Executive Summary
End users want AV (audio visual) and IT (information technology) services that are as predictable and work as easily as telephones and printers–industry wide. They also want the technology to work the same way. Systems should be easily used, supported and maintained– regardless of location. Solutions must be flexible, manageable, scalable, robust, easily deployed–attributes that reduce the total cost of ownership.
Over the past two decades, virtually every piece of office technology that required separate cabling has moved onto the network. A convergence that has drastically simplified deployment and reduced costs. Audio and video distribution are the last remaining enterprise systems.
AV-over-IP (Internet Protocol) describes the distribution of audio, video and control signals over the LAN (local area network) using IP switching and configuration protocols. With the arrival and rapid advancement of AV-overIP technology traditional AV infrastructures have been replaced with IP-based infrastructures.
Our analysis shows that:
Explosive growth is expected in networked AV-over-IP deployments in 2019; while it is currently in the early adopter stage, it will become mainstream over the next five years.
AV-over-IP systems have the potential to reduce system costs by up to 40% compared with similar HDBaseT® systems.
Given the economies of scale in the Ethernet industry, cost savings could be expected to grow significantly over the next several years.
Ethernet-based packet switched networks allow many services and users to share the same network infrastructure.
Utilizing 10Gb endpoints for AV-overIP will prevent real cost savings through convergence because the majority of existing networks will not support 10Gb.
AV-over-IP systems are more scalable and flexible because switching configurations are not confined to matrix switches.
Image compression technologies are critical to the AV-over-IP industry because, without compression, expensive network technologies would be required for transmitting video at ever faster rates.
Using AV-over-IP provides opportunities for new applications including IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), digital signage, and streaming.
Most AV systems should limit the latency of the AV-over-IP system to no more than 25ms.
Improved compression techniques allow users to experience high quality video and improve efficiencies and cost through reduced bandwidth requirements and lower latency.
As compression improves, and the network provides greater capacity, 8K is possible on existing 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps network infrastructure.
[1] HDBaseT is the global standard for the transmission of ultrahigh-definition video & audio, Ethernet, controls, USB and up to 100W of power over a single, long-distance, cable.