How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility

Metadata

Publisher: SMPTE — White Plains, NY, USA
Doc Type: Journal Article
Content Type: Original Research
Abbreviated Title: SMPTE Mot. Imag. J
Volume: 129, No. 4, pp. 35–44
Abstract: The shift toward Media-over-IP (MoIP) promises to bring enormous flexibility, on the one hand, but increases the configuration complexity, on the other. Apart from new skill sets, new tools are needed to test, validate, and monitor new devices based on SMPTE ST 2110 and Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) TR-1001-1, and ensure interoperability. Moreover, in a large system, there is a significant need for thorough testing that can be repetitive, leading to wastage of precious time. In addition to creating consistent tests and reporting, automation is needed to speed up the work. This article elaborates how Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)/Radio-Canada faced the challenges in evaluating the compliance and performance of many new devices from different manufacturers for the production facilities at its new headquarters in Montreal. It covers the test plan that was developed by CBC’s lab team and the tools used to complete the titanic task. To cover its testing requirements, CBC collaborated with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Live IP Software Toolkit project team by contributing additional functionalities not found in other available tools and to automate the verification of the streams. Being involved in the development of this open source solution has the benefits of building a deep understanding of the standards within the engineering teams and providing an openly documented recipe for measurement as a benchmark for the industry.
Publication Date: 2020-05-01
DOI: 10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600
ISSN: Print: 1545-0279 | Electronic: 2160-2492
Link: https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600
Author(s): Félix Poulin
bio
Félix Poulin is with the national public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada, Montreal, Canada, where he is the director of the Architecture Lab. The Lab is currently evaluating IP-based equipment for the new headquarters to be on air in 2020. Before that mandate, Poulin was a lead expert on live IP at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Geneva, Switzerland, involved with the Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM), organizing training and events, coordinating expert groups, and the multiaward winning VRT Sandbox LiveIP project. Poulin completed his diploma in electrical engineering at Montreal’s Polytechnique, Montreal, Canada, with his final thesis done at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA. He began working as an audio engineer at Solotech, Montreal, Canada on Cirque du Soleil and international productions. Poulin is an active contributor to the SMPTE, EBU, and AMWA.
Patrick Keroulas
bio
Patrick Keroulas has developed realtime media software for various industries such as entertainment, aerospace, consumer, and broadcast. He has contributed to implementing SMPTE ST 2110 into FFmpeg. He is currently working on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Live IP Toolkit project in the Architecture Lab of CBC/Radio-Canada, Montreal, Canada, supporting the building of the new IP-based facility in Montreal.
Sunday Nyamweno
bio
Sunday Nyamweno is a lead analyst with CBC/Radio-Canada, Montreal, Canada, where he has been solving problems related to video encoding, satellite transmission, color science, and systems integration, for the past eight years. He received a PhD from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, in 2012, specializing in video compression. Additionally, he possesses an MSc in radio frequency wireless communications from Leeds University, Leeds, U.K.
Willem Vermost
bio
Willem Vermost recently moved to VRT, Belgium, as a design and engineering manager. Prior to this role, he was the topic lead on the transition to IP-based studios at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). With 20 years of experience in broadcasting, he is an expert and project manager of international strategic expert groups, and events. He has a master’s degree in electronic engineering and in applied computer science. He has worked on various projects, including the multiple award-winning VRT Live IP proof of concepts, the Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM) Tested Program, and started the open source EBU Live IP Software Toolkit (LIST) project, which has grown to be an international project. He is the co-chair of the EBU group System Design and Interoperability and is an active member of SMPTE.
Pedro Ferreira
bio
Pedro Ferreira is a software developer, trainer, and consultant, with more than 20 years of experience in the broadcasting industry. He started his career as a researcher at INESC, Portugal, and then became one of the founders of MOG Technologies, Portugal, where he worked for 15 years, mostly as the chief technology officer. He led the development of many innovative products, such as the MXF:SDK and mxfSPEEDRAIL, as well as several other bespoke projects. He has also been actively involved in the standardization and European Union (EU) research projects since he started his career. He is a member of the Eurovision Academy faculty, where he has trained more than 200 people in subjects like MXF, file-based workflows, and Live-IP. He possesses an MSc in telecommunications and computers.
Ievgen Kostiukevych
bio
Ievgen Kostiukevych is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Technology and Innovation team. He has gained more than a decade of experience in the broadcasting and sound production industry, including experience in change management, solutions architecture, and Audio-over-IP integration. He is working on projects such as IP networks, Media-over-IP, PTP, and networks programmability and automation. He is a member of SMPTE and Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Keyword(s): Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)/Radio-Canada, Conformance, EBU, Live IP Software Toolkit (LIST), Measurement, Media-over-IP, ST 2110, Validation
Copyright: © 2020 SMPTE

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Félix Poulin, Patrick Keroulas, Sunday Nyamweno, Willem Vermost, Pedro Ferreira, and Ievgen Kostiukevych; How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 129, Issue: 4, May 2020); SMPTE, 2020. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600

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Félix Poulin, Patrick Keroulas, Sunday Nyamweno, Willem Vermost, Pedro Ferreira, and Ievgen Kostiukevych; How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 129, Issue: 4, May 2020); SMPTE, 2020. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600

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<span class="citation">Félix Poulin, Patrick Keroulas, Sunday Nyamweno, Willem Vermost, Pedro Ferreira, and Ievgen Kostiukevych; <cite>How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility</cite>, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 129, Issue: 4, May 2020); SMPTE, 2020. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600</a></span>

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Félix Poulin, Patrick Keroulas, Sunday Nyamweno, Willem Vermost, Pedro Ferreira, and Ievgen Kostiukevych; How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 129, Issue: 4, May 2020); SMPTE, 2020
doi: 10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600
url: https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600

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Félix Poulin, Patrick Keroulas, Sunday Nyamweno, Willem Vermost, Pedro Ferreira, and Ievgen Kostiukevych; <cite id="bib-10-5594-jmi-2020-2980600">How CBC/Radio-Canada Tested Media-over-IP Devices to Build its New Facility</cite>, SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal ( Volume: 129, Issue: 4, May 2020); SMPTE, 2020
<span class="doi">10.5594/JMI.2020.2980600</span>
</li>