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This Case Study describes how AMP VISUAL TV using Riedel’s MediorNet achieved their objectives. It looks at the design considerations and advantages of using a decentralized routing system as well as the savings that were made in infrastructure cabling cost and weight.
The video infrastructure business looks very different after a year of unprecedented upheaval that has seen three previous heavyweights effectively quit the business and a fourth acquired by a major telco equipment maker. Although the four deals have different dynamics, they are all underscored by the disruption of OTT and migration to cloud based IP services, coupled with the relentless rise of mobile video consumption.
Once, while visiting NBC Television studios in Manhattan’s 30 Rockefeller Center, I saw an abandoned elevator shaft with seemingly miles of different cables laced together. I took notice because it was such a rare sight — with the maze of work quite intricate and, in a way, beautiful.
Live broadcasts are seen as nirvana in terms of attracting an audience. Presenting a live event, especially sports, in real-time and high quality, draws audiences like no other content. Yet, successfully originating these broadcasts is often both expensive and complex. And unfortunately, most broadcasters no longer have the resources, either financial or technical, to stage an entire production crew and on-site production truck at remote venues.
There is an ongoing discussion in the industry of how to maintain consistent timecode and sync/genlock between systems and devices in facilities and in the field. As the transition to IP moves forward there is a need to maintain existing systems managed by genlock and tri-level sync. However IP doesn’t support either of those older technologies. Introducing PTP.
There is practically no aspect of broadcasting today that is not dependent on digital technology. Videography, post production, scheduling, presentation, delivery and conditional access are all digitally controlled. The whole edifice rests on the ability to reliably store and transmit data. John Watkinson argues that this enabling technology should not be taken for granted.
It is hard to believe the vast amount of confusion that continues over cables with USB-C/Thunderbolt connectors. These cables may be the future of computing, but right now they are a big, sloppy confusing mess. The problem is cables that handle USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 all have the same connector and look alike but do different things.
The storage requirements for digital media never stop growing. Image size and resolution increases. Metadata is added to every frame. Finally, the data must live forever. All these factors and others combine to place serious demands on a production or broadcast facility’s storage infrastructure. Fortunately there is a solution.
