Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) Broadcast Technology Trends & Insights 2016 | Page 8

BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY

The transition to IP will not happen overnight , and SDI will continue to play an important role as part of a hybrid approach alongside IP in the near-term , was the consensus at the APB ConneXxion Forum 2016 .

With the theme “ Empowering Broadcasters to Embrace IP ”, the forum examined where Asia-Pacific stood in the transition to IP , and how broadcasters could chart the most effective path to embrace IP .

The general consensus agreed upon by speakers and attendees was the inevitability of the transition to IP . More importantly was the unanimous agreement that SDI should not be pushed into obsolescence . In tandem with many of the companies featured in this supplement , the forum concluded that SDI still has a key role to play in today ’ s broadcast infrastructure .

A hybrid approach to IP may appear to be the safest bet for now , because from a broadcast standpoint , the risk of going all-IP now may outweigh any potential gains , cautioned Mock Pak Lum , CTO of Singapore pay-TV operator StarHub .

Even as StarHub continues to re-locate its cable TV headend to STT MediaHub , a software-defined centre located in Singapore ’ s Mediapolis technology hub , Mock , who was the keynote speaker at the APB ConneXxion Forum , noted : “ By 2020 , we can plausibly go all-IP but we still need to live with a hybrid of SDI and IP for a number of years to come .”

Interoperability will remain the key for a successful IP transition , according to Stan Moote , CTO of IABM . And as a result of work by organisations such as AIMS , AMWA , AES , VSF , EBU and SMPTE , in-facility IP interoperability has become a reality as we approach 2017 .

Welcoming this development , Moote believes that this continued drive to work together for common standards will go a long way in eliminating hold-backs in end-user technology investment .

If interoperability becomes a non-issue , what is holding broadcasters back from embracing IP ?

In time to come , issues such as latency , vulnerability to cyber-attacks and redundancy are likely to be more adequately addressed , said Dr Amal Punchihewa , director , technology and innovation at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union ( ABU ).

It is the duty of organisations such as the ABU , he added , to monitor global trends in the use of IP , and to create awareness , educate and ascertain the readiness of broadcasters in Asia-Pacific in embracing IP .

In a region as diversified as Asia-Pacific , the challenges in convincing broadcasters to embrace IP can be daunting . Beyond technological challenges , deeply entrenched mindsets need to be addressed — and perhaps that is the toughest challenge facing Asia-Pacific ; broadcasters are yet to be convinced that IP-based systems can work much the way SDI systems have done for many years .

The counter-argument , however , is that embracing IP is no longer an option , but a requisite for survival . And as broadcasters in Asia-Pacific are making the transition to HD , they need to seriously plan to incorporate IP into their facilities .

Nor should this be conducted in haste . A gradual transition will allow broadcasters to dictate the speed in which they integrate IP into existing workflows . Critically , this needs to be in line with what best suits their current , and future needs .

In the Age of Digital Disruption , it is best to be ready for changes and be well prepared for the transformation of the broadcast industry being brought about by IP technology .