Evertz and Sony announce ‘complete IP production’ deployment for NBC Sports

Evertz Microsystems has confirmed a complete IP production deployment for NBC Sports in collaboration with Sony, at this year’s Sports Video Group Summit in New York City. The IP production solution is based on ASPEN, a framework that provides separated video, audio, and metadata IP flows for NBC Sports’ HD production starting in February 2016.

Building the IP facility based on ASPEN gives NBC Sports greater flexibility and cost-savings over an SDI replacement using SMPTE 2022-6. ASPEN allows for video, audio and metadata to be on individual IP multicast streams. This flexibility gives NBC Sports complete control over sending specific video and audio signals to particular destinations without the need for costly external embedding and de-embedding devices. ASPEN also maximises bandwidth utilisation on the 10GbE interfaces to ensure NBC Sports is getting maximum throughput and efficiency in its IP core matrix.

The core of the facility is Evertz’ Software Defined Video Networking (SDVN) solution which includes their EXE40-VSR, a 46Tb/s high capacity switch, 570IPG high density media gateways, and 3067VIP10G 10GbE multiviewers, all under Evertz MAGNUM SDVN Orchestration and Control. Evertz SDVN gives NBC Sports the flexibility to scale their facility to meet current and future needs.

“The collaboration with Sony for this NBC project is significant news for the industry as we move to IP-based production,” said Eric Fankhauser, vice president of Product Development at Evertz. “The use of ASPEN for individual multicast flows gives NBC Sports enormous flexibility in their production workflow. It allows NBC Sports to transition to IP with confidence that they are using a best of breed solution from two industry leaders.”

Another core component of this IP production solution is IP-enabled products from Sony. Sony has been developing IP live production solutions, and its system cameras and production switchers that will be inter-operable in ASPEN workflow.

“Our collaboration with Evertz in IP-based workflow will satisfy the needs of media and entertainment industry customers,” said Junichi Ogikubo, general manager of Sony’s Professional Solutions Group. “IP-based technologies are playing a significant role in live production and distribution and play-out, as the broadcast and production industries move to end-to-end IP-based networked workflows.”

Tim Canary, VP of engineering at the NBC Sports Group headquarters in Stamford, CT, commented: “We’re pleased to see the interoperability and joint effort between Evertz and Sony. We are designing our control room based on various rapidly emerging IP standards from Evertz, Sony and others. Our expectation is that the vendors will quickly engage with each other to achieve cross vendor compatibility, and at the same time, allow for all of the increased functionality that IP Video and Audio routing offer.”

NBC Sports, Evertz, and Sony are members of the expanding ASPEN Community, which provides an open framework for building flexible, scalable, and highly efficient IP facilities.