Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) @ConnecTechAsia Show News - Day 1 | Page 27
@ConnecTechAsia2018
www.apb-news.com
26 June 2018
TUESDAY 27
efficacy of IP-centric workflows
a convenient IP switch. Operators are
then able to access any IP-connected
remote device from their own work-
station, in the same way they connect
to physical devices that are perma-
nently attached to the KVM switch.
It is an essential bridge between
IP broadcast infrastructures and
traditional broadcast infrastructures,
allowing production staff to manage
tools across both domains. Users
can seamlessly, and simply, switch
between in-house and remote net-
works from their own workstation.
Operators remain unaware of the
actual location of the device they are
accessing, and whether it is a real or
virtual machine.
Besides the IP CPU unit, what other
solutions can visitors expect at the
IHSE booth?
Teng: Visitors will be able to ex-
perience the benefits of IHSE KVM
switches as they apply to the broad-
cast workflow. In particular, they will
be able to see, at first hand, how
quickly the system switches between
different source computers, and gain
an impression of the benefits this
technology brings to the broadcast
and post-production worlds.
IHSE is demonstrating KVM ex-
tension and switching of HD and
4K/Ultra HD (UHD) video signals,
using the latest products, to show
the superb image quality they handle.
This illustrates the reasons why so
many broadcast and post-produc-
tion organisations around the world
choose to deploy IHSE KVM switching
systems.
IP technology continues to be
IHSE’s focus for this year. How will
you rate the development of IP
in Asia-Pacific, and are there any
specific reason slowing down the
transition to IP?
Teng: The development of IP-net-
work centric broadcast workflows is
continuing rapidly, and is at a similar
pace to the rest of the world. Broad-
casters are aware of, and excited by,
the benefits and potential in deploy-
ing IP-based devices — increased
efficiency, flexibility, cost-saving
and the overall speed and ease with
which they can deploy new broadcast
channels. It now takes just a few days
to set up and launch a cloud-based
TV channel with all the necessary
features, compared to the several
months, or even years, needed before
the advent of IP tools.
The entrance of large IT organisa-
tions and suppliers — Dell, Amazon
Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft
— into the broadcast sector in a
much greater way than ever before,
has opened new opportunities for
broadcasters to align their services
with current networking principles,
and take advantage of on-demand
remote services. Far from slowing the
transition to IP down, it is causing it
to speed up.
More importantly, what is IHSE’s
strategy in helping broadcasters
successfully transit to IP?
Teng: New ways of thinking will be
required as the broadcast workflow
becomes more IP-focused, and an
increasing amount of content is han-
dled in the cloud. Physical interfaces
are being replaced by IP transmission
and connectivity. Broadcast engineers
are working hard to figure out how
to implement new IP techniques
and technologies, and a common
approach is to introduce piecemeal
solutions and integrate them into
existing architectures, taking advan-
tage of the benefits those IP solutions
bring. For example, a KVM switch,
coupled to a Remote IP CPU, is an
ideal way of combining these two
technologies.
KVM switch systems are already
used by the world’s leading broadcast
organisations. The architecture of the
future broadcast operation is chang-
ing, and IHSE’s new IP connectivity
products will further bridge the gap
between the old and new worlds of
broadcast. IHSE will continue to play
a leading role in that evolution.