Imagine adds new functionality to its video and audio processor platform

Selenio Network Processor with JPEG XS, automated changeover switch, advanced keyer, additional audio management

International
Products and Solutions

These new personalities can be enabled on any SNP in the field, and all take advantage of the core processing of the SNP, including the ability to easily combine HD and UHD, SDR and HDR, and SDI and IP connectivity.

JPEG XS is a transformational codec, offering visually lossless production and contribution quality, at very low latency (less than a frame), and typical compression ratios between 5:1 and 20:1. The result is an ideal means of communicating between facilities or between remote production sites and a broadcast center; it can also be used as an on-ramp and off-ramp to cloud-based production, with significant savings in bandwidth cost. The JPEG XS codec will be available as an SNP software personality at resolutions up to UHD/4K (and HDR). The user can tailor the bits-per-pixel (coding rate) for the specifics of the application; Imagine is also working with leading cloud providers to create ground-to-cloud connections.

Available in the latest SNP release is an automatic changeover switch (ACO), which uses content-aware metrics to determine the health of each feed, in terms of video presence and quality, caption presence, and audio presence, audio levels, and more. The ACO function switches seamlessly between A and B feeds to maintain a consistent on-air output. As well as automated operation, users can take manual control of changeovers. With the Imagine CCSP protocol, which is supported by every control system in the industry, this ACO functionality can be integrated into any project straight away.

A downstream keyer (DSK) is also being added to SNP’s capabilities. This offers four layers of keying and supports UHD/4K and HDR, using external and internal keys. The feature supports graphics sequencing and animations, and it uses SNP core functionality to allow mixed IP and SDI inputs and outputs. Coupled with the ability to make A/B transitions and leveraging SNP’s existing dual-UHD conversion personality, the result is a powerful master control switcher with the ability to up- and down-convert mixed format content into a consistent UHD presentation with UHD graphics.

The latest SNP release adds support for up to 16 audio channels within each audio stream (across all personalities). Imagine has also upgraded the SNP’s audio shuffling and remapping capabilities to allow more complex audio channel mapping amongst the MADI, embedded, and IP inputs and outputs. In addition, the latest release brings significant enhancements to the SNP-MV production multiviewer personality, including caption/subtitle rendering and a large set of new on-screen indicators and alarms.

www.imaginecommunications.com