The broadcast industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with the shift from SDI to IP infrastructures introducing new challenges in signal synchronization. As hybrid SDI/IP networks become the new norm, broadcasters require a reliable and highly precise sync generator to ensure seamless operations. This is where Leader’s LT4670 Sync Pulse Generator (SPG) becomes essential.
The Challenges of Hybrid Broadcast Networks
As broadcasters migrate to IP-based workflows while maintaining SDI infrastructure, they face significant challenges, including:
- Synchronization across SDI & IP – Ensuring both environments operate in harmony without signal drift. Many facilities operate in a hybrid mode for years, making precise sync an ongoing necessity.
- Timing Accuracy – Maintaining precise PTP (Precision Time Protocol) synchronization alongside traditional SDI timing. Any discrepancies in timing can lead to frame drops, lip-sync errors, and loss of broadcast quality.
- Redundancy & Reliability – Preventing disruptions with backup and failover mechanisms. The last thing a broadcaster needs is an out-of-sync network during a live production.
- Flexibility for Future Expansion – Supporting today’s hybrid workflows while preparing for an all-IP future. Ensuring compatibility with evolving standards is critical to long-term operational efficiency.
Why the LT4670 is the Ideal SPG for Hybrid Workflows
Leader’s LT4670 Sync Pulse Generator is designed to meet the demands of modern hybrid SDI/IP networks. Here’s why it’s an indispensable tool for broadcasters:
1. Seamless Hybrid Synchronization
The LT4670 supports both PTP (IEEE 1588-2008) for IP-based environments and traditional black burst and tri-level sync for SDI. This ensures seamless timing accuracy between legacy and next-generation workflows. Whether you are synchronizing cameras, routers, switchers, or production servers, the LT4670 provides a rock-solid reference to keep your entire operation in sync.
2. Unmatched Timing Precision
With a high-stability oscillator, the LT4670 delivers ultra-precise synchronization, eliminating drift and ensuring rock-solid timing across SDI and IP infrastructures. The LT4670 can also act as a PTP Client, receiving PTP from a broadcaster’s IT Grandmaster Clock, ensuring that both the broadcaster’s IT systems and their SMPTE ST 2110 infrastructures are synchronized. Even in environments with heavy network traffic, the LT4670 maintains microsecond-level accuracy, ensuring no disruption in signal integrity. For broadcasters handling 4K, 8K, and HDR workflows, this level of precision is a game-changer, reducing the risk of timing discrepancies that could impact high-resolution productions.
3. Redundant & Reliable for 24/7 Broadcast Operations
For mission-critical applications, the LT4670 offers dual power supply options and automatic failover mechanisms. It can also act as a PTP Grandmaster Clock, ensuring continuous sync even in case of network failures. By offering a redundant power supply and multiple outputs, the LT4670 guarantees uptime and reliability, keeping live events, news broadcasts, and sports productions running smoothly.
4. Scalable for the Future
Whether you’re operating a small studio or a large broadcast facility, the LT4670 scales to meet your needs. It is designed for future-proof flexibility, allowing broadcasters to gradually transition towards full IP workflows without disrupting operations. As new standards emerge and industry expectations evolve, having a scalable SPG like the LT4670 ensures that your investment remains viable for years to come.
5. Advanced Test & Monitoring Features
The LT4670 includes SMPTE ST 2059-2 compliance, ensuring interoperability with other PTP devices in your network. It also provides various test signals for troubleshooting and validation, making it an essential tool for engineers. Whether you need to verify timing accuracy, check for synchronization issues, or diagnose potential faults, the LT4670 offers the tools necessary for quick and efficient problem-solving. These features make it not just a sync generator, but a comprehensive solution for managing synchronization across a hybrid broadcast network.
Future-Proof Your Broadcast Synchronization
As hybrid SDI/IP workflows continue to shape the broadcast industry, ensuring seamless synchronization is more critical than ever. Leader’s LT4670 SPG provides the reliability, accuracy, and flexibility that broadcasters need to maintain smooth operations today while preparing for the future.
Beyond its core functionality, the LT4670 also integrates seamlessly with Leader’s test and measurement tools, offering a full ecosystem for precision monitoring and signal analysis. This synergy between synchronization and testing ensures that broadcasters can maintain the highest levels of quality control throughout their workflows.
Whether you are integrating IP into your existing SDI infrastructure or building a fully IP-based facility, the LT4670 is the ultimate choice to keep your signals in perfect sync.