BRIDGE LIVE is the broadcast quality, low latency turnkey system for REMI, Synchronous Multi-Channel Video Contribution, Remote Collaboration, Direct to Audience Streaming, and Multi Bit Rate/ Multi Format Delivery.

BRIDGE LIVE was developed as a collaboration between AJA and Comprimato to deliver the performance, reliability, and ease of use necessary for critical live encode, decode, or transcode needs. Equipped with 12G-SDI I/O plus the power and flexibility to enable real time bidirectional encoding, decoding, and transcoding for critical UltraHD and HD workflows, BRIDGE LIVE is an essential part of any modern live video production toolkit. A compact and robust 1RU form factor with redundant power supplies and a three year warranty means peace of mind even when dealing with the most demanding applications.

New for 2024 is the latest Rocky Linux 9 Operating System, and the addition of SRT v1.5.3 with hitless redundancy for critical signal delivery over ISPs. Also new is Dolby E pass-through, AAC-HE support, SEI Timecode Insertion, and NDI support.

Whether facilitating remote production, two-way interviews, live event streaming, synchronous multi-cam backhaul with HDR, cloud contribution, program return, confidence monitoring, collaborative production, or ABR ladder profiles to hand off for OTT packaging, BRIDGE LIVE ensures simultaneous, secure, and stable workflows whether over purpose built dedicated lines or the public internet.

Features
12G-SDI/3G-SDI I/O supports Multi-Channel HD or UltraHD as standard
Bidirectional Encode/Decode/Transcode; NDI, H.265 (HEVC), H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4), H.262 (MPEG-2), JPEG 2000* (TR-01), and JPEG XS* (TR-07)
Synchronous Multi-Channel / Multi-System Transport for SDI backhaul or Cloud Delivery
Protocols; SRT, UDP, HLS, RTP, RTMP/S, MPTS (input)
Transports; MPEG-TS, NDI, AVC-TS, Fragmented MP4
NDI Multiple Discovery Server support
Supports NDI Groups
Multi bit rate/format distribution, ABR Ladder Profiles for OTT hand-off
Selectable profiles for 12-bit, 10-bit and 8-bit, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 depending on the codec
Unmatched metadata capabilities including MPEG-2 ANC, SMPTE 2038, Ad insertion markers (SCTE-35/SCTE-104), CC/Subtitles (EIA-608/708, Line 21, H.264 SEI)
Hitless Redundancy via ST 2022-7 and SRT 1.5.3
HDR/SDR from SDI source to SDI destination in BRIDGE LIVE end-to-end configurations
Remote WebUI or local GUI for easy administration, control, and operation.
Monitoring, Control, and Automation supported via REST API or SNMP
Turnkey 1RU rackmountable, enterprise class form factor
Dual 10 GigE interface for control and transport
Dual power supplies for critical application redundancy
Three year warranty
*JPEG 2000 and JPEG XS I/O options are available as purchasable licenses. Full NDI, H.265, H.264, H.262, HLS, and RTMP I/O functionality is included with all BRIDGE LIVE systems.

Video Overview
Watch this video to learn more about BRIDGE LIVE. It includes a look at real time encode, decode, and transform capabilities of BRIDGE LIVE between 12G-SDI sources and destinations.

Workflows can also be built with pairs of BRIDGE LIVE systems to enable end-to-end SDI workflows supporting HDR and/or Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport.

Simultaneous Bidirectional Encoding and Decoding
BRIDGE LIVE supports simultaneous bidirectional encoding and decoding with UltraHD, HD, and SD sources.

For example, with a pair of BRIDGE LIVE systems, a broadcast facility can receive three incoming encoded HD camera sources from a remote location and decode them back into SDI for editing and production while simultaneously providing an HD program return to the remote location.

NDI Encode/Decode/Transcode
BRIDGE LIVE includes support for NDI (Network Device Interface), the high quality, real time, low latency live video standard developed by NewTek. BRIDGE LIVE can support up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD NDI encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD NDI encode/decode to/from SDI. BRIDGE LIVE’s NDI functionality offers:

SDI to NDI (encode)
NDI to SDI (decode)
IP Video Streams to NDI (transcode)
NDI to IP Video Streams (transcode)
Multiple Discovery Servers

Used in conjunction with BRIDGE LIVE’s broad codec and protocol support, collaboration between geographically separated (remote) NDI facilities can be realized.

BRIDGE LIVE provides broad NDI product compatibility across software and hardware transmitters and receivers.

Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport
BRIDGE LIVE can take independent SDI source inputs and maintain their synchronous relationship while transporting the content to end-point destinations.

This functionality can take place between a pair of BRIDGE LIVE units for a synchronous end-to-end SDI workflow, often referred to as SDI backhaul or site-to-site SDI workflows.

BRIDGE LIVE’s synchronous Multi-Channel capability is also supported for cloud contribution, whereby a BRIDGE LIVE system can send to a cloud instance of Comprimato Live transcoder software for delivery to various platforms / cloud services as IP video.

Furthermore, Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport can be scaled up from a single BRIDGE LIVE pair to additional BRIDGE LIVE pairs to enable workflows where multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems can be receiving SDI and sending to multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems outputting SDI, all in synchronicity.

For end-to-end SDI workflows, HDR is also supported.

Workflow Flexibility and Interoperability
Use BRIDGE LIVE in conjunction with multiple third party systems and software to achieve your workflow requirements as they evolve. Additionally, AJA’s own HELO Plus can be used for contribution or aggregation with BRIDGE LIVE.

For more details about how BRIDGE LIVE facilitates REMI, Contribution, Collaboration, Streaming, and Delivery, explore BRIDGE LIVE Workflows and Compatibilities further down this page.

SRT Ready
SRT is an open source video transport protocol and technology stack, developed and pioneered by Haivision, that optimizes streaming performance across unpredictable networks with secure streams and easy firewall traversal, bringing the best quality live video over questionable 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. Encryption built into the SRT protocol ensures end users are well positioned to deliver their streaming video content securely, with low latency and secure reliability.  

BRIDGE LIVE supports SRT v1.5.3, enabling redundant stream support over an ISP to ensure hitless delivery of the originating source.

Metadata, HDR, Timecode and Closed Captioning Support
BRIDGE LIVE fully supports both Closed Captioning and additional metadata which is often a neglected feature set with with other encode/decode solutions.

BRIDGE LIVE supports:
MPEG-2 ancillary packet support, SMPTE ST 2038
SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, Luminance via SDI
SCTE-35/SCTE-104 Ad insertion markers
CEA-608/CEA-708 Closed Captioning
Timecode
Embedding Closed Captioning/Subtitles into H.264 SEI messages
Metadata pass-through
Electronic Program Guide (EPG) on input
SEI timecode insertion

Transport, Containers, and Protocols
BRIDGE LIVE can be configured for low latency and/or high quality tasks. BRIDGE LIVE gives you the tools to move content and deliver according to your workflow needs.  

BRIDGE LIVE supported Protocols
HLS
RTP
RTMP
RTMPS (output)
SRT
UDP
MPTS (input)
JPEG 2000 (VSF-TR01)
JPEG XS (VSF-TR07)
ABR Ladder Profiles for delivery

BRIDGE LIVE supported Transports
MPEG-TS
NDI
AVC-TS
Fragmented MP4

BRIDGE LIVE supported Audio
AAC-LC (ADTS, LATM)
AAC-HE
AC3
E-AC3 (input)
Dolby-E Passthrough
MPEG-2 Audio
NDI (uncompressed float)
Uncompressed PCM (Multi-Channel)

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.

NDI:
8-bit or 10-bit
4:2:2
Up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
NDI Inputs can be received, transcoded, and output as IP Video Streams
IP Video Inputs can be received, transcoded, and output as NDI Streams

H.265 (HEVC):
8-bit or 10-bit
4:2:0
Up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support

H.264 (AVC):
8-bit or 10-bit
4:2:0 or 4:2:2
Up to 2x simultaneous 60p 4:2:2, 10-bit HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
Up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support

H.262 (MPEG-2):
8-bit
4:2:0
Up to 4x simultaneous 30p/60i HD encodes/decodes or up to 2x simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes to/from SDI with an HQ option
SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support

JPEG XS Encode/Decode License
BRIDGE LIVE capabilities can be optionally expanded to include visually lossless JPEG XS encoding and decoding.

JPEG XS (TR-07)
10-bit
4:2:2
Up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD, 1x 60p UltraHD, or 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode (up to 800Mbs)
IP to IP transcodes with JPEG XS are supported and can be scaled up depending on CPU & GPU resource availability
MPEG-TS protocol support
$1,499 US MSRP per HD channel 
$5,499 US MSRP per UltraHD/four-channel HD

JPEG 2000 Encode/Decode License
BRIDGE LIVE capabilities can be optionally expanded to include high quality JPEG 2000 encoding and decoding.

JPEG 2000 (TR-01)
10-bit
4:2:2
Up to 4x simultaneous 60p HD encodes (80-220Mbps) or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode (up to 800Mbs)
SRT and MPEG-TS protocol support
$1,499 US MSRP per HD Channel
$5,499 US MSRP per UltraHD/four-channel HD

Hardware
BRIDGE LIVE supports up to 4x 3G-SDI simultaneously for Multi-Channel HD, or 2x 6G-SDI / 1x 12G-SDI for UltraHD I/O in 1RU. Dual 10 GigE ports provide network connectivity, and dual power supplies provide peace of mind.

Administration, monitoring, and access to BRIDGE LIVE is supported via either a network browser or local DisplayPort. Indirect agnostic monitoring and automation are supported via both REST API and SNMP.

Annual Maintenance
BRIDGE LIVE optional annual maintenance purchase provides:
Software and Hardware Technical Support via Phone, Email, and Remote Desktop
Advanced Replacement
All new software features, updates, and bug fixes*
Priority bug fixes and feature requests
Optional Annual Maintenance for BRIDGE LIVE is $1,995 MSRP per year
*Critical bug fixes will be provided for all BRIDGE LIVE customers at no charge.

REMI (Remote Production) Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport
BRIDGE LIVE can take independent SDI source inputs and maintain their synchronous relationship while transporting the content to end-point destinations.

This functionality can take place between a pair of BRIDGE LIVE units for a synchronous end-to-end SDI workflow, often referred to as SDI backhaul or site-to-site SDI workflows.

BRIDGE LIVE’s synchronous Multi-Channel capability is also supported for cloud contribution, whereby a BRIDGE LIVE system can send to a cloud instance of Comprimato Live transcoder software for delivery to various platforms / cloud services as IP video.

REMI Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport for Backhaul
For SDI backhaul or other site-to-site SDI workflows, BRIDGE LIVE’s bidirectional functionality means BRIDGE LIVE can act as an encoder or a decoder and do so simultaneously. As such, references to BRIDGE LIVE Tx or BRIDGE LIVE Rx are only descriptions of what the unit is currently deployed to do, versus an encode or decode only model of the product.

BRIDGE LIVE Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport functionality provides an easy and repeatable way to ensure synchronous SDI video sources can be fed to an encoding BRIDGE LIVE Tx, then be timestamped, transported, and ultimately output from the decoding BRIDGE LIVE Rx with each SDI signal in lockstep with each other.

Furthermore, Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport can be scaled up from a single BRIDGE LIVE pair to additional BRIDGE LIVE pairs to enable workflows where multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems can be receiving SDI and sending to multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems outputting SDI, all in synchronicity.

For end-to-end SDI workflows, HDR is also supported.

REMI BRIDGE LIVE as a Receiving Hub
BRIDGE LIVE supports workflows where it is necessary to receive contribution streams from various third party encoders, IP cameras, or AJA HELO Plus for conversion back/to SDI at a production facility.

For example, BRIDGE LIVE could be receiving UDP or HLS from AJA HELO Plus, SRT from a Panasonic camera (e.g., AW-UE150, AW-UE100, AG-CX350, AJ-CX4000), SRT from a Haivision encoder (e.g., Makito X4), and NDI (locally) from AJA BRIDGE NDI, or software such as an NLE, an NDI camera, or a third party hardware based encoder.

Collaboration - Reference Video for Remote Creatives
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 licenses for JPEG 2000 (4:2:2, 10-bit) and JPEG XS (4:2:0, 10-bit), means there is choice and flexibility in how to approach your needs in terms of quality and latency. (JPEG 2000 and JPEG-XS require an optional license available from AJA)

Collaboration - Secure Window into the Remote Set or Studio
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.

Collaboration - Connecting Remote NDI Production Teams
BRIDGE LIVE can be used to connect two geographically separated NDI production teams via public internet.
For example, a studio or event location could be sending the feeds from three NDI cameras to an NDI production or post facility, which can distribute those sources as both NDI and SDI while also returning a program feed back to the studio location.

Streaming - Live Direct-to-Audience
BRIDGE LIVE offers a comprehensive platform for live video streaming. Streaming support includes SRT, HLS, RTMP/S, RTP/UDP, and MPEG-TS. Using these standard protocols provides wide support for streaming services such as Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live. 

BRIDGE LIVE offers flexibility for multiple inputs, broad format, and bit rate support, as well as, metadata and redundancy.

Also, 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.

Delivery - Encoding For Content Distribution
For Studios and Broadcast applications, BRIDGE LIVE facilitates primary distribution of finished and mastered content to partners for subsequent streaming to audiences.

BRIDGE LIVE can provide ABR ladder profiles or hand-offs for OTT packaging. For example, encoding to H.264 or H.265 for hand-off with ABR ladder profiles, including pointing the ladder profile directly to a local packager or CDN.

BRIDGE LIVE can also provide multi-format/rate/bit rate material via HLS. The combined outputs within the HLS stream are presented as a “playlist,” meaning that devices (e.g., phones or tablets) or software (e.g., web browsers) can pull a particular format, frame rate, and bit rate based on the device characteristics and the current connectivity. 

Note that this is not a Push model. If conditions change (e.g. available bit rate), then the receiving device can elect to consume a different format/frame rate/bit rate. However, multi variants are chunked, so if a player switches to a different resolution, it must start downloading a new chunk, and this may result in a spinning wheel – since chunks are 10 seconds in length. The best way to deliver HLS with BRIDGE LIVE is to provide the pre-packed video to a CDN. This means many end-point devices can utilize the content simultaneously. HLS could be sent to a local network in a studio or on-set to enable iPads and iPhones to receive and monitor (provided the devices have network access to BRIDGE LIVE). However, in this situation, the number of simultaneous consumers will need to be kept low (under 10) to avoid exceeding the reliable operation of BRIDGE LIVE.

Delivery - Live Production Encoding
Telcos, IPTV, and cable operators are often presented with an SDI source, or a live event or live production, which is needed as a simple MPEG-Transport Stream with H.264/H.262 encode. The delivered stream may be required for further processing (storage, production) or else be streamed directly to an IPTV/Cable network.

Tech Specs

Video Formats
(UltraHD) 3840x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
(2K) 2048x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 47.95, 48, 50, 59.94, 60 
(HD) 1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 
(HD) 1080i 50, 59.94, 60
(HD) 720p 50, 59.94, 60
(SD) 625i 50
(SD) 525i 59.94

Video Color Component Sampling
SDI: YCbCr, 4:2:2, 10-bit
Transport Streams: YCbCr, 4:2:2, 10-bit/8-bit , YCbCr, 4:2:0, 10-bit/8-bit
NDI: P216, 4:2:2, 16-bit , UYVY, 4:2:2, 8-bit

Video Codecs
H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4)
H.265 (HEVC)
JPEG 2000 (VSF TR-01)
MPEG-2
NDI
JPEG XS (VSF TR-07)

Audio Streams/Codecs
AAC-LC (ADTS, LATM)
AAC-HE (ADTS, LATM)
AC3
E-AC3 (input)
Dolby E pass-through
MPEG-2 Audio
NDI (uncompressed float)
Uncompressed PCM multi-channel (SMPTE ST 302M-2007) 

Metadata
MPEG-2 ancillary packet support (SMPTE ST 2038)
HDR over SDI end-to-end via VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, and Luminance
Closed Captioning (EIA-608/708)
Line 21 Captions
Metadata pass-through
SCTE-35, SCTE-104
Subtitles embedded within H.264 SEI messages
Electronic program guide (EPG) on input
SEI Timecode for HEVC and H264

Containers and Protocols
HLS (input): AVC TS segments, Fragmented MP4
HLS (output): AVC TS segments
MPEG-TS
MPTS (input)
RTMP
RTMPS (output)
RTP, UDP
SRT (including encryption)
VSF TR-01
VSF TR-07

Video Processing
Auto Color Component Sampling based on I/O settings
Cropping / Padding
Color adjustments
Deinterlacing
Frame rate 50% down-conversion (60p->30p, 59.94->29.97, 50p->25p)
Frame rate up-conversion (50i->50p)
Logo insertion
Resizing

Audio Processing
Channel Remapping
Gain
Sample Rate conversion
Up/Down-mixing (e.g. 5.1 to stereo and vice versa)

Synchronization
Input PCR: Global configuration (in separate transport stream), Local configuration (in each transport stream)
Output PTS: Pass-through, Add offset to input PTS
NTP: Encoder Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport
PCR: Decoder Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport

Performance
Stream startup time maximum 5 seconds after configuration applied
Latency down to sub 150ms input to output (based on codec and other parameters)
Encode/Decode simultaneously up to 4x incoming SDI 1080 60p streams (to numerous IP video output destinations/variations*)
Encode/Decode simultaneously up to 2x incoming SDI UltraHD 30p streams (to numerous IP video output destinations/variations*)
Encode/Decode up to 1x incoming SDI UltraHD 60p streams (to numerous IP video output destinations/variations*)
Additional transcoding tasks can be carried out when Encoding/Decoding to/from SDI*
NDI 1080p is supported up to 60p, NDI 4K is supported up to 60p
*Final additional stream count per output is dependent on settings and configuration. See Manual for more details.

Video Input Digital
12G-SDI, SMPTE ST 2082, 10-bit
6G-SDI*, SMPTE ST 2081, 10-bit
3G-SDI, SMPTE ST 424, 10-bit
1.5G-SDI, SMPTE ST 292M, 10-bit
270 Mbit/s SDI, SMPTE ST 259M-C, 10-bit
*Only UltraHD 2160-line single link is supported, as defined in SMPTE ST 2081-1 and SMPTE ST 2081-10

Video Output Digital
12G-SDI, SMPTE ST 2082, 10-bit
6G-SDI*, SMPTE ST 2081, 10-bit
3G-SDI, SMPTE ST 424, 10-bit
1.5G-SDI, SMPTE ST 292M, 10-bit
270 Mbit/s SDI, SMPTE ST 259M-C, 10-bit
*Only UltraHD 2160-line single link is supported, as defined in SMPTE ST 2081-1 and SMPTE ST 2081-10

Audio Input Digital
16-channel, 16 and 24-bit SDI embedded audio, 48 kHz sample rate, synchronous per SDI connection

Audio Output Digital
16-channel, 16 and 24-bit SDI embedded audio, 48 kHz sample rate, synchronous per SDI connection

Configuration and Monitoring
Local “Kiosk” interface (keyboard, mouse and monitor)
Remote access via Browser
REST API
SNMP

Form Factor
1RU turnkey system
4x full size BNC (12G/6G/3G/1.5G-SDI compatible)
2x 10 GigE
Local interface via Display Port and USB
OS custom image
Update and license via download

Size (w x d x h)
17.2” x 16.9" x 1.7" (436.88 x 429.26 x 43.18 mm)

Weight
28 lb. (12.7kg) in box
18 lb. (8.2kg) server only

Power
100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz (Dual, redundant power supplies)
190W typical, 245W Maximum

Environment
Safe Operating Temperature: 5 to 35 C (41 to 95 F)
Safe Storage Temperature (Power OFF): -40 to 60 C (-40 to 140 F)
Operating Relative Humidity: 8-90% noncondensing
Nonoperating Relative Humidity: 5-95% noncondensing