VDS: network video distribution for Sentric2 systems
A growing number of applications are realizing the benefits of distributing video over standard widely-available networks.
The VDS modules for Sentric2 add to Curtiss-Wright’s Sentric2 systems the capability to record, playback and share video, audio and metadata over standard Ethernet networks: Sentric2 systems become sophisticated network resources.
Adding VDS to a system containing a video capture and compression card, for example the PMC-281, gives that system the means to serve video to VDS clients elsewhere on the system. The clients play or record the video and can themselves be VDS servers that can share their recorded video store with other clients. Audio and metadata, if present in the video store, is also distributed with the video.
Sentric2 systems can be configured for video distribution with VDS instead of recording and this facilitates the implementation of diskless clients that serve or play-back network video.
VDS supports the transmission of raw video but more commonly compression is employed: JPEG2000 or MPEG4 compression support allows multiple HD video streams to be distributed over a standard gigabit Ethernet network.
To maximize the efficiency of network resources VDS supports multicast distribution so that the data only need be sent once to reach a multitude of clients.
For increased resilience if there are errors or congestion on the network VDS supports the RTP (real-time protocol) standard. RTP controls the flow of video data detecting if frames have been dropped or data from a frame is missing and the implementation has been designed to support DEFSTAN 0082.
As part of Sentric2, VDS software provides a web or socket-based interface to allow interactive configuration from a browser or from an application by sending control messages in XML format.
Sentric2 VDS systems can also take advantage of other aspects of Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing video product range including video scaling, windowing and mixing, and video crosspoint switching.
Features
- Integrated with Sentric2 for provides network distribution of captured or recorded video, audio and metadata
- Designed to support UDP, RTP and DEFSTAN0082
- Support for raw video and video compressed using JPEG2000, MPEG4
- Designed to minize latency between sender and receiver
- Auto-discovery of remote Sentric2 configurations
Applications
- Local situational awareness systems in vetronics and other military platforms
- Ship-wide video distribution systems
- Transmission of video from UAV to ground stations
- Network attached video servers and recorders
