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Dynamic 5G bandwidth optimization for live TV production – Deutsche Telekom proof of concept

Sony and Deutsche Telekom test live-video solution using CAMARA network APIs, ensuring optimized low-latency and stable bandwidth for real-time transport.

How to increases live production efficiency

Introduction

Mobile technology is of great interest to the broadcasting industry because it simplifies the camera connectivity and provides unprecedented mobility. Public or private 5G networks, with their high bandwidth and low latency, are therefore very attractive to the broadcasting industry.

The challenge

To be usable for live production, mobile networks need to be able to carry the video signals from all the cameras in use, reliably and with just a few milliseconds of latency. Despite the high performance of 5G networks, challenges remain. The volume of data that needs to be transported over the network in real-time often far exceeds the capacity of the network. An uncompressed HD video signal requires over 3Gbps, and many productions will involve multiple cameras, sometimes with even higher resolutions. Furthermore, the “best effort” nature of IP-based networks like 5G, is not best suited for transporting video reliably and with consistently low latency. The problem becomes even more acute when there is high contention for bandwidth in the network, because many devices, including multiple cameras, are connected.


Conclusion

This collaborative effort shows that 5G networks can be used for multicamera productions, delivering the benefits of simpler connectivity and higher mobility that broadcasters require in production. For Deutsche Telekom, it is also an excellent illustration of the potential for 3rd parties to develop applications that utilize their network APIs.