Ed Calverley, manager at large, SMPTE UK, discusses how organisations can help their engineers as they make the move from SDI to IP workflows
By Contributor
Published: May 14, 2024 Updated: May 15, 2024
Ed Calverley, manager at large, SMPTE UK, discusses how organisations can help their engineers as they make the move from SDI to IP workflows
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Ed Calverley, manager at large, SMPTE UK, discusses how organisations can help their engineers as they make the move from SDI to IP workflows
https://www.tvbeurope.com/ip-migration/opinion-why-its-important-to-give-broadcast-engineers-support-in-the-move-to-ip title=Share via Email class=share-email>
Any engineer who has worked in broadcast systems in the last 20 years will have at some point configured an IP address. Understanding the logic behind the numbers entered as part of that address, and what mechanisms are in place, are becoming as important to broadcast as understanding how signals travelling down wires represent audio and video signals.
Until recently, all most broadcast engineers needed to worry about was baseband' signals (a term with many varied meanings but generally referring to real-time signals carried in an uncompressed form over dedicated wires - e.g. SDI or Analogue/AES3 Audio). Modulated RF and compressed/multiplexed signals were the domain of specialist teams - much like the computer and networking hardware that has been powering post production systems were supported, in part, by dedicated IT teams.
With the move away from centralised SDI routing infrastructures, those uncompressed signals are now being carried as packets of IP data over complex networks. In order to diagnose connectivity issues, engineers can no longer trace signals flowing down coaxial cables but instead need to embrace a new set of tools providing visibility of what data is flowing down the shared pipes between network switches and routers.
Now that's not to say that all engineers need to be enrolled on Cisco CCNA training. On the contrary, that sort of education is generally only needed for those specialist Network Engineers who will directly configure and administer the networks. Broadcast engineers need to know what they don't know' enough to appreciate the design choices being made by the specialist network designers. Broadcast engineering teams should be given appropriate access to interface with the networked systems, this may include the full ability to make architectural changes as the nature of issues in a broadcast setting often demands engineers are empowered to do what needs to be done' - though in most cases, strict change management processes are essential which will allow time for the specialists to get involved and ultimately call the shots.
So back to IP media training - the world of standards published by SMPTE and others has always been a complex landscape. People can build their knowledge about standards through reading them (or being trained by someone who has), but to properly understand them people need hands-on experience, or at least to see real systems in action, especially ones which have issues. Engineers truly learn by solving problems - that's why the older generation of engineers are so valued - they've seen so many things break and have been involved in figuring out how to fix them. Nobody wants to face issues in their day-to-day work, but when they do occur, confident engineers who have some basic knowledge of how systems interoperate will do their best to poke and prod until something they do makes the situation better. Over time, engineers learn what poking and prodding has the best effect and some may fully square the circle in understanding exactly why an issue occurred and was resolved.
So, don't expect any training course to be a silver bullet that magically makes engineering teams able to support the new systems being built - but it is an important part of the journey to knowledge. Exposure to real systems and discussions between colleagues willing to openly share experiences are even more important - opportunities for this internally within companies is given (though sadly not always prioritised). External groups such as SMPTE UK promote engagement and discussion between colleagues from across the industry and should be encouraged and supported, as often a little bit of insight or a new perspective can be the key to solving long-open issues.
Changing gears a bit to talk a bit more about my experience through Q3 Media Training. I've personally delivered our standard IP Media Networks course well over 20 times now, as well as some variants based upon it. No two courses have ever been exactly the same as I keep learning more and more - both from the SMPTE standards, which keep evolving, but also from the questions and discussions I have with people through the training. Even the so-called experts' in the field are still learning. How different manufacturers implement things varies significantly and making sense of it all can be a real challenge. The IP rack in our #BigPinkDemoKit has IP Media systems (2110/PTP/NMOS) from 10+ different vendors and can demonstrate both the good and the bad. Understanding the cause of the bad behaviours has been a struggle - but one that has lead to a better understanding of what's actually going on inside the devices and the networks.
From a general training point of view we see a wide range of clients, from those who are willing to invest in giving their staff the grounding that will lay the foundation for further learning, to those with more unrealistic expectations as to what can be achieved by a short course. We aim to pack a lot into our training sessions as the concept of know what you don't know' is our number one belief as to what makes a
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
January 8, 2024
Colorfront (colorfront.com), a leader in high-performance, on-s...
07/05/2026
February 9, 2024
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning pioneer i...
07/05/2026
March 20, 2024
NAB 2024, Las Vegas - Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-awa...
07/05/2026
April 1, 2025
CINEMACON, APRIL 1, 2025 - Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming syste...
07/05/2026
June 15, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), an Academy and Emmy Award-winning de...
07/05/2026
June 15, 2025
Colorfront participated in the ICTA Barcelona Cinema Technology Summit on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Held at The Phenomena Experience, the event feat...
07/05/2026
July 1, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming systems for motion pictures, OTT,...
07/05/2026
July 1, 2025
Passion and dedication will take you places. Come with us on a short trip to the heart of India, where Annapurna Studios is living-up to the inspi...
07/05/2026
July 3, 2025
Colorfront (colorfront.com), the multi-award-winning developer of high-performance dailies/transcoding/streaming systems for motion pictures, OTT,...
07/05/2026
September 1, 2025
IBC 2025, Amsterdam - Colorfront (colorfront.com) - the Acade...
07/05/2026
April 17, 2026
LOS ANGELES - April 17, 2026 - Colorfront today announced Colorf...
07/05/2026
April 23, 2026
NAB 2026, Las Vegas - the Academy and Emmy Award-winning develop...
07/05/2026
Thursday 7 May 2026
Sky continues Sphere Abacus partnership with The Death of S...
07/05/2026
Thursday 7 May 2026
Sky Confirms Saturday Night Live UK will return this September for Series Two
Saturday Night Live UK will return for a second series, as S...
07/05/2026
Save 20% on the Sky Glass Gen 2 and Sky Glass Air TVsThursday 7 May 2026
How to watch the World Cup on Sky Glass
Tune into the World Cup on the BBC and ITV vi...
07/05/2026
Production sound mixer Dirk Sciarrotta has mixed Family Feud for 28 seasons. Thats up to 200 syndicated episodes per year, plus primetime celebrity specials - a...
07/05/2026
As audience expectations have evolved, Owen has stopped trying to hide microphones or excuse amplification. Instead, he treats sound as a fully immersive part o...
07/05/2026
Well known Irish faces pushed to the edge in new series of
Uncharted with Ray G...
07/05/2026
RT will premiere A Traveller Family, a compelling new documentary exploring the...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
Ed Calverley, manager at large, SMPTE UK, discusses how organisations can help their engineers as they make the move from SDI to IP workflows
