The transition from SDI to IP broadcast is no longer a future trend: it is an operational reality in television stations, production companies, and OTT platforms around the world. The audiovisual sector is undergoing one of the biggest technological changes since the digitization of video.
For decades, SDI infrastructure was the unquestionable standard in studios and broadcast centers. Today, however, the need for scalability, remote production, virtualization, and multiplatform distribution is driving a new model based on IP networks.
In this article, we analyze the historical context, the limitations of SDI, and how IP—together with technologies such as Transport Stream—is redefining modern broadcasting.
The historical context of SDI: the standard that changed everything
SDI (Serial Digital Interface) became established in the 1990s as the professional system for transporting uncompressed digital video signals via coaxial cable with BNC connectors.
For years, it was synonymous with: Stability, low latency, precise synchronization, closed and highly controlled infrastructures.
SDI enabled the transition from analog to digital video in television studios and production centers. The 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, and 12G-SDI developments expanded the capacity to support HD, Full HD, and later UHD.
However, the model was always based on a clear principle: a physical signal via a physical cable. And that’s where the problem begins.
Why SDI no longer scales
The SDI model works very well in closed and relatively static environments. But today’s audiovisual ecosystem demands something different:
- Remote and decentralized production
- Multiplication of simultaneous signals and feeds
- Integration with cloud environments
- Multiplatform broadcasting (linear TV + OTT + FAST + social media)
- Dynamic channel growth
Each new signal in SDI means new cabling, new matrices, new cards, new racks, and more physical complexity. This translates into:
- Exponential increase in infrastructure costs
- Difficulty scaling
- Geographical limitations
- Operational rigidity
SDI architecture is not designed for a distributed and virtualized world. And modern broadcasting no longer lives exclusively within a building.
IP as the basic infrastructure of modern broadcasting
IP (Internet Protocol) is not simply a replacement for SDI cable: it is a paradigm shift.
Instead of transporting video as a dedicated physical signal, IP encapsulates it as data within a network. This allows:
- Multiplexing multiple signals over the same infrastructure
- Sharing resources between systems
- Scaling through switches and network architecture
- Virtualize processes
- Integrate with public or private cloud
Standards such as SMPTE 2110 have made it possible to bring real-time production to the IP environment while maintaining synchronization and broadcast quality.
But the most important thing is this:
the IP infrastructure is the same as that used by the IT world.
This opens the door to economies of scale, standard hardware, advanced automation, and a real convergence between broadcasting and technology.
Internet, private networks, and new hybrid architectures
The transition from SDI to IP broadcasting does not necessarily mean “broadcasting over the open Internet.” There are multiple models:
1. Private IP networks: Controlled infrastructure within production facilities or campuses.
2. Dedicated links: Dark fiber, MPLS, or managed networks for high-capacity transport.
3. Public Internet with optimized protocols: Use of robust protocols for secure and stable transport.
Today it is possible to produce in one city, playout in another and distribute globally from a cloud environment. The centralized model is giving way to hybrid and distributed architectures.
Broadcasting no longer depends on the physical rack: it depends on the network.
Transport Stream as a key element
In this new ecosystem, Transport Stream (MPEG-TS) remains a fundamental pillar.
The Transport Stream allows:
- Multiplex video, audio and data
- Ensure synchronization
- Maintain robustness against losses
- Transporting signals over IP networks
Although the environment changes from SDI to IP, TS remains the standard container in multiple linear broadcast and distribution environments.
It is the bridge between traditional broadcast and the modern IP ecosystem.
The SDI to IP broadcast transition is not just a technological one
Adopting IP is not simply a matter of swapping cables for switches. It involves:
- Redesign architecture
- Team building in networking
- Rethinking workflows
- Integrating IT and broadcast under a single strategy
Companies that understand it as a structured process – and not as a one-off change of equipment – are the ones that achieve an efficient and frictionless transition.
At Vector 3 we work precisely on this critical point: accompanying technological evolution from a strategic, operational and scalable perspective.
Conclusion
The SDI to IP broadcast transition represents the most important structural change in the audiovisual industry in decades.
SDI was the standard that allowed the professionalization of digital television.
IP is the infrastructure that allows scaling, virtualization and globalization.
It’s not just about modernizing technology.
It’s about preparing television for the future.
Contact us and find out how to approach a frictionless SDI to IP transition CONTACT US
