After the already well-established distribution, contribution and file-based IP workflows, the next step towards an IP based infrastructure is live production. Broadcast facilities are now at the beginning of this long-term transition journey for the live production market.

Many of those involved in the industry developing traditional broadcast production networks may still have limited experience with the new technologies, protocols and standards that enable the convergence between broadcast and IP. Such a transition will take time to occur due to the current investment in the existing live production related technology and workflows.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) are hosting on their International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) 2014 booth (10.F20), anAll IP Live Productiondemonstration provided by Cisco, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and Tektronix emphasising on how multi-vendor live production architectures are today feasible, practical and easy to use by existing staff.

The demonstration highlights how a low latency Cisco Nexus 3548 based network enables the BBC R&D developed Stagebox devices to deliver video, audio, tally and remote camera control over IP between a studio and a production gallery (production control room).

Leveraging the built-inhardware support for the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in the Cisco Nexus 3548, combined with the Tektronix hybrid Sync Pulse Generator / PTP Grandmaster delivering facility reference signals and ensuring a stable timing source, this demonstration uses Stagebox as a PTP slave clock to produce the time and phase synchronisation 'Genlock' functionality that is key to live production for aligning all signals with the same required precision as found in traditional live broadcast infrastructure.

This co-operation between a leading broadcaster, infrastructure vendor and video test vendor to develop this technology demonstration provides the ideal combination of skills and experience to create such a forward looking and credible reference proposal. This is in-line with the transformation efforts across the industry and standards bodies all working to define multi-vendor Professional Media Networks built upon IT based infrastructure.

Tweet us @CiscoSPVideo if you have any questions regarding this demonstration or would like to see it for yourself.