Support for JPEG XS, advanced audio routing and processing, and bandwidth management tools

TORONTO, August 31, 2022 – Maintaining its position as the most flexible and practical signal processing device in both IP and SDI workflows, Imagine Communications’ Selenio™ Network Processor (SNP) continues to deliver the essential capabilities required to meet the needs of today’s most complex productions. Coupled with the Magellan™ Control System, Imagine’s operator-centric management environment, the SNP enables media companies to efficiently and cost-effectively transition to UHD and HDR workflows over traditional or COTS-based, IP networking fabrics. Imagine will showcase significant new functionalities in its industry-acclaimed processing and control platforms at IBC2022 (9-12 September, RAI Amsterdam, stand 2.B49).

“We are committed to continuous development of new functionality within the Magellan Control System and the SNP platform and reinforcing this powerful combination’s place at the heart of modern IP and hybrid workflows,” says John Mailhot, CTO Networking and Infrastructure at Imagine Communications. “With over 2,000 SNPs deployed around the world — along with hundreds of thousands of multicasts being managed by Magellan Control — we have a well-established customer base and are welcoming new users every day.”

At IBC2022, Imagine will demonstrate the latest SNP features, including DSP-enabled advanced audio processing algorithms, new audio routing features and coordinated switching of 8K signals to support multi-stream 8K workflows.  The company also continues to enhance its JPEG XS connectivity offerings, enabling high-quality connectivity between facilities and around the world.

“When we initially designed the SNP, we set out to push the boundaries of traditional signal processing,” Mailhot adds. “We built the hardware to be ready for anything, and we continue to release software that unleashes that power in more flexible ways.”

While the hardware architecture of SNP has always included extensive audio routing and shuffling capabilities, the latest software release adds DSP-based upmixing, downmixing, and smart-mixing capabilities, which can be licensed onto any SNP unit that has ever shipped. It gives the user access to more audio shuffling and mixing capabilities — even across programs. A typical application would be in a broadcast workflow where various incoming content, features different audio types, e.g., 5.1 audio soundtracks, stereo, and MADI, SDI or IP input streams. SNP can now automatically create consistent 5.1 and stereo outputs simultaneously, up-mixing and down-mixing as required, and imposing loudness controls to CALM or ITU standards — all with automated latency tracking to keep the video and audio in sync. As the SNP is an entirely software-defined application platform built on high-density hardware, these additional features can be offered to all users via the feature licensing system and the new software release.

Also at IBC2022, Imagine will introduce major feature upgrades to the Magellan Control System ― including support for the latest versions of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) and the Arista CloudVision Extension (CVX) Media Control Service (MCS), allowing deployment of expansive bandwidth-aware typologies. Expanding on its integral plug-ins architecture, Magellan Control also adds a northbound protocol translation service, easing the integration of multi-level SMPTE ST 2110 systems into environments that expect a single-level database or one-to-one mapping with ability to define sources/destinations/levels names and IDs.

This new release also includes support for JPEG XS integration with SNP to provide production-quality, low-latency interconnection workflows. On the operator-interactive side, the Magellan Touch operator-centric workflow system now includes expanded signal grouping functionality and enhanced driver support for even more controllable devices.

The latest versions of SNP and Magellan Control System, including previews of upcoming functionality, will be part of the demonstrations on the Imagine Communications stand 2.B49 at IBC2022.