2 EDITORIAL

One of the key takeaways from the recently concluded BroadcastAsia2017 is perhaps this : Many broadcasters in Asia-Pacific have yet to embrace or implement IP ; this , however , has not dampened their enthusiasm to find out how they can better integrate IP into their current workflows .

Be brave in embracing new technologies — the industry can no longer afford to ignore IP , said Nicholas Er , director , engineering and media IT infrastructure , technology and operations , Asia- Pacific , The Walt Disney Company .

Will IP turn out to be easier to implement and manage , wondered Zaw Than Oo , head of broadcast operations at Myanmar ’ s Forever Group , who is also heartened that his legacy SDI equipment can still be used on the road to IP .

Both Zaw and Er were speaking to APB after participating in the Broadcast IP Inter-Op Lab at BroadcastAsia2017 .

Set up by APB , in collaboration with systems integrator Ideal Systems and BroadcastAsia2017 , the IP Lab offered broadcast and media companies from around Asia-Pacific an opportunity to find out how IP can work for them .

As can possibly be expected from a live , hands-on lab , the project was not without its hiccups , but should not that be expected from a real-world transition to IP ?

Many challenges lie ahead if the industry is to make a successful transition to IP ; no one should be under any illusions that this will be an easy ride .

Individually , broadcasters need to start planning their own transition , based on a careful analysis of how IP can best address their current and future needs . Initiatives such as the Broadcast IP Inter-Op Lab at BroadcastAsia2017 are at least providing a platform for broadcasters to see with their own eyes how an IP workflow can be put

together using equipment available in the marketplace today .

The IP Lab , suggested Fintan Mc Kiernan , CEO of Ideal Systems South-east Asia , has proven that moving to IP today does not involve high risk . “ The results of the IP Lab point to a reassuring affirmation that IP technology for broadcasters is not only working , but can also be made to work and interoperate between different manufacturers and standards .”

And like many in the industry , Mc Kiernan is eager to witness the ratification of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard which , as the possible de facto IP standard , will make it easier to design , build , deploy and manage an IP broadcast system , he added .

As for Asia-Pacific in particular , nobody can say for sure if the transition to IP will lag behind other regions , much as the transition to HD has proven to be . What is more certain , however , is how broadcasters in the region , as with their counter parts from around the world , are awakening to the possibilities offered by IP .

And arguably , they will all share one realisation — on the road to IP , SDI will still have a key role to play . Hybrid SDI / IP deployments will remain prevalent for a number of years to come ; thus , broadcasters will have to quickly take a deep dive into IP and start planning the transition to IP as the Internet of Things ( IoT ) is upon us .

SHAWN LIEW MANAGING EDITOR

July 2017 ( volume 34 issue 5 )

EDITORIAL managing editor Shawn Liew , shawn @ editecintl . com online editor Millette Burgos , millette @ editecintl . com contributing editor ( technology ) Karl K Rossiter , karl @ editecintl . com contributing editor Shirish Nadkarni , shinads @ yahoo . co . uk senior reporter Josephine Tan , josephine @ editecintl . com

CORRESPONDENTS

■ India Shirish Nadkarni , shinads @ yahoo . co . uk

■ USA Mike Feazel , mfeazel @ gmail . com

PRODUCTION production editor Zuraini Ridzwan , zuraini @ editecintl . com sub-editor Genevieve Chan , genevieve @ editecintl . com senior multimedia designer Raymund Jaudian , raymund @ editecintl . com multimedia designer Waldomar Zuniga , waldomar @ editecintl . com ad / office administrator Irene Lok , irene @ editecintl . com accounts manager Tan Hui Min , huimin @ editecintl . com

MARKETING director - sales & marketing Jessie Tan , jessie @ editecintl . com manager - sales & marketing Lynn Chee , lynn @ editecintl . com

CIRCULATION & PROMOTIONS Lynn Chee , lynn @ editecintl . com

PUBLISHING publisher / editorial director Andrew Yeo , andrew @ editecintl . com

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