NAB 2017: Lawo, Cisco Team Up on IP Routing for TV

Lawo (Booth N1424) and Cisco (Booth SU8502CM) are collaborating in the development and marketing of IP-based video and audio systems for broadcast television.

Lawo IP products have enjoyed major successes around the globe at television-studio installations, remote productions, and such high-profile events as the Euro2016, highlighting the industry’s enthusiastic embrace of IP-based live-production technology.

The cooperation involves the Cisco IP Fabric for Media infrastructure, its answer to complex IP workflows in television broadcasting, based on Software Defined Networking (SDN) principles. As the industry moves rapidly toward Broadcast 3.0 (broadcast infrastructure built around COTS technology), broadcasters everywhere are excited about the ability to produce more content on format-agnostic IP platforms, finally delivering on the promise of future-proof production technology.

The first strategic customer to take advantage of this work is a large U.S. television network, which will deploy an all-IP Lawo routing infrastructure based on a Cisco IP-technology backbone. The planned rollout, scheduled for later this year, will make use of Cisco Nexus 9000 switches connecting Lawo V__matrix, with SOUL and VSM control and monitoring systems.

“Lawo is very happy to begin what we expect will be a rewarding relationship with Cisco,” says Lawo Director, Business Development, Felix Krückels. “Our partnership unites Lawo’s expertise in video and audio systems, monitoring and control with Cisco’s innovations in network infrastructure for live broadcast. Combining these strengths results in an incredibly fast, robust solution for TV production.”

Says Bryan Bedford, global business development for sports, media and consumer segments, Cisco, “Working with Lawo brings Cisco an innovative partner that can immediately provide new and improved workflows to broadcasters, employing Cisco network solutions. Integrating Cisco data-center switching systems with Lawo IP-based hardware and software products opens up new opportunities for television broadcasters. Together, we can provide a solution that’s truly ready for any new video technology the future brings.”