2 EDITORIAL

The broadcast TV industry has been undergoing a number of key transformations and some have been era-defining , including the transition from blackand-white TV to colour TV .

Others have been shortlived — 3DTV comes readily to mind — while others , such as the transition from analogue to digital TV are slowly but surely changing the face of television and viewing behaviour .

But as IBC 2016 once again demonstrated , one of the biggest transformations to perhaps impact the broadcast industry in the near future is , arguably , the transition to IP .

For the uninitiated , this transition can be harrowing . After all , the industry is talking about relegating tried-and-tested SDI infrastructures to the role of backbencher , and for many broadcasters , numerous questions remain about the viability of IP-based broadcast systems .

For instance , how can they bring together disparate pieces of equipment from different vendors to form a best-of-breed solution to support an IPbased infrastructure ?

The answer may well lie in the creation of an industry roadmap that calls for interoperability and open standards in broadcast IP . If developments in the past months are any indicators , the very same vendors that broadcasters have been turning to will be adopting a roadmap being put together under the auspices of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions ( AIMS ).

Less than a year into its formation , AIMS has already garnered more than 50 members as it continues to advocate a common ubiquitous set of protocols for interoperability over IP .

And while ‘ unprecedented ’ may be an overly utilised word in the announcement of technology “ breakthroughs ” and partnerships , even the most stringent critic would find it hard-pressed to deny the approach of AIMS to be anything but unprecedented .

After all , this is an industry grouping featuring

companies that are essentially competing against one another in an increasingly competitive marketplace . To further muddy the waters , there are companies within the grouping that are also actively developing proprietary IP standards of their own .

While this may seem like a measured approach , it is a necessary one , because even companies who are undertaking proprietary implementations are acknowledging that , in order to be successful , the industry needs to collectively adopt ‘ one interoperable approach ’ to IP , maintained Mike Cronk , chairman of the AIMS board of directors .

He told APB that the unifying standard moving forward would be SMPTE SD-2110 , which all AIMS members , including those working on their own standards , are committed to supporting .

As IBC 2016 ’ s IP Interoperability Zone — where more than 30 companies jointly demonstrated IP interoperability — proved , broadcast IP can happen today , said Cronk .

Whether broadcasters are ready to implement full IP-based systems is a point of contention that needs to be continually addressed ; a hybrid deployment of IP / SDI may be the best way forward in the interim .

But , as Cronk advised , be bold enough to take that first step , no matter how small it may be . One can start with an IP proof-of-concept , so staff can become familiar and comfortable with the technology as there will come a time when an actual switch to IP will take place .

The transformation to the broadcast landscape brought forth by IP has begun in earnest — will you be ready for it ?

SHAWN LIEW MANAGING EDITOR

October 2016 ( volume 33 issue 9 )

EDITORIAL managing editor Shawn Liew , shawn @ editecintl . com contributing editor Millette Manalo-Burgos , millette @ editecintl . com contributing editor ( technology ) Karl K Rossiter , karl @ editecintl . com reporter Josephine Tan

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PRODUCTION production editor Zuraini Ridzwan , zuraini @ editecintl . com junior sub-editor Genevieve Chan , genevieve @ editecintl . com senior multimedia designer Raymund Jaudian , raymund @ editecintl . com multimedia designer Waldomar Zuniga , waldomar @ editecintl . com ad / office administrator Irene Lok , irene @ editecintl . com accounts manager Tan Hui Min , huimin @ editecintl . com

MARKETING director - sales & marketing Jessie Tan , jessie @ editecintl . com manager - sales & marketing Lynn Chee , lynn @ editecintl . com

CIRCULATION & PROMOTIONS executive - circulation & promotions Jotham T Lim , jotham @ editecintl . com

PUBLISHING publisher / editorial director Andrew Yeo , andrew @ editecintl . com

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