IP: inevitable, integral & invaluable
Although IP and 4K/Ultra HD have yet to be
widely adopted across the broadcast industry,
interest in these emerging technologies has
continued to spike in 2015, and is likely to
continue on an upward trajectory in 2016.
Shawn Liew reports.
By all accounts, 2015 has been a
challenging, and indeed, reflective year
for the broadcast industry. As consumer
viewing habits continue to evolve, the role
that traditional broadcast TV has to play
continues to be reviewed meticulously.
How can broadcasters continue to
be relevant to their viewers, and critically,
stem the over-the-top (OTT), video-on-
demand (VoD) tide to lure eyeballs back
to linear TV?
In re-defining and re-inventing
business models, how can broadcasters
effectively deliver the right content to
the right audiences while getting the
maximum ROI for their technology
investments?
For regular visitors of some of the
most prominent broadcast shows
around the world, such as NAB, IBC,
BroadcastAsia and Inter BEE, to name but
a few, the key buzzwords of 2015 have
been undeniably: 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) and
IP.
www.tw i t te r.co m/AP B_ News
While opinions continue to be
divided over how soon, and to what
extent these emerging technologies will
become mainstream, 2015 has awakened
broadcasters to the possibilities offered by
both 4K/UHD and IP.
As to where exactly 4K/UHD and
IP stand today, an industry veteran APB
spoke with recently provided perhaps a
fitting analogy. He told APB: “When HD
was first introduced, it was an island in
a sea of SD. Today, 4K/UHD and IP are
islands in a sea of HD.”
IT’S IP EVERY WHICH WAY
In the 2014 edition of APB’s Broadcast
Technology: Trends and Insights
supplement, we discussed the increasing
role that IP has to play in the broadcast
ecosystem, and how IP can be integrated
into existing broadcast workflows as a key
component.
A year on, the discussion on IP has not
diminished; on the contrary, it has grown
louder. Particularly in live production, a
number of high-profile trials and proof-of-
concepts have gone some way to show
that IP-based live broadcast production
can be a reality.
Many of the leading broadcast
equipment manufacturers in the world
have also made it a priority to ensure
that broadcasters are prepared for the
transition to IP.
Imagine Communications, for example,
advocates and supports a “Your path, Your
pace” approach that enables broadcasters
to move to IP at a gradual pace.
This strategy includes leveraging
a hybrid SDI/IP environment that
enables media companies to fully
In live production, a number of high-profile trials and proof-of-
concepts have gone some way to prove that IP-based live broadcast
production can be a reality. Many of the leading broadcast
equipment manufacturers in the world have also made it a priority
to ensure that broadcasters are prepared for the transition to IP.
www.ap b - news .co m
1