BHV Broadcast Introduces Open Architecture Range of IP to SDI Cards at IBC
streamGear supports broadcast, graphics and streaming applications with powerful quad core processing and superfast graphics capabilities
Amsterdam - IBC 2018(14 Sep 2018)
BHV Broadcast, the multiple award-winning broadcast designer and manufacturer, has introduced streamGear, a series of IP to SDI openGear® cards, at IBC. The flexible platform features powerful quad core processing and superfast graphics capability to support broadcast, graphics or streaming applications by serving as a hardware engine or a standalone receiver. Demonstrations across a range of operating platforms are being conducted on BHV Broadcast’s Stand 8.E94.
Featuring a comprehensive set of connectivity options including Gigabit Ethernet, CANbus, SDI & HDMI output (3G, HD, SD), USB, LTC and analogue video, these cards have the capability to host applications at the boundary of IP and conventional video. A format/standards converter is included to ensure all video formats from SD PAL/NTSC through to 3G (1920 x 1080p59.94) are supported.
Available in Android Oreo and Yocto/Debian/Ubuntu/Boot2QT Linux distributions, the cards include an intelligently-engineered feature set straight out of the box. The open-architecture platform allows hardware interfaces to be customised for maximum security and flexibility. The industry standard iMX6 processor, (available in Dual or Quad core with speeds from 800 MHz to 1.2 GHz) provides unrivalled processing capability in a small and low-power form factor. A Vivante GC2000 2D and 3D accelerated graphics processing unit is OpenGL compliant, enabling reliable delivery of rich and complex graphics.
”streamGear’s Android and Linux open architecture make it a very disruptive shift in the broadcast market," explains Bill Garrett, BHV Broadcast’s chief technology officer. “streamGear cards can be stacked to provide 20 channels of the same power in just 2U of rack space!”
Two versions of the card are launching at IBC: an operator-friendly Android version that allows app developers without broadcast or video experience to build data-driven and IP streaming applications with broadcast compliant video output, and a Linux variant that provides a platform for a high-performance video and graphics OEM appliance.
Based on an current successful field-tested design, these cards allow high density integration and support for the openGear Dashboard management suite. Both legacy and the latest OG3-FR frames are supported as is SERDES backplane Ethernet, utilising the internal openGear Frame Ethernet switch option. This allows 20 cards to utilise just one Ethernet switch port.
Garrett continues “Think of this product as a powerful tablet device with SDI output. With the overabundance of camera and smartphone streaming video contribution requirements, the capability to make this an SDI source in conventional video environments has been limited and expensive. The reality is that broadcast functionality is becoming more and more IP-connected and with it the need for greater local processing and rendering capability. It's an efficient, elegant and cost-effective solution.”
Applications include:
- IP contribution from Smartphone, tablet, streaming camera
- Video wall and studio backdrop driver
- Weather maps and other still or animated data driven video application.
Non-video uses include:
- In rack monitoring gateway for openGear Dashboard
- Bi-directional IP to CANbus gateway
- Linear timecode to IP domain gateway
About BHV BroadcastBHV Broadcast is an award-winning manufacturer specializing in broadcast engineering consultancy and product development strategy. For further information: www.bhvbroadcast.com