AIMS membership continues to gather momentum

Embrionix, the Quebec based leader in the manufacture of unique audio and video processing and conversion devices embedded in a SFP (Standard Form factor Pluggable) platform, has announced its membership of AIMS. The company provides a new approach in the product interface market for broadcast manufacturers, designing and manufacturing advanced SMPTE VIDEO SFP device’s to close the gap between 12G-SDI, 6G-SDI, 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI fiber optic deployments, 12G-SDI, 6G-SDI, 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI coaxial deployments, and emerging technology deployments, including HDMI, composite video and Ethernet. Embrionix has global design, R&D, and sales offices located in Canada, California, France, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom and Japan.

“With respect to Embrionix’s core values, we will follow the recommended standards proposed by AIMS Alliance. We are committed to implement these standards within our emSFPs products to facilitate the interoperability in this transition to IP,” says CEO Renaud Lavoie.
Panasonic Corporation is a multinational with global business divisions operating in the broadcast and AV technology sectors, where it is a world leading supplier of broadcast, pro AV and audio-video systems. As a provider of professional solutions for government and commercial enterprises of all sizes, its vast product portfolio includes solutions for HD video content capture and production, unified business communications and visual communications (including displays and digital signage). Panasonic’s aligning itself with the AIMS roadmap for an open standards transition to IP is of major significance in broadcast and AV content industries.

Commenting, Kunihiko Miyagi, director of Panasonic’s Professional AV Business Unit said, “Panasonic is a proud supporter of AIMS and its roadmap. The transition to IP brings exciting creative possibilities, the opportunity for new workflows and solutions, and a positive force for change. Creating an end to end ecosystem built on existing standards, enables the ease of use and interoperability that is an important enabler to the changing production landscape.”

Also joining AIMS is Tektronix, the renowned industry name in test and measurement equipment. The company traces its roots back to 1946 when founders C. Howard Vollum and Melvin J. "Jack" Murdock invented the world’s first time-base triggered oscilloscope. Today the company’s extensive product portfolio and service provision extends across the breadth of broadcast network and transmission formats and standards, including that very latest IP based protocols.

Paul Robinson, CTO, Tektronix Video Product Line, states, “As an early provider of products enabling the transition to IP-based video workflows, Tektronix has been involved in a number of proofs of concept. It is clear from this experience that having vendors working closely together to ensure interoperability will be of tremendous benefit to our customers. Interoperability is key to the successful adoption and deployment of any set of new standards and at Tektronix we are delighted to be able to contribute to AIMS.”

AIMS’ efforts will be focused on promoting the adoption, standardization, development and refinement of open protocols for media over IP, with an initial emphasis on VSF TR-03 and TR-04, SMPTE 2022-6 and AES67. Broadcasters and other media companies are seeking to leverage IP to increase the flexibility of their networks, help streamline workflows and improve agility to better compete in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Open standards are the key to protecting current investments and ensuring long-term interoperability.

Open standards work for the IP transition is already underway by the 74-member Video Services Forum (VSF), with the support of organizations such as SMPTE and the EBU. AIMS endorses the work of the VSF and will continue to lend support in the development of a standard approach to IP; more than 30 broadcast equipment suppliers and broadcasters were involved in the development of VSF TR-03 and companies are actively testing and validating it today.

AIMS provides specific guidance in its bylaws to its members and to the media industry via the AIMS Roadmap. The organization endorses an IP transition plan that includes support for SMPTE 2022-6, AES67 and VSF recommendations TR-03 and TR-04.

A number of solutions are already on the market to help media companies begin the transition by introducing IP components to an SDI workflow. The transition represents a significant investment and will not happen overnight. An open standards approach allows media companies to implement the technology over time and transition at the pace that makes sense for their businesses.

Membership in AIMS is available to all individuals and companies that support open standards and share a commitment to the group’s founding principles.

About the Alliance of IP Media Solutions
The Alliance of IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education, awareness and promotion of industry standards for the transmission of video, audio and ancillary information over an IP infrastructure, as well as products based on those standards. The group represents the interests of both broadcast and media companies and technology suppliers that share a commitment to facilitating the industry’s transition from SDI to IP through industry standards and interoperable solutions that enable the rapid evolution to open, agile and versatile production environments.