Sony continues to invest in fully interoperable IP Live Production solutions by expanding its High-end Live Production solutions portfolio and offering compatibility with both SMPTE ST 2110 Media Transport standard and NMOS IS-04/05 devices discovery and management protocols on top of development of Networked Media Interface. Furthering its commitment to support open standards, Sony is adding to its range of live production system solutions. System cameras, Multi-format switchers and Production servers will support both IP and 12G-SDI interfaces to deliver ultimate flexibility. The Live Production solutions are also growing with the addition of new Remote Control Panels and a System Controller License.
New devices to accelerate the transition to IP Live Production
As the industry transition to IP continues to gather pace, Sony is introducing a new flagship Video Switcher, the XVS-9000, which will support both IP (SMPTE ST 2110) and 12G-SDI in 4K as well as a hybrid system of both, for large sporting and entertainment events. Offering up to 80 inputs and 40 outputs in 4K, and up to 160 inputs and 80 outputs in HD*, the XVS-9000 addresses the demands of advanced 4K and HD productions and the rise of High Dynamic Range (HDR) content with choice of the latest interfaces.
*The number of I/O will differ according to the interface.
The new HDCU-3100 Camera Control Unit will also support SMPTE ST 2110 in HD and offers IP capability to a wide range of system cameras, from HDC-4300 with BPU-4000 series including new BPU-4500A Baseband Processor Unit, all the way to HDC-2000 series and the HSC Fiber System cameras. This new CCU features tally, intercom and audio and video returns support all over IP on top of the regular CCU features.
Sony further supports SMPTE ST 2110 in HD for current XVS-Multi format Switchers family, while the HDCU-4300 Camera Control Unit will be supported from 2019 onwards.
Sony is also developing further SMPTE ST 2110 4K compliant products to meet growing demand for 4K Live content production. Its new BPU-4500A Baseband Processor Unit builds upon the features and specifications complete within the BPU-4500, with the addition of having an optional slot to accommodate either SMPTE ST 2110 or Networked Media Interface option boards. This provides customers with the flexibility to use either interface, depending on the system requirements.
Furthering the upgrades across its IP Live Production solutions, Sony is also enhancing its IP Live System Manager, a software that rationalises the control and configuration of the networked production devices but also the management of the network itself to meet the severe requirements of Professional Live Production over IP Networks.
The system now also supports NS-BUS, an open Routing Control protocol to communicate with other equipment and systems. This IP-based management protocol allows cross-point switching, source names and tally support from an external management system making it easy to monitor multiple streams while they are transmitted over the network at any location.
Additionally, three new control panels will be on display at the Sony stand. The MKS-R3210, MKS-R1620 and MKS-R1630, which are all controlled through IP Live System Manager and support new NS-BUS. This turns the production system into a turn-key solution for routing video and audio streams while operating in a traditional manner.
An agile and future- proof Solution
Sony’s vision to pioneer interoperable solutions that meet both present and future needs of broadcasters, whilst offering customer choice, has driven its dual investment in IP and SDI technologies.
Offering greater flexibility and wider choice to customers, Sony is expanding its 12G-SDI compliant products. In 2018, the 12G-SDI interface will be available for the XVS-9000, XVS-8000, XVS-7000, XVS-6000, Multi format Switchers as well as the BPU-4500A, BPU-4000 Baseband Processor Units, the HDCU-4300 camera control unit for HDC-4300 camera, and the PWS-4500 Multi-format AV storage unit.
“We remain fiercely committed to offering our customers choice, which is why we are continuing to promote new architecture opportunities offered by IP, whilst also recognising the importance of 12G-SDI. Being able to integrate both IP and SDI interfaces provides customers with the ultimate flexibility to design modern live production facilities and utilise the solutions best-suited to their needs, rather than purely based on the interfaces they’re compatible with,” commented Norbert Paquet, Head of Product Management, Sony Professional Solutions. “We’re empowering our customers to build more agile, flexible and cost-effective systems that can really rip the benefits of these state-of-the-art technologies.”
Ensuring and contributing to interoperability
As the founder of the IP Live Alliance, which now boasts over 70 manufacturers, a founding member of the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and a SMPTE member, Sony has played an active role in contributing to the development, adoption, standardisation and refinement of standards and protocols for live production over IP. The company is continuing to work with AMWA to support NMOS IS-04 and NMOS IS-05 specifications and other future enhancements.
The support of standards is presented in the NAB IP Showcase booth with various vendors. Sony has also recently conducted interoperability tests with Evertz covering SMPTE ST2059 PTP, ST2110 HD, NMOS IS-04 successfully. An NMOS-based joint demo is available at Evertz booth at NAB 2018.
IP Live Production system is continuously adopted globally
- NEP Australia: NEP Australia has decided to install HDCU-3100 with HDC-4300 and Baseband Processor Unit in their IP OB Van. NEP is using HDC-4300 cameras in four IP OB vans and these are connecting back to a central hub in Sydney and Melbourne containing XVS switchers. NEP has been using this equipment multiple times a week for regular broadcasts that are produced then delivered to the broadcaster also via SMPTE ST 2110.
- Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation (PTS): PTS understands that the key to success is having an efficient workflow alongside reliable equipment that delivers the best, in order to satisfy the growing and ever-changing demands of the industry. As such, PTS has selected Sony as its partner for its 4K/IP OB truck and studio, with Sony’s IP Live at the heart of the workflow. The equipment line-up includes HDC-4300 cameras, XVS-8000/7000/6000, switchers, PWS-4500 servers, BVM-X300 OLED monitors, NXL series converter as well as IP Live System Manager (LSM).
- Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA): KOCCA has adopted IP-based live production in their 4K studio, expecting enhancement in workflow efficiency from live video to nonlinear editing. KOCCA succeeded to build a system that can produce both HD and 4K, by adopting Sony’s HDC-4300 cameras, an XVS-7000 switcher, PWS-4500 server, HDRC-4000 HDR converter, BVM-X300 OLED master monitors, NXL series converter, and IP Live System Manager (LSM).
- Touch Video Live Broadcast (TVLB) China: TVLB, a production house in Beijing, has purchased two sets of Sony 4K/IP OB Van that will be delivered in August 2018. Each OB Van is fully equipped with 24 sets of HDC-4300, 4K/HD system cameras capable of HDR. Maximum 48 cameras of 4K HDR production can be broadcasted by two OB Vans working together, expected to be used for big sporting and entertainment events.
- Shangdong TV China: In February 2018, Sony delivered an IP Remote Production (REMI) studio capable of 4K HDR production to Shangdong TV. A large, 1200 square metre studio is equipped with eight HDC-4300 system cameras and six HDC-2570 HD system cameras has just successfully finished the first production on Air.
Innovation in live remote production
Visitors to NAB will be able to Sony’s latest live production innovations in action through a live remote production demonstration. At the Sony booth (C11001) an operational IP-enabled remote live production team will be connected to a team in Atlanta where a processing room and exclusive Wide Area Network (Century Link) will be used to showcase that Sony’s IP Live Production solutions can connect control rooms at broadcast facilities with live event venues over a thousand mile away, without compromising latency, switching or reliability.
