This session explores how media infrastructures across broadcast, live production, sports venues, performing arts centers, government facilities, educational institutions, houses of worship, and corporate AV environments are evolving beyond traditional, standalone systems toward converged, software-defined architectures.

A key focus of the presentation is the adoption of IP networking standards such as AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110. Rather than maintaining separate transport infrastructures for audio and video, modern systems can carry all media essences across a common network foundation. This convergence reduces operational complexity, improves interoperability between vendors and systems, and provides the scalability required to support evolving production and communication workflows.

The session also examines how media processing is increasingly being decoupled from dedicated hardware. Functions such as audio mixing, signal processing, video processing, routing, monitoring, and media services can now be deployed as containerized software applications running on shared compute platforms. By abstracting workloads from purpose-built appliances, organizations gain the flexibility to scale resources as needed, deploy new services faster, and make more efficient use of infrastructure investments.

Finally, the presentation looks at how convergence extends beyond networking and processing to media connectivity itself. Instead of deploying separate audio and video interfaces throughout a facility, unified I/O platforms can provide connectivity for both domains within a single architecture. Combining audio and video ingress, egress, and processing capabilities on a common platform simplifies system design, reduces hardware footprints, streamlines deployment and maintenance, and creates a more adaptable infrastructure for future requirements.

Attendees will gain insight into how a common network, shared compute resources, and converged connectivity can help simplify system architectures, increase operational agility, and create a scalable foundation for future media operations across a wide range of broadcast and professional AV applications.