The EBU is setting up interoperability testing to prepare the ground for broadcasters to migrate to IP for video contribution.
Manufacturers are invited to submit emerging products that support contribution of compressed or uncompressed video over IP, at this stage to provide information needed to ensure interoperability in future. Only then will the EBU recommend that broadcasters adopt products that take advantage of IP contribution.
Traditionally, broadcasters have used microwave and satellite feeds to deliver signals from the event location to their studio for remote live services. These are still viable methods, but IP contribution has several advantages, including more efficient workflow, better bandwidth utilization, reduced management overhead, and greater ability to ensure QoS throughout the video transport chain.
The EBU will conduct the tests in two phases — the first set taking place May 28-31 at the BBC’s R&D Research Centre in London covering the new SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) 2022-5/6 standards for carriage of uncompressed video over IP. The SMPTE 2022-5/6 standard defines a protocol for transport of real-time, variable bit rate MPEG-2 transport streams over IP networks, able to support multiple, uncompressed HD and 3D streams. It includes Forward Error Correction (FEC) to minimize packet loss for one way networks without scope for retransmission.
Then the second set of EBU tests to be held in Geneva in October 2013 will focus on video over IP compressed using the JPEG 2000 standard. JPEG 2000 is already used over several contribution networks and is the leading candidate for high quality, low latency video transport where the bandwidth for full uncompressed video is not available or economically viable.
