Software-Based Video–Audio Production Mixer via an IP Network

Abstract

Modern television production has promoted the simultaneous use of several cameras and sound sources, which increases the complexity and costs of broadcasting studios. This paper describes the design and implementation of a video-audio production mixer via an IP network. It is presented as a potential replacement for traditional professional production systems on the basis of cost reduction, as it is a software-based system that uses the existing technologies and can be built in community television stations and economic private productions. A prototype combining five cameras, a title generator, a multimedia player, microphone sound, music, and other resources for video recording or Internet live streaming has been implemented. The system also features a voice intercommunication capability to support teamwork. This technology has been mounted using different high-definition cameras with High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) outputs, desktop computers, mobile phones and other non-dedicated equipment available for free or at a low cost. Although it works on non-dedicated hardware, this system provides video routing, sound managing, and audiovisual mixing with an approximate total delay of only 1.4 s. It has been mounted mostly on Linux environments to guarantee reliability and the extensive use of free software, which demonstrates the feasibility of building a cost-effective video-audio production mixer, using the available devices and techniques.

On Decomposition and Deployment of Virtualized Media Services

“…Today, broadcasters use a specialized hardware appliance called vision-mixer to achieve this functionality. This functionality, however, can also be realized in a software running on a COTS server [21]. The production quality visionmixer has been implemented using open source tools like OBS studio and KX studio running on a generalpurpose platform.…”

Scheduling for Media Function Virtualization

“…D. Luzuriaga et al have also demonstrated the PoC for a vision mixer based on open-source software tools (e.g., OBS studio and KX studio) running on a COTS hardware platform [13]. They presented a low-cost replacement for a specialized hardware production system.…”

Residual packet loss rate analysis of 2-D parity forward error correction

“…This ongoing transition to IP systems enables broadcasters and service providers to reduce their costs, and use their networks more efficiently [3][4][5]. It also permits to achieve higher operational flexibility and density using either software-based or cloud infrastructures [6][7][8][9]. To support all these efforts, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has developed the SMPTE ST 2110 Suite of Standards [10], and a family of related standards known as SMPTE ST 2022 [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] specifying how to send digital audiovisual content over IP networks.…”