Imagine Communications Cassidy Phillips argues that IP systems built on COTS hardware and SMPTE ST 2110 standard are not a science project
By Contributor
Published: July 5, 2022
Imagine Communications' Cassidy Phillips argues that IP systems built on COTS hardware and SMPTE ST 2110 standard are not a science project
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
IP, SMPTE ST 2110, 4K, UHD, remote production. These are tech terms that have headlined white papers and webinars across the electronic media industry for the last few years. What I want to talk about is real-world, practical applications that show these technologies are ready and relevant not a science project.
It was back in 2018 that Imagine Communications was the lead technology partner on two major ST 2110 UHD projects: the 24/7 production and broadcast centre for QVC Japan and the live production truck for tpc Switzerland.
While QVC and tpc are both forward-thinking media organisations, they embarked on these projects not simply because they were at the bleeding edge of technical development, but because they believed this new architecture was technically practical and made good business sense.
Three years of solid, consistent, reliable output later, what can we learn from the experience?
Scaling up and out Today, the capability for UHD production - 4K and high dynamic range (HDR) - is expected at the top end. Major sports and cultural events, typical of the assignments for tpc's truck, will be broadcast in 4K today and archived for future re-use. But UHD is extremely demanding of bandwidth: four times that required for HD (even more with High Frame Rate).
This need to scale up and out is one of the biggest drivers in the move to IP. We needed to find a way to handle 12 Gb/s signals without racks full of big-iron routers, tie-lines and distribution amplifiers. Outside broadcast engineers, in particular, cannot afford the additional weight in trucks that are always close to the limit.
SMPTE ST 2110 is the answer. With it, you can fit up to eight UHD streams on just one strand of single-mode fibre. And that fibre can carry the signal as far as 40 kilometres without the need to re-amplify.
That fibre can be routed in enterprise-class, off-the-shelf ethernet switches - capable today of hosting the equivalent of a 384 x 384 UHD router per rack unit. Double that if the edge devices are bidirectional.
This means much more than just reducing the size of the switch in the truck, vital though that is. It means you can put the cameras and the production equipment at a greater distance. Any distance, given access to the fibre.
And that means remote production - cameras at the venue, control room at the broadcaster's base - is now perfectly feasible, without limiting technical or creative quality in any way. The director sees the pictures in real time; the video engineer tracks the cameras in real time; audio stays in sync with the video. The router and the production switcher act just as they always did: With smart systems engineering, the most complex system can sit under a single control panel.
Incidentally, some may try to tell you that IP is power hungry. Do not be fooled. A 512 x 512 SDI router will occupy at least 25 rack units and draw more than 9kW of power. A 2RU COTS switch will handle 768 x 768 UHD sources and destinations and draw only 3.6kW.
You may not need that much capacity now, but with a 100 gigabit ethernet switch scaling is simple. Scaling an SDI infrastructure will, sooner or later, require a significant investment in more hardware, rack space, power and air conditioning.
Proven in the real world As our friends at tpc and QVC Japan have found over the last three years, ST 2110 and COTS technologies continue to prove themselves time and again. And we continue to put the valuable experience we gained in those pioneering ST 2110 deployments to good use in customer installations around the world.
For example, we recently provided Sinclair's Tennis Channel with core infrastructure for a large-scale ST 2110 live production centre featuring a cloud-based environment for pop-up live events. This allowed Sinclair to spin up live channels around the 2021 Miami Open tennis tournament, marking the first time that any broadcaster had supported such a high-profile live sporting event via live real-time cloud playout. They used the same platform for coverage of the 2021 French Open from Roland Garros.
In short, IP systems built on COTS hardware and the recognised SMPTE ST 2110 standard are proven in challenging real-world environments. They guarantee performance today and seamless scalability for the future. And they're definitely not a science project.
Europe Stories
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
07/08/2025
July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...
15/07/2025
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNIT...
15/07/2025
Harmonic's Hybrid, AI-Powered and Live Sports Streaming Innovations are Key ...
15/07/2025
The well-known and well-loved 4099 has been completely revamped. It features amazing CORE+ technology, which eliminates distortion and extends dynamic range, a ...
15/07/2025
Comscore Partners with HyphaMetrics to Launch Advanced Person-Level Audience Mea...
15/07/2025
Peak audiences of over half a million tune into both Kerry v Tyrone and Donegal ...
15/07/2025
PROTON Announces Production Facility Expansion Ahead of IBC2025 posted: 15/07/2025
Proton Announces Production Facility Expansion Ahead of IBC2025
Alongs...
14/07/2025
Enhancing Public Service Broadcasting with
Innovation, Accuracy & Sustainability
New regional detail and local towns featured...
11/07/2025
If you've ever wondered what might be playing in Clark Kent's headphones...
11/07/2025
AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration launches two papers to guide the future of AI integration, today at the AI for Good Global Summit
The...
10/07/2025
The current holder of the prestigious Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award has been forced to stop reporting over fears for her safety in Afgha...
10/07/2025
Spotify is turning up the volume on Australian music with a multipronged initiative designed to highlight the dominance of Australian artists on the global stag...
10/07/2025
This is not a drill: Oasis is back on the road-marking its first live performanc...
10/07/2025
The music industry depends on fresh ideas, bold voices, and emerging talent. Yet across the U.K., too many young musicians lack the space to develop their craft...
10/07/2025
10 Jul 2025
VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing Kyiv, New York, Dubai, and Philadelphia - July 10, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq:...
10/07/2025
Thursday 10 July 2025
The Very Small Creatures
Jaime's Treetop Tales
Emerald
BooSnoo! Christmas Mashup
Pip & Posy's Spooktacular Party
The Very Sm...
10/07/2025
Thursday 10 July 2025
Brand new rewards are coming to Sky customers, with free ...
10/07/2025
Comscore Achieves Full JIC Certification for National TV Measurement Including...
09/07/2025
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Sky Broadband now has the UK's fastest broadband spee...
09/07/2025
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple's senior...
08/07/2025
In an era where digital threats to journalists are becoming increasingly aggressive and widespread, MediaSafe Africa launches as a vital online resource to help...
08/07/2025
This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women's ...
08/07/2025
UKTV today announces that Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer at UKTV and Global Director of Acquisitions for BBC Studios/UKTV, has decided to step down fro...
08/07/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - July 8, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a reco...
08/07/2025
Arvato Systems Optimizes Customer Communication with AOK Niedersachsen
New project in the statutory health insurance sector
Arvato Systems and AOK Niedersach...
08/07/2025
On August 7, Apple Arcade is adding four exclusive games to its diverse catalogue of more than 200 fun games for players to enjoy, all free from ads and in-app ...
07/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Ignites AX 2025 with Star-Studded Panels, Exclus...
07/07/2025
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA As Apple Music marks its 10th anniversary this year, Apple unveils its most ambitious creative project to date: a brand-new state-of-the...
07/07/2025
RT has announced that Mark Bignell has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Comedy following a public competition. This senior editorial position will drive...
04/07/2025
The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...
04/07/2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8
Further...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
02/07/2025
Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...
02/07/2025
02 Jul 2025
VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement Dubai, July 1, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON ), announces ...
02/07/2025
Brand new factual series follows mechanic and self-taught engineer Dom Chinea as he makes the move of his life to the far west of Cornwall
UKTV today announces...
02/07/2025
Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M ...
02/07/2025
Wuppertal July 2, 2025
Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for S...
Imagine Communications Cassidy Phillips argues that IP systems built on COTS hardware and SMPTE ST 2110 standard are not a science project
