Deployed in both IP and SDI broadcast workflows, Imagine Communications’ Selenio Network Processor (SNP) has added new software features that the company believes “enhance customers’ existing investments, driving further efficiencies in production, playout and distribution architectures.”
Imagine’s SNP video and audio processor platform boasts a software-based architecture, allowing it to deliver “all the functionality of a traditional modular processor chassis, but in an infinitely flexible, instantly reconfigurable form,” the company notes.
The latest major software releases add several important new software capabilities, Imagine adds. This includes JPEG XS encoding and decoding; an automated changeover switch (ACO); an advanced keyer (DSK); and additional audio management capabilities.
“These new personalities can be enabled on any SNP in the field, and all take advantage of the core processing of the SNP, including the ability to easily combine HD and UHD, SDR and HDR, and SDI and IP connectivity,” the company notes.
JPEG XS is a transformational codec, offering typical compression ratios between 5:1 and 20:1. It can also be used as an on-ramp and off-ramp to cloud-based production. The JPEG XS codec will be available as an SNP software personality at resolutions up to UHD/4K (and HDR). The user can tailor the bits-per-pixel (coding rate) for the specifics of the application; Imagine is also working with leading cloud providers to create ground-to-cloud connections.
Available in the latest SNP release is an automatic changeover switch (ACO), which uses content-aware metrics to determine the health of each feed.
A downstream keyer (DSK) is also being added to SNP’s capabilities. This offers four layers of keying and supports UHD/4K and HDR, using external and internal keys. The feature supports graphics sequencing and animations, and it uses SNP core functionality to allow mixed IP and SDI inputs and outputs.
The latest SNP release adds support for up to 16 audio channels within each audio stream (across all personalities). Imagine has also upgraded the SNP’s audio shuffling and remapping capabilities to allow more complex audio channel mapping amongst the MADI, embedded, and IP inputs and outputs.
In addition, the latest release brings significant enhancements to the SNP-MV production multiviewer personality, including caption/subtitle rendering and a large set of new on-screen indicators and alarms.
The first of these new SNP personalities and features are now available for ordering, and upcoming features will roll out in phases over the upcoming months.
