After more than a decade of gradual implementation, the M&E industry’s transition to IP-based video and audio workflows is now beginning to see rapid progression. Across the UK and Europe, broadcasters, production teams, and post-facilities are no longer experimenting with IP at the edges but are now leveraging it at the center of their operations.
Major broadcasters are leading with full SMPTE ST 2110 deployments, while smaller to mid-size broadcast, production, and post facilities are finding their IP stride through hybrid setups. For an industry long anchored in baseband, the IP pivot – particularly to ST 2110 – is transforming how content is produced and delivered and redefining how their teams work.
From an era of exploration to execution
Having closely followed the technology development, AJA EMEA Technical Director Andy Bellamy sees IP adoption reaching a new phase of maturation. “The IP adoption rate is growing rapidly with more purpose than ever. The BBC, ITV, and Sky have already built large-scale IP infrastructures that demonstrate what’s possible at the highest level,” he explains.
Bellamy attributes this shift to several factors that have reduced barriers to entry. “IP standards have been around for quite some time, but now the cost of IP networking technology has come down enough for it to make sense for more facilities,” Bellamy notes.
The skills gap between video and IT engineering, another previous challenge, has also quickly begun to narrow. Bellamy adds, “We’re seeing more education and knowledge sharing, which is expanding the talent pool and helping to drive new adoption.”
Navigating the ST 2110 transition and hybrid middle road
Despite the full-scale IP transformation unfolding, hybrid environments remain dominant, especially outside of large-scale broadcast environments. “Hybrid IP infrastructure is more common, usually because of economic and operational considerations, as well as the need to utilize existing SDI and HDMI equipment,” Bellamy shares.
Many facilities have already made significant investments in baseband infrastructure, from monitors to routing systems, which meet current performance requirements. “Rather than ripping out and replacing everything at once, hybrid workflows allow them to integrate IP technologies with legacy systems. They extend the lifespan of existing equipment while enabling gradual modernization,” he explains.
Gateway technologies are helping to bridge the communications gap between IP and baseband. For instance, if ST 2110 monitors aren’t in the budget or a team needs to get legacy media onto a 2110 network, a Mini-Converter like AJA’s IP25-R can easily be used to convert ST 2110 signals for display via SDI or HDMI. Alternatively, it can be used to convert baseband to IP for integration into an ST 2110 pipeline.
When transporting and streaming video in hybrid environments, the demands are even more intensive. Teams often need to encode, decode, and transcode between SDI and a whole range of compressed IP protocols, codecs, and standards. AJA’s BRIDGE LIVE family closes that gap, providing support for H.264/265, JPEG XS, MPEG-TS, SRT, RTMP, NDI (with a license), and more.
ST 2110 environments require gateway tools like the new BRIDGE LIVE IP to get compressed IP streams into and out of the ST 2110 network, while also enabling cutting edge workflows such as remote production and live streaming from 2110 sources. In creative and live production workflows, computer-based video I/O is an exciting new way of working with media on the Desktop.
AJA’s KONA IP25 brings all the applications, integrations, quality, reliability, and intuitive operation of its KONA cards to ST 2110 workflows. With AJA’s proven drivers and application plug-ins, it’s easier for professionals to work uninterrupted on a SMPTE 2110 network in Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, Media Composer, OBS, Wirecast, AJA Control Room, and several other popular tools on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Maximizing IP’s advantages
Whether deploying a full IP or hybrid pipeline, accessing the benefits of IP is becoming easier across the production chain. One area where the technology is delivering immediate efficiency gains is remote production.
“In live environments, where speed and responsiveness are critical, IP enables flexible, efficient signal paths. It’s partially why we’re seeing higher ST 2110 adoption rates in OB trucks and live event productions,” says Bellamy. “When you can go straight from an ST 2110 camera into a 2110 network uncompressed with almost virtually no delay, that’s transformative. However, connecting to and from baseband devices often remains a requirement for many facilities.”
Beyond enabling more agile deployments and reducing the need for complex on-site infrastructure, the scalability that IP offers is unmatched. “It provides a level of modularity that lets facilities adapt with shifting requirements, which matters in a dynamic industry, where change is a constant,” notes Bellamy. “It becomes easy to add more resources such as workstations, storage, or I/O without rebuilding the entire system from scratch. You simply drop them into the network, and they’re all talking together.”
The road ahead
The trajectory for IP is clear: continued growth, increased accessibility, and deeper integration across workflows. From broadcast and production facilities to OB trucks, post studios, and beyond, the industry finds itself in the most significant transition it has seen yet. IP is no longer an emerging concept but an operational reality. However, the path forward is not one-size-fits-all. For some, full 2110 deployments are already delivering value at scale. For others, hybrid workflows provide a more practical route to modernization.
“We’re going to see the adoption rate increase exponentially each year,” Bellamy concludes, “The industry is moving forward with purpose. As infrastructure matures, costs decline, and expertise grows, IP will continue to reshape how content is produced, managed, and delivered across production, post, and delivery, and for the better.”
Staff Reporter
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