SDI Over IP

As bitrates increase and equipment prices drop, IP-based communication technologies – both fixed and wireless alike – are pushing more and more dedicated communication systems into retirement. The sheer amount of connectors currently found on professional video cameras make some of the advantages obvious that an IP/Ethernet-based solution brings.

Also, the number of HD SDI signals that you can squeeze into a 10GigE or even 100GigE line is a convincing argument for mediumterm migration to IP. With SMPTE 2022-6, the wrapping of all SDI formats within IP will be defined, but previous wrappings were never used to actually do anything in the IP-layer – they were just used as a transparent channel.

This article outlines the steps and required mechanisms to go “all-IP” and leverage the possibilities that come with it. The first step to take is to achieve seamless switching between signals in the IP layer, which was implemented at the IRT as a software-based Proof of Concept, followed by a novel approach regarding multicast signal distribution within a network. The applications made possible by these features are only limited by your imagination.