Resources

BitFire, a leader in software-defined live
production and IP transmission, and HBS LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of Host Broadcast Services
(HBS), the world-renowned benchmark in host broadcast, are partnering to offer top-level
innovative production workflows powered by BitFire’s cloud production and transport platform.

Together, HBS and BitFire aim to cost-effectively raise the bar on live event production for
domestic leagues and organizations looking to elevate their product without an impact on their
budgets for live content creation, non-live workflows, and archiving.

HBS has already started implementing the BitFire cloud platform in the delivery of live soccer
events in the U.S. Jose “Platao” Rocha, managing director of HBS LLC, commented: “We have
been working with BitFire for some time to improve the workflows, especially in soccer
coverage, which demands a lot from the cloud environment. As such, we are fully confident in
the platform.”

“BitFire complements well our own tools for multifeed generation in the cloud and archiving. We
are excited to be working on live cloud production in the U.S. with BitFire,” added, Johannes
Franken, HBS digital director.

Andy Hansen, executive vice president of BitFire, added: “This partnership represents a shared
commitment to innovation, creativity, and technical excellence. We are combining world-class
broadcast expertise and cutting-edge technology to serve clients at the highest level. We look
forward to a very productive relationship.”

Both companies will work together on the roll out of the new workflows with clients, and to offer
the combined product in the domestic market.

BitFire (bitfire.tv), a leader in software-defined live production and IP transmission, today announced the addition of cloud-based live master control capabilities to the BitFire Platform for live production and distribution. Built into BitFire’s Spark™ Production Environments, the new master control interface offers a familiar control room experience with professional-grade finishing tools — including captioning, as well as graphic / bug insertion, ad breaks, and SCTE — for live events of any scale. This advance makes full-scale master control more accessible to smaller operations while empowering larger media organizations to roll out high-volume live services, such as alternate broadcasts or streams tailored for different regions and languages.

“With these new capabilities, the BitFire Platform closes a critical gap in the transition to live production in the cloud,” said Jim Akimchuk, President and CEO at BitFire. “Whether producing one event or many simultaneously, production teams can now add a sophisticated layer of control and presentation — including live captioning, squeeze-back advertising, and playlist-driven break playout — without the cost or limitations of traditional master control rooms.”

BitFire’s live master control interface allows users to finish and master live shows without relying on downstream facilities. Accessible via an on-demand, cloud-based environment that allows for unlimited scalability, it brings professional orchestration and control to use cases in which traditional master control isn’t practical or economically viable. 

From a single cloud-based interface, operators can insert closed captions using iCap-compatible workflows with EEG/AI-Media to meet established broadcast standards, as well as trigger SCTE-104/35 markers for downstream dynamic or server-side ad insertion. The system can automate break playout and playlist execution using standardized BXF files or manual triggers, execute advanced ad formats such as squeeze-back and picture-in-picture using Spark’s powerful switcher engine, and deliver finished, broadcast-quality transport streams with embedded captions, SCTE triggers, and metadata for either SDI or IP distribution.

By leveraging the BitFire Transmission Network from contribution to distribution, real-time, synchronized delivery of multiple versions of a broadcast becomes simple and scalable, whether you’re delivering to one destination or hundreds. Because the BitFire Platform brings full-scale master control to the cloud, operators can configure redundant transmission with multiple paths into and out of the cloud, eliminating reliance on a single feed.

“With the addition of live master control to the BitFire Platform, we’re giving users even greater confidence that they can move forward with cloud-native workflows while maintaining quality, reliability, and control,” added Akimchuk. “Representing the first truly scalable, broadcast-quality master control solution in the cloud, this capability is already being used on national and international broadcasts of high-profile live sports, where it’s being leveraged to manage redundant feeds, HDR conversions, captioning, and SCTE ad triggers.”

BitFire’s Live Master Control is now part of a comprehensive suite of cloud-based production tools including switchers, replay, audio mixing, multiviewers, intercom, and IP transmission. Always backed by BitFire’s world-class TechOps™ engineering support team, you can be confident in your ability to design, use, and scale reliable solutions that improve your workflows.

‍

Today’s live broadcasts demand production workflows that are lean yet agile — that ensure quality while reducing cost and complexity. Built on the BitFire Platform, BitFire’s Remote Integration Model (REMI) meets that challenge head on.

Designed by a team with deep roots in broadcast engineering, the BitFire Platform supports a flexible REMI model that adapts readily to the needs of any production team, whether for broadcast and sports, corporate events, or live entertainment. The BitFire REMI model offers a modern, cloud-enabled approach to broadcast-grade live production that improves scalability, reliability, and control for projects and teams of all sizes and configurations.

Here’s how it works and why it’s different.

Cloud-Native and Hybrid-Friendly

A software-defined production and transmission platform that’s accessible from a single browser-based interface, the BitFire Platform enables production teams to start, manage, and execute an entire production in the cloud.

Modular, cloud-enabled switcher, replay, and audio mixer tools can be spun up in an instant, in any configuration and at any scale. These production tools are controlled via web browser or through operators’ preferred compatible hardware. Talent and staff contribute remotely. Video routing is as simple as picking a source and destination, then hitting save. Transmission never touches the ground.

When it’s beneficial to integrate on-prem resources into the mix, the platform supports a hybrid configuration^[a].

Efficient Scaling, for One Event or Many

BitFire’s REMI model not only simplifies scaling to accommodate large events but also enables centralized teams to manage multiple productions simultaneously. When additional talent is needed to pull off a production, trusted professionals working anywhere can join the team seamlessly — again, via a secure browser-based interface — without complex logistics around scheduling and travel.

On days when there are more than one game on the schedule, the BitFire REMI model enables a single team of producers and engineers to oversee several live games from one central control room^[b]. In both cases, the BitFire approach reduces travel costs and resource strain while maintaining consistent production values across events.

Built for Reliability

While traditional production setups often depend on extensive on-location deployments of equipment, the BitFire REMI model shifts key production elements to the cloud. Relying only on compact network-connected infrastructure at the venue, BitFire reduces the number of physical failure points, as well as the overall time and cost associated with setup and the production itself.

This means, for example, that a broadcast van at a sports venue can operate without a full intercom or audio board on site. Instead, all communication and audio routing can flow through the BitFire network, allowing remote engineers to manage the show from anywhere with a high-speed connection.

Because the platform uses AES67 multicast audio, every BitFire Engine on site or in the cloud has access to the full set of audio channels. If any individual engine encounters a failure, the broadcast can continue uninterrupted. Video feeds are similarly protected. Distributing camera sources across multiple engines, the platform removes single points of failure and adds an extra layer of resilience to each production.

Seamless Global Distribution

Together, BitFire’s industry-leading transport network and production technology enable high-fidelity, ultra-low latency remote video production from anywhere with an internet connection. As a result, the BitFire REMI model isn’t just about agile, high-quality production, but also about where and how a team can deliver.

During the 2024 MLB Postseason, for example, BitFire enabled MLB Network to remotely produce and distribute localized broadcasts to international markets. Commentary was added in real time, graphics were mixed live, and all content was delivered via the cloud — with no need for dedicated satellite paths or physical infrastructure in each target country. This level of flexibility opens new possibilities for global distribution, even on short timelines.

Moreover, because the BitFire Platform synchronizes all incoming feeds by default, there is no need for manual alignment or downstream correction. From the first frame to the last, BitFire keeps everything in time, giving producers one less thing to worry about during a live broadcast.

Transparent Pricing and Unparalleled Support

From the moment a user goes to spin up a new BitFire Spark Production Environment on the BitFire Platform, they see exactly what the instance will cost while running and while at rest. Users know what they will pay, and they pay only for what they use.

Though the web-based interface of the BitFire Platform makes it easy for users to launch a REMI production on their own, the BitFire team is ready 24/7 to provide support as needed. Whether undertaking pre-event diagnostics or real-time monitoring, engineers at the BitFire NOC work day in and day out to ensure every broadcast runs smoothly.

The Future of Live Production

Because it can deliver so much flexibility without compromise, remote production is becoming the new normal for many live broadcasts. Offering exceptional reliability, scalability, and quality, BitFire’s REMI model is one reason for this shift. Using the BitFire Platform, teams can take video and audio from any venue and deliver it with confidence to its destination. For broadcasters, sports leagues, and content producers, it’s a smarter way to deliver the live experiences their viewers demand.

‍