The broadcast industry has been exploring the potential of IP-based remote productions, and Suitcase TV has taken a significant step forward with its Iphrame Remote system. In June/July 2016, the company successfully trialed an all-IP remote production of UEFA Euro 2016 in Paris.
IBC 2016: A Milestone for IP Production
The trial saw Suitcase TV's Iphrame system provide video and audio switching/mixing of remote sources in Paris, controlled by operators located at the BBC Sport production centre at MediaCityUK in Salford. Unlike other remote production architectures, Iphrame performs high-res mixing onsite, reducing the bandwidth required for IP links.
The key to the operation was Iphrame's TimeLock functionality, which ensures all sources and processing are accurately timestamped using PTP reference clocks. This enables control surfaces to operate using timestamped proxy feeds at a known time-offset, allowing switching decisions to be made remotely in high-res on the exact frame intended.
Low-Latency Mixing and Switching
Suitcase TV's Vice President of Products Ed Calverley highlighted the benefits of Iphrame's TimeLock functionality: