As the AV industry continues to advance, the need for seamless integration across diverse devices and platforms has never been greater. In pro AV environments, control rooms, and live event productions, the ability to efficiently and flexibly connect multiple systems is essential. However, the increasing sophistication of AV systems has also exposed the limitations of proprietary solutions, which often result in compatibility issues, vendor lock-in, and restricted scalability.
This is where open standards play a crucial role. Designed to enable seamless communication across devices from different manufacturers, open standards foster multi-vendor interoperability and future-proof scalability. Technologies like IPMX and ST 2110 are leading this shift, providing a common framework for transporting video, audio, and control data over standard IP networks. By eliminating compatibility barriers, these standards allow organisations to build flexible, scalable AV infrastructures that can adapt to evolving needs.
As the industry moves toward a more interconnected ecosystem, embracing open standards is no longer just an option – it’s a strategic imperative.
Historically, proprietary solutions have dominated the AV landscape, delivering optimised performance within their own ecosystems but struggling with cross-platform compatibility. This has led to complex integration processes, higher costs, and limited flexibility. Fortunately, open standards address these challenges by providing a common language that enables seamless communication between devices, regardless of the manufacturer.
A key advantage of open standards is their ability to foster a more collaborative and efficient workspace. This benefits not only in-room teams delivering presentations but also, remote participants – an essential factor in today’s hybrid work environment. Additionally, open standards help organisations avoid vendor lock-in, offering the flexibility to source components from different manufacturers and adapt to evolving requirements.
Leading this open standards revolution are IPMX and ST 2110. IPMX, specifically designed for pro AV environments, supports high-quality AV-over-IP networks, enabling dynamic routing, flexible deployments, and scalable infrastructures. Meanwhile, ST 2110, widely adopted in broadcast environments, facilitates the transmission of compressed and uncompressed video, audio, and metadata over IP. JPEG-XS is also compatible with the ST 2110 standard. Specifically, ST 2110-22 allows compressed video to be transmitted instead of uncompressed video, while all other data streams remain unchanged – the only difference is the video real-time transport protocol (RTP) payload. This method significantly reduces bandwidth usage while preserving all the benefits of switching from (serial digital interface) SDI to IP. Together, these standards create a robust, future-proof framework for building interoperable AV systems that seamlessly integrate with both IT and broadcast infrastructures.
One real-world example of open standards in action comes from Fuse Technical Group, a leading AV integrator. To meet the demands of a large-scale live production, the company transitioned to an ST 2110-based workflow, moving away from traditional SDI systems. The goal was to deliver an immersive, high-resolution experience while managing multiple 4K video outputs over IP with low latency and seamless control. Traditionally relying on SDI workflows, the team faced a learning curve in implementing ST 2110. However, the benefits quickly became apparent. The standard’s flexibility allowed Fuse to build a scalable system, efficiently routing and distributing high-quality video across an IP-based infrastructure. As a result, the team achieved greater interoperability between devices, reduced dependence on proprietary solutions, and unlocked new possibilities for content delivery. Most importantly, the technology helped create what was described as “the audiovisual experience of a lifetime.”
CUSTOMISED INTEGRATION
One of the biggest challenges for system integrators in today’s interconnected world is seamlessly connecting diverse AV devices while accommodating unique client requirements. Open standards, powered by RESTful APIs, provide a scalable solution, enabling integrators to build tailored workflows that enhance both functionality and user experience.
By leveraging RESTful APIs, open standards like IPMX and ST 2110 simplify integration by establishing a standardised method for device communication over IP networks. This streamlines connectivity across various systems and platforms – from video walls and control rooms to hybrid workspaces and live event productions. Standardising communication protocols reduces complexity, allowing integrators to design customised solutions without compatibility concerns.
Beyond multi-vendor interoperability, this approach offers greater flexibility in system design. Integrators can customise user interfaces, automate workflows, and seamlessly integrate third-party applications. Additionally, by adopting open standards and RESTful APIs, organisations gain enhanced control and monitoring capabilities – enabling real-time adjustments, remote management, and cloud-based control. Ultimately, open standards are not just eliminating compatibility barriers. They are empowering integrators to build smarter, more adaptive AV systems that elevate the user experience and future-proof installations.
As digital transformation accelerates and hybrid work becomes the norm, organisations face the human challenges of technological change. Change management has become a critical factor in the successful adoption of new AV systems, particularly as IT teams adapt to new workflows, platforms, and interfaces. Open standards play a crucial role in easing this transition by reducing complexity, enhancing usability, and supporting intuitive system design.
One of the biggest stressors in change management is the disruption caused by complex, unfamiliar technology. Proprietary systems often demand specialised training, creating a steep learning curve for users. Open standards alleviate this by providing a consistent framework for communication and control, ensuring a familiar and intuitive user experience across devices. This reduces staff anxiety and resistance to change, enabling smoother transitions and higher adoption rates.
Additionally, open standards promote user-centric system design. The modular architecture of ST 2110 allows organisations to upgrade or expand systems seamlessly, minimising disruption and easing change management. Meanwhile, IPMX’s compatibility with RESTful APIs enables the creation of customised user interfaces, allowing organisations to tailor experiences to specific needs – further boosting user adoption and satisfaction.
For IT teams, open standards simplify system management, reducing complexity and eliminating the need for specialised training. Unlike proprietary systems, open standards support centralised management and cloud-based control, enabling remote monitoring, updates, and troubleshooting. This significantly reduces on-site maintenance and operational overheads, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day maintenance.
By streamlining complexity, enhancing usability, and supporting flexible design, open standards empower organisations to navigate change with confidence. They provide the adaptability needed to support evolving workflows, ensuring a seamless transition to new technologies.
IPMX and ST 2110 are at the forefront of this transformation, driving innovation and expanding possibilities across pro AV environments, from hybrid workspaces to broadcast and live events. By providing a common framework for communication, these standards enable fully interoperable AV systems that support dynamic workflows and scalable infrastructures.
Fuse Technical Group’s successful adoption of open standards underscored the critical role in future-proofing AV infrastructure. By embracing ST 2110, the company created a flexible, high-performance system that could adapt to evolving production needs.
As more organisations embrace open standards, the industry moves closer to seamless interoperability and truly collaborative ecosystems.
The future of open standards depends on continued collaboration and standardisation, with industry alliances and standards bodies working together to develop new specifications and ensure cross-device compatibility.
Ultimately, organisations that prioritise interoperability will be better positioned to adapt to evolving technologies and customer needs. By embracing open standards, they can future proof their AV infrastructures, ensuring long-term success in an ever-changing yet exciting digital landscape.
