The operational scenario addressed in the Minimum Viable System (MVS) report is the transport of live media within the broadcast plant to support a multi-camera, live studio production; specifically a live, multi-camera sports halftime show.Thomas Edwards of Fox Network Operations and Engineering said, “We chose the live sports scenario because we believe it will be one of the most challenging areas for professional Video over IP”.“If we get this right, we believe other scenarios will also be achievable.”

Among key requirements listed in the MVS is the requirement to carry video payload of any resolution up to the size of UHDTV2 (7680 x 4320), and a requirement to carry elementary essence types (e.g. video, audio, ancillary data) as separate flows.However, the MVS also recognizes the requirement to support SDI, stating that the solution should be capable of providing “transparent transport” of SDI payload bit streams over the network.

The report, which is freely available to the public, represents a concentrated effort on the part of manufacturers, users and service providers to move the industry closer to the day when IT technology is at the core of professional media facilities.Participants from all over the world met several times both in the United States and in Europe to discuss the requirements for the Minimum Viable System.

Chuck Meyer, CTO of Grass Valley said, “The MVS report points the way to what will become a very important infrastructure shift for media facilities in the future”.