The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced that Arista Networks, Cisco Systems, EVS Broadcast Equipment and The Telos Alliance have all joined the newly formed independent trade association.
The new members respectively specialise in software-driven cloud networking solutions, IT, live outside-broadcast digital video production systems and broadcast audio technologies.
They join founding member companies Grass Valley, Imagine Communications, Lawo, Nevion and Snell Advanced Media.
The alliance was formed last month with a three-fold mandate; to bring IP solutions to market that offer complete interoperability; to be based on open standards, and to integrate seamlessly into media workflow environments to foster industry innovation and efficiency.
“The AIMS alliance and Arista Networks share a common vision on driving open standards and APIs to enable a migration of the broadcast world to IP infrastructure which promises to enable new media workstreams and deliver cloud economics to the broadcast industry,” said Ed Chapman, vice president of business development and alliances, Arista Networks.
AIMS’ focus on promoting the adoption, standardisation, development and refinement of open protocols for media over IP, with an initial emphasis on VSF TR-03 and TR-04, SMPTE 2022-6 and AES67. Broadcasters and other media companies are seeking to leverage IP to increase the flexibility of their networks, help streamline workflows and improve agility to better compete in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
“Cisco joined AIMS to catalyse the media industry transition to IP and cloud. The creation of reference recommendations and solutions to move the community from SDI to IP is a key step forward to avoid the hurdles of the past,” said Dave Ward, CTO of engineering and chief architect, Cisco.
Open standards work is already underway by the Video Services Forum (VSF). AIMS say they will continue to lend support in the development of a standard approach to IP, with more than 30 broadcast equipment manufacturers actively testing and validating the VSF’s approach.
Benoit Fevrier, CTO at EVS, said, “EVS’ IP4Live initiative demonstrates our belief that openness and standardisation are key to the success of video over IP in hybrid or end-to-end IP broadcast and live production workflows. We see the launch of AIMS as a crucial step forward to achieving this.”
Marty Sacks, vice president of sales, support and marketing at The Telos Alliance, “We helped to create AES-67 because we have long believed in open standards. We are excited to join AIMS and help speed the adoption of IP based workflows throughout the broadcast sector.”
Membership in AIMS is available to all individuals and companies that support open standards and share a commitment to the group’s founding principles.
