Evertz Highlights New Additions To Its Media Processing Platform At IBC 2024

As the media industry faces increasing demand for remote production tools that offer high-quality and low latency, Evertz will be addressing this challenge at IBC 2024 by showcasing exciting new additions to its NEXX next generation media processing and routing platform.

NEXX is a versatile and scalable solution that supports a wide range of applications and workflows for broadcast and media production. This complex, processing-capable 12G-SDI routing platform that supports 12G-SDI routing in the 5RU frame. The NEXX platform also supports advanced processing modules that expand on its capabilities, which include frame synchronization, up/down/cross conversion, IP gateways and advanced multiviewers. MAGNUM-OS controls and monitors NEXX via a common control and management interface that simplifies the configuration and operation of the system.

At IBC 2024, Evertz will show NEXX-IO-JXS, a universal IO module that offers unparalleled performance and flexibility for JPEG XS encoding and decoding for any format and interface. JPEG XS is the industry’s leading standard for lightweight, low-latency and high-quality video compression, and is ideal for remote production and transporting high-resolution video signals. The NEXX-IO-JXS module supports multiple channels of uncompressed video (up to 8K) over SMPTE ST 2110 and SDI interfaces, as well as JPEG XS TR-07 and TR-08 profiles. The NEXX-IO-JXS card supports SMPTE ST 2022-7 for a seamless decoding solution, audio embedding and de-embedding, ancillary data processing and built in frame synchronization.

The NEXX-IO-JXS can be utilized with the new NEXX-XC-B1, the latest in Evertz’ cross point breakout options, or with Evertz’ new NEXX-XC-E1 expansion cross point, thus allowing for further routing flexibility.

JPEG XS is now also a feature of Evertz’s Reflektor, a software accelerated media transcoding and distribution platform that offers comprehensive processing and transcoding directly in and from the cloud. By supporting JPEG XS across its encoding, decoding, and transcoding capabilities, Reflektor allows for the ingest of low latency JPEG XS using SRT, thus broadening its application support. In addition, Reflektor also supports NDI version 6.0.1, which introduces support for 10-bit depth and HDR features, enabling Reflektor to cater to applications such as transcoding JPEG XS to NDI. This enhancement drives low latency, high-quality HDR-based applications.

Turning its attention to hybrid broadcast facilities and broadcasters looking to transition to IP, Evertz will be showing the RFK-ITXE-HW-DUO media processing platform, which offers a single point of entry for all compressed and uncompressed signals, regardless of format. A successor to the popular 570ITXE platform, RFK-ITXE-HW-DUO caters for all signal acquisition applications, offers a range of features and capabilities that make it a versatile and powerful solution for any media workflow. The platform supports multiple transcode paths, allowing users to convert between different formats and resolutions with high quality and efficiency. It also supports UHD HEVC decode and encode, enabling users to deliver stunning 4K content with low bandwidth and latency.

RFK-ITXE-HW-DUO is particularly well suited to remote production and cloud-based workflows because it supports JPEG XS encode for low-latency video compression wrapped in reliable transport offerings, including Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) or Reliable Internet Stream Transport (RIST). This flexible and scalable platform also supports SMPTE ST 2110 (up to UHD), the industry standard for IP-based media transport, as well as SDR and HDR, ensuring compatibility with expanding color space normalization requirements.

Each RFK-ITXE-HW-DUO can support up to 4 transcodes where each transcode can accept any of the following inputs: compressed input including JPEG XS, JPEG-2000, HEVC, H.264, and MPEG 2 or SDI and SMTPTE ST 2110 uncompressed inputs. Each transcode path includes a full up/down/cross conversion stage including an in-line frame sync for video, audio, ancillary data, timing and color space-based normalization. The output of each transcode path will provide a multi-stage output path handing off a SDI legacy output, a parallel uncompressed ST 2110 output, high bitrate mezzanine encode, low bitrate IPTV encode, and finally a parallel JPEG-2000 (or JPEG XS) high bitrate low latency output. The agile RFK-ITXE-HW-DUO can also allow for further unique scalability as processing blocks can be allocated dynamically.

Evertz expands the SCORPION Flexible Media Edge line up with SCORPION–2RU, an edge compute platform that performs media processing, conversion, routing, aggregation and transport through use of available compute blades and discrete signal input and output modules.

Network agnostic and offering a diverse signal support catalogue including SDI, IP and fiber connectivity for use in edge workflows, SCORPION leverages miniature input and output (MIO) modules for a wide range of video, audio, and data formats, making it the ideal solution for aggregating and distributing multiple signal formats simultaneously. This is accomplished with a high degree of customization to meet individual requirements and is highly reconfigurable to accommodate changes in workflow.

As no two broadcast and media operations are ever the same, Evertz is making it even easier for users to choose the right SCORPION products for their facility by packaging them together to provide scalable solutions for media processing and bulk compression services.

SCORPION packaged solutions focus on the most common functions in broadcast ecosystems, media processing and transport. Media processing and conversion includes the standard feature set used in video conditioning and normalization, while the transport packages focus on both high bandwidth and low bandwidth contribution of video signals.

These scalable solutions come in three form factors – high density SCORPION-2RU, high density SCORPION-18 series, and mid density SCORPION-6F. All three are SDI, IP and hybrid capable, offer redundant internal power and control and integrated crosspoint switch with IP fabric. SCORPION-2RU offers 1G to 800Gbps network connectivity, while SCORPION-18 Series offers 1G to 200Gbps and SCORPION-6F offers 1G to 50Gbps, thus allowing users to choose the quantity of signals they require. The processor element for each SCORPION packaged solution leverages the same FPGA processor MIO-BLADE-Z21. 

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