The new Montreal Broadcast Center of CBC/Radio-Canada, due to open in 2020, will seek an open standards-based IP approach with the support of Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. The California company will provide the iTX integrated playout platform, which is able to handle over 100 TV, radio and web channels supporting SMPTE ST 2110, multiple formats (such as 4K UHD) and mix IP live inputs via back-to-back IP sources and file-based clips.

This solution will be a step forward in CBC pursuit to embrace IP technology.  According to Francois Vailland, executive director engineering at CBC/Radio-Canada, “Being an early adopter of IP playout has put our business in a very strong position. We already use iTX for playout at our Toronto facility, so the fact that our staff know who the system inferface works is a huge advantage”. This IP implementation will have a second phase with an upgrade of CBC / Radio Canada’s Toronto facility, set to start in 2020: “Having the same IP technology in Montreal and Toronto means we can unify our workflow between the two locations – sharing expertise between our two language services and simplifying our operation, training and maintenance process”.