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2024 BEITC Proceedings

  • ATSC 3.0 and Wireless Emergency Alerting - a Great Match - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    When disasters strike, it is imperative that lines of communication remain open so that the public can receive important and potentially lifesaving updates from authorized authorities. For television and radio broadcasters this information has been provided by Emergency Alert System (EAS) announcements and through newscasts and weather alerts. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) were developed to deliver similar announcements to the public via cellular networks if they are within the targeted area. But what happens if cellular service is compromised due to disaster? ​In 2017 the Federal Communications adopted a new, voluntary television broadcast standard developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), a standard development organization. The new standard, ATSC 3.0 (also known as NEXTGEN TV), is built on a robust over-the-air broadcast platform and utilizes an Internet Protocol core.i ​Could ATSC 3.0 be a solution during widespread outages to deliver critical messages to mobile devices? This paper explores this issue and will describe a tested solution.

    Fred Engel | PBS North Carolina | Research Triangle Park, N.C., United States
    Chris Lamb | Device Solutions Inc. | Morrisville, N.C., United States

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  • ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) Seminar Outcomes – Humber College B²C Lab, Toronto, Canada - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    The realization that the ATSC 3.0 standard enables broadcasters to offer an independent source of standard time, distinct from and equivalent to GPS/GNSS, and traceable to UTC time, has led to the formation of a forum within ATSC and NAB, and has attracted individuals, industry, and government organizations, who feel that development of appropriate technologies within ATSC 3.0 should proceed with no delays. The urgency is caused by many concerns with the current vulnerabilities of the GPS system. Providing a backup is in the minds of many, given that competitor countries have already built backup capability in their systems and at the same time have good knowledge of the weaknesses of GPS. In this paper, a gathering of such a wide forum is described, which took place in Toronto, Canada in November 2023, in the form of a one-day conference. The theme of the conference was the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS), proposed by the broadcasting community as an alternative to GPS in case GPS service is lost. The main points made by participants in this conference are presented here, and its potential impact on innovation directions for industry and academia are evaluated. In addition, the potential impact of this forum on Canadian policy is assessed.

    Vatsa Dave | Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Georges Livanos | Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning | Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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  • ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) Mesh Network  - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    The Broadcast Positioning System (BPS) concept and related proof-of-concept technologies were introduced at the 2023 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) conference. Work on the BPS project has continued through 2023 and into 2024 with a focus on better accuracy and traceability but also on how such a system would be put into operation across one or more regions. This paper describes the design of a BPS transmitter mesh network that would allow nationwide time synchronization based entirely on ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. This network could also be used to obtain position information for devices receiving three or more BPS broadcasts. To accomplish this design, the proof-of-concept implementations presented at the 2023 NAB BEIT Conference were redesigned to meet the needs of this mesh network. The paper will describe the overall architecture and equipment needed to allow such a mesh network to be implemented. A nationwide monitoring system necessary to manage the mesh network will also be discussed. Finally, the paper will suggest areas of design and development needed before such a system could be realized.

    Mark Corl | Triveni Digital, Inc. | Princeton, N.J., United States
    Vladimir Anishchenko | Avateq Corp. | Markham, Ontario, Canada
    Francisco Girela Lopez | Safran Electronics and Defense | Rochester, N.Y., United States
    Tariq Mondal | National Association of Broadcasters | Washington, D.C., United States

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  • Audience Aware Streaming - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    Live linear streams are typically produced using a fixed bitrate ladder and codec mix. This approach locks in storage, compute, delivery costs and power consumption. Unpopular channels have the same operating costs as popular ones. Content distributors would much rather focus their resources on their popular content and maximize aggregate quality of experience (QoE) while minimizing storage, compute, delivery and power. This paper describes a collaboration between Ateme (a provider of video compression and delivery solutions) and Akamai (a global compute and delivery provider) in which such an optimization is achieved. Player viewing sessions are collected by Akamai using the common media client data (CMCD) standard and fed in a real-time data feed to an Ateme Stream Optimizer. The Optimizer gathers data on the viewership count, geo diversity, device diversity and device capability and then dynamically adjusts the cloud compute resources allocated to the stream, varying the bitrate ladder and codec mix offered so as to provide the best quality to the popular streams while minimizing delivery costs and power consumption The paper describes the proof-of-concept system that was built, and presents the real-world results that were obtained to validate the hypothesis that live linear OTT operations can be optimized with the addition of real-time audience data.

    Mickaël Raulet | ATEME | France
    Josselin Cozanet | ATEME | United States
    Khaled Jerbi | ATEME | Canada
    Will Law | Akamai | Switzerland

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  • Boosting the efficiency of OTT delivery with state-of-the-art streaming optimizations - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    An increase in streaming capacity has driven OTT service providers to look for ways to reduce the cost of video streaming without decreasing the overall quality of experience (QoE). Through the latest streaming optimizations, video service providers can achieve significant bandwidth savings, while retaining exceptional video quality. This paper examines the current state of the art in streaming innovations by looking first at the popularity of deployed codecs (AVC, HEVC, AV1), then seeing how Content Aware Encoding (CAE) can be used to improve their respective performances. It then looks beyond CAE at additional AI-based techniques such as dynamic parameter selection, dynamic frame encoding, dynamic resolution encoding that can further improve the compression efficiency. It then looks at additional techniques impacting the QoE that can be deployed to further reduce the bandwidth such as zero rating deployed in the mobile space, resolution reduction on PC, or 1080p for sports on TV. Last, it looks at encoding orchestration where content popularity will impact the processing power allocated to encoding to reduce the bitrate adaptively based on content popularity. The paper develops a model that shows starting from a Constant Bit Rate (CBR) HD AVC solution, and depending on the tools used, with or without QoE reduction, what bandwidth reduction can be achieved.

    Thierry Fautier | Your Media Transformation | Los Altos, Calif., United States

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  • Broadcast Cybersecurity Precautions & Verification - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    Cybersecurity continues to be a challenge and a priority for the broadcast IT engineer. Cyber threats and tactics continue to evolve and the proper cybersecurity precautions must be implemented to protect the IP dependent broadcast plant and ensure reliable operation. Proactive precautions must be in place and must be verified before any unknown gaps are exploited by the cybercriminal. This paper and accompanying presentation will provide practical to-do cybersecurity precaution steps and techniques to verify precautions thought to be in place are effectively implemented.

    Wayne Pecena | Texas A&M University, Educational Broadcast Services – KAMU TV & FM | College Station, Texas, United States

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  • CDN Offload via Hybrid Delivery over ATSC 3.0 for Video Streaming - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    One of the promises of ATSC 3.0 has been the potential for data offload. Separately, advances have been made in hybrid and IP channel rollouts on ATSC 3.0 over the last year. The two have been combined to architect and implement a data offload system. This paper explores a practical hybrid delivery model for streaming video services, allowing the distribution of video over CDNs and simultaneously over 3.0, drastically decreasing the bandwidth needs of these CDNs in 3.0 markets, all while integrating into third-party streaming apps to enable seamless streaming with no change to the viewer experience. Topics covered will include the methodology for synchronization, encoding needs for the CDN and airchain, signaling design, integration into a streaming application, and the results of the real-world testing of this system.

    Liam Power | One Media Technologies | Hunt Valley, Md., United States

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  • Convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Broadcasting: Understanding a New Way of Looking at a Legacy Service - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Broadcasting represents a transformative juncture in multimedia. The forces driving this multidisciplinary synergy are technological advancements reshaping content creation, delivery, and protection. The author will discuss the implications of convergence, analyzing its impact on content production, distribution, and the evolving threat landscape, including customer premises, broadcaster networks, and vendor networks. As broadcasters increasingly rely on AI-driven content production, they must bolster cybersecurity to protect their media and business assets. In addition, customers must be aware of utilizing the existing protection provided by their intelligent televisions. Broadcasters may leverage AI and associated technologies to analyze viewer preferences and behavior, optimizing content curation and delivery. Strong cybersecurity measures are necessary to protect broadcast infrastructure (classified as critical infrastructure by DHS), safeguard viewers’ personal information, and maintain trust in the broadcasting industry. The evolving threat agent landscape further complicates the cybersecurity presence in broadcasting. As AI-driven technologies become integral to media operations, they become attractive targets for malicious actors. Cyberattacks on media organizations, including ransomware, data breaches, and content manipulation, have surged recently. In conclusion, the convergence of AI, Cybersecurity, and Broadcasting is reshaping the media ecosystem. AI-powered content creation and distribution offer new creative possibilities and business models, while cybersecurity becomes paramount to protect against emerging threats.

    Henry McKelvey | One Media Technologies | Hunt Valley, Md., United States

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  • Creating and Implementing AI-Powered Conversational Search to Drive Viewer Engagement - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    In the past year, Generative AI has transitioned from a novel technology to a pivotal tool in media and entertainment, shifting the focus from its initial promise to its practical application in solving industry-specific challenges cost-effectively. Amidst expectations for the global artificial intelligence market to surpass $2.5 trillion by 2032 [1], early adoption and strategic technology planning are essential for media and entertainment (M&E) providers aiming to capitalize on AI marketplaces and applications that attract and retain audience engagement. This paper presents a technical demonstration of how broadcast and streaming services can swiftly integrate Generative AI to enhance consumer search and discovery, addressing the inefficiencies and frustrations with current systems. By utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs) for conversational search, the proposed solution speeds up content discovery and becomes more accurate over time by learning from interactions. Unlike traditional AI approaches that rely on limited metadata, our method leverages the vast information available on the web, allowing for richer, voice-command-driven search experiences. The demonstration will cover the technical integration within existing streaming infrastructures, highlighting the role of content management systems (CMS) in processing voice commands and facilitating web-based searches, thus offering a glimpse into potential future applications such as personalized highlight reels and AI-generated content.

    Naveen Narayanan | Quickplay | Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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  • Developing Media-Specific Traffic Profiles for Reliable Media Over IP Network Testing - $15

    Date: April 3, 2024
    Topics: ,

    In the face of a transformative shift in the media production and broadcasting industry, the adoption of Media over IP solutions has become prevalent, facilitated by standards such as SMPTE ST 2110 and AES67. Despite this critical need, proper network testing is often sidestepped due to budget, time, and equipment availability constraints. Addressing this gap, the author’s previous work introduced an accessible approach to Media over IP network load testing, leveraging off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software. However, this innovative solution highlighted a crucial area for further exploration—developing media-specific traffic profiles. Traditional traffic profiles, such as internet mix (IMIX), fall short in accurately representing media traffic’s unique characteristics and demands. This paper builds upon previous foundational work explaining the methods and considerations towards such profiles, exploring one of the approaches for the actual creation of such profiles based on the data from labs and large operational facilities, aiming to mirror real-world media traffic patterns and load scenarios more accurately. This work contributes to the ongoing evolution of the media industry’s transition to IP, offering valuable insights and tools to broadcasters, integrators, and network engineers.

    Ievgen Kostiukevych | European Broadcastion Union
    Thomas Kernen | NVIDIA | Zurich, Switzerland
    Willem Vermost | VRT | Brussels, Belgium
    Pavlo Kondratenko | European Broadcasting Union | Geneva, Switzerland

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