7 MYTHS OF LIVE IP PRODUCTION THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MULTI-CAMERA TELEVISION PRODUCTION

Transcription

1 7 MYTHS OF LIVE IP PRODUCTION THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MULTI-CAMERA TELEVISION PRODUCTION

2 THE FUTURE OF LIVE MULTI-CAMERA PRODUCTION

3 THE FUTURE OF LIVE MULTI-CAMERA PRODUCTION Live multi-camera video production is about to turn a corner, entering a whole new world of flexibility and efficiency. The live video and broadcast industries are beginning to embrace the fact that IP-based production provides a more cost-effective, less restrictive solution for live content than a traditional SDI environment. It means production teams can work in the most appropriate locations across a facility. IP can remove physical restrictions, accessing source material from any connection on the same network, rather than physically connecting long cables into mixing desks with limited ports. The possibilities are virtually limitless. Forward-thinking industry professionals understand that a more immediate, more flexible way of connecting and accessing resources will result in a richer audience experience not to mention lower costs for their businesses. So far, so good the big players are fast adopting IP and the ball is rolling. But as with every new technology there are detractors. Often this is due to a mixture of hype and disinformation from those not ready to embrace change. Fortunately, this means the majority of doubts are either unfounded or easy to get round. That s why we re using this guide to dispel the seven most common myths we ve encountered about live multi-camera IP production.

4 MYTH #1: IP MEANS GOODBYE SDI AND WASTED INVESTMENT

5 MYTH #1: IP MEANS GOODBYE SDI AND WASTED INVESTMENT Your current SDI systems were a big investment. And, more importantly, they work. So it s unlikely you re ready to rip and replace them especially if they haven t yet delivered ROI. The good news is, no one expects you to. Although the industry is largely in agreement that IP is the future of live production, it isn t a situation of either/or. Transition takes time, which is why today s hybrid-ready systems like NewTek s IP Series, allow your existing SDI equipment to happily and productively coexist with your new IP technology meaning you don t have to spend a small fortune on replacement hardware. In fact, your SDI equipment will be enhanced, as it becomes available from anywhere over your IP network, enabling almost limitless possibilities for video production. If later down the line you want to replace your SDI equipment, you can do so when it makes sense for your operations and budget cycle there s no rush. Ultimately you ll be able to evolve at your own pace, even in the face of a rapidly changing industry landscape, and transfer over to an all-ip system (if that s what you want) in whatever increments best suit your needs.

6 MYTH #2: BUILDING A DEDICATED IP NETWORK FOR HD OR 4K VIDEO WILL COST THE EARTH

7 MYTH #2: BUILDING A DEDICATED IP NETWORK FOR HD OR 4K VIDEO WILL COST THE EARTH Typically live video production environments that utilize point-topoint network connections are heavily dependent on expensive, proprietary high-speed infrastructures. This is because these IP solutions mirror the world of SDI. As such, they demand substantial bandwidth for even a single, point-to-point video stream travelling in a single direction on the network. In contrast, NDI, our bi-directional IP standard, can operate efficiently over a common Gigabit network infrastructure, with many streams on a shared connection. With NDI you can satisfy your network needs with off-the-shelf components, supporting live HD and 4K video (and upwards) and more than 16 channels of floating-point audio, all at a low cost. And once you have that high-bandwidth infrastructure in place, you have the capacity to expand your workflow exponentially, compared to only supporting an additional source or two. Even better, chances are, you already have a lot of what you ll need in your current local area network (LAN). The result? The capacity you need at a cost you can afford.

8 MYTH #3: RIGID STANDARDS WILL CAUSE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS

9 MYTH #3: RIGID STANDARDS WILL CAUSE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS Some video professionals are concerned that due to the complex and competitive nature of live IP video standards, settling on any individual one will mean being locked in to using equipment from a single vendor. When half the reason to embrace IP production in the first place is to free yourself from constraints, being at the mercy of specific equipment is not ideal. Thankfully, this needn t be the case. In fact, if you make the right choices when it comes to your IP solution, this couldn t be further from the truth. For example, with NewTek Connect Pro, simultaneous video signals, in any combination of formats and standards, can be made available over the network. They can then be transported to and from hundreds of compatible systems, devices, and video sources for live production. Partnering with top manufacturers, our systems work with applications from almost every major vendor and virtually every I/O card on the market. Even at launch, NDI support extended to 100,000 systems. Since then, that number has only grown, with NDI-enabled systems, devices, and applications now in the hands of millions worldwide, making it, the most widely adopted IP standard for live video production. And because NDI is managed by software it means that not only are current transmission standards supported including ASPEN, SMPTE 2022 and more but those yet to emerge will be seamlessly adopted too (for example, the upcoming SMPTE 2110). What s more, the NDI Software Developer Kit is free to anyone (manufacturers, partners, developers, customers) who wants to create their own custom apps, workflows, and device interfaces. It really is production without restraints.

10 MYTH #4: YOU CAN NEVER TRULY TRUST THE NETWORK AND OUTAGES CAN HURT

11 MYTH #4: YOU CAN NEVER TRULY TRUST THE NETWORK AND OUTAGES CAN HURT We ve all seen live TV go wrong. Whether it s a broken teleprompter or a dropped feed, the result isn t pretty. We also all know what it s like when our network goes down at an inopportune moment. If your live TV production relies on live IP connectivity, you simply can t afford for this to happen. So how can you safeguard your live content when you re relying on a network to do the job? Fortunately, with their low cost components and ability to offer multiple levels of redundancy, today s IP networks are incredibly robust (they were originally designed to withstand a nuclear attack after all). But the hardware is just a part of the story. With our own NDI technology, live video data is transmitted with super-low latency. This means it s super-efficient, and all-importantly super-reliable technology embedded within the NDI standard ensures the right video gets to the right place at the right time. Ultimately, it means you can be confident you ll be able to tell the stories you want to tell wherever, whenever.

12 MYTH #5: COMPRESSION WILL DAMAGE IMAGE QUALITY

13 MYTH #5: COMPRESSION WILL DAMAGE IMAGE QUALITY Moving live HD and 4K video from one place to another is going to take up a lot of bandwidth. The reality is, this simply isn t possible without some form of compression unless you re willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, what s the problem? The worry is that, in an age of super-high definition video, compression will cause the final quality of the output to suffer and along with it, the viewer s enjoyment. The truth is a little different. With the right technology the effects of compression are barely, if at all, noticeable. Just look at the post-production industry, which embraced compression technology from Avid and Apple years ago. With NewTek, the end result is virtually indiscernible from the signal viewed directly from the camera. Our native encoding process, perfected over years of developing software-driven live production systems, delivers content in any resolution and format as lowlatency, frame-accurate video. In fact, the only significant difference you ll notice is in your costs.

14 MYTH #6: NEW WORKFLOWS WILL BRING GREATER COMPLEXITY

15 MYTH #6: NEW WORKFLOWS WILL BRING GREATER COMPLEXITY It s natural to be wary of the unknown, and for that reason many suspect that live multi-camera IP production will automatically mean overly complex workflows. It s new technology, right? And new technology is always tricky. Well, setting up your IP production suite may be slightly more complicated than plugging in some physical cables, but once you re up and running the huge benefit is that your workflows actually become simpler. You immediately remove the physical and logistical barriers that constrain your potential to expand, grow, and evolve. Your production environments are more efficient thanks to less time spent moving and connecting equipment. And you re no longer limited to a fixed amount of inputs you can scale at will to tell whatever story you dream up. By taking advantage of live video, from near infinite locations, straight into your production environment, you can unite systems, users, and departments, and become more flexible than ever before. In short, it s live video production without complexity and without boundaries. NEWTEK S ADVANCED IP WORKFLOW ENABLES MORE POWERFUL, MORE VERSATILE LIVE PRODUCTION OVER IP ON A LESS EXPENSIVE, LESS COMPLICATED NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.

16 MYTH #7: TRAINING PRODUCTION STAFF WILL TAKE A LONG TIME

17 MYTH #7: TRAINING PRODUCTION STAFF WILL TAKE A LONG TIME Bringing people up to speed with new technology can be a slow process in any work environment, so it s no wonder this is a concern for some, especially in the world of live TV where you don t have the time to down tools and get to know your equipment. Here s the good news: Live, multi-camera production over IP may well revolutionize the way we look at production, but the fundamentals won t change. For the most part a control desk is a control desk. You know how it works already, because it s what your people use every single day. It s just that, with IP, your people will have access to more resources in more locations than ever before. However, we re not just going to assume you ll get the hang of it. At NewTek our goal is to remove the restrictions from TV production and make it simpler. For that reason we offer on-site training programs customized to suit your specific needs and make you more productive. Our experts will not only show you everything you need to know about our products, but will also advise on how best to integrate them into your existing infrastructure paving the way to production success. It means that your teams can get up to speed quickly and begin seeing the benefits of live IP video fast.

18 TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS TODAY If you re interested in live, multi-camera video production over IP, now is a great time to make the move (especially now we ve dispelled all the myths surrounding it). Our experts are always on hand to answer your questions and help you plan a way forward. So if you re ready to make the leap, we re ready to help. Get in touch

19 ABOUT NEWTEK NewTek is transforming the way people create network-style television content and share it with the world. From sporting events, web-based talk shows, live entertainment, classrooms and corporate communications to virtually any venue where people want to capture and publish live video, we give our customers the power to grow their audiences, brands, and businesses, faster than ever before. Learn more at NewTek, Inc. All rights reserved. TriCaster, 3Play, TalkShow and LightWave 3D are registered trademarks of NewTek, Inc. NDI, MediaDS, LightWave, ProTek, and Broadcast Minds are trademarks and/or service marks of NewTek, Inc