Analysis of Television Technology Transformation from SDI to IP Production

Abstract

The broadcast systems of today exist in two separate and largely disconnected worlds: a network-based world where audio/video information is stored and passed in the form of computer files from stage to stage in the workflow process of preparing it for distribution to the audience, and a real-time infrastructure that was designed for reliable delivery of live signals from the lens of a camera to the TV set of the viewer. New standards have now been introduced that allow these old technologies to be phased out in favor of standards-based products that offer interoperability and long-term support from multiple vendors. SMPTE 2022 and SMPTE 2110 are new global standards that will be deployed by broadcasters around the world. As bitrates increase and equipment prices drop, Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) communication technologies, both fixed and wireless alike, are pushing more and more dedicated communication systems into retirement. The sheer amount of connectors currently found on professional video cameras make some of the advantages obvious that an IP-based solution brings. New applications for TV production made possible by these features are only limited by your imagination.