A decade ago, conversations about transitioning to IP in live production centered on one thing: technical specifications. But in 2025, with a mature ecosystem of standards and protocols in place, the question has evolved.
The decision is no longer simply “Which IP transport performs best?” It’s “Which IP transport fits the reality of my production, my infrastructure, and my business model?”
And that’s a much harder question to answer.
This article draws on insights from our latest guide, “How to Select the Right IP Transport,” to help you navigate this complexity. From revenue potential and audience size to codecs, compression, and control, it’s a more nuanced journey than checking boxes on a feature matrix.
Want the full breakdown with detailed transport comparisons, tiered examples, and workflow recommendations? Download the complete guide
The IP landscape is more complex than ever
It’s easy to get lost in the growing list of IP transport and contribution options available today. In case you missed some, here’s the latest shortlist:
- SMPTE ST 2110: the gold standard for high-end, uncompressed video
- NDI and NDI|HX: flexible and cost-effective for mid- and lower-tier workflows
- IPMX and Dante AV: newer entrants gaining traction for AV and hybrid use cases
- SRT and RIST: widely adopted IP contribution links for secure internet delivery
- TR-07 and TR-08: optimized for JPEG XS delivery over high-performance networks
This diversity is a good thing. It means more flexibility. But it also means that making the wrong choice can be costly, in terms of both performance and scalability.
The Strategic Guide to Selecting IP Transport for Live Production
Want the full breakdown with detailed transport comparisons, tiered examples, and workflow recommendations? Download our latest guide.
Plus, explore Ross Video’s complete whitepaper series on signal transport and processing to make informed infrastructure decisions for the future of your live production.
Matching technology to production reality
One of the most effective frameworks is to start by identifying your production tier and matching transport and contribution choices accordingly.
The guide outlines four tiers of production, each with its own characteristics:
Tier 1+
This is the highest level of live production — think Super Bowl, Olympics, and World Cup. These events demand uncompressed or visually lossless quality, near-zero latency, and maximum reliability. Here, ST 2110 is the go-to transport standard, paired with TR-07/TR-08, JPEG XS, or uncompressed video, delivered over dark fiber or dedicated IP circuits.
Tier 1
These include high-profile professional sports and national broadcasts. The same transport standards apply, but with slightly fewer resources and a greater focus on the efficient use of bandwidth. HEVC, JPEG XS, and dedicated circuits still dominate here.
Tier 2
Regional sports, local entertainment, and public events fall into this category. Budgets are tighter, and hybrid workflows are common. NDI, SRT, RIST, and H.264/HEVC offer practical trade-offs between quality, cost, and bandwidth. Hybrid SDI/IP environments still play a major role.
Tier 3
These are low-budget, niche-interest events — high school sports, local council meetings, small religious broadcasts. Public internet is often the only viable contribution path. Tools like WebRTC, NDI Bridge, and low-cost compression codecs dominate. Simplicity, affordability, and cloud production are priorities.
This tier-based thinking provides a concrete foundation for IP transport decisions, but it’s only the beginning.
Tiers for Facilities
The same tiering logic applies to fixed facilities.
Top-level facilities — such as CNN’s Hudson Yards or The Sphere in Las Vegas — operate with thousands of multicast streams and IP endpoints. They rely on standards like SMPTE ST 2110 and precision timing protocols such as PTP to maintain exacting performance across massive infrastructure. In similar large-scale IP environments, visually lossless compression formats like JPEG XS are often used to optimize bandwidth without compromising quality.
Mid-level facilities — often regional broadcasters, government agencies, or universities — lean into NDI and hybrid SDI-IP models, layering in more advanced protocols where justified by production value.
Lower-level facilities — such as high schools, small studios, or non-profits — often remain in SDI, adding NDI or WebRTC at the edge. Their IP journey starts with simplicity and grows based on real need.
Balancing latency, compression, and bandwidth
One of the most critical considerations is how compression, quality, and bandwidth are in constant negotiation with one another. Your IP transport decision lies at the center of that triangle.
- Want pristine, uncompressed video? You’ll need a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection, as well as the budget to support it.
- Need to operate over public internet or cellular networks? You’ll rely on compressed video, accept some latency, and choose protocols like SRT or RIST.
- Operating in the middle? JPEG XS offers a visually lossless sweet spot. High quality, but with lower bandwidth requirements and support in ST 2110 and TR-07 workflows.
This isn’t just a technical puzzle. It’s a strategic one. Your audience expectations, monetization strategy, and available infrastructure all influence where you land.
IP Contribution vs. IP Transport: What's the difference?
The whitepaper makes a helpful distinction between IP transport and IP contribution:
- Transport protocols (like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV) move essences across a local area network (LAN) — typically inside a venue or between racks in a facility.
- Contribution protocols (like SRT, RIST, WebRTC) are built for wide area networks (WAN) — connecting remote sources, field crews, or cloud instances to centralized production hubs.
Choosing the wrong tool for the wrong layer creates bottlenecks, or worse, breakdowns.
Don't ignore control complexity
One of the most overlooked but critical parts of IP planning is control.
ST 2110 and IPMX networks require careful timing and multicast management. Precision Time Protocol (PTP), leader/follower clocks, and tightly managed network architecture are non-negotiable.
Even “plug-and-play” solutions like Dante AV or NDI can become fragile at scale. Beyond ~20 devices, you’ll need control software, monitoring tools, and often custom integrations.
You also need to decide: Will you manage everything internally, or use a managed service provider like LTN, BitFire, or Nextologies? Going fully DIY offers control, but it also adds complexity. Managed services reduce overhead but may limit flexibility.
One size doesn't fit all — and that's a good thing
There is no single “best” IP transport. There’s only the right one for your tier, your team, and your trajectory. The best thing you can do is build a strategy grounded in reality, not aspiration.
This year’s migration might be hybrid. Next year might be full ST 2110. You might have one show running in the cloud, another on-site in SDI, and a third somewhere in between. That’s the nature of live production in 2025; it’s modular, adaptable, and evolving fast. Choose IP solutions that match your goals, your workflows, and your people today, and can adapt when they change tomorrow.
Want the full breakdown with detailed transport comparisons, tiered examples, and workflow recommendations? Download the complete guide.