IP 2110 The Transition to IP in Broadcast

TSAWHITEPAPER IP2110 The Transition to IP in Broadcast
TSAWHITEPAPER
IP2110
The Transition to IP in Broadcast
Date:
April 25th, 2025
Version:
6.0
Audience:
Executives (CEO, CIO, CTO), Technical Directors, Innovation Managers.
Objective:
Thanks to the leadership of Telefónica and Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA) in audiovisual services and solutions, educate on the technological and business potential.
Authors:
Jesús Vegas, TSA Project Manager
Asier Anitua, TSA Business Development and Innovation Manager.
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Índice:
TSAWHITEPAPER ______________________________________________________ 1
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Date: ___________________________________________________________________________ 1 Version:_________________________________________________________________________ 1
Executive Summary ____________________________________________________ 4
Introduction and Context ________________________________________________ 6
2.1. Historical Evolution: From SDI to IP _______________________________________________ 6 2.2. Technological and Business Drivers for IP Migration__________________________________ 7 2.3. Current State of Adoption in the Industry __________________________________________ 8
Technical Fundamentals of SMPTE ST 2110 ________________________________ 10
3.1. General Architecture and Philosophy ____________________________________________ 10 3.2. Main Components and Suite of Standards ________________________________________ 11 3.3. Other Relevant Parts of the Suite________________________________________________ 12 3.4. Fundamental Differences with SDI and SMPTE 2022-6 _______________________________ 13 3.5. Advantages of Separate Essence Architecture _____________________________________ 13
Interoperability and NMOS _____________________________________________ 15
4.1. The Need for a Control Layer: AMWA NMOS ______________________________________ 15 4.2. IS-04 Specification: Discovery & Registration ______________________________________ 16 4.3. IS-05 Specification: Device Connection Management ________________________________ 16 4.4. Other Relevant NMOS ________________________________________________________ 17 4.5. NMOS Implementation Use Case (Conceptual Description) ___________________________ 19 4.6. Current Challenges and Standardisation Status ____________________________________ 20
Precise Synchronisation with PTP ________________________________________ 21
5.1. Principles of IEEE 1588 PTP_____________________________________________________ 21 5.2. SMPTE ST 2059-2 Porfile for Broadcast ___________________________________________ 23 5.3. Specific Synchronisation Requirements for ST 2110 _________________________________ 24 5.4. Designing Resilient PTP Infrastructures ___________________________________________ 24 5.5. Problemas Comunes y Mejores Prácticas _________________________________________ 25
Design and Implementation of IP Networks for Broadcast ____________________ 26
6.1. Specific Network Requirements _________________________________________________ 26 6.2. Recommended Network Architectures ___________________________________________ 27 6.3. Design Considerations ________________________________________________________ 28 6.4. Redundancy Strategies ________________________________________________________ 29 6.5. Multicast Traffic Management __________________________________________________ 30 6.6. Considerations for COTS Switches _______________________________________________ 30
Use Cases and Reference Architectures ___________________________________ 32
7.1. Full IP Production Centre ______________________________________________________ 32 7.2. Mobile production vans (OB Van) based in ST 2110 _________________________________ 33 7.3. Hybrid SDI-IP Implementation During Transition Period______________________________ 34
Challenges and Solutions in the Transition _________________________________ 36
8.1. Training and Skills of Technical Staff _____________________________________________ 37 8.2. Monitoring and Troubleshooting IP Systems _______________________________________ 37 8.3. Managing the Transition Period (Hybrid Environments) ______________________________ 38 8.4. Security Considerations _______________________________________________________ 39 8.5. Justification of Investment and Return on Investment (ROI) __________________________ 39
ProspectiveandFuture ________________________________________________41
9.1. Upcoming Developments of the Standard and NMOS Ecosystem ______________________ 41 9.2. Integration with Emerging Technologies __________________________________________ 42 9.3. Evolution Towards Software- Defined Infrastructures (SDI) ___________________________ 42
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IP2110 The Transition to IP in Broadcast
10. 11.
Conclusions of this TSAWHITEPAPER ___________________________________ 44 Technical Glossary __________________________________________________ 45
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TSAWHITEPAPER IP2110 The Transition to IP in Broadcast
1. Executive Summary
The Broadcast industry is in the midst of a fundamental transformation, moving away from traditional infrastructures based on Serial Digital Interface (SDI) to adopt networks based on Internet Protocol (IP), thus giving rise to Broadcast Video IP. The question is no longer if the industry will migrate to IP, but when this transition will occur widely.
At the heart of this evolution is the suite of standards SMPTE ST 2110, which defines a common IP-based mechanism for the transport of professional media, enabling more flexible, scalable, and efficient workflows.
ST 2110 represents a paradigm shift compared to SDI and previous IP standards like SMPTE ST 2022-6, by allowing the transport of video, audio, and data as separate, independently synchronized elementary essence streams.
This disaggregated architecture, combined with the use of standard commercial off- the-shelf (COTS) hardware from the standard Information Technology (IT) industry, offers significant benefits.
It provides unprecedented operational flexibility, allowing independent routing and processing of each essence, optimizing bandwidth and resource usage.
It facilitates scalability to handle increasing resolutions (UHD, 8K) and emerging formats, and prepares the infrastructure for future innovations.
The transition to IP is not merely a technological change; it is intrinsically linked to the evolution of business models and operational paradigms, enabling efficiencies in remote production, integration with cloud-based workflows, and alignment with the innovation cycles and economies of scale of the IT industry.
However, the successful implementation of ST 2110 critically depends on two complementary technologies: the Precision Time Protocol (PTP, based on IEEE 1588 and profiled in SMPTE ST 2059) for precise synchronization of the separate essences, and the AMWA’s Networked Media Open Specifications (NMOS) for discovery, registration, and interoperable device connection management.
The design of the underlying IP network requires meticulous attention to bandwidth, latency, quality of service (QoS), and redundancy (e.g., using SMPTE ST 2022-7). The transition also presents significant challenges, including the need for new technical skills for staff, the complexity of monitoring and troubleshooting in IP environments, managing hybrid SDI/IP environments during migration, and implementing robust cybersecurity measures.
This White Paper, prepared by TSA (Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales), provides a comprehensive and practical technical guide aimed at Broadcast professionals navigating the transition to IP with SMPTE ST 2110.
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It focuses on practical implementation aspects, interoperability, synchronization, network design, benefits, and challenges, with the goal of equipping engineers, integrators, and technical managers with the necessary knowledge to successfully plan, deploy, and operate ST 2110-based media infrastructures.
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2. Introduction and Context
For decades, Broadcast production and distribution infrastructure has relied on the Serial Digital Interface (SDI) as the backbone for transporting video and audio signals. However, the growing demands for higher resolution, operational flexibility, and cost efficiency, along with the general convergence of the media and IT industries, are driving an inexorable migration towards Internet Protocol (IP)-based infrastructures.
2.1. Historical Evolution: From SDI to IP
SDI, first standardized by SMPTE in the late 1980s, marked the industry’s transition from analog to digital video. It provided a reliable method for transmitting uncompressed digital video and audio signals over coaxial cables (and later fiber optics) in a unidirectional point-to-point structure. Over the years, the SDI family of standards evolved to support higher data rates and resolutions, moving from standard definition (SD-SDI) to high definition (HD-SDI), 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, and 12G-SDI, enabling the transport of 4K and even 8K signals. SDI matrices became the core of Broadcast facilities, managing the switching of these signals.
Despite its longevity and proven reliability, the SDI architecture presents inherent limitations in the context of modern media workflows:
• Rigid Infrastructure: The point-to-point and unidirectional nature of SDI requires dedicated cabling for each signal, resulting in complex, costly, and difficult-to-modify infrastructures.
• Limited Scalability: Adding new signals or increasing capacity requires installing more cables and router ports, which becomes impractical and expensive for the high bandwidth demands of UHD, HDR, and HFR.
• Multiplexed Signal: SDI carries video, embedded audio, and ancillary data as a single multiplexed stream. Accessing or processing an individual essence (e.g., only the audio) requires demultiplexing/embedding hardware, adding complexity and latency.
• IT Integration: Integrating SDI workflows with IT-based systems (network storage, cloud, MAM) is often cumbersome and requires specific Gateways. In a native environment, although it sometimes requires Gateways, everything is much more fluid and integrated.
• Distance Limitations: SDI signals over coaxial have distance limitations (typically < 100-300m for HD/3G) without requiring repeaters.
Faced with these limitations, IP networks, based on ubiquitous Ethernet technology, emerged as an attractive alternative. IP networks offer a converged, bidirectional, and highly scalable infrastructure capable of transporting various types of data. The use of certified* COTS IP switches, developed for the large-scale IT industry, promises to leverage the economies of scale and rapid innovation cycles of that sector.
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This technological convergence allows the Broadcast industry to benefit from advances in high-performance networks, flexible architectures like spine-leaf, and native integration with IT and cloud environments.
*CISCO, for example, only certifies Nexus IP Fabric For Media
2.2. Technological and Business Drivers for IP Migration
The transition from SDI to IP is not just a technological upgrade but a strategic response to several key drivers:
• Bandwidth Need: Formats like 4K/UHD, 8K, High Dynamic Range (HDR), and High Frame Rate (HFR) demand bandwidths that easily exceed the practical capabilities of SDI infrastructures (especially 12G-SDI for UHDp60 and higher). IP networks offer a scalable path to speeds of 10GbE, 25GbE, 40GbE, 100GbE, 400GbE, and beyond.
• Flexibility and Agility: IP allows for greater agility in configuring and reconfiguring workflows. The ability to route any signal to any destination over the network facilitates remote production, resource sharing between different rooms or facilities, and rapid adaptation to changing production needs.
• Efficiency and Costs: The use of COTS hardware (switches, servers, fiber cabling) leverages IT industry economies of scale, potentially offering a lower cost per high-bandwidth port compared to high-capacity SDI routers. Reduced physical cabling also lowers installation and maintenance costs.
• IT and Cloud Integration: A native IP infrastructure simplifies integration with existing and emerging IT systems, such as Media Asset Management (MAM), centralized storage, software-based playout platforms, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud workflows (private, public, or hybrid like TSAmediaHUB). This integration, although requiring specific models, is, as we say, much more fluid than a traditional SDI installation.
• Future-Proofing: IP provides a more flexible and scalable foundation for adopting future technologies and formats, protecting infrastructure investment in the long term.
• New Business Models: IP flexibility facilitates the implementation of new distribution models, such as direct-to-consumer (D2C) streaming, and enables more efficient and localized content production.
The “inevitability” of the transition to IP stems not only from its intrinsic technical advantages but fundamentally from the convergence of Broadcast needs with the trajectory of the much larger and faster-innovating IT industry. SDI, as a Broadcast- specific technology, cannot benefit from the same economies of scale or pace of innovation as IP networks. Therefore, migrating to IP becomes a strategic necessity to avoid technological stagnation and leverage broader industry advances, implying that resisting the transition carries an increasing opportunity cost.
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2.3. Current State of Adoption in the Industry
The migration to IP and specifically to SMPTE ST 2110 is well underway, but the pace varies considerably. Many organizations currently operate in hybrid SDI/IP environments, using Gateways to interconnect new IP-based equipment with existing SDI infrastructure. This coexistence is a pragmatic reality that allows for a gradual and managed transition. However, SMPTE ST 2110 has moved beyond the early adoption phase and is becoming the default choice for new builds (greenfield), major sporting events, and significant facility upgrades. Key projects and success stories, such as those carried out by TSA as a pioneer of this type of IP technology implementation, demonstrate interoperability with broad manufacturer participation, evidencing the maturity and availability of ST 2110 products in the market.
Industry organizations such as SMPTE, Video Services Forum (VSF), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), and the Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) have been instrumental in the development, promotion, and testing of ST 2110 standards and related specifications (NMOS, PTP), fostering an interoperable ecosystem.
Below is a comparative table summarizing the key differences between SDI and IP in the Broadcast context:
TABLE 1: SDI VS. IP COMPARISON (KEY FEATURES)
Feature
SDI IP (with ST 2110)
Transport
Point-to-point, unidirectional
Networked, bidirectional
Cabling Scalability Bandwidth
IT Integration
Signal Strucutre
Coaxial (limited), Fibre
Limited by hardware/cabling
Defined by standard (3G, 12G, etc.)
Difficult / requires gateways
Muxed (V+A+D)
Fibre/Ethernet (COTS) High (network capacity)
Scalable via network speed (10G, 100G, 400G+)
Native
Separate essences (V, A, D independent)
Routing
Circuit-switching router (SDI)
Packet-switching switch (COTS)
Flexibility
Low (multiplexed signal)
High (separate essences)
Synchronization
Black Burst / Tri-Level (external)
PTP (IEEE 1588 / ST 2059) (in banda)
Cost Model
Broadcast-specific hardware
IT economies of scale (COTS), software/licences
Future Readiness
Limited by SDI standards
High (based on evolving IP technology)
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This table illustrates why the industry is moving towards IP, seeking to overcome the limitations of SDI and embrace the inherent advantages of an IP-based infrastructure for future media production and distribution.
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3. Technical Fundamentals of SMPTE ST 2110
The set of standards SMPTE ST 2110 “Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks” defines the technical basis for the transition of the Broadcast industry towards fully IP-based infrastructures. Its central philosophy and architecture represent a fundamental change regarding how media signals are transported and synchronised.
3.1. General Architecture and Philosophy
The fundamental premise of ST 2110 is the transport of the individual components of a media signal — video, audio, and ancillary data (ANC) — as separate and independent elementary streams over a managed IP network. Each of these streams, known as “essences”, is encapsulated in packets using the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) over UDP/IP.
This contrasts with:
• SDI: Que transporta vídeo, audio embebido y datos como una única señal multiplexada en un flujo de bits serie.
• SMPTE ST 2022-6: Que encapsula la señal SDI completa (multiplexada) dentro de paquetes IP, tratándola como una única entidad sobre la red.
The separation of essences in ST 2110 allows each stream (video, each channel or group of audio channels, ANC data) to be routed independently through the IP network, using unicast or multicast mechanisms, to one or multiple receivers.
An essential pillar of this architecture is synchronisation. Given that the essences travel through potentially different network routes with variable latencies, ST 2110 critically relies on the Precision Time Protocol (PTP), as defined in IEEE 1588 and profiled in SMPTE ST 2059.
All devices in the ST 2110 network synchronise with a common reference clock (Grandmaster), and each RTP essence packet carries a precise timestamp derived from this PTP clock. This allows receivers to reconstruct the correct temporal relationship between the different essences, ensuring synchronisation (e.g., lip-sync) regardless of network variations.
Additionally, ST 2110 is designed to be video format agnostic, meaning it can transport different resolutions (SD, HD, UHD, 8K), frame rates, and colour spaces, providing a future-proof foundation. The standard is the result of extensive industry collaboration, leveraging previous work from organisations such as the Video Services Forum (VSF TR-03), IEEE (PTP), AES (AES67), and AMWA (NMOS).
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3.2. Main Components and Suite of Standards
SMPTE ST 2110 is not a single document but a suite of interrelated standards, where each part addresses a specific aspect of the system. The fundamental parts include:
• ST 2110-10: System Timing and Definitions:
o Defines the overall system architecture, the timing model based on PTP
(referencing ST 2059 and the concept of SMPTE Epoch), and the common requirements applicable to all essence streams. It establishes the need for a common reference clock and how RTP timestamps relate to it.
• ST 2110-20: Uncompressed Active Video:
o Specifies the RTP transport of uncompressed video essence over IP.
Crucially, it focuses on the transport of the active image area, excluding the blanking intervals present in SDI. This can result in more efficient bandwidth usage compared to ST 2022-6.
o Also defines the use of the Session Description Protocol (SDP) to signal technical metadata of the image (resolution, frame rate, colour space, etc.) necessary for a receiver to correctly interpret the stream.
• ST 2110-30: PCM Digital Audio:
o Specifies the RTP transport of PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) digital
audio streams over IP. This standard is directly based on AES67, the
Audio Engineering Society’s audio-over-IP interoperability standard.
o Allows the transport of mono, stereo, or multichannel audio as separate
streams.
o Defines SDP signalling for audio parameters (sampling frequency, bit
depth, number of channels, packet time). The ‘packet time’ (ptime) defines the duration of audio contained in each RTP packet (e.g., 1ms), impacting latency and network overhead.
o It is important to note that ST 2110-30 is limited to uncompressed PCM audio. Other audio formats (compressed or non-PCM) are handled in other parts of the standard.
• ST 2110-40: Ancillary Data (SMPTE ST 291-1 Ancillary Data):
o Specifies how to transport ancillary data (ANC), as defined in SMPTE ST
291-1, as separate RTP streams over IP. This includes critical metadata such as timecode, Closed Captions (CEA-608/708), subtitles, and control data.
o Allows ANC data to be routed and processed independently of video and audio, offering great flexibility for workflows such as subtitle insertion or device control.
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3.3. Other Relevant Parts of the Suite
In addition to the fundamental parts, other parts of the ST 2110 suite address important aspects:
• ST 2110-21: Traffic Shaping and Delivery Timing for Video: Defines a timing model for the transmission of RTP video packets from the sender. It specifies how packets should be spaced in time to avoid excessive bursts that could congest the network (traffic shaping). This is crucial to ensure smooth and predictable delivery in shared IP networks.
• ST 2110-22: Constant Bit-Rate Compressed Video: Allows the transport of compressed video (using codecs like JPEG-XS) over IP within the ST 2110 framework. This is useful for applications with limited bandwidth or for specific workflows that use light compression with low latency.
• ST 2110-31: AES3 Transparent Transport: Specifies how to transport complete AES3 digital audio signals (including non-PCM data) over IP.
• ST 2110-43: Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) for Captions and Subtitles: Defines the transport of subtitles and captions using the TTML format over RTP.
The following table summarises the key parts of the ST 2110 suite:
TABLE 2: SUMMARY OF KEY PARTS OF ST 2110
Part Brief Title
Main Purpose Covered Essence(s)
ST 2110-10
System Timing and Definitions
Defines overall architecture, PTP timing model, common requirements
All
ST 2110-20
ST 2110-30
ST 2110-40
ST 2110-43
Uncompressed Active Video
Audio PCM
Ancillary Data (ST 291-1)
Timed Text Markup Language (TTML)
RTP transport of uncompressed active video, SDP signalling
RTP transport of PCM audio based on AES67, SDP signalling
RTP transport of ANC data packets
RTP transport of TTML captions/subtitles
Video
Audio (PCM)
Auxiliar Data
Data (TTML)
ST 2110-21
Traffic Shaping Vídeo
Defines timing model for video packets to avoid congestion
Video
ST 2110-31
AES3 Transparent Transport
RTP transport of complete AES3 signals
Audio (AES3)
ST 2110-22
CBR Compressed
Video
RTP transport of constant bit-
rate compressed video (e.g., JPEG-XS)
Video
(Compressed)
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3.4. Fundamental Differences with SDI and SMPTE 2022-6
The key differences between ST 2110 and previous technologies lie in signal structure and synchronisation:
TABLE 3: DETAILED COMPARISON: ST 2110 VS. ST 2022-6 VS. SDI
Feature SDI
SMPTE ST 2022- SMPTE ST 2110 6
Signal Structure
Multiplexed (V+A+D)
Multiplexed (SDI sobre IP)
Separate Streams
Essences
Synchronisation Processing
Typical Use Case
Grouped
Genlock (Black Burst/Tri-Level)
Requires Demux/Embed
Baseband Routing
Grouped within IP
Packet Arrival/ Buffers
Requieres Demux/Embed post-IP
Simple IP Contribution/ Transport
Independent (V, A, D)
PTP (ST 2059)
Direct Essence Processing
Complex IP Production/ Workflows
Time Reference
Video Sync Signal
Inherited from SDI
Wall Clock (Epoch)
Flexibility
Low
Low
High
Network Efficiency
N/A (Baseband) / Low (SDI includes blanking)
Moderate (encapsulates complete SDI)
High (only active video, selective routing)
3.5. Advantages of Separate Essence Architecture
The decision to separate essences in ST 2110 offers significant advantages for modern workflows:
• Maximum Flexibility: Allows routing only the necessary essences to appropriate destinations. For example, an audio mixer only needs to receive ST 2110-30 streams, a subtitling system only ST 2110-40 (or -43) streams, and a multiviewer primarily ST 2110-20 streams. This greatly simplifies processing at each point, as there is no need to demux or ignore unwanted data. It facilitates the addition of services like multiple audio languages or different types of metadata, as each can be an independent stream.
• Resource Efficiency: By transporting only active video (-20) and allowing selective routing of essences, network bandwidth usage and processing load on receiving devices can be optimised.
• Scalability and Future-Proofing: The modular architecture aligns well with software-based processing and virtualisation. Specific functions can be handled
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by specialised software modules operating on specific essence streams, facilitating integration with cloud architectures and data centres.
This separation of essences is not just a transport mechanism; it is a fundamental enabler for disaggregated and software-defined broadcast workflows. By breaking the monolithic structure of the SDI signal, ST 2110 allows individual functions (audio processing, graphics insertion, video switching) to operate on specific streams. These functions can increasingly be implemented as virtualised software components running on COTS hardware or in the cloud. This capability for disaggregation is a prerequisite for moving away from dedicated hardware boxes and advancing towards software-based functions that can be deployed, scaled, and managed using IT principles, which has profound implications for facility design, operational models, and vendor ecosystems.
Now, the architectural difference can be described as follows:
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4. Interoperability and NMOS
While SMPTE ST 2110 defines how to transport media essences over IP, it does not specify how devices on the network discover each other, establish connections, or manage flows. Without a standardised control layer, setting up an ST 2110 system would require manually entering IP addresses, ports, and session parameters (SDP files), a process prone to errors and unfeasible in complex and dynamic production environments.
4.1. The Need for a Control Layer: AMWA NMOS
To address this critical gap, the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) developed the Networked Media Open Specifications (NMOS). NMOS is a family of open and free specifications that provide a standardised control and management layer for IP-based networked media systems, such as those using ST 2110.
The main goal of NMOS is to facilitate plug-and-play interoperability between devices from different manufacturers in an ST 2110 environment. It does this by defining APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) based on standard web technologies (RESTful HTTP, WebSockets, JSON) that allow devices and control systems to interact predictably.
The key NMOS specifications or recommendations for basic ST 2110 functionality are IS-04 and IS-05, although they are continuously evolving. It is advisable to check the attached table for the most up-to-date information:
https://specs.amwa.tv/nmos/is/
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4.2. IS-04 Specification: Discovery & Registration
• Purpose: IS-04 defines how devices (NMOS Nodes) announce themselves and their capabilities (Resources such as Senders, Receivers, Sources, Flows) on the network, and how control systems can discover these devices and resources.
• Arquitecture:
o NMOS node: A physical or virtual device on the network (e.g., camera,
monitor, server) that implements the NMOS Node API.
o NMOS Resources: Logical entities within a Node (Device, Source, Flow,
Sender, Receiver).
o Registry & Discovery System (RDS): A centralised (or distributed)
service that maintains a database of registered Nodes and Resources.
o APIs:
▪ Node API: Exposed by each NMOS Node to describe its own
Resources.
▪ Registration API: Exposed by the RDS, used by Nodes to register
(and send periodic heartbeats to remain registered).
▪ Query API: Exposed by the RDS, used by clients (control systems)
to search for available Nodes and Resources based on various
criteria.
• Operation: An NMOS Node registers with the RDS via the Registration API. A
control system queries the RDS via the Query API to find, for example, all available video Senders. The RDS returns a list of registered Senders with their associated information (including the parameters needed for connection, often in SDP format).
• RDS Discovery: For Nodes to find the RDS, IS-04 recommends using DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD), which allows devices to look for specific services (such as the Registration API or Query API) on the network without manual IP address configuration.
• Scalability and Resilience: IS-04 includes mechanisms such as heartbeats to detect RDS failures, priorities to select among multiple RDS instances, and advanced query and pagination capabilities to efficiently handle large networks.
4.3. IS-05 Specification: Device Connection Management
• Purpose: IS-05 defines an API for establishing and managing connections between Senders (flow emitters) and Receivers (flow receivers) discovered via IS-04. Essentially, it implements “routing” or “switching” functionality in the IP domain.
• Mechanism: Un sistema de control identifica un Sender y un Receiver compatibles utilizando IS-04.
1. El A control system identifies a compatible Sender and Receiver using IS-04.
2. The controller uses the IS-05 API of the Receiver Node to “stage” the connection parameters of the desired Sender. These parameters are usually obtained from the Sender’s SDP file (discovered via IS-04).
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3. 4.
The controller then “activates” the staged connection via the IS-05 API. Upon activation, the Receiver uses the provided parameters to start receiving the Sender’s flow. In multicast networks, this typically involves the Receiver sending an IGMP Join request to the network switch to join the desired flow’s multicast group.
• Timed Activations: IS-05 allows connection activations to be immediate, relative to a future time (e.g., in 5 seconds), or absolute at a specific PTP time, enabling synchronised switching.
• Interaction with IS-04: IS-05 is closely tied to IS-04:
1. It uses the same unique identifiers (UUIDs) for Senders and Receivers
as those registered in IS-04.
2. WhenaconnectionisactivatedormodifiedviaIS-05,theNodemust
increment the version attribute of the corresponding Sender or Receiver in its IS-04 registration. This allows clients monitoring IS-04 to detect changes in connection status without constantly polling IS-05.
3. The IS-05 API is announced by Nodes via the controls attribute in their IS-04 registration.
4.4. Other Relevant NMOS
La The NMOS family goes beyond IS-04 and IS-05, adding important functionalities:
• IS-07 (Event & Tally): Provides a mechanism for transporting status and event information (similar to GPIs in SDI) between devices over the IP network, using WebSockets for low latency.
• IS-08 (Audio Channel Mapping): Allows a controller to remap or reorder audio channels within an ST 2110-30 stream on the receiver or sender side.
• IS-09 (System Parameters): Defines an API for Nodes to discover global system configuration parameters (e.g., PTP configuration, system API endpoints).
• IS-10 (Authorization): Together with BCP-003-02, defines a framework for secure authorisation of requests to NMOS APIs, using technologies like OAuth 2.0 and JSON Web Tokens (JWT).
• BCP-002 (Grouping): Defines best practices for logically grouping related NMOS Resources (e.g., video, audio, and data streams from the same camera) using the tags attribute in IS-04.
• BCP-003 (Security): Defines best practices for securing NMOS communications, including the use of TLS (HTTPS/WSS) for encryption (BCP- 003-01) and the authorisation framework (BCP-003-02).
• Future/In-Progress Specifications: AMWA continues to develop new specifications to address emerging needs, such as IS-11 (Flow Compatibility Management), IS-12 (Generic Control Protocol for device parameters), IS-13 (Resource Annotation with human-readable tags), and IS-14 (Device Configuration).
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The following table summarises the most relevant NMOS specifications:
TABLA 4: SUMMARY OF RELEVANT NMOS SPECIFICATIONS
Specification Brief Title
Main Purpose Status (Q2 2025
aprox.)
IS-04
Discovery & Registration
Allows nodes to register and controllers to discover resources
Stable (v1.3+)
IS-05 Connection Management
IS-08 Audio Channel Mapping
IS-10 Authorization
IS-12 Control Protocol
IS-14 Device Configuration
BCP-003 Security
Defines API for creating and breaking connections between Senders and Receivers
Control of audio channel remapping/shuffling
API for granular access control to NMOS APIs
Generic API for controlling specific device parameters
API for configuring device parameters (beyond basic control)
Best practice for securing NMOS APIs (TLS, Auth)
Stable (v1.1+)
Stable (v1.0+)
Stable (v1.0+)
Stable (v1.0+)
In progress
Stable/ In progress
IS-07
Event & Tally
Transport of GPI-type events over IP (WebSockets)
Stable (v1.0+)
IS-09
System Parameters
Discovery of global configuration parameters
Stable (v1.0+)
IS-11
Flow Compatibility Management
Negotiation of formats/capabilities between Sender and Receiver
Stable (v1.0+)
IS-13
Annotation
Adding human-readable tags/descriptions to resources
In progress
BCP-002
Grouping
Best practice for logically grouping related streams
Stable
BCP-004
Receiver/Sender Capabilities
Define and discover detailed endpoint capabilities
Stable/In progress
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4.5. NMOS Implementation Use Case (Conceptual Description)
Imagine a typical workflow in an ST 2110 environment managed by NMOS:
1. Powering On and Registration: A new NMOS-compatible IP camera (Node) is powered on. The camera uses DNS-SD to locate the IP address of the RDS server on the network. Once found, the camera uses the IS-04 Registration API of the RDS to announce its presence and register its resources: a Device (the physical camera), a video Source, a video Flow, a video Sender (ST 2110-20), several audio Sources/Flows/Senders (ST 2110-30), etc. It sends its corresponding SDP files to the RDS. It starts sending periodic heartbeats to the RDS.
2. Discovery by Controller: An operator uses a control panel (NMOS Client) connected to a Broadcast control system. The control system queries the IS-04 Query API of the RDS to obtain a list of all available video Senders. The new camera appears in the control panel list.
3. Connection Establishment: The operator selects the new camera in the control panel and assigns it to a wall monitor (which is another NMOS Node with a video Receiver).
4. IS-05 Action: The control system obtains the SDP file of the camera’s video Sender (either directly from the RDS or by querying the camera’s Node API). Then, it uses the IS-05 Connection API on the monitor Node to stage a new connection, providing the camera Sender’s parameters. Immediately after (or at a scheduled time), the controller activates the connection via IS-05.
5. Flow Reception: The monitor receives the IS-05 activation. It configures its network interface and sends an IGMP Join request to the switch for the multicast group specified in the camera Sender’s parameters. The switch starts forwarding the ST 2110-20 video flow packets from the camera to the monitor’s port.
6. State Update: A monitoring node needs to communicate changes in its state, such as a modification in the active connection it is supervising.
In implementations that strictly follow the NMOS IS-04 standard, this node would update its state by registering and modifying its resources in a Registration and Discovery System (RDS). Specifically, it might increment the version of its ‘Receiver’ resource published in the RDS to indicate that the active connection has changed. Control systems monitoring the RDS can detect this update and react accordingly.
However, it is important to note that this RDS-based mechanism is not universally used in all installations. As pointed out by the specialist engineer, there are solutions like LAWO’s VSM that manage connectivity differently. Instead of relying solely on dynamic discovery and state updates via NMOS RDS, VSM can operate with a preconfigured database containing device information (such as their SDP files). In these environments, detection and change management may not be as automatic or ‘ideal’ as the pure NMOS model describes.
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Precisely to improve interoperability and automation in discovery and control in heterogeneous IP environments, new initiatives like the ‘HOME’ standard are emerging, aiming to address some of these limitations and facilitate more homogeneous and dynamic management.
4.6. Current Challenges and Standardisation Status
Although IS-04 and IS-05 are considered mature and stable, forming the basis of interoperability proven in events like the JT-NM Tested Program, some challenges persist:
• Real Interoperability: Despite testing, interoperability issues can arise due to different interpretations of the specifications or incomplete implementations by some manufacturers. Thorough testing in the user’s specific environment remains crucial. Similar to the origins of file-based video recording, even with an interoperable format like MXF, each manufacturer understood the protocol in their own way, which evolved over time.
• Advanced Functionality: NMOS provides basic connection and discovery control, but controlling more specific or advanced device parameters often still requires the use of proprietary manufacturer APIs or additional protocols. IS-12 aims to address this in a standardised way, but its adoption is still growing.
• RDS Scalability and Performance: In very large installations, the performance and resilience of the RDS can be a concern, although IS-04 includes features to mitigate this.
• Security: Implementing NMOS security (BCP-003) adds complexity and requires careful management of certificates and authorisation tokens. Its adoption is not yet universal.
• Adoption of Newer Specifications: Manufacturer adoption of newer specifications (IS-07, IS-08, IS-11, IS-12, etc.) takes time, meaning the full functionality of the NMOS ecosystem may not be immediately available on all devices.
In summary, NMOS is an indispensable piece of the ST 2110 puzzle. Its continued success and adoption are intrinsically necessary for the operational viability of ST 2110 in real and complex production environments. Challenges in NMOS implementation or fragmented adoption translate directly into obstacles for the practical deployment of ST 2110, underscoring the critical interdependence between the transport standard and its control plane.
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5. Precise Synchronisation with PTP
The separate essence architecture of SMPTE ST 2110 requires an extremely precise synchronisation mechanism to ensure that video, audio, and data streams, which may travel through different network routes, align correctly in time at the reception points. The chosen standard for this critical task is the Precision Time Protocol (PTP), defined in IEEE 1588 and profiled for Broadcast applications in SMPTE ST 2059.
5.1. Principles of IEEE 1588 PTP
PTP is a protocol designed to synchronise clocks in network nodes with nanosecond precision in hardware implementations. It replaces traditional synchronisation methods in Broadcast, such as Black Burst or Tri-Level Sync signals, which required a separate physical sync distribution network.
Key concepts of PTP include:
• PTP Clocks:
o Grandmaster Clock (GM): The reference time source for a PTP domain.
Ideally, it is synchronised with an external time reference like GPS or
UTC.
o Slave Clock: A clock that synchronises its time with a Master Clock (which
can be the GM or another intermediate clock). ST 2110 end devices
(cameras, monitors) act as Slaves.
o Boundary Clock (BC): A network device (usually a switch) that acts as a
Slave to an upstream Master and as a Master to downstream Slaves. It regenerates the PTP signal, isolating sync domains and helping maintain precision in large networks.
o Transparent Clock (TC): A network device (switch) that measures the time PTP messages spend passing through it (residence time) and adds this information to a correction field in the message. This allows Slaves to compensate for the delay introduced by TC switches without them needing to act as BCs.
• Synchronisation Mechanism: PTP funciona mediante el intercambio de mensajes temporizados entre un Master y un Slave :
o The Master sends a Sync message with a precise timestamp (t1) of when it was sent.
o The Master may send a Follow_Up message containing the exact value of t1 (if it could not be included in the Sync).
o The Slave records the precise timestamp (t2) of when it received the Sync.
o The Slave sends a Delay_Req message to the Master, recording the send timestamp (t3).
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The Master records the precise timestamp (t4) of when it received the Delay_Req.
The Master sends a Delay_Resp message to the Slave containing the value of t4. With these four timestamps (t1, t2, t3, t4), and assuming the network delay is symmetrical (the time from Master to Slave is equal to the time from Slave to Master), the Slave can calculate both the offset of its clock relative to the Master and the average propagation delay in the network, and adjust its own clock accordingly. This process is repeated periodically to maintain synchronisation. The precision critically depends on the ability of devices to generate very precise hardware timestamps when PTP packets enter or leave the network interface.
DIAGRAM: CLOCK SYNCHRONISATION IN PRODUCTION NETWORKS
• Best Master Clock Algorithm (BMCA): In a PTP network, there can be multiple clocks capable of being the Grandmaster. The BMCA is a distributed algorithm that runs on all PTP clocks to automatically select the best available clock as the active Grandmaster for the domain. The selection is based on a hierarchy of clock attributes, such as quality (clock class, accuracy, stability), user-configured priority, and finally the clock identity. This allows for redundancy and automatic failover if the active GM fails.
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5.2. SMPTE ST 2059-2 Porfile for Broadcast
Given that IEEE 1588 offers many options and configurable parameters, “profiles” are defined to optimise PTP for specific applications. SMPTE ST 2059-2 is the specific PTP profile for professional Broadcast applications.
This profile, based on IEEE 1588-2008 (although more recent versions of IEEE 1588 exist, the common reference remains the 2008 version for ST 2059-2), specifies concrete values or ranges for key PTP parameters, ensuring interoperability in Broadcast environments:
• PTP Domain: The default domain number is 127. Devices will only synchronise with other devices in the same domain.
• Message Intervals: Defines the ranges for the intervals of Announce messages (used by BMCA) and Sync messages (used for synchronisation).
• Required Precision: Implicitly requires a synchronisation precision of the order of 1 microsecond (μs) or better across the network to meet video and audio alignment requirements.
• Transport: Allows the use of IPv4 or IPv6, and typically uses multicast for PTP message distribution, although unicast is also possible.
• Clock Types: Allows the use of Grandmasters, Boundary Clocks, and Ordinary Clocks (Slaves).
• Relation to ST 2059-1: ST 2059-2 distributes precise time information (referenced to International Atomic Time, TAI). ST 2059-1 defines how to generate media signals (video, audio) precisely aligned to a temporal reference point called SMPTE Epoch (1 January 1970, 00:00:00 TAI), using the time distributed by ST 2059-2.
The following table summarises some key parameters of the ST 2059-2 profile:
TABLE 5: KEY PARAMETERS OF THE PTP ST 2059-2
Parameter
Typical Value/ Configuration (according to ST 2059-2 / IEEE 1588 for Broadcast)
PTP Domain
127 (default), Range 0-127
Announce Interval Delay Mechanism Clock Types
SMPTE Epoch Reference
125 ms a 1 s (default 250 ms) End-to-End (E2E) o Peer-to-Peer (P2P)
Grandmaster (GM), Boundary Clock (BC), Slave (Ordinary Clock)
Yes (via ST 2059-1)
Sync Interval
1/128 s (~7.8 ms) a 125 ms (default 125 ms)
Transport
IPv4/UDP, IPv6/UDP, L2 Ethernet (Multicast o Unicast)
Required Precision
Target < 1 μs across the network
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5.3. Specific Synchronisation Requirements for ST 2110
La PTP synchronisation is absolutely fundamental for ST 2110 for several reasons:
• Essence Alignment: Allows receiving devices to precisely temporally align the separate video (-20), audio (-30), and data (-40) streams using the RTP timestamps present in each packet, which are referenced to the common PTP clock.
• Temporal Coherence: Ensures lip-sync and the correct temporal relationship between all essences, even if they have traversed different network routes with varying latencies.
• Synchronised Operations: Enables production operations that depend on precise timing, such as clean switching between sources (frame-accurate switching) and applying synchronised effects in the IP domain.
5.4. Designing Resilient PTP Infrastructures
Given its criticality, the PTP infrastructure must be designed to be robust and resilient:
• Redundant Grandmasters: Use at least two high-quality Grandmasters, preferably synchronised with GPS or another reliable external time reference, for redundancy. Careful BMCA (priorities) configuration is essential for predictable failover. The use of ‘Dynamic Priority’ can improve stability by avoiding unnecessary GM changes.
• PTP-Aware Switches (Boundary Clocks): In networks of a certain size, it is indispensable to use switches that support PTP in hardware and function as Boundary Clocks (BCs). BCs regenerate PTP timing, isolating network segments, minimising timing error accumulation (Packet Delay Variation – PDV), and improving overall PTP system scalability and precision.
• Network Design: Minimising the number of network hops between the Grandmaster and Slaves is fundamental. It is crucial that network paths are as symmetrical as possible in terms of delay, as any asymmetry directly affects synchronisation precision. To achieve this, it is recommended to configure Quality of Service (QoS) on switches, assigning the highest priority to PTP traffic, and minimising PDV (Packet Delay Variation).
Additionally, it is highly recommended to use a Spine-Leaf architecture, which offers symmetrical and predictable paths, facilitating low latency and reducing complexity in scalable networks. For greater isolation and control, consider separating PTP traffic, for example by using dedicated VLANs.
• PTP Priority Configuration: Configure BMCA priorities hierarchically: GMs with the highest priority, followed by core/spine switches (BCs), then access/leaf switches (BCs), and finally end devices (Slaves). This helps the PTP network stabilise predictably.
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5.5. Problemas Comunes y Mejores Prácticas
Implementing PTP can present challenges:
• Packet Delay Variation (PDV): Variation in the delay of PTP packets across the network, caused by congestion or buffering in switches, is a primary enemy of PTP precision. It is mitigated with QoS, PTP-aware switches (BCs), and a non-congested network design.
• Network Asymmetry: If the delay on the Master-Slave route is different from the Slave-Master route, PTP calculations will be incorrect. Requires careful network design and sometimes the use of the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) mechanism instead of End-to-End (E2E) if asymmetry is significant.
• Incorrect Configuration: Errors in configuring the PTP domain, profile, BMCA priorities, or network parameters in switches and end devices are common causes of problems.
• Grandmaster Issues: Loss of GPS reference, GM clock instability, or incorrect failover configurations.
• Non-PTP-Aware Devices: Switches or routers on the PTP path that do not support BC or TC can introduce variable and unpredictable delays, severely degrading synchronisation.
• Monitoring: Lack of adequate tools to monitor PTP status (current GM, slave offset, PDV, BMCA status) makes problem detection and resolution difficult. Investing in specific PTP monitoring tools is essential.
In conclusion, PTP is a critical enabling technology for ST 2110, but its successful implementation is possibly the most challenging aspect of the transition to IP. It requires a combination of deep Broadcast and IP networking knowledge, meticulous planning, appropriate network hardware (PTP-aware switches), specialised monitoring tools, and thorough training of technical staff. The robustness of the PTP layer is directly proportional to the reliability of the entire ST 2110-based media operation.
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6. Design and Implementation of IP Networks for Broadcast
The migration to SMPTE ST 2110 imposes very specific and demanding requirements on the underlying IP network infrastructure. Unlike typical enterprise IT networks, Broadcast IP networks must handle high-bandwidth, real-time data streams with extremely low latency and jitter, and absolute reliability. Careful network design is therefore crucial for the success of any ST 2110 implementation.
6.1. Specific Network Requirements
Networks supporting ST 2110 must meet key characteristics:
• High Bandwidth: Uncompressed video streams consume considerable bandwidth. For example, an HD 1080p60 (3G) stream requires approximately 3.1 Gbps, while a UHD 2160p60 (12G) stream needs around 12.6 Gbps. This necessitates the use of high-speed network interfaces (25GbE, 40GbE, 100GbE, 400GbE) on trunk links (spines) and increasingly on access links (leafs) for end devices. The aggregate network capacity must be carefully calculated to support the total number of expected concurrent streams, plus a margin for peaks and future growth.
• Low Latency and Jitter: Essential for live production, interactivity, and precise synchronisation via PTP. Switches must have inherent low-latency switching capabilities. Jitter (variation in latency) must be kept to a minimum, as it directly affects PTP precision.
• Non-Blocking Architecture: The network must be able to handle the aggregate traffic of all ports simultaneously without dropping packets due to internal switch or fabric congestion. This is especially critical for multicast traffic, where a single stream may need to be replicated to many output ports.
• Robust Multicast Support: ST 2110 heavily relies on IP multicast for efficient one-to-many stream distribution. The network must be able to manage a large number of multicast groups efficiently and reliably, using protocols like IGMP and PIM, or via SDN control.
• Hardware Support for PTP: As discussed earlier, switches on the synchronisation path must have hardware support for PTP, preferably functioning as Boundary Clocks (BCs) to maintain precision.
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6.2. Recommended Network Architectures
The most commonly recommended and deployed network architecture for ST 2110 is
Spine-Leaf:
• Spine-Leaf: This two-tier data centre topology consists of “Spine” switches at the core and “Leaf” switches at the edge, where end devices connect. Each Leaf connects to each Spine, but Leafs do not connect to each other and Spines do not connect to each other.
o Advantages: High scalability (add Leafs for more ports, Spines for more bandwidth), predictable and low latency (typically 1 or 2 hops between endpoints), excellent multicast performance (using Equal-Cost Multi-Path – ECMP), high resilience.
o Considerations: Requires careful design of Leaf-to-Spine uplinks to avoid oversubscription and blocking, especially with high-bandwidth streams. Generally implemented with Layer 3 routing to the Leaf (routed access) for better traffic control and fault isolation.
• Monolithic/Traditional: Uses a single large chassis switch or a simpler hierarchical architecture (core-distribution-access). May be suitable for smaller or less demanding deployments but offers lower scalability, potentially higher latency, and can present bottlenecks, especially for multicast.
TABLE 6: NETWORK ARCHITECTURE COMPARISON (SPINE-LEAF VS. MONOLITHIC)
Feature Spine-Leaf Monolithic/Traditional
Scalability
High (modular)
Limited (by chassis/ design)
Latency Resilience
Management Complexity
Low/ Predictable (few hops) High (multiple paths)
More complex (often requires L3/ routing)
Variable/ Potentially higher Depends on chassis/ design Simpler (often L2)
Multicast Performance
Excellent (ECMP)
Can be a bottleneck
Cabling Complexity
Potentially more complex initially
Simpler (fewer core interconnections)
Typical Initial Cost
Potentially higher to start small
Potentially lower to start small
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6.3. Design Considerations
• Sizing and Bandwidth: Carefully calculate the total required bandwidth by summing the bandwidth of all ST 2110 streams (video, audio, data) expected to be active simultaneously. Consider traffic direction (east-west between servers, north-south to/from outside). Plan with a significant margin (e.g., 25-50%) for traffic peaks and future growth. Ensure that Spine-to-Leaf links and access links to devices have adequate capacity.
• Quality of Service (QoS): Implementing QoS is essential to prioritise time- sensitive traffic. PTP traffic must have the highest priority to ensure stable and precise synchronisation. Real-time media streams (ST 2110-20, -30, -40) should have high priority to minimise latency and jitter. Control traffic (NMOS, APIs) and management or IT traffic should be configured with lower priorities.
To achieve this, mechanisms like DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) are used to mark IP packets according to their criticality, and switches are configured with queues and scheduling policies that manage traffic according to these marks..
*Note: In professional environments, it is common to use separate network infrastructures for media and control flows. Although in some cases in-band control traffic is used alongside media, separating both planes—either physically or through logical segmentation—enhances system robustness and predictability.
• Network Segmentation: Logically separate different types of traffic using VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) or, preferably in L3 architectures, VRFs (Virtual Routing and Forwarding instances). It is common to have separate segments for:
o ST 2110 media traffic (can be further subdivided). o PTP traffic.
o NMOS control traffic.
o Switch management network.
o Network segmentation between corporate IT infrastructure and Broadcast IT (BIT) not only improves security but also limits the scope of issues like broadcast storms and simplifies QoS and multicast management.
*Note: It is not recommended to use the same network electronics for media and control flows. Separating these functions, both at the hardware and topology level, increases system resilience, avoids bottlenecks, and reduces the possibility of interference between functional planes with very different requirements.
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6.4. Redundancy Strategies
High availability is critical in Broadcast. Network-level redundancy strategies include:
1. DualNetworks(Red/Blue):Themostrobustapproachinvolvesbuildingtwo physically separate and parallel IP networks (Fabric A / Red, Fabric B / Blue). Each network has its own set of Spine and Leaf switches and links. Critical end devices have two network interfaces, one connected to the Red network and the other to the Blue network.
2. SMPTE ST 2022-7 (Seamless Protection Switching): This standard defines how a sender can simultaneously send two identical copies of an ST 2110 stream over two diverse network paths (typically the Red and Blue networks). The receiver listens on both paths, receives packets from both streams, and reconstructs a single output stream using the first packets that arrive from either path, discarding duplicates. This provides “hitless” protection (no perceptible interruption) against packet loss or complete link/switch failures on one of the paths.
*Note: Effective implementation of ST 2022-7 requires careful network planning to ensure that the Red and Blue paths are truly diverse. Typically, one network is configured as a mirror of the other, with duplicated network electronics, separate physical paths, and no shared points of failure. Only this way can seamless switching be ensured in the event of any incident.
• Link and Device Redundancy: Redundancy is key in critical production environments. It is recommended to use switches with redundant power supplies (PSU) and duplicated supervision modules to ensure availability.
*Note: Although in traditional IT environments it is common to use Link Aggregation (LAG/LACP) to combine multiple physical links into one logical link with greater bandwidth and fault tolerance, its use in media networks is not always supported or recommended due to potential issues with packet order, multicast traffic, or strict synchronisation requirements. In time-sensitive media networks, it is preferable to implement redundancy through independent parallel paths (as in ST 2022-7) rather than link aggregation.
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6.5. Multicast Traffic Management
Given the extensive use of multicast in ST 2110, efficient management is vital:
• IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol):
o IGMP Snooping: A Layer 2 mechanism where switches listen to IGMP
Join/Leave messages from hosts to learn which ports need which multicast groups, thus avoiding flooding multicast traffic to all ports. Essential in any network with multicast.
o IGMP Querier: Necessary in each VLAN/subnet for IGMP Snooping to work correctly. Sends periodic queries for hosts to reaffirm their memberships.
• PIM (Protocol Independent Multicast PIM is a Layer 3 routing protocol used to distribute multicast traffic between different subnets or network segments. The most common mode is PIM-Sparse Mode (PIM-SM), which requires a Rendezvous Point (RP) to coordinate traffic distribution. Unlike IGMP, which operates at Layer 2, PIM is much more scalable in L3 environments, although it adds some configuration and management complexity.
Note: Whenever possible, it is preferable to use Layer 3 multicast, as it offers greater control, scalability, and fault domain separation. In TSA environments, Layer 2 multicast is only maintained for specific cases like audio, where simplicity and low load justify this decision. For other flows (video, control, synchronisation), L3 segmentation with PIM is recommended.
• SDN (Software-Defined Networking): A centralised controller (SDN Controller) directly manages multicast flows in switches via APIs.
o Advantages: Can offer more granular control, explicit bandwidth management, potentially simplified configuration (especially at scale), and avoid the complexities and limitations of PIM/IGMP.
o Disadvantages: Introduces a dependency on the SDN controller, requires switches with compatible and robust APIs, and can add its own layer of complexity. The choice between PIM and SDN depends on scale, control requirements, and team experience.
6.6. Considerations for COTS Switches
Although ST 2110 uses COTS switches, not all COTS switches are suitable:
• Manufacturer Selection: Manufacturers like Arista and Cisco have significant presence and proven experience in ST 2110 deployments in Broadcast. It is crucial to choose a manufacturer with a proven track record and support for the specific required features (PTP, APIs, etc.).
• Buffer Capacity: Data centre switches typically have larger buffers than standard enterprise switches, which is important for absorbing micro-bursts of media traffic and preventing packet loss.
• PTP Support: Hardware support for PTP (ideally as BC with the ST 2059-2 profile) is a non-negotiable requirement.
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• APIs and Programmability: If SDN or automation is planned, the quality and stability of the switch APIs are fundamental.
• Non-Blocking Performance: Verify that the switch offers true non-blocking performance at line rate for the expected traffic type.
In conclusion, network design for ST 2110 is a specialised discipline that differs significantly from both traditional Broadcast engineering and standard IT network engineering. It requires a deep understanding of the unique requirements of real-time IP media flows, PTP sensitivity, multicast traffic scale, and the specific capabilities of COTS switches. Simply applying generic IT practices to COTS hardware is insufficient and likely to lead to performance and stability issues. A “media-aware” design is essential, which implies a steep learning curve and the need for combined expertise in Broadcast and advanced networking.
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7. Use Cases and Reference Architectures
The flexibility and scalability of SMPTE ST 2110 make it suitable for a variety of applications in the Broadcast industry, from large production centres to agile mobile units and hybrid transition environments. Examining reference architectures and real use cases helps understand how the technology is implemented in practice.
7.1. Full IP Production Centre
Several leading Broadcast organisations worldwide have built or are building new facilities based predominantly on ST 2110.
• Notable Examples: SIC (Portugal), RTVE Sant Cugat (Spain), Telemadrid (Spain), ITN (UK), Alaraby Television Network (Doha), WDR (Germany), NFL Media (USA), Sky Italia (Italy), WTTG-WDCA Fox (USA), Pac-12 Networks (USA), Eurosport (Europe), Kaseya Center / Miami HEAT (USA), EI Towers (Italy).
• Key Benefits Realised: These implementations aim to leverage flexibility for quickly reconfiguring workflows, scalability to handle UHD/HDR productions and an increasing number of signals, operational efficiency through the use of COTS hardware and reduced cabling, and readiness for future technologies like remote or cloud-based production.
• Common Architectural Elements:
o Network: Redundant Spine-Leaf architecture (Red/Blue) using high-
speed COTS switches (100G/400G in the core, 25G/100G in access) from manufacturers like Arista or Cisco. Use of L3 routing and segmentation (VLANs/VRFs).
o Synchronisation: Robust PTP system based on ST 2059-2 with redundant Grandmasters (often GPS synchronised) and switches acting as Boundary Clocks.
o Control: Control and orchestration system based on NMOS (IS-04/IS-05 at minimum) for discovery and connection management. Often higher- level orchestration platforms (like EVS Cerebrum, Imagine Magellan/SNP, Lawo VSM, Skyline Dataminer) are used to interact with NMOS and device APIs for unified management.
o Interconnection: SDI-IP gateways to integrate legacy equipment that does not have native ST 2110 interfaces..
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7.2. Mobile production vans (OB Van) based in ST 2110
Outside Broadcast vans are also adopting ST 2110 to gain similar benefits to fixed installations, but with additional considerations of space, weight, and interconnection flexibility.
• Advantages in OB Vans:
o Reduced Cabling: The use of fibre optics and the ability to transport
multiple signals over a single cable significantly reduces the weight and space occupied by cabling compared to coaxial SDI, a critical factor in mobile units.
o Internal Flexibility: Facilitates reconfiguration of signal routing within the mobile unit for different types of productions.
o Simplified Interconnection: Facilitates the connection of multiple mobile units at large events, allowing more efficient sharing of resources and workflows using standard IP networks.
o Scalability: Allows building modular units or fly-packs that can be scaled according to event needs.
o Remote Production: Native IP infrastructure facilitates integration with remote production workflows (REMI), sending camera and audio signals to a centralised production centre.
• Design Considerations:
o Network Architecture: Compact Spine-Leaf architectures or even high-
density monolithic switches can be used, depending on the unit size.
Redundancy (Red/Blue, ST 2022-7) remains crucial.
o PTP: A robust and reliable PTP source is needed within the unit
(possibly a portable GM with GPS receiver) or the ability to synchronise
with an external PTP source at the event location.
o NMOS Control: Essential for dynamic management of connections
within the unit and between connected units.
o Interconnection Between Units: It is often preferred to keep each
mobile unit as a separate L3 routing domain to control traffic and faults. Techniques like “IP unnumbered” can simplify point-to-point connection configuration between units without needing to manage complex IP address assignments.
• Examples: Mobile unit companies are deploying ST 2110 using Arista and Cisco switches. IP-based fly-packs are used for events like international motor competitions. Modular mobile Broadcast centre designs based on IP racks exist.
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CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAM: SIMPLIFIED IP MOBILE UNIT ARCHITECTURE
• A Compact IP Switch Fabric (Spine-Leaf or Monolithic) within the mobile unit.
• Connected to the fabric:
o Inputs: Cameras (native IP or via Gateway), Replay Servers, External Sources (via Gateway or IP).
o Outputs: Multiviewer Monitors, Recorders, Encoders for Transmission. o Processing: Video Mixer, Audio Console (native IP or via Gateway).
o Synchronisation: PTP Source (internal GM or external connection).
o Control: NMOS Control System.
• External Interconnection Ports: Multiple network ports to connect with other mobile units, the remote production centre, or contribution/distribution networks. Potential use of L3 and “IP unnumbered” for these connections is indicated.
7.3. Hybrid SDI-IP Implementation During Transition Period
For most organisations with existing SDI infrastructures, the transition to ST 2110 is a gradual process, resulting in hybrid environments where SDI and IP coexist for an extended period.
• Common Strategies:
o “IP Islands” Approach: New areas or specific workflows (e.g., a new
control room, a UHD ingest area) are built using native ST 2110. These IP “islands” connect to the existing SDI core via SDI-IP gateways. This allows gaining experience with IP and deploying new capabilities in a
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o
o
controlled manner. An example is WLS in Chicago, which started with an IP trunking system to connect different areas.
IP Core with SDI Edge: The central SDI router is replaced by an ST 2110 IP switch fabric. Most existing SDI edge devices (cameras, monitors, VTRs) connect to the new IP core via a large number of SDI-IP gateways. This modernises the routing core but requires significant investment in gateways.
Gradual Replacement: As SDI equipment reaches end-of-life or new functionalities are needed, they are replaced by native ST 2110 IP devices, gradually increasing the proportion of IP in the facility.
• Key Components in Hybrid Environments:
o SDI-IP Gateways: Bidirectional devices that convert SDI signals to ST
2110 streams and vice versa. They are absolutely essential for interconnection between the two domains. Their capacity, latency, and reliability are critical.
o Integrated Control Systems: A control or orchestration system is needed that can manage routing in both the SDI domain (controlling the SDI router) and the IP domain (using NMOS IS-05), presenting a unified view to the operator. Platforms like Sony Nevion, Lawo are designed for this.
• Challenges of Hybrid Environments:
o Complexity: Managing two parallel routing and synchronisation
technologies increases operational and troubleshooting complexity. o Interoperability: Ensuring seamless signal and control conversion
between SDI and IP domains.
o Latency: Gateways introduce additional latency that must be managed. o Single Points of Failure: Gateways can become critical points if not
implemented with redundancy.
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8. Challenges and Solutions in the Transition
While the transition to SMPTE ST 2110 offers significant advantages, it also presents a series of technical, operational, and organisational challenges that must be addressed for a successful migration. Recognising these challenges and planning proactive solutions is essential.
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8.1. Training and Skills of Technical Staff
• Challenge: The shift from SDI to IP represents a fundamental technological change that requires technical staff to acquire new skills. Traditional Broadcast engineers, experts in baseband signals and SDI routing, need to develop solid competencies in IP networking (switching, routing, multicast, QoS), PTP synchronisation, NMOS control, and cybersecurity. There is a gap between Broadcast experience and IT experience that needs to be bridged. Additionally, there may be resistance to change within teams accustomed to SDI workflows.
• Solutions:
o Investment in Training: Organisations should invest in specific training
programs on ST 2110, PTP, NMOS, and IP networks for their technical staff. Courses are offered by manufacturers, integrators, and industry organisations like SMPTE, SBE, IABM, and EBU Academy.
o Multidisciplinary Teams: Encourage collaboration and the creation of mixed teams that combine Broadcast and IT expertise. Break traditional silos between these departments.
o Strategic Hiring: Hire new staff with the necessary IP networking and software skills.
o External Support: Engage system integrators and consultants with proven experience in ST 2110 to guide design, implementation, and initial training..
8.2. Monitoring and Troubleshooting IP Systems
• Challenge: Troubleshooting in an IP environment is inherently different and often more complex than in SDI. Instead of following a physical cable, engineers must analyse network behaviour, IP packets, PTP states, and NMOS interactions. Identifying the root cause of a problem (e.g., loss of synchronisation, video artefacts, connection failures) can be difficult in a distributed system with multiple interdependent components.
• Solutions:
o Specialised Monitoring Tools: In production IP environments, it is
indispensable to have a set of monitoring and analysis tools specifically designed for media over IP. These tools allow detailed inspection of flows like ST 2110, PTP, multicast, and monitor network, device, and control system performance.
*Nota: Specialised monitoring not only allows detecting incidents but also anticipating them. These solutions provide a real-time view of the infrastructure status, facilitating informed decision-making, reducing resolution times, and ensuring operational continuity in complex and high- availability environments.
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o
o
▪ Monitores – Hybrid Waveform Monitors: Devices like Telestream PRISM that can analyse both SDI signals and ST 2110 IP flows, showing information on content, PTP timing, ST 2022-7 status, etc.
▪ IP Monitoring Probes: Dedicated software or hardware (e.g., Telestream Inspect 2110) that continuously monitor multiple ST 2110/2022-6 flows on the network, generating exception alarms for presence, format, synchronisation, or redundancy issues.
▪ Network Analysers: Tools like Wireshark (with specific dissectors for PTP, RTP, NMOS) to capture and analyse packets in depth.
▪ PTP Analysers: Tools to visualise PTP topology, GM status, slave offset, and PDV.
▪ NMOS Tools: Explorers and validators to verify IS-04 registration and IS-05 operation.
▪ Network Management Systems (NMS): Platforms like Nagios, Zabbix, Grafana, Prometheus, along with Syslog, to monitor switch status (CPU, memory, links), network traffic, and aggregate logs.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop and document clear procedures for routine monitoring and incident response in the IP environment.
Systematic Approach: Teach staff a structured approach to troubleshooting, starting with verifying the physical layer, then the IP network, PTP synchronisation, NMOS control, and finally the application/device layer.
8.3. Managing the Transition Period (Hybrid Environments)
• Challenge: The coexistence of SDI and IP infrastructures during migration introduces operational complexity. It is necessary to manage two different routing, synchronisation, and monitoring systems, ensuring interoperability through gateways and maintaining service continuity without interruptions. Budgets often dictate a gradual approach.
• Solutions:
o Strategic Planning: Develop a clear migration roadmap, defining
phases, milestones, and success criteria. Explicitly plan how SDI and IP
systems will coexist.
o Phased Approach: Adopting a gradual approach, such as “IP islands”
or progressive replacement, allows managing risk, distributing
investment, and learning from each phase.
o Interconnection Technology: Use reliable and low-latency SDI-IP
gateways with adequate capacity. Implement unified control systems that
can manage both domains transparently for the operator.
o Change Management: Implement robust change management
processes to communicate modifications, train users, and minimise impact on daily operations..
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8.4. Security Considerations
• Challenge: IP networks, by their interconnected nature, are inherently more susceptible to cyberattacks and unauthorised access than isolated SDI systems. Protecting high-value media assets and ensuring operational integrity are paramount.
• Solutions:
o Secure Design: Implement network segmentation (VLANs, VRFs) to
isolate media, PTP, and control traffic from general IT traffic. Use
firewalls and Access Control Lists (ACLs) at interconnection points.
o NMOS Security: Implement NMOS security best practices (BCP-003),
including the use of TLS to encrypt API communications (HTTPS, WSS) and authorisation mechanisms (OAuth 2.0, IS-10) to control who can perform what actions.
o Endpoint Security: Apply security measures on end devices (servers, IP cameras).
o Monitoring and Updating: Perform regular vulnerability scans and keep switch firmware and device software up to date. Monitor the network for suspicious activities.
o Awareness: Train staff on cybersecurity best practices.
8.5. Justification of Investment and Return on Investment (ROI)
• Challenge: The initial investment in IP infrastructure (high-speed switches, PTP GMs, gateways, possibly new endpoints) and training can be considerable. Justifying this investment, especially for smaller broadcasters or those with tight budgets, can be difficult if only direct costs are considered.
• Solutions:
o Focus on Long-Term Benefits: The business case should focus on
strategic benefits and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in the long term, not just initial CAPEX. These benefits include:
▪ Operational Efficiencies: Reduction in cabling, space, and energy; more agile workflows; potential for automation.
▪ Scalability: Ability to add capacity or support new formats without massive infrastructure replacements.
▪ Flexibility: Enabling remote production, resource sharing, rapid adaptation to new demands.
▪ Leveraging COTS: Benefiting from the declining cost curve and innovation of the IT industry.
▪ New Opportunities: Facilitating new services and business models.
o Realistic Assessment: Consider if the existing SDI infrastructure is
sufficient for current and foreseeable future needs. If a complete migration to IP is not justifiable, a hybrid approach or continuing with SDI
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(especially 12G-SDI for 4K) may be the right decision in the short to
medium term.
o Phased Migration: Spread the investment over time through a phased
migration approach.
In essence, many of the biggest obstacles to adopting ST 2110 do not lie in the standard’s intrinsic technical limitations but in the organisational, operational, and human factors surrounding the transition. Bridging the skills gap, managing the complexity of hybrid environments, developing new monitoring practices, and justifying the investment requires a holistic approach that goes beyond simple technological implementation. Success depends on proactively addressing these socio-technical aspects through robust planning, continuous training, clear communication, and effective change management strategies.
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9. Prospective and Future
SMPTE ST 2110 is not a static standard but an evolving technological foundation upon which new capabilities are being built and integrated with other emerging technological trends in the media and entertainment industry.
9.1. Upcoming Developments of the Standard and NMOS Ecosystem
Standardisation work continues actively within SMPTE, AMWA, and related organisations like EBU and VSF:
• Refinement and Expansion of NMOS: Much of the current development focuses on expanding and maturing the NMOS ecosystem to provide more comprehensive and granular control of IP devices. This includes:
o IS-11 (Stream Compatibility Management): For negotiating and managing format compatibility between senders and receivers.
o IS-12 (Control Protocol): Defines a generic API for controlling specific device parameters (beyond simple connection), allowing deeper control of functions like cameras, mixers, etc., in a standardised way.
o IS-13 (Annotation): To add human-readable descriptive metadata (tags, descriptions) to NMOS resources, facilitating their identification in control systems.
o IS-14 (Device Configuration): For configuring more static device parameters through NMOS.
o Enhanced Security: Work on BCP-003 continues, especially in defining and adopting robust authorisation mechanisms (BCP-003-02 based on OAuth 2.0) and certificate management (BCP-003-03) to secure NMOS APIs. Security is a growing area of focus.
• New Essence Types and Formats: Although ST 2110 is format-agnostic, new parts of the standard or recommendations may emerge to transport specific types of essences or compressed formats as needs evolve (e.g., data formats for AI, new codecs).
• PTP Improvements: Collaboration between SMPTE and IEEE continues to improve PTP operation and robustness in Broadcast environments.
• Recommendations and Best Practices: Organisations like JT-NM (with its Tested program and TR-1001 recommendation) and EBU (with tools like LIST and implementation guides) continue to develop resources to help the industry deploy ST 2110 in an interoperable and reliable manner.
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9.2. Integration with Emerging Technologies
ST 2110, as an underlying IP transport infrastructure, is positioned to integrate with and enable a range of emerging technologies and workflows:
• Cloud and Virtualisation: ST 2110 is a key enabler for moving production and playout functions to cloud environments (private, public, hybrid like TSAmediaHUB) or running them as virtualised software on COTS hardware. The ability to transport separate essences over IP aligns perfectly with microservices-based architectures and distributed processing. Challenges related to PTP synchronisation and ensuring QoS over WAN and cloud networks persist, which the industry is addressing.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): IP infrastructure facilitates the application of AI tools to media flows for tasks like automatic metadata generation, content analysis, automated quality control, content personalisation, advertising optimisation, and workflow automation. Data can be easily directed to AI engines running on local or cloud hardware.
• 5G: There is interest in using 5G networks for remote contribution of camera and audio signals to IP-based production centres. However, the wireless nature of 5G presents significant challenges for maintaining precise PTP synchronisation and managing jitter, although solutions are being developed (e.g., PTP support in 3GPP Release 16).
• IPMX (Internet Protocol Media Experience): Developed by AIMS in collaboration with VSF and AMWA, IPMX is a set of open standards and specifications based on ST 2110 but adapted to the specific needs of the Pro AV market. It adds features like support for compression (JPEG-XS is common), HDCP management (content protection), simplified discovery and connection (leveraging NMOS), and support for video and audio formats more typical of AV. IPMX promises greater convergence between the Broadcast and Pro AV industries on a common technological foundation.
• Virtual Production (VP): Virtual production workflows, which use large LED screens and real-time camera tracking, benefit from the high quality and low latency of ST 2110 to transport video signals to LED screens and tracking data. SMPTE is actively working on standards for VP (OSVP initiative) that will likely integrate with ST 2110..
9.3. Evolution Towards Software- Defined Infrastructures (SDI)
Ultimately, ST 2110 is seen as a crucial step towards realising Software-Defined Media Infrastructures. In this vision, Broadcast functions traditionally performed by dedicated hardware (mixers, processors, routers) are implemented as software applications running on COTS hardware (servers, FPGAs) or in the cloud, interconnected via the ST 2110 IP network. Orchestration and automation (possibly using tools like Ansible for infrastructure as code) play a central role in dynamically managing these software resources. Concepts like the EBU’s Dynamic Media Facilities (DMF) explore this vision of shared, flexible, and software-managed resources.
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The future of ST 2110 seems less focused on the evolution of the core transport itself, which is already relatively stable, and more on the development and maturation of the surrounding ecosystem. This includes more sophisticated and standardised control through NMOS, deeper integration with the cloud and AI, convergence with the Pro AV world through IPMX, and robust, widely adopted security solutions. ST 2110 is solidifying as the fundamental IP connective tissue layer that enables a broader transformation in how professional media is created, managed, and distributed. Its future relevance will depend on the success in developing and adopting these surrounding ecosystem components.
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10. Conclusions of this TSAWHITEPAPER
The transition from SDI-based Broadcast infrastructures to IP networks using the SMPTE ST 2110 standards suite represents a fundamental and ultimately beneficial technological shift for the industry. It is no longer a question of “if” but “when and how” each organisation will adopt this new technological foundation.
ST 2110, by enabling the transport of video, audio, and data as separate, precisely synchronised essences via PTP (ST 2059), offers clear advantages over SDI and previous IP approaches like ST 2022-6. The inherent flexibility to independently route and process essences, scalability to handle high-resolution formats and future bandwidth demands, and efficiency gained by leveraging IT industry COTS hardware and optimising workflows are the main drivers of its adoption. When combined with AMWA’s NMOS control ecosystem for interoperability and device management, ST 2110 provides a solid, standardised, and future-proof foundation for next-generation media facilities.
However, migrating to ST 2110 is not without significant challenges. The inherent complexity of IP networks, PTP synchronisation, and NMOS control requires new skills and knowledge from technical staff. Monitoring and problem-solving demand new tools and methodologies. Managing the transition period, often characterised by hybrid SDI/IP environments, requires careful planning and integrated control systems. Security becomes a primary consideration in interconnected IP networks. And the initial investment can be considerable, requiring a well-founded business case that looks beyond immediate costs to long-term strategic benefits.
Despite these obstacles, the accumulated experience from numerous successful deployments worldwide demonstrates that these challenges are manageable with proper planning, investment in training, choosing the right technology and integration partners, and rigorous adherence to standards and best practices.
Ultimately, embracing ST 2110 is more than adopting a new technology; it involves adopting a new mindset and operational philosophy within Broadcast organisations, one that is more aligned with the agility, flexibility, and efficiency principles of the IT industry. The transition requires moving from dedicated, fixed- function hardware to software-configurable systems running on generic hardware. It demands the integration of IT practices, fostering multifunctional teams, and the willingness to rethink established workflows. ST 2110 is the technological enabler, but long-term success depends on organisational adaptation to fully leverage its potential.
Looking ahead, ST 2110-based IP infrastructure will serve as the foundation upon which the next innovations in Broadcast will be built, including cloud-based workflows, artificial intelligence applications, virtual production, and greater convergence with the Pro AV world. The transition to IP is not just a technical necessity but a strategic opportunity for Broadcast organisations to reinvent themselves and thrive in the dynamic media landscape of the 21st century.
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11. Technical Glossary
This glossary defines key terms used in this White Paper related to SMPTE ST 2110, IP networks, and associated Broadcast technologies.
• AES3: Standard by the Audio Engineering Society for the serial transmission of stereo PCM digital audio or two mono channels. Transported transparently in ST 2110-31.
• AES67: Standard by the Audio Engineering Society for high-performance audio interoperability over IP networks. It is the basis for ST 2110-30.
• Agility: The ability of an infrastructure or workflow to quickly adapt to changes in requirements or conditions.
• AIMS (Alliance for IP Media Solutions): Industry alliance promoting the adoption of open standards for media over IP, including ST 2110, NMOS, and IPMX.
• AMWA (Advanced Media Workflow Association): Organisation that develops open specifications for media workflows, including the NMOS family.
• Bandwidth: The data transmission capacity of a network or link, generally measured in bits per second (bps), megabits per second (Mbps), or gigabits per second (Gbps).
• API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and protocols that allow different software components to communicate with each other. NMOS is based on RESTful APIs.
• Spine-Leaf Architecture: A two-tier data centre network topology (core and edge) that offers high scalability, low latency, and good multicast performance. Common in ST 2110 deployments.
• BC (Boundary Clock): A PTP clock (usually in a switch) that acts as a slave to an upstream master and as a master to downstream slaves, regenerating PTP timing.
• BCP (Best Current Practice): A type of AMWA document that provides recommendations and guidelines on how to use NMOS specifications.
• BIT (Broadcast IT): IT network or systems used for support functions in Broadcast, such as MAM, post-production, storage, office automation. Often separated from the real-time media network.
• Black Burst: Analogue video signal (black video with colour burst) traditionally used as a synchronisation reference (genlock) in analogue video and SD-SDI installations.
• BMCA (Best Master Clock Algorithm): PTP algorithm that automatically selects the best available clock in the network to act as Grandmaster.
• Cloud: A computing model that uses resources (servers, storage, software) hosted in remote data centres and accessible over a network (usually the Internet). It can be private, public, or hybrid.
• COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf): Standard commercially available hardware or software, not designed specifically for a single application. In the context of IP Broadcast, it refers to switches, servers, and cabling from the IT industry.
• DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point): Field in the IP header used to mark packets with a priority level for Quality of Service (QoS).
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• DNS-SD (DNS-Based Service Discovery): Mechanism that uses the Domain Name System (DNS) to discover available services on a network, used by NMOS IS-04 to find the RDS.
• PTP Domain: Number that identifies a logical group of PTP clocks that synchronise with each other. The ST 2059-2 profile uses domain 127 by default.
• EBU (European Broadcasting Union): Alliance of public service media organisations that actively contributes to the standardisation and testing of IP technologies like ST 2110 and NMOS.
• ECMP (Equal-Cost Multi-Path): Routing technique used in Spine-Leaf architectures to distribute traffic across multiple equal-cost links, improving bandwidth and resilience.
• Essence: Term used in ST 2110 to refer to an elementary media content stream, such as video, audio, or ancillary data.
• Ethernet: Family of packet-switched local area network (LAN) technologies, the basis for modern IP networks.
• Failover: Automatic process of switching to a redundant system or component (e.g., a backup PTP GM, a backup network) when the primary system fails.
• Flow (NMOS Flow): NMOS resource representing a specific instance of a Source (e.g., 1080p50 video) ready for transmission.
• Gateway: Device that connects two different networks or systems, translating between protocols or formats. SDI-IP gateways are common in hybrid environments.
• Genlock (Generator Locking): Process of synchronising the timing of different video equipment to a common reference signal (e.g., Black Burst, Tri-Level Sync, PTP).
• GM (Grandmaster Clock): The primary reference PTP clock in a PTP domain.
• HD-SDI (High-Definition Serial Digital Interface): SDI standard (SMPTE
292M) for transmitting HD video (720p, 1080i) at 1.485 Gbps.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range): Technology that allows a greater range of
luminance and contrast in video images, providing brighter whites and deeper
blacks.
• HFR (High Frame Rate): Video frame rates higher than the traditional 50/60 Hz
(e.g., 100, 120, 240 fps).
• AI (Artificial Intelligence): Field of computer science focused on creating
systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. In
Broadcast, it applies to automation, content analysis, etc.
• IEEE 1588: Standard by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
that defines the Precision Time Protocol (PTP).
• IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol): Protocol used by IP hosts to
inform adjacent multicast routers of their memberships in multicast groups.
IGMP Snooping is used by L2 switches to optimise multicast delivery.
• Hybrid Infrastructure: Environment that combines traditional SDI technology
with ST 2110 IP technology, often during a transition period.
• IP (Internet Protocol): Principal communications protocol in the Internet
protocol suite for sending datagrams across network boundaries. Basis for ST
2110.
• IPMX (Internet Protocol Media Experience): Set of open standards and
specifications based on ST 2110 and NMOS, optimised for the Pro AV market.
• IS-04: NMOS specification for Discovery and Registration.
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• IS-05: NMOS specification for Connection Management.
• IS-07: NMOS specification for Event and Tally.
• IS-08: NMOS specification for Audio Channel Mapping.
• IS-09: NMOS specification for System Parameters.
• IS-10: NMOS specification for Authorization.
• IS-11: NMOS specification for Stream Compatibility Management.
• IS-12: NMOS specification for Control Protocol.
• Jitter: Variation in the delay of packet arrival in a network. Detrimental to PTP
and real-time media flows.
• JT-NM (Joint Task Force on Networked Media): Collaborative group between
EBU, SMPTE, VSF, and AMWA to coordinate the development and adoption of
IP media standards. Promoter of the JT-NM Tested program.
• LAG (Link Aggregation Group) / LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol): Techniques for combining multiple physical network links into a single logical link with greater bandwidth and redundancy.
• Latency: Temporal delay experienced by data as it travels through a system or network. Low latency is crucial in live production.
• Leaf Switch: Edge switch in a Spine-Leaf architecture, to which end devices connect.
• Multicast: Network transmission method where a single packet is sent from a source to multiple subscribed destinations simultaneously. Widely used in ST 2110.
• NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications): Family of AMWA specifications that provide a control and management layer for IP media systems like ST 2110.
• Node (NMOS Node): Physical or logical device on the network that implements NMOS APIs.
• Orchestration: Automated management and coordination of complex systems and workflows, often using centralised control software in IP Broadcast environments.
• Packet Time (ptime): In ST 2110-30 (audio), the duration of the audio sample contained in each RTP packet. Common values are 1ms or 125μs.
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The conception and strategic direction of this TSA white paper are the result of the knowledge and experience of the Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales team.
In the development process, we have used various artificial intelligence tools such as Microsoft Copilot for research and initial information exploration, as well as Gemini Deep Research 2.5, ChatGPT 4.5, and Claude to optimize review and analysis stages.
The final evaluation, with the aim of ensuring relevance for our audience, relied on the capability of other specific artificial intelligence solutions to emulate its characteristics.
However, the central ideas, the in-depth analysis, and the conclusions presented in this document are the fruit of our team’s expertise and judgment.
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