NBC OlympicsTaps Cisco for IP Video Network

NBC is partnering with Cicso to provide a “media-aware” IP video network infrastructure during the network’s all HD broadcast of the Winter Olympic Games from Vancouver, Feb. 12-28. The combined solution, which consists of or a private network, Cisco IP video infrastructure and medianet “media aware” technology (Cisco’s brand name for its technology to optimize video over IP), will enable real-time editing NBC content in multiple international and domestic locations and will allow GB-sized files to be transmitted between locations and then delivered to video screens. A high-bandwidth, high performance connection between Vancouver and NBC studios in New York will give shot selectors and editors the ability to edit video as it is being captured in Vancouver.

Cisco Flip Video cameras will also be used by NBC correspondents for shooting on-the-fly video during the Games. NBC will also test the Cisco Media Data Center and Cisco’s Unified Computing System to support production and video archiving. “Cisco is providing all our local data routers for our LAN in and around Vancouver, and for our WAN on the international AT&T data circuits to NY, NJ, Burbank, and Las Vegas,” said Dave Mazza, NBC Olympics’ senior vice president of engineering. “Those circuits are carrying a number of file-based workflow from EVS, Omneon, and Avid and also a large amount of IP-based video from Tandberg.”

Love the media aware IP networking, because yes, we all know that video signals can require very high bandwidths, typically up to 8 Mbits per sec for MPEG 2 encoded HDTV channels and approximately 3 Mbps for MPEG 4. It is imperative that the IP network be optimized so it will deliver the quality of experience (QoE) needed for great picture quality, without degradation.
We all know viewing pixilated images is like being on a cell call with poor quality. I know many of cell phones that learned how to fly & swim because of this, though this might be a bit tougher to toss a 50" flat panel TV into your swimming pool, or out your window. lol!