IP Studio Infrastructure

ALEXANDRIA, VA. Internet Protocol technology is commanding attention across the broadcast television ecosystem. Understanding exactly how and when IP technology will impact a given business model depends on your individual situation, but developing an understanding of IP technology and how it fits different workflows is critical.

How is IP technology changing broadcast television? How quickly will the technology progress? How will IP capabilities enhance various operational models? Broadcasters are attempting to answer these questions now and coming up with other questions along the way.

The speed of traditional broadcast television technology, however, has not kept up with the accelerated network speeds and bandwidth. Why? Because Moore's Law only applies when it makes business and economic sense to fund continuing technological development. Therefore, Moore's Law favors investments with higher returns. In broadcast, at least so far, this hasn't been the case.

Bandwidth in Mbps over time. IP bandwidth outpaces SDI. Projected LAN and data center bandwidth needs exceed nominal broadcast data rates as well.

Although the speed of traditional broadcast technology lags behind that of IP technology, the need to manage an increasing amount of content continues in the broadcast world (i.e., multiple formats, video-on-demand, OTT, etc.) as the market jockeys to identify the best way to accommodate viewer tastes. Higher quality content (HD, 4K and beyond) requires more horsepower to distribute throughout and between broadcast plants.

To remain efficient and satisfy demand, broadcasters will need to choose the technology that has already demonstrated its ability to support the bandwidth that broadcasters require. In the long term, the current SDI standards simply do not provide an affordable and sustainable solution.

IP technology is not necessarily an inexpensive technological road to take. However, the rate at which IP technology accommodates more and more content is simply impossible to ignore and any industry that is as reliant upon the movement of high bandwidth data as broadcast is must embrace it. Adopting IP empowers broadcasters with scalable flexibility and speed that would be otherwise unaffordable were it not for the trillion-dollar ecosystem driving the developments of IP technology.

The velocity of the IP train is mind-boggling the question isn't whether to get on, it's how to get on while it's moving so quickly. IP technology is about adopting the two largest open standards in the world, Ethernet and Internet Protocol, into an environment that has traditionally been based on SDI technology. It is about exploiting a rich ecosystem of third-party products to build a content factory that is agile and competitive.

The Internet has torn down the barriers of entry for media distribution and enabled the development of new business models and content delivery strategies that have increased competition for viewers.

THE BUSINESS CASE

There are multiple advantages when considering IP technology for broadcast, but none is more compelling than agility. The operational advantages of IP technology simply offer better return on investment.

Broadcast television operations are the factories that drive the medium and IP technology improves employee productivity. Going forward, IP technology will change the way video is produced. IP data transport not only provides a way to move media from point to point, but also enables carriage of additional, time-varying data related to the media itself.

Tomorrow's data center will feature optimized use of time-aware switch fabric.

For example, a camera has a fixed location. As the video is recorded, additional dynamic information related to the recording can be included in the metadata. This data can then be used to generate and render real-time graphic enhancements or event-specific graphics. As a result, follow-on productions are richer, and offer more value.

This is the real value of IP. In the IP future, metadata may become at least as valuable, if not more valuable, than the actual video being captured. IP technology handles metadata in ways that power creativity, through time-aware, data-rich applications that can't be handled in SDI.

WORKFLOW CHAIN

Camera, router, server, signal processing, production switcher, multiviewer: This is the workflow chain that enables live production and is the engine that drives broadcast.

Many plant operations do not require a vertically accurate switch, but for live production this requirement is an essential piece of the system design. So, this is a critical factor to consider when discussing a major technology change in one of the most critical workflow segments a broadcaster has to manage.

Interoperability is another workflow consideration. Providing interoperable IP technology across many, if not all, elements of a broadcast workflow ensures tight integration that leads to efficiency and flexibility. This is crucial to today's broadcasters because it enables their ability to multiply their output to smoothly and efficiently monetize their content. To enable smooth IP configurations, components in the workflow need to be built on open standards and prepared to interact well with technologies from multiple suppliers, providing users the opportunity to work on a common interface.

The broadcasters who deftly balance their priorities to strategize these key workflow considerations will have a greater chance for a successful IP migration. The finer points of how this can be accomplished are outlined in some detail below, as well as in the paper, The Path to IP, available at http://host.msgapp.com/af2?LinkID=CH00095818eR00000474AD.

FOUR PILLARS OF IP DESIGN

ONE: GATEWAYS

In the real world of television operations, moving to IP will be a gradual transition. So, protecti

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