The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is supporting the work of the LiveIP Project, in advancing the transition to open protocols for media over IP in television broadcasting.
LiveIP is a multi-vendor system integration to showcase IP-based live TV broadcast production, and a collaborative project between the EBU (European Broadcast Union) and Flemish Belgian public broadcaster VRT, within which AIMS member companies, EVS, Grass Valley, Lawo, Nevion and Tektronix, are industry technology partners.
Formed in August last year, LiveIP implemented a live TV production studio at VRT’s Brussels production centre, using state-of-the-art IP and IT-centric hardware and software. Subsequently, on 15 January VRT successfully accomplished a trial remote production of a live musical concert over IP; the world’s first remote, live multi-cam TV production over IP, using entirely open standards (SMPT2022-6, AES67, PTP and OPENFLOW), across the whole production chain.
An outside broadcast unit at the Bozar concert hall in the city centre was connected to the VRT production studio five kilometres (three miles) away via IP, using just a single dark fibre cable. Signals from four IP cameras, 10 microphones via an IP stagebox, intercom, cam control, tally, internet and more, were transmitted via the 10 kilometre cable at 25Gbit/s. The trial proved the capability to remotely produce live broadcast events via IP, without the use of an OB vehicle.
Commenting on the success of the trial for VRT, Karel De Bondt, project manager for LiveIP, stated that, “All signals were transmitted via the single cable without noticeable delay, such that technically, there was little difference between an OB truck and a remote production room.”
The multi-phase LiveIP Project is part of VRT Sandbox, an international joint platform for collaborative innovation, put together by VRT, EBU and iMinds. Industry technology partners participating in the project provide all the elements of a live production chain driven by IP; these include Axon, Dwesam, D&MS, EVS, Genelec, Grass Valley, Lawo, Nevion, Tektronix and Trilogy.
AIMS endorses the work of LiveIP as a primary example of the growing momentum in the broadcast and media content industries towards the adoption, standardization, development and refinement of open protocols in the transition to a fully IP based workflow, as described in the AIMS Roadmap, with support for SMPTE 2022-6, AES67 and VSF recommendations TR-03 and TR-04.
Speaking to the significance of the LiveIP remote production over IP trial in this process, AIMS Chairman Michael Cronk said, “The LiveIP Project is a major proof of concept of just how far the industry has already moved towards a possible future based on open standards. Not only is it another proof point that a multi-camera live production can be achieved with SMPTE 2022-6 and AES-67 technology, it showcases the wide availability of SMPTE 2022-6 and AES-67 technology as ten different vendors contributed equipment to this production. AIMS is proud to stand with the LiveIP Project as it showcases standards-based interoperability over IP.”
AIMS’ efforts are focused on promoting the adoption, standardization, development and refinement of open protocols for media over IP, with an initial emphasis on VSF TR-03 and TR-04, SMPTE 2022-6 and AES67. Broadcasters and other media companies are seeking to leverage IP to increase the flexibility of their networks, help streamline workflows and improve agility to better compete in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Open standards are the key to protecting current investments and ensuring long-term interoperability.
Open standards work for the IP transition is already underway by the 74-member Video Services Forum (VSF), with the support of organizations such as SMPTE and the EBU. AIMS endorses the work of the VSF and will continue to lend support in the development of a standard approach to IP; more than 30 broadcast equipment suppliers and broadcasters were involved in the development of VSF TR-03 and companies are actively testing and validating it today.
AIMS provides specific guidance in its bylaws to its members and to the media industry via the AIMS Roadmap. The organization endorses an IP transition plan that includes support for SMPTE 2022-6, AES67 and VSF recommendations TR-03 and TR-04.
A number of solutions are already on the market to help media companies begin the transition by introducing IP components to an SDI workflow. The transition represents a significant investment and will not happen overnight. An open standards approach allows media companies to implement the technology over time and transition at the pace that makes sense for their businesses.
Membership in AIMS is available to all individuals and companies that support open standards and share a commitment to the group’s founding principles.
For more about the importance of open standards and interoperability in the broadcast and media industry, visit the alliance website at www.aimsalliance.org and download the Alliance for IP Media Solutions’ white paper “An Argument for Open IP Standards in the Media Industry.”
