This year was marked by evolutions in cloud and IP technologies, driven by demand for faster turnaround workflows. Predictably, creative teams and facilities were asked to do more with less, and, as a result, many began exploring IP. What has become clear is that the ability to move uncompressed, high-bandwidth media in and out of equipment across an IP network with low latency is an important piece of the larger IP infrastructure puzzle. Fortunately, the recent arrival of more cost-efficient SMPTE ST 2110-capable network hardware and new audio and video I/O IP technology has helped to streamline the path to IP.
Just because IP is catching on, however, doesn’t mean that SDI (serial digital interface) is going away. While we expect to see many new facilities embrace all-IP infrastructures, others will take a more phased approach. In 2024, we’ve already seen many facilities develop IP sandboxes or hybrid SDI/IP environments, each unique. Whereas some facilities favored NDI implementations, we saw renewed interest in SMPTE ST 2110. But why?
First, SMPTE ST 2110 is more accessible than ever, partly because the cost of IP network switches significantly dropped in 2024. Second, SMPTE ST 2110 lets facilities achieve the same uncompressed video quality they get with an SDI network on an IP network, but with enhanced scalability. Finally, more SMPTE ST 2110 training and educational materials were released, helping to expand the available talent pool of engineers who understand the approach.
For facilities to realize the full benefits of SMPTE ST 2110, post teams must be able to ingest high bandwidth media into post, color or graphics suites across a network, with control over when and how it arrives. With technology like AJA’s new Kona IP25 SMPTE ST 2110 I/O card, that’s become easier. Kona IP25 lets teams quickly and easily pull up footage on a workstation for playback and editing, graphics insertion, and/or a final composition. The card is one of many SMPTE ST 2110 innovations to hit the market this year, and we anticipate more to follow in 2025.
Even if SMPTE ST 2110 isn’t the right fit for your facility’s needs today, 2025 is the year to get up to speed on all the available IP standards and protocols, and determine which might be best suited for your future roadmap. As you do, think about the quality of media your facility needs to support and your budget, as both will impact the approach you take. Evaluate your pipeline needs, and where you’re planning to switch out legacy gear, consider adding a few IP devices. If you’re opting for a hybrid approach, be sure to factor in any gateway devices you’ll need. And don’t underestimate your scalability needs. Finally, be sure you have the right team of IT engineers who can learn video, or video engineers who can learn IT fast. Taking all these considerations into account will ensure a smoother IP transition, whether going all-in or hybrid.
Abe Abt is the Senior Product Consultant at AJA Video Systems (https://www.aja.com). AJA specializes in capture cards, digital recording devices, video routers, frame synchronizers and scalers, digital converters and professional cameras.