This first part of a series of articles covers the basics of the IEEE1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) and the transport and use of phase and frequency for the purpose of timing over a converged IP network in broadcast production environments.
The concept of the All-IP Studio is making inroads as the broadcast industry continues to transform itself, leveraging new infrastructure and transport mediums for content production and delivery. A significant focus has been placed on Ethernet and IP transport as the basis of these new systems, including the transport of Video, Audio and Ancillary data with the likes of the SMPTE ST 2110 standards.
This first part of a series of articles covers a specific aspect of this ongoing transformation: the transport and use of phase and frequency for the purpose of timing over a converged IP network. It covers the basics of the IEEE1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP), its relationship to the broadcast industry and the related network requirements. More specific PTP design considerations will be covered in future articles, both from a network and end-node perspective. These articles will focus on more advanced topics, such as PTP redundancy, and drill deeper into the technical details.
