for interoperability in recipient systems . There was no new development in the design of the core IMF specifications ; the definitions that were designed and built for MXF still exist in the IMF specification , and the SMPTE committee made careful decisions not to use all features of MXF , but to focus the new specification only on those file specifications that supported media versioning and distribution . Interoperability was the key driving force for the analysis and inclusion in the design .
The IMF committee went further than the MXF group — It defined IMF as a new approach to media file organization and management , in other words a new way to think about the files that support better interoperability and version distribution . There are three key ideas that IMF introduces : Component Play Lists ( CPLs ), Output Play Lists ( OPLs ) and Identifiers .
• CPLs are an easy concept to grasp - a list of the integral parts comprising a particular asset , such as the video , audio and subtitles for a specific version .
• The OPL is a set of actions - the transformations that a CPL requires for a particular version , including format conversions , digital rights management , content delivery network preparations , etc . One CPL with an OPL defines an IMF complaint version of the asset .
• A truly important concept introduced by the IMF committee is the idea of Identifiers . IMF media is comprised of many identifiers , on many different levels , and they are used to build a particular composition for a CPL , or mark segments of media or specific events on a timeline in the media . These identifiers can act like pointers , and an IMF compliant file can identify multiple sources of media to be “ stitched ” together to form a new segment for a distribution requirement .
Simple content editing , splicing in advertisements or adding pre- or post-rolls is a simple assembly chore in an IMF compliant media preparation system . These identifiers provide tracking mechanisms on many layers , and tracking tools enable workflow automation , making the process of building interoperable versions automatic with all the benefits computerization offers , making operations faster , easier , more efficient and less labor intensive . This use of identifiers also enables new processes , such as sending identified linked components to change just a part of a previously delivered IMF file .
The benefits Broadcasters realize from a unified specification are fairly straightforward . The broadcast link in the media chain is downstream from the production and distribution operations , and as IMF package delivery becomes the norm , receiving an IMF file means that the broadcasters will have a significant reduction in the computing and transformations required in preparing media for playout on linear broadcast channels . Storing identified components and assembling them for re-use in different applications only when needed saves archive space . Studies by independent consulting firms estimate up to 27 % savings in labor , storage and computing processing , which translates into significant cost reductions .
And the IMF specifications are still evolving , including the establishment of new committees to uncover uses of OPLs , as well as the Internet Media Subtitling and Captioning Protocols ( IMSC1 ) specification which is a constrained modification of the Timed Text Markup Language ( TTML ) specification to support the rendering of subtitles or captions for any frame rate . All of these adaptations to the core specifications have the ability to make IMF more suitable and applicable to our global broadcasting community . The only concern facing Broadcasters is their specialized product vendors ; as the industry learned with the first MXF efforts , vendors attempt to leverage any subtleties in the specification to create unique selling positions for their products to capture a wider market share . To combat this opportunity for divergent compliance , SMPTE is hosting “ Plug Fests ,” a seminar comprised of vendors that will use their premiere products to create IMF files and packages and have them reviewed by a panel of SMPTE experts for specification compliance verification and certification .
Is IMF important for the Modern Broadcaster ? The answer is an unequivocal “ Yes !”
Does the IMF specification completely support all of our broadcasting needs ? Not yet .
The underlying standard and the core workflows
Broadcast Beat Magazine • www . broadcastbeat . com • 41
for interoperability in recipient systems. There
was no new development in the design of the
core IMF specifications; the definitions that were
designed and built for MXF still exist in the IMF
specification, and the SMPTE committee made
careful decisions not to use all features of MXF,
but to focus the new specification only on those
file specifications that supported media version-
ing and distribution. Interoperability was the key
driving force for the analysis and inclusion in the
design.
The IMF committee went further than the MXF
group—It defined IMF as a new approach to
media file organization and management, in other
words a new way to think about the files that
support better interoperability and version distri-
bution. There are three key ideas that IMF intro-
duces: Component Play Lists (CPLs), Output Play
Lists (OPLs) and Identifiers.
•
•
•
CPLs are an easy concept to grasp - a list
of the integral parts comprising a particular
asset, such as the video, audio and subtitles
for a specific version.
The OPL is a set of actions - the transfor-
mations that a CPL requires for a particular
version, including format conversions, digital
rights management, content delivery net-
work preparations, etc. One CPL with an OPL
defines an IMF complaint version of the asset.
A truly important concept introduced by the
IMF committee is the idea of Identifiers. IMF
media is comprised of many identifiers, on
many different levels, and they are used to
build a particular composition for a CPL, or
mark segments of media or specific events on
a timeline in the media. These identifiers can
act like pointers, and an IMF compliant file
can identify multiple sources of media to be
“stitched” together to form a new segment for
a distribution requirement.
Simple content editing, splicing in advertisements
or adding pre- or post-rolls is a simple assem-
bly chore in an IMF compliant media prepara-
tion system. These identifiers provide tracking
mechanisms on many layers, and tracking tools
enable workflow automation, making the process
of building interoperable versions automatic with
all the benefits computerization offers, making
operations faster, easier, more efficient and less
labor intensive. This use of identifiers also enables
new processes, such as sending identified linked
components to change just a part of a previously
delivered IMF file.
The benefits Broadcasters realize from a uni-
fied specification are fairly straightforward. The
broadcast link in the media chain is downstream
from the production and distribution operations,
and as IMF package delivery becomes the norm,
receiving an IMF file means that the broadcasters
will have a significant reduction in the computing
and transformations required in preparing media
for playout on linear broadcast channels. Storing
identified components and assembling them for
re-use in different applications only when needed
saves archive space. Studies by independent con-
sulting firms estimate up to 27% savings in labor,
storage and computing processing, which trans-
lates into significant cost reductions.
And the IMF specifications are still evolving,
including the establishment of new committees
to uncover uses of OPLs, as well as the Internet
Media Subtitling and Captioning Protocols (IMSC1)
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