What are the advantages of an Sdi to IP converter?

I feel like this should be exciting, but I don't truly understand why.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/i ... now/275499

IP has the advantage of allowing a Layer 3 Switch to be used as a Matrix.

You can have a Vlan as Camera/Video channel. So a 48 port Switch can do all your routing and link up to other switches with larger backbones.

As the Bandwidth is 2 way you can have all the video going 2 ways very easily. IE Camera men can have the TX returning back to them or Script or PPT etc.

You can also have comms the same way.

IP can also go down Fibre very easily. Ehternet can scale to from 1Gbs, 2.5 Gbs, 5Gbs 10Gbs Cheaply and More with Datacentre kit 40Gbs and 100Gbs.

Also when in IP Format the data can be procees in fractions on a frame time so Lag can vastly reduced once in IP format.

Quite simply cost & flexibility in the system. If you build an IP network correctly you can have redundancy that's seamless. If you build a network on IP you don't need routers, you can output audio & video directly onto the network.

A Broadcast project I'm building currently I've gone fully IP on video & audio. The cost saving on the video side in terms of cable & equipment infrastructure is $30K and a 12 day build down to a day, Audio is $35K and 24day build down to 2 days. In pure numbers i can build 12 Studios for the cost of 4 using the old methods. The IP video network cost $5K less on the physical kit cost but I save around $15K in infrastructure & $10K in Installer Man hours.

So for example all my IP PTZ cameras on the old consultant designed system needed 3 connections now on fully IP system its 1 Cat5e (yes you can run Cat6 but look at the cost of it) that does Command and control and Video. Saving in my facility around $500 per camera connection and 29W of power saving

Old system 40x40 router, Single point MultiView, DTR 3 Decks, Audio Level box for Switching 3 x 1ME switches, 7 Graphics PC's, 30 Converters 6.2kw of energy

All that is now running in a 2U box that has 8 M/E, 44 IP route points, 4 DDR's, 50 virtual still servers, Networked Digital audio & can run most of the inputs to it from Virtual Video Devices, Multiviewer and Control from anywhere in the world ( provided enough bandwidth) total power 400W

When you get into the command and control its so much easier to do what you want

The power & flexibility on the audio side is even more impressive but i'll just stick to the video

One bit of advice do not cut corners on the Network switches / infrastructure