Imagine Communications Selenio, Panasonic KAIROS Enable Hybrid SDI/IP Live Production

Imagine Communications
(Image credit: Imagine Communications)

TORONTO—Integrators have begun using the Imagine Communications Selenio Network Processor (SNP) software-based processing platform to provide a high-density on- and off-ramp for the Panasonic KAIROS IP live video production platform, Imagine Communications said today.

“Today, live production companies are striving to achieve maximum benefits from the move towards an all-IP infrastructure without the need to dispense of existing hardware, and implementing proven, hybrid solutions helps to ease the transition,” said John Mailhot, CTO Networking and Infrastructure at Imagine Communications.

“The seamless interoperability between the SNP and KAIROS is a perfect example of this type of solution," he continued. "We have already seen a number of successful SNP/KAIROS implementations delivering tangible operational and commercial benefits.”

The 1RU SNP platform offers a broad range of processing functions, handling conversions between SMPTE ST 2110 and SDI, including 12G-SDI, up-, down- and cross-conversion between HD and UHD and SDR and HDR, Imagine Communications said. 

It also offers an HDR-capable production multiviewer personality, SNP-MV, which can integrate content from different video formats and HDR systems into a consistent display environment. The latest SNP release incorporates JPEG XS compression capabilities, it said.

Panasonic’s KAIROS platform offers an open architecture system for live video switching with complete input and output flexibility, resolution and format independence, maximum CPU/GPU processor utilization and ME scalability. As a native IP, ST 2110 system, KAIROS supports transitions to live IP workflows, the company said.

When used with KAIROS, the SNP platform can convert a large number of SDI sources, multiplexing them onto a single fiber connection, eliminating the complication of a COTS switch. This set up could be used in applications where KAIROS and the SNP platform are spread far apart, such as in OB production or on campus installations, it said.

Imagine Communications is a KAIROS Alliance Partner. The alliance encourages vendors to collaborate in areas like SMPTE ST 2110 interoperability and device connection verification.

More information is available on the Imagine Communications website

Phil Kurz

Phil Kurz is a contributing editor to TV Tech. He has written about TV and video technology for more than 30 years and served as editor of three leading industry magazines. He earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.