The broadcast industry's migration to IP-based workflows is accelerating. Organizations are seeking to reduce operational costs and improve production efficiency, with SMPTE ST 2110 adoption a key driver. “For the longest time, it seemed SMPTE 2110 sat in the shadows, but this year, it came to the forefront as more broadcasters looked to take advantage of the uncompressed, low latency workflows it enables,” said Paul Turner, director of product management at AJA Video Systems.

This transition offers benefits in signal management and resource utilization. A single 25 GigE SMPTE ST 2110 cable can transport multiple 4K/UltraHD signals or numerous HD feeds bi-directionally, reducing rack space and power consumption compared to traditional SDI infrastructure, as noted by Turner.

Broadcasters are adopting IP strategically, not replacing infrastructure wholesale. “Many broadcasters are taking a slow but steady adoption approach and integrating SMPTE ST 2110 or NDI technologies into their infrastructures where it makes sense,” Turner explained. The shift gains momentum as satellite costs rise and 5G expands.

Robert Szabo-Rowe, head of engineering and product management at Tata Communications Media, highlights IP's reliability, fault tolerance, and flexibility. Cost remains a central factor. Blackmagic Design focuses on making IP workflows more accessible. “IP-based workflows can be executed in a more accessible, flexible and cost-effective way; for example, by using 10G Ethernet, SMPTE-2110 IP video products can be smaller, lower power and more affordable,” said Bob Caniglia, director of sales operations at Blackmagic Design.

The transition demands new skills. “You can’t just mirror the fault finding and integration approaches of SDI when moving to IP; it’s more complex and less plug-and-play than SDI,” Turner warned. Engineers need to understand network switches, traffic shaping, and NMOS.

Manufacturers are simplifying IP integration. Blackmagic Design's 2110 IP converters enable point-to-point connections without complex switch configurations, using standard Ethernet cables and remote power. IP infrastructure also supports new operational models.

David Isola, director of product marketing at Black Box, points to the shift from dedicated hardware to software-defined environments, reducing equipment and maintenance costs. Remote production is a significant benefit. IP-based workflows centralize resources while maintaining distributed operations, reducing equipment and personnel transport costs.

“Remote and distributed production seem a logical sustainability response that simply makes good business sense. Broadcasters can produce more content using fewer resources while maintaining high production standards,” Szabo-Rowe stated.

Chris Scheck, head of marketing content at Lawo, notes that IP infrastructure helps navigate remote production and encourages distributed workflows. App-based processing reduces reliance on specialized hardware, using standard IT servers. Implementation strategies vary, from complete infrastructure replacement to incremental upgrades, depending on existing infrastructure, resources, and operational needs.

As the transition continues, manufacturers are developing products bridging traditional and IP-based workflows, allowing for a managed transition.