Broadcast Beat Magazine 2018 NAB Show Edition | Page 86
- Professional Media over Managed IP Networks
standard) to become proven and interoperable
in a demanding interactive environment. Many
would say we’re not there yet, and I see this con-
tinuing to be a hot topic at NAB.
Complex graphics is yet another area where it’s
still very commonplace to need the assistance of
a powerful GPU to render real-time, 3D images.
However virtualizing GPUs brings its own chal-
lenges. So, if you want high-end reactive channels
with complex graphics, there are still technical
and operational barriers which will take time to
overcome.
A Managed Approach
For most playout chains, the automation system is
the central touch point for operators and it should
be the center of all workflow integration into traf-
fic and MAM. All this is done in the automation
layer, but underneath this layer you need to con-
trol the entire technology base that you’re using
today. That might be best-of-breed video servers
and graphics systems that are still on the books
and performing well. We believe that that same
automation system should be capable of being
completely virtualized so that your organization
can move into the future as and when it makes
the most sense to your business. Ultimately, the
choice of what, when and how to move to an IP
and virtualized infrastructure becomes an engi-
neering decision and shouldn’t affect the rest of
your workflow, or your operators’ user interfaces.
Why jump to a completely new system when you
can have a managed evolution that allows you to
mix technologies on the same platform regardless
of where it is deployed? For example, you could
decide that channels 1 and 2, your prime channels,
still need dedicated, best-of-breed equipment.
For channels 3, 4, and 5, your thematic channels,
you might be ready to take the risk of moving
those all into a virtualized environment.
Kicking the IP and Virtualized Tires at NAB
When you take a look at the processing that
playout involves, there are a significant number
of functions required, depending on the complex-
ity of the channel. Broadcasters will continue to
look at whether or not vendors’ products have
the necessary features they require in software,
86 • Broadcast Beat Magazine • www.broadcastbeat.com
for example how they deal with watermarking,
SCTE insertion, complex audio processing, Dolby,
multi-lingual support, etc. In our experience they
are looking for a “rounding out” of functionality
so that they can see, and believe, that IP and vir-
tualized platforms can actually deliver everything
that was previously possible when things were
done in boxes cabled together with coax.
As we move towards IP and virtualization, there is
a risk that a broadcaster can become completely
dependent upon a single vendor within that
environment, and this is another key reason why
they’re all keen to see interoperability tests done.
After all, it is true that the dependencies between
vendor and the broadcaster become much great-
er in an IP and virtualized world. If you found
yourself suddenly needing a new function in your
playout facility and your chosen vendor isn’t
ready to deliver that solution in their software
environment, then you can’t simply go to another
vendor and say, “please can you plug something
in”. If 2110 doesn’t work in that instance, then it
becomes an issue.
SMPTE has been doing some excellent interoper-
ability lab tests, as has the AIMS Alliance at events
like NAB and IBC. Here large-scale interoperabil-
ity demonstrations bring various manufacturers
together —both on the production and the play-
out side—to prove that they could all exchange
video over 2110 and that it’s still possible to bolt
together a multi-vendor solution.
Thinking “Inside” the Box
Let’s not lose sight of the fact, however, that
swapping BNCs for RJ45s is ultimately still swap-
ping one cable for another. Perhaps another
development worth considering is not swapping
cables at all if you don’t have to. One of the things
we’ve done, given that Pebble Beach Systems
isn’t a 3D graphics or audio processing special-
ist company, is to partner with other specialist
companies. When we talk to most broadcasters,
we find that persuading the graphics depart-
ments to change technology is one of the big-
gest challenges. Given the importance of on-air
presentational style, the graphics people rightly
have a whole lot of sway in terms of influencing
the playout environment. So, whether you’re a
Viz house, a Pixel Power house, or a Ross house,