NDI may have been built as a means of bringing video workflow to the masses, but broadcasters have embraced it to be a viable alternative to the ST 2110 uncompressed IP standard and as a more cost-effective way to add routing capacity to SDI plants.
Broadcasters are embracing IP workflows as a “ramp to the cloud” and are still contending with variable costs and concerns over security, latency and interoperability, not to mention the different skills that labor must bring to bear. However, IP workflows can bring benefits like scalability, flexibility and security to broadcasters, such as NBCU Boston (above).
Options, But No Simple Path To Video Storage
With the move to file-based formats, storing and managing video that pours into TV stations is not as easy as it was in the days when it was on tape and you could label it and put it on a shelf. There is no single, cookie-cutter solution that will suffice for all stations. The needs of today’s file-based workflows, combined with the need for reliability inherent in any broadcast environment, require difficult decisions.
