Overview:
AV over IP (Audio Visual over Internet Protocol) technology has been around for more than a decade. Hailed as a revolutionary innovation in the AV industry for its potential to transmit data from multiple sources to a huge number of outputs and one of the biggest trends in the professional AV sphere gaining traction in the last couple of years.
Undisputedly, AV over IP has become the future trend of ProAV industry and estimate that it will achieve an amazingly high CAGR of 60% per year from 2021 to 2025.
AV over IP explained
To the uninitiated, AV over IP is basically an IP distributed audio and video systems or Networked audio and video systems. AV over IP refers to the use of standard network equipment to transmit and switch video and audio signal. Similar to IoT concept of IT industry, it is commonly referred to AV over IP in the ProAV industry. Thus AV over IP provides the transmission of audio and video data over a standard network such as LAN, WAN or Internet cloud in a similar manner Netflix offers Internet TV. With the popularity of IoT in various industries, AV over IP has been widely used to replace the traditional AV architecture.
As digital communication needs spill over to businesses, public areas, and educational institutions, organizations require better ways to distribute present day modern Digital content. Through modern technology advancements, an audio-visual (AV) over IP solution is an innovative & easy way to provide audiences with engaging content.
AV over IP Architecture
AV over IP replaces the traditional A/V transmitter (Tx) with an Encoder, and replaces the signal receiver (Rx) with a Decoder. The audio and video matrix switcher is replaced by the standard Ethernet IP switcher.
Critical differences in between traditional AV and AV over is in the way Transmission: Transmitted over an Ethernet, WAN, LAN, or WiFi
Data format: (IP packets)
Way of switching: (the number of endpoint devices can be arbitrarily expanded and adjusted)
Benefits of AV over IP
The key benefits AV over IP offers are:
Point-to-point or point-to-multi-point solutions, including full HD capabilities with near-zero latency and the ability to introduce dynamically changing content.
Modern AV-over-IP solutions enable easy management of multi-point installations that can be controlled via browser.
Scalable switching (the number of sources attached is no longer as limited, when physical ports run out, multiple IP switches can be connected to expand).
Modern AV-over-IP systems can typically travel over existing LAN infrastructures, preventing another round of opening walls and running new cable. By leveraging the existing IT network infrastructure result in huge cost savings. In tradition A/V, the more endpoints and devices, the more input and output ports of audio and video matrix switchers are required – higher cost and expensive matrix switcher
The appliances can distribute video or recorded content and also display live TV. These new devices are designed to provide a simple way to manage and distribute video and image-rich content.
To tackle the bandwidth problem, AV needs to be compressed to a manageable size so it can be shared over typical LAN lines. With a compression algorithm such as the H.264 standard, the bandwidth needed for 1080p quality transmissions can be brought down to 10-20 Mbits/sec, less than 1 percent of the original signal and along with temporal compression tactics allow the end user to experience clean video while also improving efficiencies through reduced bandwidth requirements and latency.
Real-time communication is the core benefit of a low-latency AV-over-IP Solutions. In today’s dynamic world businesses, education, and entertainment, content is increasingly demanded in "real time." Like in sports scores, stock trades, retail spaces where shopping customers are presented with merchandise suggestions that have a limited time factor and changed at any desired interval. Multiple levels of controls can be managed by a single administrator point, allowing certain individuals access to some content displays, but not others.
AV-over-IP appliances allow users to combine multiple types of content, including video with scrolling text, photos, Flash, and Web content. Signage displays in retail settings can present merchandise in full AVI, QuickTime, or MPEG video formats, while also showing text descriptions and Web site content for online purchasing.
Hospitals are increasingly using AV over IP especially post pandemic to distribute content to educate both visitors and staff. Lobbies and waiting rooms increasingly use video screens to relay information about visiting hours, staff directories, and hospital maps. From a training standpoint, AV over IP allows the top executive of the hospital to quickly send out messaging to staff members regarding new initiatives or the latest hiring announcements.
Breaking the distance barriers
Better ratio of inputs to outputs
Video standards extend beyond the local facility
Convergence with data and communications
More secure and manageable due to capability by the IT department to create specific zones / areas & enabling authorization and Easy application of encryption technologies.
AV over IP solutions are perfect for larger installations with a high number of end points, such as universities, stadiums and airports, thanks to huge scalability, less cabling and significant potential cost savings.
Networked AV is also a great option for systems in environments such as sports arenas, corporate offices and public spaces, where user authentication and separate networked zones are required.
New options in video processing.
AV over IP Standards:
There are huge range of AV-over-IP standards developed by technology alliances and the platforms have been licensed out to all manufacturers to integrate into their own technologies (such as HDBaseT, SDVoE, ONVIF). The manufacturers would really prefer you to stay brand loyal and so will invest in their own product compatibility, rather than inter-brand co-operation
Conclusion
For smaller systems, analogue AV will probably remain the obvious preferred choice for the time being as a simple and cost effective solution.
However, for larger, more complex systems that require higher bandwidth, longer distance transmission or even plans for future expansion, the flexibility of AV-over-IP offers a preferred solution and there is no doubt that AV/IP technology is the future of AV system transmission and control.
For robust AV over IP, it's vital to choose the right solution provider. We at Fillip innovative Solutions offers an end-to-end system ensures an integrated solution that offers cost savings while providing the best low-latency AV signal using minimal bandwidth.
Don’t you think it’s time to invest in AV-over-IP to advance the future of your business?