Building Products and Production Systems With MXF Bob Edge April 15 th

Topics > Introduction and background > Vertical Blanking Interval and MXF > Ancillary Data Packets and MXF > Using MXF in 2005 > Conclusions

Introduction and Background > MXF is a a collection of standards and RPs > Hundreds of pages of specifications > Many TV vendors are now shipping their first MXF products > A few issues have been discovered: > Some documentation issues > VBI line and Anc Packets in MXF do not work as expected

MXF VBI and Anc Packet Project > Issues identified in June ’04 > Requirement identification and documentation (June to Sept ‘04) > The critical question - how should we proceed? > Do nothing – MXF & SMPTE 331M are actually okay > Revise 331M > Write a new standard for VBI and Anc Packets

An Aside -- Why Are 8-Bit Words So Important? > The computer industry builds almost everything in multiples of 8-bits > Memory systems, data path parts, and interface chips > Disks, tapes, other I/O devices > Support for 10-bit sample words is not free > Increases complexity > Additional electronic components may be needed > May impact performance

An SD Video Frame Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

Information Preceding Switching Line > The lines before a switching line can be lost > These lines are from the stream preceding the switch > The switching line is scrambled > The following lines are from the new stream > These lines are used... Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

MXF & The Vertical Blanking Interval

VBI Lines Captured For MXF > Required - Lines between the switching line and active video > Recommended – The 1st line of active video > Allowed - Any other line Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

Sampling The Samples... > The interesting set of sample words varies > Luma only > Chroma only > Luma and chroma > Real devices exist that use all three formats > How many bits per sample? > 1-bit, 8-bit, and 10-bit samples are all in use

Sample Packing – 8-Bit Samples Source video samples MXF sample coding

Sample Packing – 10-Bit Samples Source video samples 31 0 MXF sample coding

Sample Packing – 1-Bit Samples Source video samples MXF sample coding

MXF and Ancillary Data Packets

Anc Packets Anc data flagsData count Data ID User data Max 255 words Check sum Anc data number or secondary data ID

V-Anc Space > Anc packets in the vertical blanking lines Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

H-Anc Space > Anc packets in the horizontal blanking space > The space before the switching line in each field is risky > H-Anc is used for embedded audio Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

MXF Anc Data Packets > The proposed MXF encapsulation covers the complete Ancillary data space Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line

Anc Packet 8-Bit Word Packing Anc data flagsData count Anc data number or secondary data ID Data ID User data Max 255 words Check sums Captured data Dropped data 9 0 Parity and inverted parity

Anc Packet 10-Bit Word Packing Anc data flagsData count Anc data number or secondary data ID Data ID User data Max 255 words Check sums Captured data Dropped data 9 0 Parity and inverted parity

VBI & Anc Packet Project Timeline Requirements defined and documented Design ideas considered and selected 1 st draft standard written 2 nd SMPTE Ballot Trial Publication Q3Q4Q1Q2Q T oops 1 st SMPTE Ballot Now

A Product Offering Strategy > MXF file I/O (at the network interface) > MXF as a storage format in archives > Modular MXF file readers and writers > Simplifies the SW development project > Allows integration with a wide range of existing and new products > Focus on interoperability work with other vendors > Limit complex feature support for now

An MXF Server Solution PDR 400 PDR 300 PVS 3500 PVS 1100 PVS 3000 PVS 2000 PVS 1000 UIM OpenSAN Fibre Channel Gigabit Ethernet MXF PDR 100 PDR 200 No data network capability JPEG only

Using MXF In 2005 > Don’t overstate short-term requirements > Use lower-lever Operating Patterns (Op1a) > Set realistic metadata requirements > Installation and integration plans > Is your installation a first? > Multi-vendor interoperation requirements > Is a proof-of-concept verification needed? > Consider upgrade, support, and issue resolution strategies

Conclusions > The basic set of MXF standards are complete > MXF will evolve over time > Use high-value low-risk capabilities first > Finished material transfers Active video – Field 1 Active video – Field 2 Switching line SAV EAV Switching line