Sony and Nevion introduce broadcast control functionality into the VideoIPath media orchestration platform

Nevion, a Sony Group Company and award-winning provider of virtualized media production solutions, announced today that it is adding essential broadcast control functionality to its flagship VideoIPath media orchestration platform. This integration will provide a consistent system for both broadcast control and network orchestration, supporting the complete production lifecycle (engineering, set-up, production, tear-down). It will also make it simpler and more cost-effective to deploy, roll-out and upgrade workflow control.

IP technology is revolutionizing live production workflows, making them nimbler and allowing resources (studios, control rooms, equipment and people) to be shared across locations – enabling effective remote and distributed production. The key to achieving this game-changing transformation is being able to connect and control equipment within and across locations seamlessly and in a unified way.

Nevion VideoIPath makes it easy to route video, audio and data across both SDI and IP networks (IGMP and SDN), connecting locations, equipment and functionality. Widely deployed by broadcasters and telecom service providers in both LANs and WANs (local and wide area networks) applications throughout the world, Nevion VideoIPath manages the underlying complexity and the resource capacity, enabling in particular the incremental transition of live production from SDI to IP.

Now, Sony and Nevion are leveraging Sony’s extensive experience in broadcast control to enhance VideoIPath capabilities. Initially, the focus is on providing essential broadcast control functionality for IP based broadcast facilities, MCRs, production (OB) trucks and other mobile production units.

In the first release, to be showcased at the NAB Show 2022, the functionality provided will include tally distribution, salvos, alias naming, endpoint grouping, destination monitoring, a soft-panel application for operators and other feature enhancements to VideoIPath’s GUI.

The release will also add Sony’s NS-BUS IP-based management protocol to the extensive list of equipment interfaces already supported by VideoIPath, thereby allowing it to work with Sony’s hardware panels (MKS-R1620 /R1630/R3210/R4020) and offer connection management to Sony’s SDI-IP converters (NXLK-IP51Y and NXLK-IP50Y) and XVS series switchers.

Further functionality will be added over time to enhance the capabilities of the system and help broadcasters in the transition to dynamic IP production distributed workflow. At the same time, Sony and Nevion remains fully committed to maintaining VideoIPath as an open and vendor-neutral platform that allows integration with other 3rd party systems and devices (including broadcast control), to provide customers with choice.
Arne-Johan Martinsen, VideoIPath Product Manager at Nevion said: “As well as bringing immediate benefits to both existing and new customers, this enhancement paves the way towards our vision of a fully distributed production in which resources can be involved in production, almost regardless of their location.”

Masakazu Murata, Deputy Senior General Manager of Media Solution Business Division at Sony added: “This enhancement is the result of the Nevion and Sony product teams working closely together, and illustrates the benefits of the coming together of the two companies’ very complementary experience and expertise.” BCS Bureau