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APPLIED TECHNOLOGY
NEW PRODUCTS & REVIEWS
Harris Broadcast's
Platinum IP3
Multi -path, multi -frame routing is now a reality.
BY KERRY WHEELES
The router has long been the
traffic cop of the broadcast
facility, directing signals to
various control rooms and
destinations around the plant. But,
it's become clear that traffic direction
alone is insufficient to support
today's ever -increasing signal volume
and complexity.
The usefulness of increased router
capability extends well beyond the
traditional call -letter station. Central -
casting facilities and satellite head -
ends support many more channels
today compared to one decade ago,
and mobile production trucks often
require 512 x 512 matrices or larger.
Meanwhile, facilities like sports venues
and houses of worship are asking
more of their routers, from increased
signal capacity to tighter integration
with complementary systems.
Meeting these expanded signal
routing and management requirements
is just one reason that
Harris Broadcast has introduced the
Platinum IP3 router. It delivers multiformat
signal routing up to 576 x
1024 in a single 28RU frame, and
scales to more than 2048 x 2048 in
multi -frame configurations.
Additionally, the router breaks new
barriers for signal redundancy, on -air
expandability, stability and control,
while also offering the industry's first
path toward true network convergence
within the router.
From there to here
High- density routing, integrated
processing, reduced power consumption
and smaller rack -space requirements
remain significant capabilities
in the IP3 design as an extension of
the established Platinum architecture.
Notably, the original Platinum's
inclusion of a dual -path routing architecture
was a big technical stride,
enabling completely independent
audio and video paths for every slot
within the frame. This enables a completely
embedded routing infrastructure
without sacrificing matrix size.
The IP3 evolves this concept with
the industry's first triple -path architecture.
The third, separate path is designed
to accommodate data -centric
elements that might include program -
associated metadata, graphical elements
or pure IP signals. The ability
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The IP3's technologies introduce faster
processing and increased bandwidth to
support triple -path architecture.
to support separate video, audio and
data paths is what makes the IP3 the
first router architecture that promises
true network convergence as the industry
moves from pure baseband to
a hybrid infrastructure.
Unique architecture
The road toward creating the industry's
largest -capacity router and
first triple -path routing architecture
begins with the product's unique design
characteristics.
The IP3's enabling technologies
introduce faster processing and increased
bandwidth to support the
triple -path architecture, reducing
hardware and accommodating more
signals. The design also greatly simplifies
wiring and integration and
eliminates the need to take stations
off the air while scaling into multiple
frame systems.
Large routing systems involve multiple
separate frames due to physical
limitations for signal capacity.
Traditionally, this requires external
distribution amplifiers to support
signal expansion to multiple frames.
To expand into additional frames, the
user must unwire each input from the
first frame and run it through a distribution
amplifier to the original and
new frame or frames. Further adding
to the complexity, outputs from two
frames, each with unique sets of inputs,
require a secondary switching
matrix to avoid "blocking" signals.
The expansion process requires the
user to "break" the signal upon adding
another component - thus taking
the station off air.
The IP3 design builds distribution
amplifiers into the routing frame, employing
a single -wire connection to
bridge each input module to the next
frame - without breaking signals
from the first frame. Additionally, an
intelligent output module design ensures
that each new input, regardless
of which frame it enters, is available
to all router destinations.
This architecture provides seamless
expansion between multiple frames,
reducing wires and without taking
the station off air. Furthermore, the
common architecture preserves the
initial investment - and ensures no
limitations for future expansion.
March 2013 I
77