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27 June 2018

How would you evaluate the current IP transition in the broadcast industry , particularly in Asia-Pacific ? Richard Bayliss : Broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region are embracing opportunities to migrate to IP-based solutions . The best example of this is what NEP Australia has designed and implemented with its remote live broadcast hub implementation .

The SMPTE 2110 standard is emerging quickly and being implemented into systems . This has enabled the likes of NEP to achieve what they have in a very short amount of time . The IP network is the enabler for this innovation at the system level and broadcasters want networks that are built on the same solid foundations and principals other critical networks are built on . These include tenets such as automation to make the engineers ’ jobs easier and less complex ; time aware with precision time protocol ( PTP ) just like stock market trading networks ; and lossless , no drop designs and systems . These are all areas Arista has excelled in within our broad customer base , and which we are now bringing to broadcast networks .

What trends does Pebble Beach Systems sees taking place in today ’ s broadcast and media landscape ? Tom Gittins : At a very high level , there has been a huge increase in media consumption , with more hours watched across more platforms than ever before — the challenge ( or opportunity ) for media companies is to engage with audiences across this ever-increasing number of delivery platforms , profitably !

So , in addition to seeking out new business models and testing new platforms , they are focusing on automating processes and developing new and efficient workflows .

As a key part of this , the transition to IP continues to be a hot topic , as does the viability of cloud deployments in the private , public or hybrid cloud . In

Traditionally a provider of software-driven cloud networking solutions for large data centre storage and computing environments , Arista Networks has now turned its focus to the broadcast and media industry . As Richard Bayliss , director of systems engineering , APJ , Arista Networks , explains , the company believes it can play a key role in the IP transition .

In this ongoing transition , what opportunities do you see for Arista , and how can the company fill the gap for broadcasters making the transition ? Bayliss : The transition to IP is presenting opportunities for broadcasters and vendors alike . Broadcasters are able to innovate more quickly , introduce efficiencies into their operations and establish a base for their future growth as the demand for content increases .

Networking vendors like Arista are assisting with this transition through providing network switches and automation platforms that are enabling this growth and innovation . In addition to hardware and software , Arista is

Tom Gittins , CCO of Pebble Beach Systems details how the company is helping broadcasters make technology transitions at a measured and beneficial pace .

the playout space we are seeing that , as legacy automation systems reach end-of-life , organisations want to take advantage of the flexibility and power of modern , centralised , software-based automation systems .

However , many are concerned about migrating years of accumulated data from their legacy system database to a new automation system . For any business , having a hard cut-over to an entirely new system comes with considerable risk . The key questions we are hearing are : Are all my staff ade-

bringing its expertise in designing and deploying broadcast networks and assisting with a smoother transition for broadcasters . NEP Australia is just one great example of this , with its SMPTE 2110-enabled network now live .

What is Arista highlighting at BroadcastAsia2018 that addresses the IP transition ? Bayliss : We are showcasing a demonstration on Arista CloudVision Telemetry with Lawo at the Broadcast Communications International booth 6K2-01 ; while at the Ideal Systems booth 6F4-04 , we are showcasing an overall integration — from networking design for broadcast environments

quately trained ? Is it really necessary to change every component at once ? Can we preserve our existing investment in channel technology ? Is there a path to virtualisation and the cloud ?

What are the solutions Pebble Beach Systems has developed to address these issues ? Gittins : As an automation specialist , Pebble Beach Systems is laser-focused on driving efficiencies for broadcasters and media companies , working with them to accommodate and design the

— Richard Bayliss , Director of Systems Engineering , APJ ,

Arista Networks .

to integration of media solutions and applications .

Are there any other trends and developments that you are seeing in Asia-Pacific ? Bayliss : We are starting to see more and more enablement for broadcast engineers to understand IP networking . IP seminars are becoming increasingly popular , such as the series run by PAT , Lawo and Arista in Australia and New Zealand , as well as the IP Master Class organised in Singapore by APB and Ideal Systems .

Similarly , I am seeing traditional network engineers becoming familiar with the broadcast industry . I think we are going to see a growing pool of talented hybrid engineers emerge through the major projects that are being undertaken right now .

workflows their business needs , whether they choose to go down the SDI , IP or fully virtualised path — or indeed a combination of these . Central to the success is our managed approach to change , and a plug-in framework that ensures a seamless transition from legacy and end-of-life broadcast automation systems to the powerful Marina automation system without stress , compromise , and the need for a hard cut-over date .

With Marina automation and Dolphin integrated channel technology , we offer the ability to create a hybrid , synchronised playout chain with any combination of hardware and software , giving broadcasters and multi-channel originators ultimate flexibility to transition any part of that playout chain at a pace to suit their scheduling and operational requirements .

The show news is produced by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting , which is solely responsible for its editorial content . The editorial content is not necessarily the opinion of the events organiser . MCI ( P ) No : 009 / 08 / 2017 Printed by Markono Print Media Pte Ltd