LiveX Upgrades New 4K Broadcast Streaming Studio With Panasonic Kairos

Seeking a solution that would up level the quality of its productions and provide greater flexibility, LiveX purchased Panasonic’s Kairos, a next generation IT/IP live production platform. The full-service production and broadcast company, whose previous work includes the Democratic National Convention and USGA U.S. Open Championship, will use the platform to automate its new 4K broadcast streaming studio and expand the company’s remote capabilities for future productions.

“Remote broadcasting has been a part of our business for the last four years, so it’s really in our DNA to have remote production capabilities,” said Corey Behnke, co-founder and producer and at LiveX. “Panasonic’s Kairos platform was the first system we saw where everything works together in tandem and provides us with the ability to remotely control everything from anywhere in the world.”

By embracing new technologies such as IT/IP video processing, LiveX’s production crews can deliver engaging content with improved productivity and efficiencies. Through the addition of Kairos, LiveX will upgrade their master control room to streamline their workflows as well as automate their studio. Because Kairos can work with LiveX’s legacy hardware, the production services company can utilize the platform’s built-in features including the ability to control all its cameras through one IP network, color correct, playback shots and edit graphics.

Additionally, Kairos will allow LiveX to have fewer operators on set, creating opportunities for more guests, creative set configurations and the ability to expand their programming.

“Being able to walk into an automated set and show our clients the full potential of what we can create is something we are really excited about. We will be able to use Kairos to lock in our shots and manipulate them to have completely different types of shot movements and tracking, allowing us to be more efficient at a higher level,” Behnke said.

“Live events in these challenging times now require an unprecedented level of innovation and many of the new requirements are here to stay,” said Michael Bergeron, PSSNA senior product manager for live production systems. “Mixing media, distributing gear and crew, and feeding screens and streams has been one of LiveX’s major strengths. PSSNA is delighted to count such a disruptive company among our customers. We are eagerly awaiting to see what they will do with the freedom of our layer-based composition and flexible IP architecture.”

As the demand for higher quality productions grows, so does the need for increased creativity in the types of shots captured to hold an audience’s attention. Going beyond the basic moves of a simple dolly, LiveX will also leverage a Panasonic Technopoint robotic camera system. The company says that combining the Technopoint Tuning floor totem with Panasonic’s AW-UE150 4K 60p professional Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras, “will allow LiveX to add more production value and creativity into their sets and shots from a single controller. The six AW-UE150 PTZs purchased by LiveX also support SRT protocol for 4K/60p video streaming, providing stability while transmitting high-quality video, even in unstable network environments.”

Behnke said: “Panasonic’s Technopoint robotic camera system will elevate every show we produce in our new studio. The system allows us to create jib shots, one of the most coveted shots in broadcast production, while the UE150 PTZ cameras provide outstanding image quality and ability to capture a range of cinematic shots and movements, in addition to SRT support — a protocol we utilize every day.”

Panasonic said the Kairos platform “offers an open architecture system for live video switching with complete input and output flexibility, resolution and format independence, maximum CPU/GPU processor utilization and virtually unlimited ME scalability. As a native IP, ST 2110 system, Kairos supports transitions to live IP workflows and can eliminate dedicated hardware constraints. Additionally, the COTS-based system creates new production opportunities involving a mosaic of IT ecosystems with a variety of vendor components from several industries.”