Press Release

The VSF Hosts Successful Multi-Vendor IP Video Interop Tests during VidTrans13

Los Angeles, CA, March 19, 2013 - The Video Services Forum [VSF] announced today the successful completion of two sets of interoperability tests that demonstrated the compatibility of equipment used to transport real-time broadcast video signals over IP networks. The tests were carried out to demonstrate compliance with SMPTE 2022-5/6 standards for transporting IP encapsulated uncompressed SD and HD video formats and Hitless / Seamless Protection Switching of SMPTE 2022 compliant streams. The tests were carried out during VidTrans13 Annual Technical Conference and Exposition from February 26th -28th, 2013 which was held at the Marina Del Rey Marriott Hotel.

Four technology vendors participated in the SMPTE 2022-5/6 interoperability tests: Evertz, Macnica, Nevion, and Xilinx. Tests included the interconnection of different vendors' equipment to determine interoperability of the equipment and reconstruction of compliant SMPTE SD and HD signals. Connections were also made through an IP network emulator with the ability to introduce impairments similar to those seen in networks commonly used to transport these signals. The ability of the vendors' equipment to successfully interoperate, while using SMPTE 2022-5 compliant FEC implementations to correct these impairments, was also demonstrated successfully. Jack Douglass, VP of Marketing and Business Development - Packet Storm, who organized the interoperability test event, said "IP networks are subject to a variety of impairments including packet delay variation, lost packets and out of order packets. The SMPTE 2022-5/6 standards have been designed to ensure that broadcasters' most valuable live feeds can be transported over these IP networks with pristine quality and interoperability among multiple venders."

Cisco, Evertz, Nevion, and Xilinx participated in interoperability tests for Hitless / Seamless Protection Switching of SMPTE 2022 compliant streams by replication of RTP packets. Tests included the emulation of diversely routed IP streams from an encoder to decoder with the ability to seamlessly switch between the flows at the decoder based on the condition of the two signals. Network impairments were similarly created in these tests and successful seamless switching was demonstrated. Hitless Protection Switching for SMPTE 2022 streams is being standardized in a sub-committee of the SMPTE 32NF-60 Committee.

VidTrans is the VSF's annual technical conference and exposition with a unique gathering of experts in the field of television transmission who provide technical presentations and seminars as well as equipment exhibitions. It consists of service providers, end users, equipment manufacturers and others involved in the ever changing world of media transport and content delivery.

About The Video Services Forum

Founded in 1997, the Video Services Forum (VSF) is an international association composed of service providers, users and manufacturers dedicated to interoperability, quality metrics and education for video networking technologies. The organization's activities include providing forums to identify issues involving the development, engineering, installation, testing and maintenance of video networking technologies; exchanging non-proprietary information to promote the development of video networking technology and to foster the resolution of issues common to the video services industry; promoting interoperability by contributing to and supporting development of standards by national and international standards bodies. Visit VSF online at www.videoservicesforum.org.

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