Support for JPEG XS, audio routing and processing, and bandwidth management make Imagine’s tools key in transitioning to UHD and HDR workflows over traditional or COTS IP networking fabrics.
Imagine Communications showed updates and new functionality in their Selenio Network Processor (SNP) for signal processing in IP and SDI workflows, and Magellan Control System management environment at IBC2022 in Amsterdam, 9 - 12 September. Media companies are using the combination of these two platforms to efficiently transition to UHD and HDR delivery workflows over traditional or COTS-based, IP networking fabrics.
“We continuously develop new functionality within the Magellan Control System and the SNP platform to keep their functionality up to date within modern IP and hybrid workflows,” said John Mailhot, CTO Networking and Infrastructure at Imagine Communications. “We have over 2,000 SNPs deployed around the world – along with hundreds of thousands of multicasts managed by Magellan Control – we have a well-established customer base.”
At IBC2022, Imagine demonstrated the new SNP features – described below – including DSP (digital signal processor)-enabled audio processing algorithms, new audio routing features and coordinated switching of 8K signals to support multi-stream 8K workflows. The company also continues to enhance its use of JPEG XS compression to support high-quality connectivity between facilities and around the world.
Selenio Network Processor
While the hardware architecture of SNP has always included audio routing and shuffling capabilities, this software release adds DSP-based upmixing, downmixing and smart-mixing capabilities, which can be licensed onto any existing SNP unit that is now in use. It gives the user access to further audio shuffling and mixing capabilities – even across programs.
A typical application would be in a broadcast workflow where various incoming content features different audio types, such as 5.1 audio soundtracks, stereo and MADI, SDI or IP input streams. SNP can now automatically create consistent 5.1 and stereo outputs simultaneously, up-mixing and down-mixing as required, and imposing loudness controls to CALM or ITU standards. All of these will include automated latency tracking to keep the video and audio in sync. As the SNP is an entirely software-defined application platform built on high-density hardware, these extra features are accessible by all users via the feature licensing system and the new software release.
Also at IBC2022, Imagine introduced feature upgrades to the Magellan Control System for IP/SDI routing, control and monitoring, including support for the most recent versions of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) and the Arista CloudVision Extension (CVX) Media Control Service (MCS), allowing deployment of bandwidth-aware services.
John Mailhot, CTO Networking and Infrastructure at Imagine Communications
Expanding on its plug-in style architecture, Magellan Control also adds a northbound protocol translation service allowing devices running dissimilar protocols to communicate. This services eases the integration of multi-level SMPTE ST 2110 systems into environments that expect a single-level database or one-to-one mapping with ability to define sources, destinations, levels names and IDs. Taking a northbound role, it serves as a kind of API allowing a lower-level network component to communicate with a more central, higher-level component.
This new release also includes support for integrating JPEG XS compression with SNP to establish and maintain low-latency interconnection workflows suitable for production. On the operator-interactive side, the Magellan Touch workflow system now includes expanded signal grouping functionality and enhanced driver support to help configure more controllable devices. www.imaginecommunications.com
