each media type. Video is encapsulated using ST 2110-20 and ancillary data is done using 2110-40. Two audio groups are shown — one stereo pair and one set of 7.1 surround sound (which is eight channels uncompressed). Each of these signals is packetized into a separate stream, as shown in the two rows that make up the table. By keeping the number of audio channels at eight or below for each of the two packet streams, maximum flexibility in choosing receivers is achieved, since the minimum (Level A) conformance level for an ST 2110-30 receiver is eight channels.

[Read: What SMPTE-2110 Means for Broadcasters]

Four factors control the way that audio samples are packed into the RTP packets that make up a stream, and are listed in the table within Figure 1 for each audio stream. The four factors are:

· Audio sampling rate. Most broadcast applications today use 48 kHz sampling, so all ST 2110-30 senders and receivers are required to support it. Some applications use 96 kHz sampling, and 44.1 kHz can also be found in practice, so the standards recommends that both additional rates should be supported. Other sampling rates are out of scope for the standard.

· Audio sampling depth. Because IP packets are formatted in bytes, the audio data payload must be an integer number of bytes. Therefore, AES67 and ST 2110-30 only allow 16-bit and 24-bit audio sampling.

· Packet time. This parameter indicates the timespan covered by the audio samples contained in each packet. For example, when 48 kHz sampling is used with a packet time of 1 millisecond, there will be 48 audio samples from each audio channel in each packet. Note that longer packet times increase the end-to-end latency of the audio stream (because it takes longer to fill each packet) and shorter times increase the number of packets in a stream.

· Number of channels. Normally, all of the parts of a multichannel audio signal, such as stereo or surround sound, are transported in the same IP packet stream. Thus, a 5.1 surround sound signal would have samples from six different audio channels interleaved within each packet.

A receiver relies on information contained in the SDP (Session Description Protocol from RFC 4566) in order to properly interpret the packet contents. The SDP data, which typically consists of a few lines of text, can be transported in multiple ways from a sender to a receiver. SMPTE ST 2110-30 does not define a specific way to do this. Instead, methods are being developed by the AMWA (Advanced Media Workflow Association) for use by media production facilities.

Along with the four parameters described in the preceding paragraphs, the SDP values defined in ST 2110-30 provide standard order for the individual channels within the IP packets. Two examples of this are shown in the table in Figure 1, including both the symbols that are used in the SDP file (“ST” and “71”) and their associate channel order in the last column in the table. Symbols and channel orders are defined within ST 2110-30 for other audio systems such as matrix stereo, 5.1 surround and 22.2 surround (symbols “LtRt,” “51,” and “222,” respectively).

SMPTE ST 2110-30 also defines a set of six compliance levels for audio receivers, as shown in Figure 2. To achieve compliance at a particularly level, a receiver must be able to accept any quantity of audio channels in a single stream within the range shown in the table for each combination of packet time and sampling rate. Note that only the “–X” receivers are required to support 96 kHz sampling.

COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENCES WITH AES67

One question that might be asked about AES67 and ST 2110-30 is: “Can they be made to work together?” The answer is: “Absolutely.” Because ST 2110-30 is based on AES67 and includes multiple “normative” (i.e. required) references, it is very easy to achieve interoperability. That being said, there are a few areas of difference.

First of all, ST 2110-30 receivers are not required to support SIP connection management for unicast audio signals. This is likely not an issue, since large audio networks frequently use IP multicasting to allow signals to be sent to multiple destinations simultaneously. This does mean, however, that ST 2110-30 receivers won’t be able to send or receive VoIP (Voice over IP) calls that use SIP for connection setup. Also note that RTCP (RTP Control Protocol) is recommended for use in AES67 but only needs to be “tolerated” in ST 2110-30 devices.

There are some differences with respect to how PTP (Precision Time Protocol, as defined in IEEE-1588) is implemented between the two standards. One important difference is that RTP clock offsets are not permitted in ST 2110-30. This means that AES67 receivers can work fine with ST 2110-30 senders, but that AES67 senders must not use an RTP clock offset when sending signals to ST 2110-30 receivers. There are also some differences in the specific profiles of PTP that are used in the two standards, however, the permitted ranges overlap so the two systems can be set up to work together.

One other slight difference: ST 2110 requires that every device has an option that allows it to be set in a PTP slave-only mode. When this mode is enabled, the device will never attempt to become a PTP master. This is important in large networks in order to prevent chaos when every device becomes available to take over as PTP master when an interruption in the PTP distribution system occurs. This option is not required in AES67, but should be a useful feature in many products.

HARMONIOUS SOUND

SMPTE ST 2110-30 was developed specifically to make audio as compatible as possible with video. By using the widely-accepted AES67 standard as a base, this new standard allows a wide range of existing audio equipment to harmonize with the rest of the 2110 suite.

Other entries in this series:

SMPTE ST 2110-21: Taming the Torrents

SMPTE ST 2110-20: Pass the Pixels, Please

SMPTE ST 2110-10: A Base to Build On

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SAN JOSE, CA. — Technologies that standardize media transport across the public internet and control of IP media production, as well as the new SMPTE 2110 media transport standard, were the subject of several presentations and discussions at the annual May meetings of the Video Services Forum in San Jose, Calif. The meetings, which also included live technology demonstrations, were hosted by Cisco Systems and attended by VSF members and guests from across the U.S. and around the world.

RIST [Reliable Internet Stream Transport], achieved a milestone at the meeting. Six vendors, including Cobalt, DVEO, Nevion, QVidium, Videoflow and Zixi, provided a live, multivendor live interoperability demonstration of contribution-quality video signals being transported over the open internet. RIST uses a technique called ARQ [Automatic Repeat request], where the receiver is able to detect missing packets in an incoming signal stream and request them to be automatically retransmitted by the sender. This process allows single-packet or burst errors that are not uncommon in internet transport to be corrected, allowing a clean video and audio signal to be delivered.

While a number of companies provide proprietary solutions that accomplish the same thing, RIST is the first completely open, standards-based protocol that has been independently implemented by multiple vendors. The VSF is currently putting the finishing touches on the first release of RIST, which should be publicly available in the coming months. Future enhancements are planned that will support interoperable encryption, multipoint/multipath distribution, VPN tunneling and other advanced features.

[Read: SMPTE ST 2110-21: Taming the Torrents]

The initial version of the RIST specification is nearing completion (as evidenced by the successful interop demonstration during the May VSF meetings) and should be released in the coming months. Discussions are also underway for potential future public demonstrations of RIST technology at industry trade shows later in 2018.

NMOS [Networked Media Open Specifications] is rapidly becoming a necessity for IP-based production systems. These are being developed under the auspices of AMWA [Advanced Media Workflow Association], but they have featured heavily at the VSF, including a live interop demo at VidTrans in February. While the signal formats for uncompressed video and audio have been published as SMPTE ST 2110, these mechanisms that are used for higher level network functions are just as important for a smooth operation. Three of the NMOS specs were discussed in detail during the VSF meeting:

• IS-04 for Registration and Discovery was released first, and covers the procedures that devices use to announce their presence on a network and to figure out which other devices are also present on the network. This is an important first step in any process for network management — without knowing the identities of the devices on the network, it is impossible to manage or communicate with them.
• IS-05 for Connection Management was released last fall, and covers the procedures that endpoints (cameras, servers, displays, etc.) use to set up connections to other endpoints to send or receive specific signals. Since each media type (video audio, metadata) is sent as a separate stream in SMPTE ST 2110, making a connection can involve managing multiple IP packet streams and addresses.
• IS-06 for Network Control is the newest of the bunch, and is set to be released in the near future. It covers the messages that networking equipment such as Ethernet switches and IP routers need in order to route signals through the IP communications fabric. This is not trivial: connections frequently need to be managed to ensure that the underlying data circuits (often 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps Ethernet links) are not overloaded.

NMOS is significantly different from most of the previous control and monitoring mechanisms used in video production facilities in that it is not a wire-based message protocol, like the many common ones based on RS-422. Since every IP media endpoint (by definition) has an IP network interface, it makes sense to use more advanced, web- and network-friendly protocols and interfaces, including HTTP and RESTful APIs. Accordingly, NMOS does away with defining its own signaling protocol, and instead uses widely-accepted industry standards. This also makes NMOS much easier to integrate with systems that extend beyond a single facility, including remote production venues and cloud-based content processing applications.

Several other technical topics were covered during the VSF meetings. The SVIP [Studio Video over IP] team hosted a panel discussion about a forthcoming VSF specification (TR-05) that will define a set of commonly used IP video formats that are intended to serve as precisely specified interoperability profiles. The JPEG 2000 Ultra Low Latency project is also wrapping up, which adds a new set of profiles to TR-01 that allow a complete JPEG 2000 encode/decode cycle to take place in 6 to 8 milliseconds, instead of the current specification’s 100 milliseconds or more. Attendees at the VSF meeting were also treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of Cisco’s corporate television facility, which is responsible for producing hundreds of events for internal and external audiences.

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In this sixth of six installments related to the 2018 NAB Show, colleagues Roger Sherwood, Global Industry Director of Cisco’s Media & Entertainment group, and technology communications specialist Leslie Ellis –who’ve covered umpteen millions of square feet of trade shows—talk shop. The question they’d been posed was this: “Talk about things you’d only know or see because you’d been there; stuff you won’t find online.”

Leslie Ellis: I think I’d start with the “numbers behind the numbers” that Josh (Stinehour) revealed at the Devoncroft conference, about NAB exhibitors over time.

Roger Sherwood: You mean the bit about how one major exhibitor purchased 41,950 square feet of space at the 2005 NAB --and 9,900 square feet this year?

LE: Yes. Hello, industry consolidation! And what puts those numbers in perhaps even sharper contrast is that NAB is one of the remaining gathering places for “video people” in general. So many other trade shows have shut down. As a result, it seems like a lot of adjacent communities are seeking and finding ways to “bundle in” with NAB.

RS: There was a lot of “show within a show,” too –all of those mini stages sprinkled around the various show floors.

LE: Three that I counted, probably more.

RS: This isn’t news by any stretch, but I loved when John Stroup (CEO of Belden) said how they’ve seen so many other industries “go digital” –manufacturing, retail, and so on— but that media and entertainment is the one of the last to go fully digital. I loved it because it reiterates something we’ve been seeing for several years now.

LE: As you know, I live mostly in the industry we used to call “cable,” and from that prism, sometimes it seems like déjà vu, when listening to broadcasters talk about where they are along the continuum of “IP transition.” It feels like about a three-year gap.

RS: The other one that really stood out to me, and again from the Devoncroft conference, was the whole thing about how “remote production” had risen to No. 4, from somewhere far lower than that, in their list of most important tech trends, [which was] defined as “not where you spend money, but what will have impact.”

LE: Right! That was on my list, too. And then that supporting quote from Michael Harabin (President, Gearhouse Broadcast) –“I saw all those trucks pulling out there for production … it’s like looking at dinosaurs moving around.” I’d read about trends in remote production, but I didn’t realize it was moving that quickly.

RS: Yes, that’s a biggie. And I think we both agree that the quote of the show goes to my colleague and friend, Dave Ward (Cisco CTO of Engineering and Chief Architect), with his “1-800 Save My Ass” quipo. You have the killer notes, what was the context, exactly?

LE: He had been asked “Who puts all of this together?” as it relates to the virtualization of everything. Dave said, “It goes back to who’s going to be the 1-800-SAVE-MY-ASS when something is broken… which will depend on who the end customer trusts. Who they think is actually going to answer the phone when something is broken.”

RS: And then something about how that’s us, that we’ll be the 1-800.

LE: Right. The quote was, “We’ll take the lead, the solution partners.”

RS: Speaking of field notes… did you tell me you spent some time just writing down things you heard people say in passing? Kind of like “scenes from a mall,” except in this case from LVCC?

LE: I did! I always do. I only write them down if I hear them a few times, or if they’re particularly funny or illuminating. You know –what you hear when you’re walking from one place to another. This year, the one that came up enough that I wrote it down and ended up putting six check marks behind it –so at least 7x overheard— was “I didn’t say I want it, I just want to see it.”

RS: Could apply to almost anything.

LE: Could, but, among the “bright sparkly things” this year was HDR, AR/VR, and let’s not forget the most frequently used acronym of the 2018 NAB, “AI/ML.”

RS: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning.

LE: In one of the Show dailies, I counted 25 incidences of it on a single page.

RS: You’re a weirdo. I mean that in the nicest way.

LE: Thank you. What’s next?

RS: IBC.

LE: See you there!

BRACKNELL, U.K.—NEP U.K. has rolled out Venus and Ceres, the latest in its fleet of OB trucks that are SMPTE-2110 compliant, joining NEP’s worldwide family of IP-based vehicles in Australia and the U.S. [Updated, May 15]

“We needed to replace two of our older vehicles, which gave us the perfect opportunity to invest in our first future-resistant IP capable trucks,” said Rob Newton, engineering and technical director, NEP UK. The vehicles, Venus and Ceres, will be used to televise sports and other events, NEP U.K. said.

A major benefit of the IP infrastructure is a significant reduction in cabling. Far less fiber optic cable is used than the miles of coaxial cable that otherwise would have been needed, says NEP U.K.

The ST 2110 infrastructure in both trucks is identical. Each is built on Grass Valley (formerly SAM) IQ UCP 25GbE Gateway cards that provide two-way links between IP-based equipment and existing broadband technology needed to accommodate clients using SDI feeds. The trucks can deliver dual level UHD and HD-SDI simultaneously.

[Read: What SMPTE-2110 Means For Broadcasters]

Test and measurement gear includes the Phabrix HDR and IP-enabled test and measurement solution with three Qx 12G signal generation, analysis and monitoring solutions and four Rx2000 with each providing up to four channels of 2K/3G/HD/SD-SDI video and audio analysis and monitoring.

For switching the trucks are relying on the Grass Valley Kayenne Video Production Center and Kahuna video switcher. They also include Calrec sound desks, Telex Talkback system, Arista 7504 IP switches and Axon Cerebrum control systems.

To meet the cooling requirements of the new trucks, NEP U.K. has designed the trucks with greater A.C. capacity, and all equipment can be cooled separately in operational areas.

Venus recently completed its first job, and both trucks will be supporting several major live events over the summer.

LAS VEGAS — The 2018 NAB Show is closed and in the books; with the attendance figures about 10% less than 2017 at just over 93,000 making the annual trek to Las Vegas. First impressions seemed to confirm the reduced attendance, at least to those in the Central and North Halls, as traffic seemed less than in the past. For 2018, NAB shifted many of the mainstream players back to South Upper and South Lower. The South Halls generally seemed jammed with people strolling to find the major players, at least from the broadcast equipment and content creation standpoint.

[Read: A Brief History Of The NAB Show]

For 2018, standout trends centered on the many evolving cloud-based workflows (including content and asset management, playout, and processing); the emerging applications and solutions for Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructures–based on the new SMPTE ST 2110 standards; availability of UHD/4K components (from the absurdly inexpensive to the traditional expectations); the practices of creating workflows for High Dynamic Range (HDR) and associated applications which allow users to generate both SDR and HDR; and last but not least, the true arrival of AR/VR and AI/ML … our new set of two-letter acronyms relating to virtual-reality and artificial intelligence.

IP IS HERE AND A REALITY

Perhaps the most evident of all the new technologies is the SDI-game changer — that is, real time video networking using IP.

From the IP-transition perspective, this was the first NAB since the adoption of SMPTE ST 2110 standards for managed professional media networks. Dozens of manufacturers brought many new IP‑centric products to the show. At the IP Showcase alone, 50+ vendors showed interconnected IP related products interoperating according to those standards which were produced by the SMPTE over the previous 18-24 months. Countless other vendors also amplified “IP” — regardless of what they meant by it.

[Read: What SMPTE-2110 Means For Broadcasters]

For this industry, “IP” is the new buzzword — the new direction, much like “cloud,” was only few short years ago. Yet, IP takes on many different forms — from compressed video, to media workflows, to the carriage of information technology, and — of course — those hot new entries steeped in the production and transmission of real time, full bandwidth, full bit-rate uncompressed audio-video (and metadata) in a networking environment. It seemed that without a doubt, IP is destined as an eventual replacement for SDI. Yet there still remain many hurdles to cross for full IP-adoption to be complete.

A collected endeavor of the many manufacturers who contributed to this transition was shown in the IP Showcase, found at the rear of the Central Hall. This year’s exhibit doubled in size over the 2017 NAB Show, reaching nearly 3,000 square feet. It featured a fully functioning, all IP-based video production control room staffed by volunteers and others, including students from Toronto’s Ryerson University, where presentations on IP technologies and applications were streamed live over the NAB channel.

Sponsored by the NAB and composed of trade and standards representatives from organizations including AIMS, VSF, AMWA, IABM, EBU, SMPTE and more; the showcase once again demonstrated working examples of the new IP video standards plus integration of the NMOS interface specifications. This year the showcase exhibits were arranged in an educational environment, letting visitors see and learn about the advanced capabilities of IP for professional video.

Potential IP adopters saw how 53 manufacturers addressed software-defined networking (SDN) alongside new tools aimed at diagnostics and operational management for IP implementations. Records showed some 1,030 attendees were scanned into the system as visitors.

AR/VR & MORE

Rippling down from January’s Consumer Electronics Show, held in this same location, was the enormous prominence of VR/AR (virtual and augmented reality) and AI/ML (artificial intelligence and machine learning). Throughout the show there were sessions and evolving products that support the industry’s new needs to create, manage, and deliver content to these emerging platforms. These cross-platform technologies are opening new doors, ones that are creating immersive and interactive media across social media and transmedia.

One of those “new era” production modes is that of eSports — the transformation of gaming to a real time, arena based live event. eSports attracts inventive players and is in turn changing production techniques that may show promise for aspiring new venues. This new gaming-environment (already attracting more than 40 million fans) could add far reaching opportunities for existing and future stadiums and arenas, especially when those locations are when not hosting other major league sporting events. eSports combines gaming and live “reality” television for both OTA and OTT, and pushes them into social media in a real-time domain. Look for many new programming opportunities across all forms of mobile communications and in-home entertainment.

MORE MOBILE VIDEO TRAFFIC

The biggest booth presence at NAB was Amazon — does this say something about the oncoming change? Here are some thoughts to ponder:

Program content production, ranging from long-form to user-generated short form, continues to explode — driving the technologies forward and the costs to produce that content downward. How that content is going to be consumed was a central undertone at NAB. According to Facebook’s Daniel Danker, “Fifty percent of all internet traffic is now delivery to mobile devices” and is “expected to be up to 75% in five years.”

One out of every five videos is “live” streaming. In August 2017, Facebook introduced “Watch,” a new platform for shows on Facebook. Watch is now available on mobile, on desktop and laptop, and in Facebook TV apps. Shows are made up of episodes — live or recorded — and follow a theme or storyline. And this is not where the story ends.

This, and dozens of similar stories, may indeed help drive the growth of the internet upward and outward. The NAB Show clearly showed this transition moving faster than ever, and the change is at a global level — noting that 73% of the homes in Sweden have 100 Mbps internet full time. All the service providers see this only accelerating the full adoption of mobile video communications and technologies like ATSC 3.0.

UHD, HDR & HFR

Continued emphasis on UHD was also echoed by the adoption of high dynamic range (HDR) and high frame rate (HFR). Several companies exhibited various means and methods to accommodate both the higher resolution characteristics of UHDTV (aka “4K”) and wider color gamut (WCG) perceptual capabilities found in HDR. Adding dimension to newer prospects, camera manufacturers and production solution providers alike are now making strong inroads into HFR video and the ability to produce both HDR and SDR (standard dynamic range aka “plain HD video”) in a simultaneous workflow.

Producing HDR and SDR, in concert with one another, comes with steeper challenges than when broadcasters moved from SD to HD video, or from stereo to surround. The complexities and processes with doing both, so that meaningful and proper images can be delivered to the consumer, showed its challenges at NAB as potential creators and users sought to understand which comes first, the HDR or the SDR — creating a sort of “chicken and the egg” perspective.

ATSC 3.0

The next generation OTA broadcast standard is complete, driving several traditional broadcast companies to develop products aimed at the initial rollouts. ATSC 3.0 is a game-changing standard designed to deliver better video and audio quality, not only for over-the-air (OTA), but also over-the-top (OTT).

Technology wise, ATSC 3.0 is an IP-based transmission standard designed on a five-layer stack akin to the seven-layer OSI stack utilized in IP-networking. The model allows for easy technology replacement and substitution as new features or developmental advances are rolled out. And ATSC 3.0 may have far reaching capabilities.

Audio improvements for ATSC 3.0 will be remarkable. Dolby AC-4, the new “next generation audio” (NGA) format, will include three Audio Element Formats: channel-based (like we have today with mono, stereo and surround); object-based (which is for immersive audio mixes) and includes audio signals and positioning metadata for customized audio programming; and scene-based, a sort of soundfield snapshot from a high-order ambisonic (i.e., a full-sphere surround sound technique) source that positions audio above and below the listener.

WHAT MIGHT 2019 BRING?

Given the significant emphasis on software, virtualization, the cloud, and the evolving flavors of audio and video imaging — plus where the internet will really take us — it is too early to figure out where we’ll be at the 2019 show. One thing is for sure though: change will continue and the industry will surely adapt. Stay tuned to see what survives and what stays as reality.

Karl Paulsen is CTO at Diversified and a SMPTE Fellow. He is a frequent contributor to TV Technology, focusing on emerging technologies and workflows for the industry. Contact Karl at kpaulsen@diversifiedus.com.

The 2018 NAB Show, along with a few lingering snowstorms, income taxes, and the alleged arrival of spring, are all theoretically behind us now -- but not without leaving a chunky trail of acronyms, at least in the case of NAB. Acronyms are a necessary evil in any industrial life, not because engineers are trying to drive us bananas with the grand geekery of it all, but because it’s just easier to say (as one of hundreds of examples) “SMPTE” (pronounced “simm-tea”) than it is to say “The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.”

Like many of us in the video realm, we attempt to keep tabs on what is a steady flow of such impressively nerdy acronyms dotting the conversational landscape. Especially those that mark the transition of pretty much everything to IP, Internet Protocol. It started with the transition of SDI (Serial Digital Interface), essentially the starting line for the broadcast transition to IP.

There’s SMPTE 2022, in the works since 2007, as a “unidirectional, IP-based protocol for the transport of real-time video, audio and ancillary signals … in particular, a method for the encapsulation of the payloads of a variety of existing SMPTE serial digital video standards.”

The new one (to me, anyway) this year was SMPTE 2110, which builds on 2022 by unpacking each part of a signal (the video, the audio, and any ancillary data) into different IP streams, instead of being rolled together into one big transport stream. Each individual stream contains its own time stamp, which can be used at the receive end to line everything up so that it plays out correctly. (So, kind of like the IP version of lip sync.)

As someone much smarter than me took the time to explain in Las Vegas (thanks again, Subha!), SMPTE 2110 spans three pillars. The first: Off-the-shelf switching, as in video switching, so that broadcast and media providers can get away from buying big, all-in-one, monolithic switches. The reasoning: The inputs to any video switch tend to scale at different rates, dynamically. Therefore switches need to be able to also scale at different rates, dynamically.

Which brings up the second pillar: The ecosystem. One of the highlights at the Central Hall this year was the (always crowded) IP Showcase, where 56 suppliers representing the broadcast landscape came together, again, to demonstrate their collaborative work to interoperate -- not just as a “plug fest,” but more this year at an operational level. Background: That IP Showcase tends to move back and forth, across the Atlantic, from IBC to NAB and back again; that will be the case this September, in Amsterdam. It’s kind of assumed, by now, that one piece of gear can link to another, and they’ll both work as intended. This year, it was more about that next step -- how to make it work in real life, so that the people operating it can do so with relative ease. Meaning that their day-to-day, business-as-usual life stays reasonably the same, unfettered with the drudgery of relearning new ways to do the same things.

Last not least, SMPTE 2110 is further evidence of virtualization. Taking big, “bespoke” things, and unthreading them into their digital core. Maybe it’s an API (Application Program Interface) for a software-defined network (SDN) that gets teased out, standardized, open-sourced, and offered out to the community.

In theory and in practice (so far), SMPTE 2110 makes it easier for broadcast and media people to do more things, more quickly; to be more Internet-like. One example that came up over and over again was 4K video, already widely available on the display end (as evidenced in every consumer electronics store leading up to the Winter Olympics). Or prepping a venue to shift from, say, the Madonna concert on Saturday night, to the soccer match on Sunday afternoon. Or outfitting a control room for a multi-site production, without having to re-encode video multiple times.

So what does it take for the industry to be SMPTE 2110 ready? At the most basic level, it’s about those acronyms that are getting all broadcast applications and gear “souped-up” for IP. The next step is about how to work in that 2110 environment. What changes are necessary, in traditional broadcast operations, to accommodate the dynamic scaling of inputs and outputs?

The work of it is all shifting towards operating in IP. And scaling a network that previously would transport a few monolithic flows, but now has multiple IP-based flows -- all going to different end-points, but needing the precise timing to maintain broadcast accuracy and fidelity. If you visited the Cisco booth, for instance, it is that level of operations which were on display. You can find out more about that here. And you can be certain that in September, on the other side of the Atlantic, we’ll be talking more about operating in a 2110 environment.

Until then, be well and thrive!

About the Author: Leslie Ellis is a respected “technology translator,” known in cable and telecom circles for her award-winning, 20+ year “Translation Please” column in Multichannel News. She took on this Cisco-sponsored pre-NAB series to point out common and frustrating obstacles, for anyone on the sliding transition toward “being more Internet-like.” It is less of a comprehensive representation of available options and more a glimpse into what’s worrisome, on a day-to-day basis for engineers and IT people who work in media and entertainment.

LAS VEGAS — Aperi Corp. will display native IP sports technology for live remote production at the 2018 NAB Show, along with a new SMPTE 2110 network security application.

With a focus on live IP Media Function Virtualization (MFV) solutions, the company will present case studies profiling how top U.S. sports leagues and others use its virtualized technology to link venues and production bases to form practical, live remote production workflows, as well as how it can also benefit complex distribution applications.

[Read: Aperi, Video Clarity to Test H.264 Compression at VidTrans 2018]

Aperi will also show a new SMPTE 2110 native firewall app (with up to five in a single RU) to support 128 bidirectional flows of content per microserver; a suite of 2022 gateway and standard codecs, including H.264 and J2K; and a new TICO 4K compression app. They will also show a new single-RU multiviewer app that monitors hundreds of IP inputs, while creating five independent outputs in IP, SDI or HDMI.

Visitors will also see the latest V-Stack, now with expanded functionality to support multiple processes, such as feed monitoring, content logging, license management, as well as third-party orchestration and control systems. Aperi’s A2101 real-time dense network-edge media processor and gateway server, applicable to mobile production facilities and local-loop networks, will also be featured.

Aperi Corp. will be in booth SU11710.