IPTV for VIP Displays on Fashion Show
2025-03-10
IPTV Solution for Chanel's Ready-to-Wear Autumn-Winter 2025 Show
For Chanel's prestigious ready-to-wear Autumn-Winter 2025 show, I collaborated with the OBE team to deliver a specialized IPTV solution for VIP displays. The project presented several technical challenges that required innovative approaches.
Project Requirements
The client requirements were stringent and non-negotiable:
- IP-only infrastructure: No SDI cables were permitted from the control room to display locations, requiring all video transport over the venue's Ethernet infrastructure
- Ultra-low latency: As VIP displays were positioned throughout the show venue, minimal delay was essential for synchronization with the live runway
- Mission-critical reliability: The system needed to be completely stable with "install and forget" operation, as limited access would be available once VIPs arrived
OBE's Software-Defined Video Solution
OBE's core technology centers around encoding video over IP in software. This approach offers several advantages:
- Software-defined encoding/decoding that can be installed on various Linux-based systems
- Flexible deployment options to match different performance requirements
- Support for multiple hardware configurations:
- Linux x86 systems with Blackmagic SDI cards (in NUCs) for lower-density applications
- Proprietary SDI cards for high-density, high-reliability, ultra-low-latency requirements
While OBE's primary market is Satellite News Gathering (SNG), their solution proved remarkably adaptable for our fashion show application. The platform supports:
- Network bonding via ZiXi for redundancy
- Cloud deployment on AWS (transcoding, graphics insertion, etc.)
- Industry-standard protocols including SRT (using their in-house implementation) and SMPTE ST 2110
Our Implementation Architecture
For the Chanel show, we deployed:
- Encoding Tier: A high-density rack-mounted server that ingested and encoded 8 video feeds from an ATEM production switcher
- Primary Decoding Tier: Multiple Intel NUCs configured in a 1:1 ratio (one NUC decoding one video stream for one display)
- Secondary Decoding Tier: A mid-range computer configured to decode 4 SDI signals from a single Ethernet connection
In total, we managed video distribution to 20 displays positioned throughout the venue.
Network Optimization
To ensure optimal performance across the venue's network infrastructure, we implemented IP multicast for video distribution. This approach:
- Minimized network bandwidth consumption
- Reduced switch processing overhead
- Ensured consistent delivery of synchronized content to all endpoints
- Maintained low latency performance throughout the system
Outcome
The OBE-powered IPTV system performed flawlessly throughout the event, providing Chanel's VIP guests with pristine, synchronized video of the runway show with imperceptible delay. The IP-based architecture allowed for clean, cable-minimal installation that preserved the venue's aesthetic while delivering broadcast-quality technical performance.