SMPTE Sees Control Protocols as Next Target for Standardization

Pandemic shutdowns won’t affect standards development

With broadcast moving deeper into an IP infrastructure for audio, SMPTE considers control protocols the next salient issue. Synchronization issues having largely been addressed, via SMPTE ST 2110-21 for timing and sync, says Thomas Bause Mason, director, standards development, SMPTE, control protocols would benefit most from standardization.

SMPTE’s Thomas Bause Mason: “COVID did not stop work in any technology area. We expect renewed interest by technologists tackling broadcast and media-over-IP surrounding events and sports.”

“The only specifications at this time are from NMOS ISO 4, and people are looking to NMOS ISO 5 as well,” he explains. “Priority, then, is implementation of SMPTE ST 2110 in the cloud.”

The standards-setting organization, Bause Mason adds, is also looking at applications of SMPTE ST 2110 for the pro-A/V space, as well as application of SMPTE ST 2110 to small-scale environments, such as audio consoles, to extend SMPTE ST 2110 for use in such environments.

The COVID-19 shutdowns of sports may have had a knock-on effect on standards development, which Bause Mason suggests was an indirect but no less real impact.

“People faced a change of priorities and may not have participated in standards development as readily as in the past,” he says. “In addition, focus on different technological challenges may have also happened as a result. COVID did not stop work in any technology area; instead, it may have slowed down that work in some areas. But we are happy to see an uptick and interest continuing to grow as we reopen. We expect renewed interest by technologists tackling broadcast and media-over-IP surrounding events and sports.”