去云，还是不去云? 直播制作人的困境
Streaming is all about using the internet to distribute a program to the masses. 互联网的延伸是“云”." We use this ethereal phrase "the cloud" as if it magically provides a solution. 如果我们可以把它放在“云”上，我们都可以远程访问它. 这将使事情变得更容易、更便宜、更有效. Yay!
将实时生产转移到云端 现在似乎有很多亮点. 我承认我看到了 成功的云产品, and I know producers who are successful at leveraging the cloud as a process for their productions. In fact, Vizrt just announced that the venerable TriCaster is now conveniently available as an 应用程序在AWS市场. Easily deployed, for the nominal cost of $2/hr via the specific "g4dn.他们推荐4 * large的实例大小. Wow!
For those that don't have any idea what that alphaneumeric jumble means: AWS enables you to configure as big or as small a cloud computer ("instance") as you want. While g4dn.推荐4 *大号的, users can build a smaller or more powerful configuration as they see fit. Is this the configuration that can handle up to 44 video/audio sources and 8 outputs? 我不太确定. 2 cameras and a still image will require a lot less horsepower than 18 cameras, 24 videos, 4个MEs和4个图形层. 所以这取决于用户, you, to configure, 然后彻底测试构建, 所以你可以确保它有效.
$2 an hour for the hardware seems like an absolute steal when it comes to leveraging the venerable, 做工精细的TriCaster接口为您的生产. You may want to consider adding one of the expensive control surfaces to make it very familiar for the technical director to operate. But don't overlook the actual cost of activating the switching software license. The VAR I asked said the Tricaster in the cloud (Vectar) license is $11,400 a year.
If that still sounds good, now you face the two biggest issues I see when going to "the cloud."
1. 你是怎么吞下44个摄像头的? 实际上，它是不是AWS并不重要. 可能是索尼M2 Live, TVU Networks, 或者任何其他托管在云端的桌面视频制作应用程序, like vMix, OBS, Wirecast, Livestream, ManyCam, Streamlabs, etc. 假设你在体育场，有8个SDI摄像头. 你把它们插到什么上?
One way to ingest video inputs is through business chat applications like Teams or Zoom, 它们都有自己的问题, 我不会依赖它们来播放高质量的视频. There's some purpose-built I/O hardware for this, like the $12,000 NewTek NC2/Connect Studio I/O模块. 您可以将其配置为8 x 3G-SDI （HD）或2 x 12G-SDI （4K）. 它向“云”提供NDI.“这8个输入需要这个价值12000美元的I/O硬件. 您还需要第二台计算机来使用NDI KVM来管理它. Somewhere else, the director will need a 3rd computer to access the 4th computer in "the cloud" that's doing the actual mixing of your 8 HD inputs. Okay. We got this.
2. 但是摄像头的输入是如何到达“云”的呢？? 你需要什么样的管子? Well, 在我为这个专栏深入研究的时候, the only mention of bandwidth I could find was the 10 GbE on the NC2. So I expect that you'll need multiple gigabits of reliable up and down speed to get the cameras into your cloud computer. This amount of bandwidth can be a real challenge for many small producers, 和/或地点在成本方面, 如果有的话.
You'll also need an experienced team on the ground to set this up because networking isn't as simple as connecting an SDI cable and it works. You'll need some racks for video and networking gear, some local monitoring. 不间断电源、配线板等. 你的人会确保网络正常工作. 别忘了给摄像师打电话. Then also connect coms to the cloud as well, since the actual director may not be on site. Maybe make that on a secondary connection, in case the primary goes down. Consider SDI to fiber converters if there's some distance involved. Spools of fiber. Camera cases. 三脚架和其他支架等. 它看起来真的像一辆生产卡车.
The Director and maybe the Technical Director (who pushes the buttons) can be in other cities. Graphics can be created in the cloud as well, audio can be heard and managed remotely. But wait... if they're all remote to the switcher, why does the switcher need to be in "the cloud"? 如果我们把开关放进去呢... "the truck."
Then instead of a massive pipe to send all those high-bandwidth camera feeds to "the cloud" we're only sending the computer screen. We wouldn't need 5 Gbits upload speed because the camera switch happens locally. Avoiding the camera to NDI conversion and transmit to the cloud makes it a frame or three faster. 图形可以从云端传递给我们. In fact, it seems a lot easier and simpler to put the switcher in the truck and make everyone who's remote, 只要遥控进入卡车." The local team for the truck doesn't even have to change very much.
Is it easier to just remotely control the local switcher and skip "the cloud" altogether? If there are major connectivity issues, someone can switch and record the entire production locally. 你仍然可以利用远程团队制作音频, graphics, etc, but the bandwidth needed is much lower and that makes redundancy much easier. 所有这些都极大地减少了带宽, and cloud costs, 同时提高了适应性和可靠性.
也许我们一直以来对“云”的理解都是错误的. 我们不需要把所有东西都推到某个第三方的地方. Let's start looking at the production space right in front of us as "the cloud" and see what opportunities that opens up. 你觉得呢？?
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