BRIDGE LIVE
BRIDGE LIVE is a turnkey 1RU solution that makes it easy to move UltraHD or multi-channel HD video between uncompressed baseband SDI to/from a wide range of streaming and contribution codecs (H.265, H.264, MPEG-2 and JPEG 2000).
BRIDGE LIVE is a dependable and secure solution for transport of Ultra HD and multichannel HD video via the public internet with an assortment of codec options and secure transport protocols. Four 12G-SDI connections, which are backwards compatible with 6G/3G-SDI, bring video into Bridge Live, where Comprimato software can encode and/or decode and transcode up to four channels of 1080 60p HD simultaneously or one channel of UltraHD 60p.
Supported codecs include H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4), H.265 (HEVC) and MPEG-2, with JPEG 2000 (VSF TR01) available as an add-on. SRT with encryption ensures secure and reliable video streams across networks or the public internet. A range of additional supported transport containers and protocols, include RTMPS, RTP, UDP and MPEG-TS, with adaptive bit rate (ABR) ladder profiles and hand-off for OTT packaging. You can set and forget Bridge Live and it will continue to work in the background, converting uncompressed video to and from live compressed streams. The low-profile (1RU) box is easily rack mountable at your facility, in your truck or fly pack. Metadata and closed captioning are supported, as well as ad insertion markers, embedding closed captioning and subtitles, metadata pass-through, MPEG-2 ancillary packet support and electronic program guide on input.
The partnership of Comprimato and AJA brings together dynamic encoding, decoding and transcoding software with battle-tested I/O hardware for a powerful end-to-end production and delivery system. Whether streaming to Twitch or YouTube, or feeding video across your facility or to your facility across the country, BRIDGE LIVE is the solution.
Live Direct-to-Audience Streaming
BRIDGE LIVE offers a comprehensive platform for live video streaming. Streaming support includes SRT, RTMP/S (output only), RTP/UDP, and MPEG-TS. Using these standard protocols provides wide support for streaming services from Twitch, YouTube Live and Facebook Live. BRIDGE LIVE builds upon the tried and tested approach of AJA’s HELO streaming device, while including flexibility for multiple inputs, broad format and bit-rate support, as well as metadata and redundancy.
And, while streaming to CDNs for a direct-to-audience delivery, BRIDGE LIVE can simultaneously deliver different stream types to partners to re-transmit, transcode, or store.
Reference Video for Remote Collaboration
Production and Post: Connecting remote artists and clients using reference quality video, or providing a high quality window into production for those who cannot be on-set.
BRIDGE LIVE means the flexibility to leave media and equipment at the secure, managed facility, and have creative talent work together remotely with reference quality video.
BRIDGE LIVE compliments existing GUI driving technologies (e.g. RDP, Teradici) by layering on the reference quality video needed for creative confidence and client/executive sign-off. Choices between H.265 (4:2:0, 10-bit), H.264 (4:2:2, 10-bit) with turnkey BRIDGE LIVE, or via optional license JPEG 2000 (4:2:2, 10-bit), mean there is choice and flexibility in how to approach your needs in terms of quality and latency.
Encoding For Remote Production
BRIDGE LIVE also offers the flexibility to tap video from on-set recording devices and stream the output of cameras (over a secure private line with encryption) providing a high quality window into production for those who cannot be on-set.
Remote Video Transport and Contribution
For Broadcast, BRIDGE LIVE provides an efficient mechanism for backhauling remote live SDI video sources to the media production facility, in order to be converted back to SDI and made available on the internal facility SDI router for ongoing production/transmission.
Traditional secure lines for remote production can be very expensive, with additional fees being levied for time before and after a production starts and ends. BRIDGE LIVE allows source cameras and local program out to be transported using publicly available internet, with no penalty for early or extended use during a production. BRIDGE LIVE also offers lower latency than traditional secure lines for time critical productions.
Key BRIDGE LIVE features include:
- Beautiful, easy to use, and field-proven software tools from Comprimato
- SDI encode or decode for one channel of UltraHD up to 60p, or up to four channels of 1080 60p HD via four 12G-SDI connections, that is compatible with 6G/3G-SDI
- Multiple stream outputs can be generated, or multiple destinations reached, from each channel of SDI Input
- Broad support for a range of encoding, decoding and transcoding codecs, including H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4), H.265 (HEVC) and MPEG-2, with an optional add-on for JPEG 2000 (VSF TR01) with 4:2:2, 10-bit/8-bit and 4:2:0 10-bit/8-bit color component sampling
- Robust video streaming with protocol support for RTMP, RTMPS, SRT (encryption available) and MPEG-TS, plus ABR ladder profiles and hand off for OTT packaging
- Comprehensive metadata support, including closed captioning/subtitles (EIA-608/708), line 21 captions, metadata pass-through, ad insertion markers (SCTE-35/SCTE-104), MPEG-2 ancillary packet (SMPTE 2038), and subtitles embedded within H.264 SEI messages
- Video processing tools, including auto color component sampling, cropping/padding, color adjustments, deinterlacing and 50% frame rate adjustments, logo insertion and resizing
- Extensive audio compatibility, including AAC, AC3, MPEG-2 audio and uncompressed PCM (SMPTE 302M-2007)
- 16-channels of embedded audio I/O per connection, with 16- and 24-bit quality, 48 kHz sample rate, synchronous
- High density 1RU design with dual redundant power supplies (100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz), four full size BNC connectors, and dual 10GbE onboard NICs for network connectivity
- Remote configuration, monitoring and management via web-browser, REST API and SNMP access and control
- Local configuration, monitoring and management via DisplayPort and USB
- AJA three-year warranty
BRIDGE LIVE supports a flexible array of containers and protocols, including SRT, RTMP/S, RTP, UDP and MPEG-TS, and extends to Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) ladder profiles and hand off for OTT packaging. Combining AJA’s production proven I/O technology with Comprimato’s powerful encoding/decoding/transcoding software, this new gateway solution provides high-quality, cost-effective video processing, with SDI encode or decode for one channel of UltraHD up to 60p, or up to four channels of 1080 60p HD simultaneously, via four 12G-SDI connections that are also backwards compatible to 6G, 3G, and 1.5G SDI. A plug-and-play device featuring deep metadata support, BRIDGE LIVE suits a range of professional and enterprise-level video workflows with a 1RU profile that fits seamlessly into facility racks, production trucks and flyplacks. AJA also offers the option of a perpetual BRIDGE LIVE license for encoding/decoding of pristine JPEG 2000 VSF TR-01.
Versatile by design, BRIDGE LIVE meets the rigorous live video production and delivery demands of Telco, IPTV, and cable operations, broadcast facilities and OB trucks, sports arenas, houses of worship, and beyond. Its intuitive interface helps professionals seamlessly mesh HD/UltraHD SDI and streaming/IP for live workflows using AVC, HEVC, and MPEG 2, as well as JPEG 2000 with an additional license. BRIDGE LIVE can be used as a “set and forget” resource, working in the background to convert baseband video to and from live compressed streams, including multiple stream outputs and destinations from SDI inputs. BRIDGE LIVE also supports a wide variety of audio stream and codec choices from AAC to uncompressed PCM, with the ability to apply gain and sample rate conversion and remap channels.
Providing advanced flexibility, BRIDGE LIVE supports a host of protocols and configuration/ monitoring options for remote workflows including REST API and SNMP. Built-in 10GigE network ports provide plenty of bandwidth to move multiple streams of HD or UltraHD, and with the reliability of SRT as standard, neither public internet nor unreliable networks will prove an issue. Comprehensive metadata coverage includes support for closed captioning and ad insertion markers, as well as the ability to embed subtitles. BRIDGE LIVE makes it easy to deliver powerful results, whether streaming to a platform like YouTube, Facebook or Twitch; encoding produced video for distribution to OTT packaging; providing the video output from facility equipment to artists and clients for remote collaboration; or transporting/contributing video feeds from remote locations to a data center or media facility.
The latest software update v1.12 comes standard with all newly purchased BRIDGE LIVE units and is also available to existing users with an active maintenance agreement, feature highlights include:
- Bi-directional NDI-SDI conversion:
- Receive NDI and decode to SDI
- Input and encode SDI to NDI
- Bi-directional NDI-IP Video Streams conversion:
- Receive NDI and transcode to IP Video Streams (i.e., H.265, H.264)
- Receive IP Video Streams (i.e., H.265, H.264) and transcode to NDI
- Integrate remote NDI and non-NDI equipment/facilities via RTP/UDP/SRT
- Tap directly into the NDI network and provide a conduit to CDNs or other delivery mechanisms
- HLS Output (HD): Input SDI sources and IP Video Streams into BRIDGE LIVE and encode them for sharing to widely used devices and software, or via remote screening to iOS and iPadOS devices via HLS
- Video Preview: With support for Video Preview thumbnails now available in the BRIDGE LIVE GUI for SDI Inputs, receive visual confirmation for correct SDI input/content encoding, even if unable to “go live” to check the content for security
Hardware
BRIDGE LIVE supports up to 4x 3G-SDI simultaneously for multi-channel HD or 1x 12G-SDI for UltraHD connections I/O in 1RU. Dual 10GigE Ethernet ports provide network connectivity and dual power supplies provide peace of mind.
Administration, monitoring and access to BRIDGE LIVE is supported via either network browser or local Display Port. Indirect agnostic monitoring and automation is supported via both REST API and SNMP.
Metadata and Closed Caption Support
BRIDGE LIVE fully supports both closed captioning and additional metadata which is often a neglected feature set with lower cost encoding devices.
BRIDGE LIVE supports:
- SCTE-35/SCTE-104 Ad insertion markers
- CEA-608/CEA-708 Closed Captioning
- Embedding Closed Captioning/Subtitles into H.264 SEI messages
- Metadata pass through
- MPEG-2 ancillary packet support, SMPTE 2038
- Electronic Program Guide (EPG) on input
AJA and Comprimato
BRIDGE LIVE represents an exciting partnership between AJA and Comprimato, both long standing industry innovators. The merging of AJA’s hardware development and video I/O expertise with Comprimato’s transcoding and internet transport know-how means customers can expect the versatility, speed and quality needed for that competitive edge. The unique fusion of company talent between AJA and Comprimato ensures that BRIDGE LIVE delivers the performance and reliability needed for live H.265 (HEVC), H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4), H.262 (MPEG-2) and JPEG 2000* encode, decode, or transcode needs.
*Full H.265, H.264, H.262 I/O functionality included with BRIDGE LIVE turnkey system, JPEG 2000 I/O license options available.
SRT Ready
SRT is an open source video transport protocol and technology stack, developed and pioneered by Haivision, that optimises streaming performance across unpredictable networks with secure streams and easy firewall traversal, bringing the best quality live video over the worst networks. The SRT Open Source Project, supported by the SRT Alliance, is a collaborative community of industry leaders and developers striving to achieve lower latency internet video transport by continuously improving open-source SRT.
BRIDGE LIVE includes SRT (plus encryption) to ensure that end users are well positioned to deliver their streaming video content securely, with low latency and secure reliability.
BRIDGE LIVE supports up to 4x 3G-SDI simultaneously for multi-channel HD or 1x 12G-SDI for UltraHD connections I/O in 1RU. Dual 10GigE Ethernet ports provide network connectivity and dual power supplies provide peace of mind.
Administration, monitoring and access to BRIDGE LIVE is supported via either network browser or local Display Port. Indirect agnostic monitoring and automation is supported via both REST API and SNMP.
Transport, Encoding and Delivery
BRIDGE LIVE can be configured for low latency or high quality tasks. Depending on configuration, latency can be as low as 200ms. And, BRIDGE LIVE naturally gives you the tools to move content and deliver according to your workflow needs.
BRIDGE LIVE supports:
- RTMP, RTMPS (output only)
- RTP, UDP
- SRT (plus encryption)
- MPEG Transport Stream
- ABR Ladder Profiles
- Hand-off for OTT packaging
Supported Encodes/Decodes
BRIDGE LIVE supports the following configurations for encoding and decoding between SDI and streaming formats as standard. Multiple streams/formats/destinations can be derived from a single SDI input.
H.265 (HEVC):
- 8-bit or 10-bit
- 4:2:0
- Up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
- SRT, RTMP (output only) and MPEG-TS protocol support
H.264 (AVC):
- 8-bit or 10-bit
- 4:2:0 or 4:2:2
- Up to 2 simultaneous 60p 4:2:2, 10-bit HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
- Up to 4 simultaneous 60p 4:2:0, 8-bit HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
- SRT, RTMP (output only) and MPEG-TS protocol support
H.262 (MPEG-2):
- 8-bit
- 4:2:0
- Up to 4 simultaneous 30p/60i HD encodes/decodes or up to 2 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes to/from SDI with an HQ option
- SRT, RTMP (output only) and MPEG-TS protocol support
Industry-Leading Support
AJA’s support for BRIDGE LIVE starts with a generous three year hardware warranty and the optional yearly maintenance provides new software features and more.
AJA's technical support is recognised as among the best in the industry and together with support from Comprimato, BRIDGE LIVE customers have the best of both hardware and software expertise to ensure installations and projects are executed smoothly and with confidence.