▶ Introduction

With network technology evolving rapidly, there is an inevitability about the replacement of traditional video and audio transmission by AV over IP. However, with so many AV over IP solutions on the market, choosing the right technology can be a challenging task. It's important to weigh up many considerations, starting with the overall system cost.

▶ Cost per Endpoint

Endpoint price is generally used by the industry to simplify the complex cost analysis for an AV over IP solution. An endpoint is defined as a single source transmitter or source receiver. For example, a network consisting of 10 signal transmission sources (such as media players or cameras) and 20 displays or projectors constitutes a 30-endpoint solution.  Multiplying this number by the unit price of a single endpoint will give the customer a rough price estimate for the entire solution.          

Current AV over IP solutions is manufactured to support 100Mbps, 1Gbps or 10Gbps networks. Each solution can deliver AV over IP, with the unit cost often determined by the speed of the network they are designed to operate on.

▶ The Cost of Network Infrastructure 

IT Infrastructure – especially the requirement for switches - is also an important factor, with large-scale networks requiring high-cost enterprise-level routing equipment. Basic low-cost 100Mbps networks are being phased out and replaced by 1G networks which are fortunately backward compatible with 100M network devices. 10G networks are gaining popularity, but the cost for switches remains relatively high. As a result, a cost-effective 1G network is currently considered the industry standard.