Synchronous by nature, media systems rely on legacy reference signals such as black burst and timecode, which pre-date today’s technologies by several generations. These signals require private distribution and are becoming insufficient for evolving system designs and workflows, particularly as live IP infrastructures gain prevalence. The SMPTE ST 2059 standards suite provides a method to accommodate all legacy reference and media signals using IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP), delivered over an IP network. This webcast examines how this new way of synchronizing systems will affect legacy, hybrid, and future all-IP infrastructures.
Beginning with an overview of PTP, Paul Briscoe demonstrates how the ST 2059 standard uses this foundation to establish deterministic relationships between global real-time and media signals. It explores how equipment using PTP meets synchronization requirements instead of legacy reference signals and how timecode is virtualized. The webcast then examines product design considerations for hybrid environments, focusing on how a common reference subsystem can use either legacy or hybrid forms of reference, enabling equipment to evolve alongside user requirements. An explanation on how ST 2059 brings together legacy and new systems for this new method to be applied to live IP infrastructures will be offered. The webcast closes with a discussion on system design considerations, focusing on ways to incorporate technology islands in a hybridized architecture.
Guest Speaker: Paul Briscoe
Paul began his career in the broadcasting industry in 1980 at the CBC in Toronto. Specializing in the then-new arena of digital television, he was one of the designers of the Toronto Broadcast Center, with particular focus on the plant routing system, computer graphics facilities and overall systemization and timing. Prior to CBC (and during a brief hiatus), he was involved in technology startups and provided system and product design consultation to various clients. He jumped ship from CBC in 1994 to join Leitch Technology as Product Engineer, defining products for the new digital era. Over his 19 years at Leitch (subsequently Harris Broadcast, now Imagine Communications), he was a Project Leader, Development Group Leader, R&D Manager, Manager of Strategic Engineering and Principal Engineer. He left Harris Broadcast in November, 2013, and now provides system, technology, design and standards consultation to the ever-evolving media industry. He has several patents granted and in process, is a member of SMTPE and IEEE, and is an active participant on numerous SMPTE standards committees. A lifelong Radio Amateur, Paul is also an avid curler in the winter and cyclist and gardener in the summer.
