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Strips

A family of open-source, free-of-charge specifications that enable interoperability on the control layer
for media devices on an IP infrastructure.​​

NMOS logo

If you use ST 2110 or IPMX, it's likely you already rely on NMOS. 

🎯 NMOS is the open-source "special sauce" that enables connection, management, and control of your IP video and audio devices from different manufacturers – in a common eco-system and in an interoperable way. NMOS works whether you're using ST 2110 or IPMX, locally or in the cloud. 

🎯 NMOS (networked media open specifications) lets equipment from different companies all work together. Since AMWA's NMOS is an open set of specifications, it gives you a significant advantage by preventing vendor lock-in. It means you can choose the equipment you prefer, and build the system that best meets your needs, without being tied to any specific manufacturer.​

 

A guide to Resources for Implementers and Integrators is here to make life easier.
 

"NMOS – What's In It For Me?" See the video here.

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Whether you work in Broadcast or Pro-AV, the ability to quickly and reliably set up a working system is vital to business efficiency. This may be building permanent or temporary facilities - or changing operational set-ups between TV shows or professional AV activities. If you work in traditional media or a professional communications environment, NMOS, Networked Media Open Specifications, exists to provide an effective open control layer to get you working as easily as possible.

DJ Set
​How Does NMOS Help?

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NMOS benefits if you're a manufacturer or supplier:

  • You can integrate your products into larger ecosystems without developing proprietary protocols

  • Your equipment becomes more attractive to customers who want flexible, multi-vendor solutions

  • You save development time/costs by using established open standards

  • You can participate in shaping the standard's evolution

  • Your products gain broader market appeal since they can work alongside competitors' equipment

  • You avoid the costs and complexity of maintaining proprietary protocols

  • No need to develop custom control protocols or monitoring solutions

  • Equipment status and health monitoring become standardized
     

NMOS benefits if you're a customer, integrator, or end user:

  • Freedom from vendor lock-in gives you more choice and control

  • You can select best-of-breed equipment for each part of their system

  • Lower total cost of ownership by avoiding proprietary ecosystem costs

  • More flexible upgrade paths since you’re not tied to a single vendor

  • Easier to expand systems gradually with equipment from different suppliers

  • Freedom to choose equipment that fits your budget

  • Simpler training and operations with standardized interfaces

  • Reduced risk since you’re not dependent on a single vendor's business decisions

  • Consistent status monitoring and control across the entire system

The NMOS ROADMAP

 

Since the NMOS developments began, there has been a steady demand from users to provide additional functionality.

 

Version 2 of the NMOS Roadmap shows all of these key developments, now grouped to show the overall benefits and how they work together.  These include the many developments that are finished and deployed, along with “work in progress” and future additions.

 

Much of the new work is focused on operational control of devices, accommodation of compressed video formats to extend the use of NMOS between media premises and to / from the Cloud, and new developments for monitoring and configuration are coming up.

 

Also, as the IPMX standard is adopted in the Pro AV market, NMOS will bring valuable plug and play benefits to both end users and suppliers alike.

 

The roadmap includes Interface Specifications (IS-xx), Best Current Practices (BCP-xx) and Data Model Specifications (MS-xx), to show the functionality and benefits that they offer.

 

Please note - there is a range of supporting material for these technical developments.  These can be found as INFO documents on the 

Specifications page of AMWA.tv.

What you will find 

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  • Core Functionality

  • Security Features

  • Compressed Streams

  • Control and Monitoring

  • System Features

  • Testing Tools

Join the family of NMOS users and suppliers

 

AMWA members have invested thousands of hours in developing the open specifications that are in use today.  But we also encourage non-members to benefit from this development time by including the code, free of charge, in their product range.

See below for a range of resources that are available to help you.

Typing on a Computer
​How can I use it?

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NMOS is available fROm a broad range of vendors

 

Suppliers and customers worldwide have signed up to participate in the NMOS developments. Big industry names and small independent specialists are contributing to the working groups, showing a long-term commitment to the success of this initiative.
 

The JT-NM Tested program offers confidence to purchasers that products have been thoroughly checked by industry experts.

Where can I FIND IT?

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nmos developments are based on real business needs

 

End users and their suppliers are working towards open standards and specifications to escape the limitations of closed technology solutions.  Customers want the ability to build systems using products with the best features.  Vendors value the ability to make sales into the widest customer markets.

Modern Office
​Will it help my business?

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NMOS is a fundamental part of an ip-based infrastructure
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If you're using ST 2110, it's likely you're already using AMWA's NMOS. And NMOS is a part of IPMX.

 

For an excellent picture of how end users are employing NMOS and IP-based architectures - plus how their suppliers have stepped up to satisfy those needs, please use the Resources option on the AIMS IP Showcase website. There you will find many presentations delivered online and at trade shows.
 

And if you want to specify NMOS in your procurement processes, there is a standard form of words at the bottom of this section, prepared by the EBU.

Camera on Crane
Is there a risk in adopting it?

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SO what for the future?

 

IP-based infrastructures take us on important first steps, liberating workflows from traditional, hard-wired, point-to-point installations.  However, the professional media industry can also harness the power of IT infrastructures that we have come to expect every day in our office systems.


AMWA's NMOS control, NMOS minimum status reporting, and NMOS as a key part of IPMX are working now and continue to evolve.

Exchanges
The future vision​

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  • NMOS provides a path to true IT infrastructures.

  • A presentation by Brad Gilmer explains the business benefits that an IT infrastructure can deliver and how flexible professional media workflows can be built using IT principles.

  • At IBC, Gordon Castle of Discovery / Eurosport gave his vision for an IT future.

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