What is the new AV over IP open standard IPMX?

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IPMX (Internet Protocol Media Experience), which is mainly advocated by the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), is an AV over IP technology that transmits high-quality video and audio such as 4K60p, as well as control signals over standard IP networks. This will be a new open standard for To date, the ProAV (Professional Audio-Visual) industry has been flooded with multiple AV over IP solutions, many of which are not based on open standards. In contrast, IPMX is being standardized as an open standard through the cooperation of AIMS, AMWA, VSF, SMPTE, and others. Based on the SMPTE ST 2110 standard family and related AMWA NMOS standards, which are already widely used in the broadcasting industry, it addresses the need for additional functions to support ProAV workflows, such as HDCP content protection and extended audio channel mapping required for special audio. Masu.

ProAV market overview

Today, monitors are installed everywhere indoors and outdoors, providing a variety of information.

for example:

・Digital advertising in town and commercial facilities

・Monitor showing timetables, operation information, congestion information, etc. at stations, airports, cinemas, etc.

・Large screens and auxiliary monitors in large lecture halls

・Large-scale vision for event venues and stadiums

・Control rooms of factories and large ships

By the way, by what means are these images and sounds sent?

HDMI cables are often used to connect media players and TVs at home, but the cables commonly sold are only about 5 meters long. Additionally, special equipment is required to simultaneously distribute the same video, switch video sources, or combine multiple HDMI videos into one device.

ProAV refers to professional audio/visual audio/visual equipment that is not primarily used for home use, such as the usage scenario described above.

In response to issues such as long-distance transmission and multiple distribution required for ProAV, various companies have proposed video and audio transmission methods (interfaces) that are intended to be used in the above-mentioned situations, and various products have been announced. However, the standard that was established as a new open standard is IPMX.
In order to solve the problems with ProAV, IPMX uses a network mechanism to transmit video and audio (this mechanism is called IP transmission), but instead of using expensive optical fiber, it is a cheap and widely used method. Another major appeal of this standard is that it targets Category 5 class copper networks.

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Being an open standard

I mentioned that various companies have already announced products that are compatible with the ProAV interface standard.

So why a new interface now?

The biggest feature of this new interface, IPMX, is that it is an open standard.

Until now, specific companies and organizations have released LSIs and compatible products for ProAV interfaces, but the standards have not been fully disclosed.

In contrast, IPMX is being developed with the aim of becoming an open standard. Possible benefits of open standards include:

●A variety of players will participate and an attractive product group will be released.

It is expected that the IPMX ecosystem will be enriched as a variety of manufacturers release products that leverage their strengths, such as manufacturers that specialize in cameras, manufacturers that specialize in displays, and manufacturers that specialize in smart modules that connect to TVs. Masu.

●Ensuring compatibility between different manufacturers increases the choice of substitute products

Even in the event that the manufacturer's product you used is no longer available or is no longer available, you will have a wider range of alternative options. Having many options will be an advantage when building a large-scale system.

●Prices and licensing conditions can be kept reasonable due to competition.

In the case of standards decided by a specific company, the users tend to be at a disadvantage when negotiating prices, terms of use, etc., but with open standards, the principle of competition comes into play as the number of players increases, and there are multiple options to choose from. You can choose the conditions.

IPMX is an open standard that has already been established as a broadcasting interface. SMPTE ST 2110based on doing. Therefore, depending on the purpose within the same network, IPMX and ST 2110 equipment can interoperate. It is easy to add other equipment to a system once it has been built, and it is also expected to accelerate collaboration and content sharing across the industry, with different organizations and facilities participating in the same system.

IP transmission

When talking about interfaces for transmitting video and audio, you can easily imagine connections using cables such as HDMI for home use, DP (Display Port) for PC use, and SDI for broadcast use. Although the connection relationships are easy to understand when transmitting video using these dedicated cables, there are issues in terms of handling and cost in order to meet the features required by ProAV, such as the long-distance transmission and multiple distribution mentioned above.

In recent years, AVtransmissionusing the Ethernet mechanism has emerged as a means of solving this problem. In a broad sense, it is called IP transmission, and in the sense of IP transmission of video and audio, it is called AV over IP or Media over IP.

Several Pro AV interface standards also use IPtransmission, and IPMX and its predecessor SMPTE ST 2110 also use IP transmission.

By using the Ethernet mechanism, you are virtually free from distance constraints, and you can easily perform multiple distributions and switching between transmission destinations and transmission sources using network switches. Additionally, if you want to exchange control data other than video and audio, it is easy to use the Ethernet mechanism. Another advantage is that there is room to use existing infrastructure rather than dedicated equipment.

When it comes to Ethernet, there are many different speeds and transmission routes. From a world of 10Mbps using copper wire to a world of over 100Gbps using optical fiber.

Even if you are using the Ethernet mechanism, the benefits will be diminished if you need to install expensive equipment and wiring that supports 100Gbps for IP transmission.

The bandwidth required to transmit 4K@60Hz video, which is the maximum resolution in general demand, is as much as 18Gbps, but IPMX generally usesJPEG-XS as a compression method. It is possible to transmit 4k@60Hzvideo with high quality and low delay using the widely used 1Gbps copper wire interface called CAT5 (Category 5).

This makes it possible to build a 4k@60Hz compatible system by reusing existing equipment and cables. Alternatively, it will be possible to transmit multiple 4K videos using a higher bandwidth network.