Remote or On-Premise, SDI or IP, and Centralized Production: Rainer Kampe and Antti Laurila Discuss Current Technology Trends and New Projects.
Original article published in German in Film TV Video: Broadcast Solutions: Techniktrends der Branche – film-tv-video.de
Rainer Kampe, Managing Director and CTO, and Antti Laurila, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of the Broadcast Solutions Group, recently shared insights with film-tv-video.de on their latest projects, discussing broader technology trends shaping the broadcast industry.
Current Projects
Antti Laurila highlighted a series of major projects his team recently completed, showcasing trends impacting the broadcast and production industry. Over the past year, Broadcast Solutions has worked on large projects for fixed facilities, reflecting a shift toward more software-driven and centralized production models.
One of these projects took place in Hilversum, near Amsterdam, where Broadcast Solutions built a cutting-edge production and playout center for DMC, exclusively using fully software-based solutions. The backbone of this system is powered by Grass Valley’s Agile Media Processing Platform (AMPP) and operates with the 2110 standard for network connectivity. Notably, the entire project was completed in six months, demonstrating the Broadcast Solutions team’s efficiency and expertise. This transition to software-based workflows reflects broader industry trends, offering greater flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency.
Broadcast Solutions also managed a relocation for the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, moving a remote production center in Finland to a new site. This trend toward centralized production centers is gaining momentum in broadcasting, as companies seek better control over production processes while improving quality and sustainability. Centralized solutions offer benefits such as enhanced environmental efficiency, production flexibility, and the ability to maximize returns on infrastructure investments.
Centralized Production
Rainer Kampe emphasizes, “One of the main advantages of centralized production centers lies in the creation of collaborative workspaces for editorial teams. At Broadcast Solutions, we focus on the technical side, but we observe that this production style fosters a dynamic and productive environment for our clients, where editorial teams can interact, exchange ideas, and drive innovation.” By providing flexible workspaces that adapt to the evolving needs of editorial teams, Broadcast Solutions enables clients to succeed in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced media landscape.
Looking ahead, Laurila notes that while OB vans will remain essential, software-based solutions are being increasingly integrated into these mobile production units. This trend aligns with the industry’s overall shift towards IP (Internet Protocol) as the backbone of broadcast systems, providing unparalleled scalability.
Hybrid Approaches with IP and SDI
At the same time, hybrid approaches are becoming more popular, where IP cores are combined with other technologies like SDI (Serial Digital Interface) and NDI (Network Device Interface) where beneficial.
Rainer Kampe explains, “SDI continues to offer plug-and-play advantages in certain studio or event settings, while NDI may be preferred in other scenarios. Overall, Broadcast Solutions increasingly deploys IP cores surrounded by various technology ‘islands’ to meet each project’s specific needs, underscoring our flexible and adaptable approach.”
The Future of OB Vans
Over the next five years, the current trend is expected to continue. At present, 50% of Broadcast Solutions’ work involves building OB vans, while the other 50% focuses on fixed facilities. Both IP and SDI will remain important in these systems, yet software-defined solutions and cloud components are expected to gain prominence. By leveraging cloud-based services, customers can expand production capacity on demand, especially for smaller productions or when additional computing power is needed. Cloud solutions also offer backup and redundancy options, further enhancing the flexibility and reliability of broadcast transmissions.
Cloud as a Complement
Laurila points out that most of the computing power in the industry is still located in local data centers—ultimately on proprietary hardware—even though cloud-based components could provide flexibility and scalability. However, there is a noticeable shift toward hybrid structures, where the cloud plays a complementary role, providing additional computing power or redundancy when necessary.
Conclusion
In summary, Laurila and Kampe paint a picture of a broadcast industry in transition, with a clear trend toward centralized, software-based solutions supported by IP technology. Broadcast Solutions is at the forefront of this change, delivering innovative, scalable solutions to clients, while OB vans and fixed facilities remain essential.
The hybrid model that combines IP, SDI, and cloud solutions paves the way for more flexibility, efficiency, and innovation in broadcasting and production, a trend Broadcast Solutions expects to continue in the foreseeable future.
