WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS FOR MEDIA ORGS LOOKING TO SHIFT FROM SDI- TO IP-BASED SYSTEMS FOR VIDEO AND AUDIO DELIVERY?
DARREN GOSNEY: With standards like SMPTE 2110 now widely embraced, broadcasters and production companies’ confidence in building uncompressed 10-bit IP video systems with huge flexibility and interoperability is growing. For those still unsure about making the step, perhaps due to a lack of understanding of network engineering, we’re working to bridge that gap in a familiar way. While our IP video products can be integrated into more complex IT infrastructures, they can also be operated in point-to-point configurations or routed using our
Ethernet switch that acts in the same way as a traditional SDI-based video router.
JOHN WASTCOAT: Transitioning from SDI- to IP- based systems brings benefits for broadcasters but also introduces unique challenges. In today’s cost- sensitive landscape, cloud-based IP solutions have shifted the focus from capital expenditures (capex) to operational expenses (opex), requiring a fresh understanding of how expenses can evolve over time. Though IP- and cloud-based workflows offer flexibility and scalability, a thorough TCO analysis is essential to identify related costs. IP migration can lower overall expenses, but there are often hidden costs such as egress bandwidth, compute power, cybersecurity and energy consumption that can strain budgets beyond initial fees. Careful consideration of these factors is crucial, as they can accumulate and impact budget stability. A comprehensive TCO approach will help manage these ongoing expenses, ensuring the full potential of IP and cloud technologies is realised.
A thorough TCO analysis is essential to identify related costs
so you can create custom set-ups with equipment from different suppliers. The compatibility of IP supports real-time collaboration, while its adaptability to new protocols ensures future- proofing with minimal disruption. In summary, IP offers companies all three of the benefits you have mentioned. It’s a flexible foundation for today and tomorrow, supporting current and future demands in technological advancements. CHRIS SCHECK: The general consensus seems to be that IP infrastructure is less affordable than SDI Baseband equipment, though IP exists in a variety of flavours. Open standards are necessarily based on SMPTE ST 2110, but other increasingly popular protocols are NDI, SRT and Dante. Forward-looking broadcasters prefer to base their IP backbone on ST 2110 because it’s manufacturer- and approach-agnostic and allows operators to add new tools to their network
without any changes to the network’s architecture or underlying technology. This makes it easy to scale the infrastructure as and when necessary, by adding more processing power whenever more channels need to be served or more events need to be covered. ST 2110-based IP is the foundation of reliable interoperability and is no longer limited to bespoke hardware. Lawo’s Home Apps, for instance, run on generic servers and can be used in any location that’s connected to the same Home cluster. Here, IP is also the glue that binds everything together. Apart from that, the more broadcasters adopt remote production scenarios, the more they’re able to save on travel costs and compensatory days. In the words of an Australian director: “Thanks to IP, we now have a consistent crew because we don’t travel people as much. Sure, it is great to have the cost savings and benefits that come with that, but it’s even better having a more efficient environment.”
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