Containerisation, Cloud and Network Virtualisation for UHDTV and Next Gen Audio Services

The Next Generation of Video and Entertainment systems will be built within Cloud Services and delivered across The Internet. The Next Generation will include UHDTV delivered to home entertainment systems able to combine spectacular image and sound technologies. The video quality will include high dynamic range with enhanced colour technology that has been praised by filmmakers for its amazing contrast, high brightness, and colour range that more closely matches what the human eye can see. Ne audio standards will allow audio to move around the room or home theatre, even overhead, with amazing richness and depth. The same service will be able to deliver content to multiple devices and even to smart phone while mobile.

Operators will need to encode, package and stream live services as well as providing Adaptive steaming of stored content. Significant increases in processing capability will be required and must be delivered in a cost efficient manner. There will be a large variation in processing capacity needed from moment to moment and this will most likely be delivered using Cloud Services.

Migrating from current static linear system may require a staged transition. The Encoding and Packaging may need to be containerised first so that it can effacingly be moved to one or more different Cloud providers. This will require an understanding of how to use technologies like Docker to achieve this. Once operational the scaling of capacity with Cloud services must be managed to match the changing service demands from moment to moment while minimising the cost. The ability to encode, package and deliver content to smart phones and mobile devices will be necessary. Also to build Web base players to play services in DASH, HLS and other adaptive formats from within the same player platform.

This course will provide an understanding of Engineering UHDTV and Next Gen Audio and how to deliver these services from the Cloud. It will deliver an understanding of basic theory and practice using Docker and Kubernetes to build simple Containerised encoding and packaging services. It will provide a basic understanding of how Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) are used within Cloud Services. It will give attendees the chance to see how these services can be implemented using Command Line Interfaces (CLI) by using Openstack through the CLI service of Openshift. The course will then go on to show how Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) on Cloud services can simplify this and allow content to be Encoded, Packages and Delivered through Content Delivery Networks from within Cloud Services Such as Azure. And then how to build a simple player able to play multiple service types on UHDTVs, PCs and mobile devices.

This course is intended for engineers, service designers, developers and systems engineers involved in the development of UHDTV and WebTV products and services.  

Hands-on exercises will use Windows-10 based PCs or laptops with at least 8 GBytes of memory. These will be connected to the Internet and Cloud Services.