When to Use ST 2110-22 (JPEG XS) in Live IP

ST 2110 was designed to move broadcast facilities away from baseband cabling into flexible, IP-based media transport. The early focus was on uncompressed video, audio, and ancillary data, but that approach comes with a heavy bandwidth cost. UHD signals quickly overwhelm even 100-gig networks when multiplied across dozens of feeds. That’s where ST 2110-22 comes in: it defines how lightweight compression, most often JPEG XS, can be carried as part of the same 2110 environment.

Why JPEG XS Exists

A single 4Kp60 10-bit 4:2:2 uncompressed stream requires more than 12 Gbps. Multiply that by a few dozen cameras, and the network fabric becomes both expensive and difficult to scale. JPEG XS was developed to solve exactly this problem. It delivers compression ratios of 6:1 to 10:1 with visually lossless quality and only microseconds of latency. In practice, this means you can reduce bandwidth by an order of magnitude without breaking live production timing.

The result is a standard that keeps the “essence-based” nature of ST 2110 intact while making UHD and HDR workflows feasible in real time.

Where 2110-22 Fits Best

Uncompressed flows remain the gold standard when the infrastructure can support them. They simplify processing and avoid even the smallest risk of artifacts. But there are plenty of cases where 2110-22 makes sense:

• Remote production: Backhauling multiple feeds over limited bandwidth connections. JPEG XS allows full-quality contribution without relying on long-GOP codecs that add latency.
  
• UHD distribution inside facilities: A 100-gig switch can carry far more compressed UHD streams than uncompressed ones, delaying the need for expensive upgrades.
  
• Monitoring walls and multiviewers: These don’t always need pristine uncompressed video, but they still require accuracy and low delay.
  
• Hybrid environments: Gateways between uncompressed and compressed domains allow flexible scaling across stages of production.

In all of these cases, JPEG XS provides just enough relief to make the difference between “possible” and “impossible” without compromising live operations.

Engineering Considerations

Deploying 2110-22 is not just about turning on compression. A few points need attention:

• Interoperability: SDP files must describe compressed flows accurately, and encoders/decoders from different vendors need to match profiles.
  
• Latency budgets: Even though JPEG XS adds only microseconds, those numbers matter when you chain multiple stages of processing. Always measure end-to-end.
  
• Network planning: Compressed streams still require predictable bandwidth allocation and QoS markings. Don’t assume “smaller” means “easier.”
  
• Redundancy: Hitless switching via 2022-7 works just as well for 2110-22 as it does for uncompressed streams, but both paths must remain identical.

Good monitoring tools are also critical. Engineers need visibility into whether a feed is compressed, at what ratio, and with what performance impact.

Choosing the Right Tool

2110-22 is not a replacement for uncompressed ST 2110. Think of it as a tool in the kit. Use it when bandwidth is tight, when UHD scaling is required, or when remote links cannot carry raw streams. Avoid it when simplicity and absolute transparency are more important than network savings.

The strength of the standard is that compressed and uncompressed flows coexist in the same IP plant. That means you can mix and match according to operational needs rather than being locked into one mode.