View Level 3 Legacy Releases
Sony and CenturyLink Complete World’s First Transatlantic SMPTE 2110 IP Live Transmission
Simulated Live Broadcast Yields No Discernable Operational Latency; Demonstration Available at This Year’s NAB Show in Las Vegas
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to Google+Share to LinkedInShare to Pinterest
LAS VEGAS, April 9, 2018 – Sony and CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE:CTL, news, filings) today announced the successful completion of a test to determine the operational latency of a long-distance Remote Integration (REMI) connection between New York and London. Broadcasters today are challenged to meet an ever-growing demand for video content at the lowest cost possible. However, remote production workflows, which reduce costs, can often result in operational latency when content travels internationally. As part of this test, the companies simulated a live broadcast for a global news organization, resulting in the world’s first transatlantic SMPTE 2110 IP live transmission. The simulation yielded no discernable operational latency on the video sources.
The entire REMI environment was built on the SMPTE ST2110 standard with Sony IP equipment. An XVS-8000 switcher was outfitted with 40GbE I/O cards running special firmware that supports ST2110. Other signals were handled by special gateway cards that converted them from SDI to ST2110.
“This test proved that, even when the switcher processor and control panel are separated by significant distance, a technical director doing a REMI operation would see negligible latency on the link in their video sources between sites,” said Deon LeCointe, senior manager, IP Solutions for Sony. “It also proved that now, Sony can deliver SMPTE 2110 REMI products residing anywhere when connected via IP with appropriate network connections.”
In addition to transmitting audio, video and control signals between New York and London, the test also effectively “separated” the XVS IP-based switcher between the switcher’s processing in New York and the control surface in London. With the resource-sharing capabilities of the XVS series switchers, users can split one processor into multiple logical switchers, enabling simultaneous production operation from the same hardware.
For example, in actual use, the same switcher can be used to run concurrent shows in New York, then used by the control room in London or anywhere else in the world.
“Given the global nature of video, CenturyLink is always testing new methods to provide broadcasters with easier, faster and more cost-effective ways to deliver their content across long distances,” said Bill Wohnoutka, vice president of Global Internet and Content Delivery Services at CenturyLink. “Through this work with Sony, we’ve created an IP-based platform that can reduce the amount of equipment needed and dramatically simplify the production workflow.”
Typically, a news organization would need a control room and a switcher for every show – a “one-to-one” relationship. Now, that resource can be shared across multiple programs, and with IP, can be shared across multiple bureaus and locations.
“Now our customers can manage multiple productions from one central location that houses their switchers, CCUs, graphics and replay,” said LeCointe. “This can be done across the U.S. or international time zones. It’s a concept we call our Remote Production Solution, which provides ubiquitous access and seamless operation of a remote production.”
This Remote Production Data Center concept will be demonstrated by Sony and CenturyLink at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas, April 9-12. The demonstration will take place in the Sony booth, C11001, and show a live connection between Las Vegas and Atlanta.
PR Archives: Latest, By Company, By Date