Hyperconvergence: streamlined workflows with no sacrifice in quality

The turbulence of the past several years has emphasized and amplified the desire for efficiency in the broadcast industry. This desire encompasses many things, including new compression schemes to reduce the overhead of data traveling across networks, remote workflows to produce live events, and more. But even when striving for more efficient workflows, it’s still essential to ensure that the quality of the final product remains higher than ever.

Streamlining systems to eliminate inefficiencies doesn’t have to downgrade standards — in fact, the opposite is true. Software-defined production platforms are leaner, offer more versatility, and add value to more than just the bottom line. Compared to legacy hardware systems, software-defined platforms provide new opportunities and rapid responses to ever-changing events. This concept is at the core of Ross Video’s entire development — we call it hyperconvergence, and we believe it’s crucial for the future of the industry.

Simplified Designs, Maximized Throughput

Ultrix, Ross Video’s routing and AV processing platform, is a prime example of our push toward hyperconverged systems. When Ultrix was released in 2016, its ability to deliver all the functionality of multiple hardware units inside one compact frame was revolutionary. We were able to eliminate racks of traditional infrastructure and downsize it into a single system while still maintaining all the power and performance. Users immediately benefitted from both the savings in space and energy costs by eliminating racks of bulk hardware.

We’ve since evolved the platform with Ultrix Acuity — a production switcher and router that lives within a single chassis. We also released Ultrix Carbonite, a fully integratedsolution that merges the routing andAV processing power of Ultrix with the creative capabilities of our Carbonite production switchers.

Our hyperconverged solutions simplify system design, equipment installation, cabling, and more. By merging the routing platform and the production switcher, this decreases the number of inter-rack failure points, which also reduces maintenance requirements. As a result of all these factors, the ownership cost for these solutions is much lower than other similar, hardware-based options, which makes the return on investment more obvious.

One Platform, Endless Configurations

While hyperconverged solutions offer smaller footprints and less power consumption, the full scope of these systems includes much more than just that. For software-defined solutions like Ultrix, we can enable new features and functions for our users without the need for them to invest in additional hardware. Thanks to the software-defined architecture, our users can simply buy what they need, when they need it, via software licenses. There’s no reason for them to have to make design decisions that are critical and potentially costly upfront.

Ross Video’s routing and video processing solution enables new features without investment in additional hardware.

Ultrix offers unmatched versatility and flexibility with its combination of video and audiorouting, clean/quiet switching,MultiViewers, frame synchronizers,and UHD gearboxing. Users can easilyconfigure their system for their own specific workflows via different softwarelicenses. They also get access to control panels in our DashBoard facility control software that are custom designed to meet theirindividual requirements perfectly.

This multifaceted approach extendsto the very fabric of our users’ systemarchitecture. If a user is planning totransition to SMPTE ST 2110, Ultrix is able to support this migration whilemaintaining the power and performance levels that arerequired for their facility. If the mostefficient workflow solution is to maintain SDI, Ultrixcan support this goal, too.

Ultrix offers the flexibility to enable the most efficient workflows for studios, flypacks, and OB vans, for users across broadcast, houses of worship, corporate enterprises, and more. The award-winning Ultrix is the ultimate router, MultiViewer, signal processing, and production switching platform, and it represents the Ross approach to building revolutionary hyperconverged solutions.

Todd Riggs is director of product management for hyperconverged solutions at Ross Video