NAB 2018: AIMS Readies Its Biggest Presence Yet

30-plus AIMS members also will showcase IP solutions at their respective booths

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) — a non-profit trade alliance that promotes the open standards that broadcast and media companies use to migrate from legacy SDI systems to a virtualized, IP-based future — is planning its most ambitious NAB Show yet. Audio Subgroup Chairman Terry Holton notes that NAB 2018 will be the first since publication of the SMPTE ST 2110 Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks suite of standards, which are intended as a steppingstone toward one common IP-based mechanism for the professional-media industries.

“The IP Showcase will be featuring a range of practical demos utilizing this essential new standard,” he says, adding, “This is also the first NAB following the merger of the Media Networking Alliance into AIMS. This merger greatly increases the involvement of audio-focused companies in the alliance.”

Features of the Showcase include an “IP in Action” Wall, which will display information about reference sites on the AIMS roadmap that use IP technology. With more than 30 systems highlighted, each tile on the wall will offer a description of a real-world scenario in which IP technology is being used, the standards implemented, and the benefits derived. In addition, an all-IP production room will be broadcasting live during show hours from a broadcast-control room that will use all-IP technologies to show how end-to-end productions are possible using the standards and specifications promoted by AIMS. The all-IP broadcasts will also make it possible for those not attending the show to see IP Showcase Theater presentations, which will be live-streamed over the internet.

Approximately 30 AIMS members will have AIMS-branded sections of their booths, showcasing cross-vendor interoperability using technologies on the AIMS roadmap. A broad range of SMPTE-standards–compliant systems will be on display from AIMS members, who will collaborate in highlighting specific workflows that are possible in IP today: contribution, live production, playout, and distribution.

In addition, AIMS members will present 10 papers at the conference, covering a range of topics key to media-over-IP workflows, including audio over IP, networking, redundancy, and timing. The presenters will offer insights into hot topics surrounding implementation and use of the standards and specifications promoted by AIMS.

Added Emphasis on Audio
According to Holton, there will be a pronounced emphasis on audio at this show, with AIMS demonstrating “an unprecedented number of audio devices all interoperating using ST 2110.” He adds that, since the audio aspect of the SMPTE standard, ST 2110-30, is closely based on the well-established AES67 audio-over-IP networking standard, there is already a significant number of devices available to meet the various requirements of broadcast workflows. The IP Showcase is produced in cooperation with partners AES, AMWA, EBU, IABM, NAB, SMPTE, and VSF.

“We will particularly be emphasizing this wide range of audio-product availability in one of the demo areas in the IP Showcase,” Holton points out.

He adds that the size of the IP Showcase Theater, which was popular at last year’s NAB Show and IBC, has been expanded, is located in the Central Hall, Booth C12634, and will offer a completely new program of presentations. The booth will highlight key technologies and their application, with seven demonstration areas focused on IP workflows, including the following:

• Format flexibility from SD to UHD, including different frame rates, and reducing cabling with IP networks compared with coax
• Simplifying discovery and registration with AMWA IS-04 and IS-05
• Compatibility between AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110-30
• Audio/video lip sync and handling of multichannel audio
• System resiliency and protection from data loss using SMPTE ST 2022-7

“These will provide tremendous educational opportunities through non-stop presentations covering the full gamut of knowledge for real-time IP production,” Holton explains.

AIMS will also be featuring a live IP Production Studio at NAB 2018. “This will be streaming live content from the Theater stage every day,” he says, “providing a very practical demonstration of audio and video IP networking capabilities using ST 2110.