SAM: Snell Advanced Media

“The move to IP routing in the broadcast production chain is a once in a generation change that will require IP and SDI to run side by side for some time to come,” said Robert Rowe, Snell managing director, Live TV, as the company unveiled several key product developments for its IP-migration strategy at NAB 2015. “We have a strong vision for how IP should be embraced, and at NAB we are showing IP production workflows between real-world broadcast equipment that demonstrates how broadcasters can today make IP part of their overall workflow.

“We are convinced that the use of standard IT switches and hardware is the right choice for our industry, enabling us all to take advantage of the huge R&D investment of the IT industry, while we apply our broadcast expertise to making it work for our customers simply and cost-effectively. Critically, we’re not asking customers to suffer the massive expense and disruption of replacing their existing systems or learn new skills and workflows. Our strategy involves IP-enabling existing systems alongside their SDI capabilities, using familiar control interfaces to provide hybrid SDI/IP operation without requiring any new knowledge or skills from the operator,” Rowe concluded.

The new IP developments announced at NAB are:

Quantel and Snell announced their support for Sony’s IP Live Production System at NAB. This new AV over IP interface delivers low latency and noise-free switching of HD and 4K video, audio, and metadata, as part of IP-based networking. The Sony Live Production System supports direct connection of numerous types of production devices onto the IP network via an existing Layer-3 IP switch infrastructure – exactly in accordance with the Quantel and Snell IP philosophy.

At NAB, Snell demonstrated interoperability between the Artel DigiLink DLC450 HD-SDI video over IP Gateway and Snell’s IP routing solution, demonstrating SMPTE2022-6 interoperability – something many broadcasters regards as critical to the success of IP routing in a multi-vendor world. See separate release for more details.

A Kahuna 6400 production switcher was demonstrated on the booth delivering a 10 gigabit IP stream program output encoded within the mainframe from SDI sources. Also announced was the development of 40 gigabit ‘fins’ that can handle multiple IP inputs and outputs that simply slot into the Kahuna mainframe in place of conventional SDI fins. First deployments are expected by May 2015 for proof of concept with selected Kahuna customers prior to general release later this year.

A Sirius 800 multi-format router was demonstrated switching 40 gigabit VC2 encoded IP streams. As with the Kahuna IP development, first deployments are expected mid-year for proof of concept with a number of Sirius customers with full product release slated for Q4 2015.

Two new modules were shown at NAB – IQMIT00 and IQMIR00 – the former for SDI to IP encoding for up to 12 streams, the other for IP to SDI decoding, also for up to 12 streams. Both are available now.