.edge

Hyper-Density SDI/IP Conversion
and Routing Platform

.edge front view
REPLACE. SCALE. DISTRIBUTE.

What used to be confined to a single facility today stretches beyond the horizon: private, public and hybrid clouds as well as remote and distributed workflows are redrawing the production landscape.

The only constant in this state of flux is the need for SDI inputs and outputs in higher capacity. Lawo .edge provides this in an amazingly compact footprint, at 25GbE or 100GbE, and with all the routing capabilities users expect from Lawo.

.edge is your broadcast and AV genie, ready to perform its magic when summoned. A one-of-a-kind CAPEX/OPEX solution, .edge allows you to add hardware and software functionality via software licenses—even for a limited time. And now also with edge computing: see .jpegxs and .proxy below.

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.edge brochure

Looking to replace the SDI router that you are on the verge of outgrowing, or in search of a highly user-friendly tool to add flexible I/O to your local, distributed, remote or cloud infrastructure?

OVERVIEW
.edge Hero Pic

IP-native virtualized, highly modular SDI routing system

Hardware/software bundles for easy SDI router replacement

SD, HD and UHD on all inputs and outputs

High-density IP conversion, up to 192 SDI connectors per 2RU

Compact footprint, lightweight, low power requirements

HOME native, Ember+ and REST API support

Software-defined, flexibly licensable features

(De)centralized, distributed, remote and cloud operation

HYPER DENSITY AS A SERVICE

.edge is designed with simplicity, flexibility, agility and economic efficiency in mind. Software-defined by nature, it can be used as a feature-laden replacement for traditional SDI routers, and expanded with flexible software licenses to provide the perfect mix of advanced features. With .edge, OPEX meets CAPEX in the leanest of ways.

.edge’s compact 2RU housing accommodates up to 192 HD-BNC connectors for SDI and MADI* interfacing and can be clustered to provide matrices well beyond 1152 x 1152 crosspoints. Your next large SDI router can be IP-native, 24RU small, consume only 24x 100Gbps network ports**—a third of what other offerings require—and still be more powerful, scalable and future-proof.

Support for the SMPTE ST2110 suite of standards with SMPTE ST 2022-7 redundancy is built in, providing not only advanced essence-based handling but also ensuring seamless protection switching of audio, video and ancillary data streams in both local and wide-area network operations.

(*) Licensable option — future product development.
(**) Calculation based on 1152 x 1152, 1080i format and non-redundant operation.

lives@HOME
COMPONENTS
.edge front view

.edge FRAME

The .edge frame provides redundant power, protective housing and temperature-controlled ventilation for the processing blades and rear I/O plates. Its height of only 2RU holds up to four processing blades and four 48-connector rear I/O plates.

Thanks to its quiet operation, it can even be used in noise-sensitive places, such as control rooms, audio booths, and on-set.

 

Processing Card

.edge PROCESSING BLADE

.edge’s high-density processing blade is based on the latest generation of high-performance FPGAs, featuring high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for high-density, high-performance 100Gbps operation.

.edge blades are hot-pluggable and designed to support multiple ways of connecting to the network fabric. Each blade is equipped with four 25Gbps SFP28 and two 100Gbps QSFP28 ports, each with a dedicated LINK STATUS indicator. 25GbE connectivity comes as standard, 100GbE operation can be activated via an optional license.

Device control via LAN or WAN is addressed either in-band or out-of-band via two dedicated SFP-based 1GbE management ports. Mid-plane connections inform the .edge unit about the number of processing blades that have been installed (up to four per frame), which in turn controls .edge’s automatic power regulation and temperature-controlled fan activity.

Designed with the environment in mind, a blade’s CPU module can be removed, serviced and even replaced with a more powerful one in the future. This way, .edge’s already stunning throughput and processing capacity can grow, while the core hardware essentially stays the same.

edge Rear Panel

.edge REAR I/O PLATE

.edge’s high-density rear I/O plates are equipped with 48 HD-BNC connectors. Up to four rears can be installed in one frame for best-in-class 192 I/O capability per 2RU.

All 48 connectors provide full support for SD, HD, 3G and 12G SDI video signals and MADI audio signals*. 12 connectors are directional inputs, an additional 12 are directional outputs. The remaining 24 connectors are bi-directional and can be used either as inputs or outputs.

By design, all connectors are 12G**-capable. Quad-link 3G-SDI can be activated via an optional 3G UHD Gearboxing function when your operation migrates to UHD. The number of simultaneous 12G streams is only limited by the bandwidth on the network interfaces.

(*) Licensable option — future product development.
(**) 12G capacity usage is defined by available network capacity.
All connectors are 12G capable for future product development
(12 x 12G enabled today).

Built for Real-World Users

Welcome HOME

Lawo Power Core

.edge has been designed from the ground up to be a HOME-native client. It is automatically discovered and registered within the HOME environment and benefits from all of HOME’s next-generation management features: user access control, quarantining of unknown devices, security, parameter tweaking and real-time health monitoring.

.edge’s parameters can be adjusted in HOME’s web-based user interface, either on an algorithm-based operator level or on an expert level with granular access to deep-dive parameters. Though possible, scripting is not required to leverage .edge’s full potential.

HOME furthermore provides comprehensive information about the label, the video format, the audio channels, and, in case of quad-link UHD, the individual 3G legs of incoming SDI signals. Frame sync and delay settings are abstracted for intuitive control.

To expedite physical source or destination identification, each processing blade’s front panel is equipped with a CALL HOME button. Pressing it flags the processing blade within the HOME user interface for lightning-fast selection and adjustments. Conversely, operators can click a dedicated button in HOME to cause the ID indicator on a processing blade to flash, making it easy to troubleshoot cabling issues.

More Control

While HOME is the most intuitive way to control .edge, not all third-party broadcast controllers are equipped with a licensed API.

.edge therefore also fully supports the Ember+ protocol for extensive device, parameter and routing control and native support for Lawo’s VSM IP Broadcast Control System.

REST API support is available for device and parameter control using automated and scripted deployment.

‘UHD Link Rotate’ for Peace of Mind

UHD_Link_Rotate

As an industry-first, .edge offers comprehensive support for UHD scenarios with unparalleled video, audio and metadata capabilities. To assist operators of quad-link 3G-SDI cameras, replay devices, switchers, etc., in hectic situations, .edge’s unique UHD Link Rotate function automatically reshuffles the legs of a four-wire 3G-SDI link whose cables were connected in the wrong order.

By reading the 2-sample interleave signal identifiers, .edge auto-corrects the ordering before the IP stream is generated, thus ensuring that UHD signals always arrive in the expected sequential order. UHD Link Rotate is included in the optional 3G UHD Gearboxing license.

3G UHD Gearboxing

Quad-link 3G-SDI support is available through a licensable .gearbox option. Before hitting the IP data plane, quad-link 3G signals are combined into a transparent single-raster stream—to support SDQS (Square Division Quad Split), 2SI, and 4x super slow motion—rather than four separate IP streams. This significantly lowers the load on multicast addressing in the network and avoids time re-alignment issues at the destination.

The ST2110-40 ancillary data of the four 3G legs are combined on the UHD IP path, and an identifier is inserted to differentiate between the legs that supplied the ancillary packets.

On the output side, operators can choose to transmit UHD video to either one 12G or four 3G-SDI outputs. For maximum UHD signal distribution flexibility, users can repackage 12G input to quad-link 3G output, and vice versa. Single-link 12G-SDI signal input, on the other hand, requires no video gearboxing, as it is handled natively.

.gearbox includes the UHD Link Rotate function as well as VPID insertion on the output interface (2-sample interleave, SMPTE ST352 payload identification).

Edge Computing Licenses for .edge

.jpegxs

Designed as an edge computing application for bandwidth-critical remote workflows, the software-licensable .jpegxs option for new and existing users of .edge provides broadcast-grade JPEG XS compression encoding and decoding (up to 20:1).

A maxed-out .edge unit with .jpegxs licenses offers up to 24 ultra low-latency HD, 3G and UHD compression/decompression instances. A decoding downscale function is built in.

.proxy

Bringing bandwidth-neutral edge computing to .edge, the optional .proxy license generates smaller video proxies that can be streamed to multiviewers and other destinations. .proxy offers up to 32 proxy generators in SD/HD/3G, and up to 8 generators in UHD for native SMPTE ST2110-20 signal delivery.

Downscaled resolutions range from 1/4 through 1/64 and can be transported alongside the original 1:1 stream via the combined use of the 25Gbps and 100Gbps ports.

INSTANT DROP-IN SDI ROUTER REPLACEMENT

Designed as the ideal replacement for legacy SDI routing infrastructure, .edge offers the convenience and reliability of native SDI/IP conversion for long-haul signal transport. It is also the perfect solution for users who need to scale up to UHD and quickly find themselves limited by existing router infrastructure.

All-in bundles (comprising all required .edge frames, processing blades, rear I/O plates, and licenses) turn .edge into a user-friendly, drop-in replacement for an SDI router. In this capacity, .edge outclasses the competition in all respects: footprint, power requirements and weight.

All of these considerations are as important for OB trucks as they are for ventilation requirements. In addition, .edge is symmetrical, with as many high-density IP inputs as there are outputs. No other SDI router with IP gateway functionality comes even close.

Bundle 1: 288 x 288 SD and HD (25Gbps)
Bundle 2: 576 x 576 SD and HD (25Gbps)
Bundle 3: 1152 x 1152 SD and HD (25Gbps)

Module with one rear plate

Replace

Processing Card

Keep all your existing SDI gear in operation and replace your SDI router with a .edge router bundle. To your broadcast control system, the .edge/HOME bundle behaves like a traditional SDI router, which means that there are no changes to users’ UIs or workflows. Immediately benefit from easy one-step migration to IP by saving rack space, weight and power consumption.

Scale

Processing Card

After migrating to an .edge/HOME router replacement solution, you can do more: you now have an SDI router that can scale according to your needs. What if your requirements grow? Just connect more .edge I/O to your network switch.

Distribute

Processing Card

Since your core routing system is now based on IP, your router doesn’t have to stand like a monolith in one place. It can be distributed across the facility. Put I/Os where they are needed and save signifcant cabling costs. It doesn’t stop there: you can distribute your .edge routing infrastructure across multiple facilities, across the country or even across continents…

LICENSE TO THRILL

Module with one rear plate

To deliver maximum OPEX flexibility for a hardware-based tool, each .edge unit can be used in a variety of scenarios simply by unlocking the required feature sets, via a flexible licensing system. This makes it easy to deploy .edge in any location—field of play, OB trucks, news gathering, control rooms, MCR, etc.—at a highly competitive price point.

In fact, .edge’s software-based specification potential is so diverse that Lawo has decided to propose a starter package that can be expanded with one or two optional licenses.

Base License

  • .edge unit with one processing blade and one SDI rear I/O plate
  • 16x SDI (one of three configurations, see right)
  • 25Gbps operation (4x SFP28 ports)

Option 1 (software license)

  • Adds an additional 16x SDI (total of 32, one of three configurations, see right)
  • No additional hardware or network ports required
  • Licensing scheme: permanent, monthly*, yearly*

Option 2 (software license)

  • Adds another 16x SDI (total of 48, one of three configurations, see right)
  • No additional hardware or network ports required
  • Licensing scheme: permanent, monthly*, yearly*

(*) Limited-time licenses will be supported by Lawo’s software subscription model in the future.

Processing Card

(Solid connectors indicate currently enabled 12G-capable inputs and outputs.)

Additional Feature Licenses

.framesync

  • Frame synchronizer, per input/instance*
  • Licensing scheme: permanent, monthly**, yearly**

.gearboxing

  • 3G UHD Gearboxing for quad-link 3G signal input or output
  • Per input/output instance
  • Licensing scheme: permanent, monthly**, yearly**

.100G

  • 100G Port Activation, unlocks 100Gbps bandwidth
  • Recommended for, e.g., single- and quad-link 3G as well as single link 12G UHD

.jpegxs

  • Edge computing application for bandwidth-critical remote workflows with broadcast-grade support for JPEG XS encoding and decoding (compression up to 20:1)
  • Ultra low-latency HD, 3G and UHD instances run alongside .edge’s existing SDI input functionality
  • Decoding downscale function built in
  • Reduces infrastructure and IP network congestion at source
  • Enables remote workflows thanks to highly efficient, lossless compression via WAN and LAN
  • Multi-format capable: HD, 3G and UHD with HDR support (8K-ready)
  • Industry-grade interoperability: support for SMPTE ST2110-22 and NMOS (requires HOME and an NMOS Exporter license)

.proxy

  • Generates downscaled video proxies for multiviewers and other destinations
  • Up to 32 proxy generators in SD/HD/3G, and up to 8 generators in UHD, native SMPTE ST2110-20 signal delivery
  • Downscaled resolutions: from 1/4 through 1/64, can be transported alongside the original 1:1 stream via the combined use of the 25Gbps and 100Gbps ports
  • Simplifies workflows with source-to-destination delivery (no source indices), common audio and data
  • Linear scalability: no cluster limitation
  • Secure and robust: each .edge processing blade operates independently
Customers starting out with SD and HD system requirements do not need to pay a premium for 3G UHD Gearboxing and/or 100Gbps bandwidth they may not need at first. Even at 25Gbps .edge allows to build more scalable SDI/IP switching fabrics than the biggest legacy baseband SDI router could accommodate today.

(*) Four Input Frame Synchronizer instances are required
for UHD input (12G and Quad-3G).
(**) Limited-time licenses will be supported by Lawo’s software subscription model in the future.

Specifications
.edge Processing Blade

Interfaces

  • 2x SFP (1GbE) cages: copper (RJ45), short- (SR) and long-reach (LR) optical transceiver modules supported
  • 4x SFP28 (25GbE) cages: active optical cable (AOC), short- (SR) and long-reach (LR) optical transceiver modules supported
  • 2x QSFP28 (100GbE) cages: active optical cable (AOC), short- (SR) and long-reach (LR) optical transceiver modules supported
  • 1x USB Type-C port: maintenance console port

Standards

SMPTE 2110 Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks:

  • ST2110-10: System Timing and Definitions
  • ST2110-20: Uncompressed Active Video
  • ST2110-21: Traffic Shaping and Delivery Timing for Video
  • ST2110-30: PCM Digital Audio (Levels A, B and C)
  • ST2110-31: AES3 Transparent Transport (Levels A, B and C)
  • ST2110-40: SMPTE ST291-1 Ancillary Data

SMPTE ST2022-7: Seamless Protection Switching of RTP datagrams (Class A and B)

Processing

  • IEEE1588 (PTP version 2)

Reference Standards

  • SD/HD: 2x SFP28 (25GbE) in non-SPS discrete mode, 4x SFP28 (25GbE) in SPS redundancy mode
  • 3G/12G: 1x QSFP28 (100GbE) in non-SPS discrete mode, 2x QSFP28 (100GbE) in SPS redundancy mode

Management and Monitoring

  • OUT-OF-BAND CONTROL via 2x SFP (1GbE) interfaces
  • IN-BAND CONTROL via 4x SFP28 (25GbE) or 2x QSFP28 (100GbE) interfaces
  • API PROTOCOLS: HOME, Ember+ and RESTful
  • FUNCTION BUTTONS: 1x Call HOME button and 1x Card RESET button
  • INDICATORS: 1x Card Status LED, 1x Location (ID) LED, 8x Network Status LEDs (one per network interface)
.edge Rear I/O Plate

SDI Connectors

  • 48 micro HD-BNC connectors: 12 inputs (fixed), 12 outputs (fixed). 24 bi-directional (software programmable)

SDI Standards

  • SD: SMPTE ST259M-C (270Mbps)
  • HD: SMPTE ST292 (1.485, 1.485/1.001Gbps)
  • 3G: SMPTE ST424 (2.970, 2.970/1.001Gbps)
  • 12G: SMPTE ST2082-1:2015

Supported Formats

  • SD: 525i59.94 (NTSC) and 625i50 (PAL)
  • HD: 720p25, 720p29.97, 720p30, 720p50, 720p59.94, 720p60, 1080i23.98 (PsF), 1080i24 (PsF), 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60, 1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97 and 1080p30
  • 3G: 1080p50, 1080p59.94 and 1080p60
  • 12G: 2160p50, 2160p59.94 and 2160p60

Return Loss

  • SD: >15dB, HD: >15dB
  • 3G: >15dB (5 MHz~1.485 GHz), >10dB (1.485 GHz~2.97 GHz)

Cable Length

  • SD: 400m at 270 Mbps (using Belden 1694A)
  • HD: 165m at 1.485 Gbps (using Belden 1694A)
  • 3G: 120m at 2.970 Gbps (using Belden 1694A)
  • 12G: 60m at 11.88 Gbps (using Belden 4794A)

Reference Connectors

  • 5x micro HD-BNC connectors: 2x inputs with 2x loop-through, 1x output
  • REFERENCE STANDARDS: SMPTE ST170, SMPTE ST318, ITU 624-4 blackburst
.edge Frame

Frame Mechanics

  • DIMENSIONS (H x W x D): 88 mm (2RU) x 482 mm (19”) x 411 mm
  • WEIGHT: Frame with fan tray fitted: 5.8kg (12.8lb); per PSU: 1.1kg (2.4lb);
    per processing blade: 1.2kg (2.7lb);
    per rear I/O plate: 1.1kg (2.4lb)
  • INDICATORS: 2x power status per PSU
  • POWER: Connector: 2x IEC redundant
    Input Voltage: nominal 100~240V, AC ±10%, 50/60Hz,

    Hot swappable
  • MAX. CONSUMPTION: <1,000W

Environmental Specifications

  • OPERATING TEMPERATURE: 0°C~+30°C (+32°F~+86°F)
  • STORAGE TEMPERATURE: –20°C~+70°C (–4°F~+158°F)
  • RELATIVE HUMIDITY: <90% non-condensing
  • ELECTROMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT: E2 (EN55103-1, -2)

ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS

V__matrix

HOME Apps

Server-based Processing Platform.

HOME

HOME

Intuitive IP Management Platform.

VSM

VSM

IP Broadcast Control and Workflow Solution.