Mellanox Ethernet Video Fabric Enables 4K and 8K Broadcast Video Open Platform

Mellanox® Technologies, Ltd, a supplier of high-performance, end-to-end interconnect solutions for data center servers and storage systems has recently announced an advanced and self-contained Ethernet Video Fabric (EVF) that accelerates the adoption of IP based broadcast technology.

The platform combines innovative network automation and fully integrated, switch-based, open-source, containerized Registration and Discovery services, which automates the discovery and provisioning of IP based multimedia devices. The platform has been demonstrated at EBU NTS 2018 integrating Network Media Open Specification (NMOS IS-04) Registration & Discovery System (RDS) open source software developed by Sony to run as a containerized application on Mellanox Spectrum® based 10G, 25G, 40G, 50G and 100G open Ethernet switches running the Mellanox Onyx network operating system.

The end to end platform also includes Mellanox ConnectX® Ethernet adapters and LinkX® cables. The combination creates an Ethernet Video Fabric (EVF) that simplifies the task of the broadcast engineer to deploy cameras, mixers, monitors, multi-viewers, and other advanced studio equipment. This advanced EVF is critical to enable the rapid transition to an open, high performance IP based multimedia fabric to support the next generation of 4K and 8K broadcast media.

“We are pleased to introduce an Ethernet Video Fabric (EVF) that will greatly simplify the broadcast engineer’s task to transform from SDI to an IP based multimedia network,” said Amir Prescher, senior vice president of business development, Mellanox Technologies. “Our highly programmable, low latency, zero packet loss, Spectrum Open Ethernet Switches create an unmatched fabric to enable and accelerate this transition.”

“There are compelling reasons for broadcast networks to move from legacy SDI systems to a virtualized, IP-based multimedia fabric” said Tom Coughlin, President, Coughlin Associates Inc. “The transition to an open, high performance IP fabric is critical to support 4K and 8K video formats that are rapidly becoming mainstream and to take advantage of virtualization and application technologies developed for IP networks. The availability of a fully integrated solution that automates the discovery and deployment of broadcast equipment will greatly accelerate the adoption of and transition to an IP based fabric.”

Demonstrations are being held at IBC 2018 Amsterdam, Netherlands (September 13 - 18, 2018): Visit Mellanox at Hall 8 Booth #E27 to learn about the joint solutions that automates IP based multimedia deployments and the benefits of using Mellanox’s 10/25/40/50/100 Gb/s networking solutions in digital media data centers.