Highlighting modern innovations in cloud-based broadcast production at Inter BEE 2023

This blog was co-authored by Daniel Kamhaji, Associate Product Manager & Product Application Engineer, Waves Audio Ltd.

Introduction

In this blog post, we delve into innovations in cloud-based broadcast production as showcased by Amazon Web Services (AWS) Japan at Inter BEE, held at Makuhari Messe November 15—17, 2023. We explore the technologies and collaborations shaping broadcast production, with a focus on Waves Cloud MX‘s role in the AWS booth this year. We uncover how innovations set the standard for reliable and advanced live production workflows. In addition, we examine the signal flow and the distribution services powered by AWS, highlighting their impact on the Japanese market and the evolving landscape of live broadcasting and media productions worldwide.

AWS booth at Inter BEE 2023

Showcasing future broadcast technologies with Waves Audio and industry leaders

Inter BEE, the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition, is a global showcase of the latest innovations in the content business. This annual event and exhibition serves as a collaborative hub for technological vanguards and highlights the capabilities of broadcast solutions and workflows.

Waves Audio Ltd. participated with AWS Japan during Inter BEE 2023, highlighting the industry’s innovation in cloud workflows and presenting a tour de force in live broadcast production technology.

Displaying unity among industry leaders, the booth featured SONY’s M2L-X Software Vision Switcher, Sienna ND Processing Engine, Viz Trio & Viz Engine, Telos Alliance Infinity VIP, Ateme TitanLive, LiveU Cloud Connect, TAG Video Systems Multiviewer, and the Waves Cloud MX audio mixing platform, integrated with the foundational AWS Elemental suite of services. Together, these elements create a cohesive ecosystem that exemplifies current technological proficiency and provides a practical blueprint for the development of broadcast productions.

Live production demonstration system at the AWS booth at Inter BEE 2023

Core connectivity: Simplifying streams with NDI protocol

NDI (Network Device Interface) is an open protocol developed by NewTek for IP transmission and live production using standard LAN networking. Its ease of use and reliability make it an attractive tool in the broadcast environment, linking various elements of the production chain and facilitating a streamlined process with its straightforward nature and dependability.

In the operator’s hands

Waves Cloud MX assumed a pivotal role, adeptly mixing NDI audio inputs with 4ch as a live feed and local playback for additional 8ch by NDI to produce a polished final mix. Leveraging a g4dn.4xlarge type Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instance on a Windows Server with NVIDIA GRID drivers enables the production to scale up CPU power on demand, for optimal performance as needed.

This adaptability provides operators with an extensive toolkit for audio processing. These include tools like the Dugan Speech plugin for real-time automatic balancing of multiple microphones, the F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ for intricate audio shaping, WNS for accurate noise suppression, and the WLM and Dorrough plugins for accurate loudness metering, each contributing to a premium sonic experience.

A broader array of 150+ Waves plugins stands ready to equip audio professionals with a wealth of intelligent and creative capabilities. Cloud MX’s license is activated to an Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) drive, allowing for easy license mobility between instances, streamlining the deployment process.

Enhanced control and virtualization via NICE DCV and Waves FIT controller

Merging the tactile with the virtual, the Waves FIT control surface provides audio operators with a hands-on fader and encoder interface. The controller is directly connected to the local computer, transmitting control information over UDP IP packets via the rtpMIDI in the Amazon EC2 environment, a setup that enables responsiveness between the operator and the cloud, attributed to its low latency measurements.

AWS NICE DCV and Touch panel display provided remote desktop operation as another control surface. It allows users to operate the mixer via multiple touch displays and offers the flexibility to spread and arrange the mixer’s windows according to their preference by connecting to an EC2 instance of Waves Cloud MX. This also allows operators to monitor the audio on their local computer’s speaker configuration via NICE DCV, sidestepping the limitations of various audio drivers or protocols by using the dedicated Waves ASIO NDI Control Panel, which funnels the audio into the Windows system audio.

Waves Audio display with Touch Screen and Fit Controller

 Signal flow: The lifecycle of production

1. The signal flow in this system follows a defined path Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) streams are sent from on-premises locations through Sienna’s ‘IP Connect SRT’ and converted into NDI streams, ready for use in the production environment.

2. AWS Elemental Link devices were employed on site to capture live footage at the booth’s presentation stage. These devices play a crucial role in encoding, linking live video sources, such as cameras and video production equipment, to the cloud.

3. Additionally, LiveU supplied live signals at the booth, using their LiveU Cloud Connect solution. This system efficiently bridges the LiveU LU800 multi-camera field unit with the LiveU cloud EC2 instance, ensuring a smooth and integrated connection via LiveU’s Reliable Transport Stream protocol ( LRT).

4. Amazon S3 serves as the core repository for the system, enabling the sharing of content between Sienna ND Processing Engine, Sony Switcher, Waves Audio, and other elements. It acts as the main distribution hub and central storage in the demo system to prepare content such as video and audio files for each partner solution.

5. Subsequently, the Sienna ND Processing Engine, hosted on an EC2 instance, processes incoming streams and also creates additional ones from its media sources, ensuring that both live feeds from NDI-enabled cameras and pre-recorded content are managed and prepared for their intended destinations within the production setup.

6. As the NDI streams navigate the setup, SONY’s M2L-X software-based switcher manages video switching with the SONY X-Panel control panel further enhancing the experience. Additionally, graphical enhancements from Viz Trio and Viz Engine further refine the visual experience, offering real-time graphics rendering and management, delivering visually compelling and dynamic live content to the audience. Simultaneously, Waves Cloud MX, equipped with its 32-bit float double precision mix engine, mixes and processes the audio feeds. The mixer channels the processed audio through NDI to Sienna ND’s ‘NDI Source Connect’, then into its ‘Audio Embedder’ where it gets synchronized with the video. This new combined feed is then looped back through SONY’s switcher.

7. The complete program is broadcast via an SRT stream to AWS Elemental MediaConnect, where the management and distribution of the live video feed are executed.
   At this stage, the SRT signals pass through Ateme TitanLive, acting as a connection bridge between live production and the master playout system, where it manages and distributes the live video feed. Ateme TitanLive then distributes the broadcast to multiple streaming platforms, completing the content’s journey from creation to viewer. Additionally, an AWS Elemental MediaConnect output signal is also directed to the TAG VS Multiviewer solution and to AWS Elemental MediaLive for further monitoring and processing for Cloud Master Playout demonstration.

Architecture overview of live production deployment

Conclusion: Integrating industry-leading solutions to advance broadcast technology

In conclusion, Inter BEE 2023 was a showcase of innovations in cloud-based broadcast production technology. These advancements, including the integration of various manufacturers and using AWS services, are revolutionizing live broadcast production workflows. They represent a commitment to reliability and cutting-edge performance that is already making waves in the Japanese market and reshaping the expectations for live broadcasting and media production.

For more information, please refer to the following resources

1. Inter BEE Website
   • Visit the official website of Inter BEE to learn more about the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition and its significance in the industry.
2. Waves Audio Website
   • Explore Waves Audio’s website to discover the latest innovations in audio mixing technology, including Waves Cloud MX.
3. Sony M2L-X Software Vision Switcher
   • Learn more about Sony’s M2L-X Software Vision Switcher and its role in video switching technology and more.
4. Viz Trio and Viz Engine
   • Visit the Viz Trio and Viz Engine sites to learn more about these technologies.
5. Sienna ND Processing Engine
   • Explore Sienna ND Processing Engine, a key component for stream processing of various protocols and more.
6. NDI (Network Device Interface)
   • Learn about NDI, the core connectivity framework and its role in simplifying audio and video streams integration.
7. Ateme TitanLive
   • Discover how Ateme TitanLive contributes to the distribution of broadcast content to various streaming platforms.
8. Telos Alliance Infinity VIP
   • Visit the Telos Alliance Infinity VIP page to discover more about this technology.
9. LiveU Cloud Connect
   • Refer to the LiveU Cloud Connect page to learn more about IP-based live broadcast solutions.
10. Tag Video Systems Multiviewer
    • Learn more about the TAG Visualization Solution.
11. Media Integration, Inc
    • Japan’s largest distributor of professional production software and the official reseller for Waves Products in Japan.