The Digital Production Partnership (DPP), the media industry’s international business network, has released AMWA AS-11 X1 - MXF Programme Contribution DPP UHD, a new technical specification for broadcasters delivering UHD programming to BBC’s iPlayer platform starting in 2019.
The new standard is based on earlier standard—AMWA AS-11 UK DPP v1.1—which the DPP worked with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA)—to develop for air-ready masters for all major UK broadcasters. The new update—AMWA AS-11 X1—brings UHD delivery to the AMWA AS-11 family of air-ready master formats. It has been written with the DPP’s international membership in mind and is designed for global implementation.
“The publication of AS-11 X1 is a significant moment for the industry, showing that the DPP and its partners continue to be responsive to the industry’s developing needs”, says Rowan de Pomerai, DPP Head of Delivery and Growth. “UHD is ready to become mainstream and its deployment is often being driven by online and OTT platforms first. We’ve worked closely with our Members to ensure that our new specification meets these needs, as well as those of linear broadcast.”
[Read: New Tech Spec For Broadcast, Online To Power Global Content Exchange Of Media]
The AMWA AS-11 family of specifications define constrained media file formats for the delivery of finished media assets to a broadcaster or publisher. In order to facilitate automated workflows, AS-11 specifications have been developed as block based, machine readable specifications.
“We are delighted to continue our close working relationship with the DPP, providing specialist expertise on the use of technology standards to complement the DPP’s understanding of the business problem.” says Brad Gilmer, Executive Director of the AMWA. “It is very rewarding to see the early work on AS-11 for the UK being used as a basis for broader adoption across the industry.”
AMWA work closely with the DPP Compliance Lab as the sole body to run a compliance testing program for all AMWA AS-11 specifications. The DPP Lab will accept products for AS-11 X1 conformance testing from early November this year.
Products that pass the test program are eligible to apply for a compliance certificate from AMWA, which will provide buyers and sellers with the confidence that DPP tested tools are technically compliant and interoperable.
AMWA AS-11 X1 - MXF Programme Contribution DPP UHD specification is first targeted at UHD deliveries to the BBC iPlayer in 2019. The DPP and its partners, including AMWA and the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), continue to extend the AS-11 family. The next additions to the family will be AMWA AS-11 X8 and X9, which will provide HD delivery formats for the North American market.
