IBC 2017: Imagine Communications, BT collaborate on UHD contribution demo

Imagine Communications is collaborating with BT’s Media & Broadcast division on a demonstration at IBC 2017. The two companies will show how visually lossless, low-overhead TICO compression can be used to increase the efficiency of contribution (backhaul) circuits for demanding live UHD content.

TICO lightweight compression, developed by IntoPix and now supported by the industry-wide TICO Alliance, offers visually lossless performance at up to 4:1 compression with extremely robust performance. The compact nature of its algorithms make TICO ideal for implementation in software. Imagine Communications was an early supporter of TICO and other lightweight compression schemes for UHD on its Selenio media processing platform, including full support for 4K and HDR UHD.

At IBC 2017, BT will be demonstrating a typical use case for the technology, using the Imagine Selenio implementation. It will show how multiple live UHD feeds from English Premier League stadiums can be transported over fiber to production hubs with no compromise in image or audio quality. This allows broadcasters to add production value, such as multiple feeds, commentary cameras, and on-site studios, and more, while retaining the sparkling clarity of the UHD signal. The demonstration, hosted on the BT stand (O.D02) in the outdoor exhibits, incorporates Imagine Communications’ Selenio MCP solution into a bespoke fiber cabinet developed by BT for remote broadcast applications over its next-generation terabit fiber network.

Mark Wilson-Dunn, VP of BT Media & Broadcast, says: “We’re constantly innovating with partners to deliver a world-leading service to our clients. Our high-capacity fiber network, controlled remotely at the touch of a button, and combined with Imagine’s Selenio MCP solution, will allow production studios an unparalleled level of flexibility with their broadcasts.

“I’m looking forward to showcasing our work to the rest of the broadcast industry at IBC this year.”

Mark Senecal, VP of product management at Imagine Communications, adds: “This is a hugely important demonstration. The lightweight, low-latency nature of TICO makes it ideal for live broadcasting when you cannot compromise either quality or reliability. Imagine is leading the industry in implementing both compressed and uncompressed UHD solutions, and our collaboration with BT Media & Broadcast has validated our approach so we are now ready to deliver into mission-critical applications. This demonstration is a game changer for the live remote broadcast industry.”

Imagine Communications will be demonstrating several products from its Selenio portfolio at IBC2017 (stand A.401), including the Selenio Network Processor, an all-IP-capable processing solution optimized for handling uncompressed UHD signals based on the SMPTE ST-2110 specification.