AMSTERDAM—Grass Valley has launched the ACE-3901 Next Generation 12G Modular Agile Computing Engine and the XIP-3911-GRID firmware for the XIP Modular Processing Platform at IBC 2024.
The launches mark a significant evolution in Grass Valley’s Densité Modular Platform, offering a higher level of processing power and density for media companies navigating the migration from SDI to IP workflows, it said.
The ACE-3901 is the company’s pinnacle of modular processing. It is designed to meet the growing demand for high-density IP gateway solutions. It delivers the highest IP input/output density in the market, offering up to 400Gb IP bandwidth per module and up to 256 12G-SDI or 384 3G-SDI gateways within a single 4RU Densité frame, the company said.
It provides up to a tenfold increase in density and a fivefold reduction in cost per channel, maximizing media company’s existing SDI infrastructure while embracing the flexibility and scalability of IP technology, it said.
The ACE (Agile Computing Engine) platform is centered on the GV Media Universe, offering a seamless integration of modular devices as distributed edge processing units within a larger system. This setup allows for a hybrid approach, combining modular hardware, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computing and software to create a highly flexible and agile solution tailored to a media company’s needs, it said.
With the ability to control and configure the system from anywhere, ACE enables versatile design and management of dense media processing It can also operate as a standalone gateway and processing device offering comprehensive APIs and third-party control options for easy integration with existing systems, Grass Valley said.
The new XIP-3911-GRID firmware addresses a critical pain point in SaaS applications running on COTS servers. Grass Valley’s innovations with AMPP Grid in the last year have allowed users to go beyond processing capabilities of a single COTS server appliance, the company said.
Traditional COTS servers continue to be limited by their PCI expansion slots, often restricting SDI inputs/outputs to 12 or fewer signals. The XIP-3911-GRID solves this by providing an SDI gateway interface directly to AMPP GRID leveraging FPGA modular hardware, enabling a single 1RU server to handle up to 128 AMPP GRID signals, it said.
This innovation increases the I/O density of on-premises edge compute workflows with minimal footprint, it said.
“With the ACE-3901 and XIP-3911-GRID, we’re delivering solutions that not only address current challenges but also future-proof our customers’ investments,” said Lee Buchanan, vice president of networking at Grass Valley.
“As the market continues its transition from SDI to IP, there remains a significant volume of SDI equipment in use that cannot be immediately replaced. The ACE-3901 offers a cost-effective solution for integrating existing infrastructure with IP technology, while the XIP-3911-GRID enhances the flexibility and scalability of edge compute workflows in hybrid environments.”
See Grass Valley at IBC 2024 Stand 9.A01.
More information is available on the company’s website.
