NAB 2018: AIMS To Show Latest Collaborations With Members, Host IP Showcase

At NAB 2018, The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) will show the latest in ongoing collaboration among its members and with other industry bodies, highlighting progress in the march toward uniform IP interoperability. The centerpiece of its activities will be the IP Showcase, the go-to place for all things related to the transition from SDI to IP, the IP Showcase will feature demonstrations, presentations, an on-site production control room, and a wealth of information related to IP.

“The 2018 NAB Show is a watershed event for the adoption of IP technology in our industry. With last year’s ratification of the foundational set of standards in the SMPTE ST 2110 suite, 2018 is the year that more and more broadcasters are poised to make the move to IP. As such, whether it’s through the IP Showcase, application demonstrations at AIMS member booths, or the host of NAB presentations on IP, visitors will be able to see and hear firsthand the benefits that IP-based workflows can bring,” Michael Cronk, AIMS board chair said.

IP Showcase Interop Demonstrations
Following the momentum from last year and a similar event at IBC 2017, AIMS is a sponsor of the IP Showcase along with partners AES, AMWA, EBU, IABM, NAB, SMPTE, and VSF. The IP Showcase is a one-stop destination where everyone from broadcast/IT engineers and CEOs to TV producers can learn everything they need to know to unlock the full potential of using IP for real-time media. The booth will highlight key technologies and their application with seven demonstration areas focused on IP workflows:

• Format flexibility from SD to UHD, including different frame rates, and reducing cabling with IP networks compared to 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
• Design of deterministic IP systems with COTS IP switches using SMPTE ST 2110-21
• SDI and IP conversion and harmonized timing with SMPTE ST 2059
• System resiliency and protection from data loss using SMPTE ST 2022-7

“IP in Action” Wall
The IP Showcase will feature the AIMS “IP in Action” wall, which will display information about reference sites that use IP technology on the AIMS roadmap. With more than 30 systems highlighted, each tile on the wall summarizes IP in action — a description of a real-world scenario in which IP technology is being used, the standards implemented, and the benefits derived.

All-IP Live Production
To demonstrate the real-world power of IP, the AIMS IP Showcase booth will feature an all IP-production room. Broadcasting live during show hours, the broadcast control room 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 be streamed online.

IP Showcase Theater
AIMS members will participate in the IP Showcase Theater, part of the IP Showcase and sponsored by the IABM. The theater will show presentations on IP installations or IP technology based on and in support of the AIMS roadmap. 23 speakers in the theater will highlight solutions to technical challenges related to the transition from SDI to IP and use cases in which IP has been successful in solving customer requirements.

AIMS Member Papers at the NAB Conference
10 AIMS members papers will also be presented at the NAB 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 usage of the standards and specifications promoted by AIMS.

AIMS Member Interop Demonstrations in Member Booths
Approximately 30 AIMS members will have AIMS-branded sections of their booths at the 2018 NAB Show, where they will showcase 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 with each other to highlight specific workflows that are possible in IP today — such as contribution, live production, playout, and distribution.