The landscape of media production and live broadcasting has been constantly evolving, driven by audiences craving higher quality, richer, and seamless streaming experiences, whether it be for sporting events, live news, or on-demand media. The industry’s needs are dynamic and require that broadcasters and media producers be ahead of the game, staying on top of standards and adapting to new trends to meet the growing demands of viewers and audiences globally. Broadcasters’ commitment to engaging their audiences is setting industry standards and shaping the future of media consumption. In the last five years, one of the main transitions that the industry has embraced is the move from SDI (Serial Digital Interface) to SMPTE 2110 IP-based infrastructure. Broadcasters worldwide are taking this leap, and Cisco is at the forefront of this transition.

For live production, the stakes are incredibly high. Any disruption in the broadcast can lead to viewer dissatisfaction. Hence, IP networks that are supporting these events are designed intelligently with scalability, redundancy, and performance in mind, ensuring that the world’s biggest live events are delivered without any issues. Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media currently powers large-scale international sporting tournaments such as the Olympics, World Cup, and more. Visitors and audiences are consistently amazed by the immersive experiences delivered by IP based media networks whether they’re exploring the cutting-edge attractions at Las Vegas or cheering for their favorite teams in a sports stadium.

Deployment Flexibility

For live event coverage, Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media solutions excel in supporting a variety of deployment scenarios. It offers unmatched flexibility and scalability for conventional studio deployments, operational simplicity for OBVAN (Outside Broadcast Vans) deployments, and seamless integration for remote production and multi-site operations.

Remote production has become an increasingly adopted deployment model due to the significant advantages it offers around flexibility and cost efficiency, where content can be edited, produced, and distributed from off-site locations. IP networks make this possible by providing the necessary bandwidth and reliability for remote teams to access live feeds, edit content in real time, and distribute it to broadcasters around the world.

Cisco’s IP-based solution supports interconnection between remote sites, OB Vans, and centralized production facilities, allowing for a smooth flow of media content across various locations.

Evolution From SDI To IP Infrastructure

As standards-based IP infrastructure became prevalent, broadcasters quickly realized that the transition from legacy systems to IP was not an easy one. It required careful planning, an uplift of resources, and a willingness to adopt modern technologies. Cisco, a technology leader, understands the need for more agile networks that can handle the demands of complex media workflows. Cisco, combining IP and media networking expertise, delivers a robust and scalable IP-based media production network with full functionality, manageability, and quality of service that SDI has traditionally provided. To meet these requirements Cisco has been developing technologies and solutions that simplify implementation for broadcasters during this transition.

In this context, Cisco developed Non-Blocking Multicast to overcome traditional multicast challenges such as bandwidth limitations and congestion. Additionally, Cisco’s networking technology supports stringent broadcast video quality requirements with low latency, jitter, and packet loss; high availability; precision timing; and synchronization support. NBM, along with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches leveraging powerful APIs, significantly enhances broadcasting capabilities. With this, Broadcasters can expect enhanced reliability through the eliminating the risk of packet loss, ensuring broadcast efficiency through ultra-low latency, and improving QoS (quality of service) along with monitoring and troubleshooting functionality to deliver essential IP-based production capabilities where uninterrupted, consistent transmission is the only option.

Evolution To 400G, 800G Platforms

Speaking of infrastructure, another key transition we see in the broadcast industry is the move to infrastructure that can support higher speeds and feeds and meet the requirements of 4K, 8K, and 16K video in the future. Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches provide industry-leading performance and are continuously evolving to meet the need for higher bandwidth and more efficient networks. The 400G platforms support the delivery of UHD content, which provides viewers with unparalleled levels of detail and imagery, crucial for visually demanding events like sports and concerts. Adopting 400G technology is a significant advancement for the media industry, addressing the UHD high requirement with improved efficiency and scalability.

For broadcasters, the question arises: how can you adapt to these increasing demands while reducing overall operational costs? 400G platforms support four times the bandwidth of 100G platforms and significantly boost the network capacity and throughput. Furthermore, the latest 400G platforms support advanced telemetry features that provide real-time visibility into network performance, which provides the backbone for better monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimization of network resources. By enhancing bandwidth management, meeting low latency requirements, and futureproofing, 400G platforms are geared to support the next generation of media advancements.

Strategic Partnerships & Contributions

Cisco understands broadcasters are concerned about how adopting IP would affect their day-to-day operations. The feedback held a lot of validity as SDI offered straightforward network visualization. To address this, Cisco has become a primary contributor to multiple standard bodies in the industry and remains committed to open standards, ensuring Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media supports a wide range of production applications from the top vendors in the broadcast industry.

While the IP network forms a critical part of the overall solution, the broadcast controller is equally vital. With IP deployments, the broadcast controller’s ability to interface with the IP fabric can ensure the network remains efficient and fully operational. Open APIs and integration options enable third-party broadcast controllers to interface seamlessly with the network. Cisco has also developed close partnerships with key broadcast controllers to ensure that operator workflows remain unchanged and users can leverage integrated automation tools to simplify the configuration, operation, and monitoring of the network, making it easier to manage infrastructure and allowing the teams to better spend their time focusing on innovation and growth without significant changes to their existing infrastructure and operator workflows. Cisco continues to collaborate with leading broadcast controllers to introduce innovative capabilities and explore new use cases for broadcast operators, improving functionality and efficiency.

Conclusion

The shift to IP-based media networks is essential for broadcasters to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry. These kinds of events, with millions of viewers, necessitate IP infrastructure where multiple high-definition and 4K video feeds are transmitted from various venues and locations, often simultaneously. With capabilities for remote production and multi-site operations, workloads can be moved anywhere. Cisco offers broadcasters and content providers scalable and flexible network infrastructure and automation capabilities. This ensures broadcasters can migrate from legacy systems to a more dynamic and efficient IP-based network, expanding their services and offering a compelling and immersive experience for viewers.