6 Gbit/s uncompressed 4K video stream switching on a 10 Gbit/s network

We introduce an uncompressed 4K video transmission system that transmits four times higher resolution images than HD (High Definition) images using UDP/IP. The bit rate of the uncompressed 4K video stream can exceed 6 Gbit/s, which can be transmitted via a 10 Gbit/s network, however, it is difficult to switch multiple video streams from different locations without any video frame loss because of the network’s bandwidth limitation. Our solution is timecode-based video switching control and stream crossfading. The former enables two video streams to be switched seamlessly while the latter prevents the bandwidth overflow that would otherwise occur due to overlapping of the two streams during switching. We conduct a transmission experiment using a network emulator and verify that two uncompressed 4K video streams could be switched on an IP network without any frame dropping or freezing.