“As remote, distributed production coupled with efficient workflows, becomes the de-facto way of working, we will continue to propose innovations based around IP, Cloud and Imaging quality,” says Anthony Kable, Content Creation Group Manager, Sony Australia. “These are tools that enable customers to transform their business.”

Sony says it has delivered IP Live production systems to more than 120 facilities and OB trucks worldwide as of April 2021, including at Polsat and University of Alabama.

Kable adds “Over the last year, there has been an increased demand for a more holistic end-to-end IP approach. In parallel, the appetite for workflow efficiency is also pushing many broadcasters and production companies to mandate an IP infrastructure for their productions.”

With this context in mind, Sony announces two compact IP extension adapters, the HDCE-TX50 HDCE-RX50 which provide the current HDC camera line-up with IP capability in 4K.

With their high frame rate (HFR) features allowing up to 6x slow motion in HD when using with HDC-5500 and an optional license HZC-HFR50, these adapters will prove indispensable for efficient resource and asset sharing for existing HDC users. Both models will be available in December 2021.

To respond to the appetite for IP beyond 4K, Sony is also announcing its new 8K ST2110 Interface option board and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) Agent Software, both to be available in October 2021. Adding to the CCU of its 8K camera system, the new Interface board UKCU-8001 enables IP operation of the 8K system. This new optional board has already been adopted by China Central Television (CCTV) in response to increased demand for 8K in China.

For customers looking to take advantage of IP technology to transform their production, Sony's IP Live production system that now includes Nevion's orchestration and SDN control software VideoIPath, provides the means to create “reliable, scalable and flexible IP systems for convergent LAN/WAN infrastructures”.

The new version 3.0 firmware release of Sony’s IP Live System Manager, scheduled for May 2021, includes a south-bound interface to VideoIPath, thereby augmenting its existing broadcast control capabilities with VideoIPath’s network orchestration. Sony’s SDI-IP converter boards, which enable SDI devices to be connected to IP networks, will also be upgraded in September 2021 to support NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications), enabling them to be controlled by VideoIPath.

All of the above new offerings support worldwide standards and specifications including SMPTE ST 2110 and AMWA NMOS.

In order to meet the accelerated demand for remote environments, the BRC-X400, SRG-X400, SRG-X120 cameras will support the SRT protocol, bringing high quality video transmission with low latency, with firmware version 3.0, available in June 2021.

Sony’s unique Adaptive Rate Control function provides a more stable connection, optimized for the network environment and available bandwidth. Supporting RTMP/RTMPS (Real Time Messaging) Protocol, the cameras will directly stream to social media platforms with a simple and quick connection. The new application “Virtual Cam Driver for Remote Camera” is also planned to be released in June 2021, which enables remote cameras to be used as web conference tools.

Scalability And Agility In The Cloud

Sony’s Ci Media Cloud continues to add features to further enable secure remote collaboration in the cloud. Several new features, including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and advanced administrative controls, have been added to enable content owners to further protect their most valuable content. Ci’s newly added quality control (QC) features such as Source Quality Frame Preview and Frame-accurate Audio Meters enable remote teams to perform quality and compliance checks entirely in the cloud with a simple web browser – eliminating additional file transfers and content is safely secured in a single location.