by The broadcast industry has spent the last decade navigating one of the most significant infrastructure shifts since the move from analog to digital video. Today, broadcasters, sports networks, production companies, and media organizations are increasingly embracing SMPTE ST 2110, IP transport, cloud workflows, remote production, and software-defined infrastructure. IP workflows offer flexibility, scalability, resource sharing, and remote production options. But this transition creates challenges: engineers must now manage network infrastructure, timing, redundancy, protocol conversion, and monitoring in ways traditional SDI never required. At NAB Show 2026, VidOvation spoke with Abe Abt, Senior Product Consultant at AJA Video Systems, about several new solutions designed to help broadcasters bridge traditional video workflows with modern IP infrastructures. The conversation highlighted three distinct products addressing different aspects of the industry’s migration to IP: the new Bridge Live IP streaming platform, which focuses on IP-based streaming and format translation; the enhanced IP25-R SMPTE ST 2110 converter, which enables bidirectional conversion and monitoring between SDI/HDMI and ST 2110; and the OG-GEN10 openGear synchronization solution, which delivers timing and genlock capabilities within the openGear ecosystem. Together, these products reflect AJA’s longstanding philosophy of making complex technology easier to deploy, operate, and troubleshoot.
Why Broadcasters Need Practical IP Migration Tools
The move toward IP video infrastructure is rarely a complete replacement project. Most facilities operate hybrid environments that combine SDI equipment, IP production systems, cloud workflows, streaming platforms, and legacy infrastructure.
Production teams may need to:
- Connect SDI equipment to ST 2110 networks.
- Deliver low-latency contribution feeds between facilities.
- Create proxy streams for editors.
- Support cloud production workflows.
- Monitor IP sources on traditional displays.
- Transport video across public internet connections
- Maintain timing and synchronization across diverse infrastructures.
This hybrid reality creates a pressing need for technology that seamlessly bridges formats, protocols, and workflows—empowering forward-thinking broadcasters to stay ahead of evolving demands. That vital requirement is at the heart of AJA’s Bridge product family, purpose-built to keep broadcasters competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.
Bridge Live IP Extends the Bridge Family into Native SMPTE ST 2110 Workflows
AJA’s Bridge product line was created to connect different video ecosystems, with each model tailored for specific workflow integration points, such as IP streaming or SDI-to-IP conversion. Previous products such as Bridge NDI 3G, Bridge Live 3G8, and Bridge Live 12G4 focused on converting and transporting signals between SDI and various IP-based formats. Those platforms helped organizations integrate NDI, streaming, contribution, and cloud workflows into existing broadcast environments.
The new Bridge Live IP specifically expands this capability by directly supporting SMPTE ST 2110 environments, differentiating it from prior Bridge models, which focused on SDI-based IP conversions. Unlike earlier Bridge Live systems that use SDI interfaces, Bridge Live IP is designed for native IP connectivity. This platform offers dual 25 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces supporting SMPTE ST 2110 workflows and SMPTE ST 2022-7 seamless protection switching for network redundancy, setting it apart from legacy Bridge models.
Bridge Live IP ingests uncompressed ST 2110 streams and converts them for contribution, monitoring, cloud, remote editing, and distribution. As facilities increasingly adopt ST 2110 as their internal production standard, there remains a need to efficiently move content beyond the local production network. Uncompressed video is ideal for production switching and facility transport, but many workflows require more bandwidth-efficient formats. Bridge Live IP serves as a dedicated translation layer specifically for converting ST 2110 video, audio, and metadata to formats suitable for varied production and distribution workflows, distinguishing its functional role within the Bridge family.
Connecting ST 2110 Workflows to Real-World Distribution Requirements
One of the key challenges facing broadcasters today is that not every workflow benefits from uncompressed video transport.
A production facility may use ST 2110 internally while simultaneously supporting:
- Remote production
- Cloud production
- Remote editing
- Confidence monitoring
- Multi-site operations
- Disaster recovery workflows
- OTT distribution
- Internet contribution
Bridge Live IP is designed to enable organizations to convert ST 2110 streams into formats optimized for remote, cloud, or distributed environments, clearly differentiating it from multi-interface general-purpose devices. The platform supports encoding, decoding, transcoding, and transport with industry standards such as:
- SRT
- HLS
- NDI
- JPEG XS
- JPEG 2000
- MPEG transport workflows
- Streaming delivery formats
This flexibility allows engineers to build workflows around operational requirements rather than forcing every application to use a single transport protocol. The result is a platform that unifies multiple video ecosystems within a single workflow architecture.
Accelerating Software Innovation Through Comprimato Integration
Another significant announcement discussed during the interview was AJA’s acquisition of Comprimato, the software company behind much of the advanced encoding and transcoding technology used throughout the Bridge family. The acquisition marks AJA’s first corporate acquisition and reflects the growing importance of software-defined infrastructure within modern broadcast environments. With video workflows shifting to software, owning the core stack lets AJA control development, optimization, and future features. For users, this guarantees that AJA is committed to rapidly advancing Bridge Live products and accelerating innovation across tomorrow’s IP and cloud-based workflows, ensuring you are always equipped with industry-leading solutions.
The move strengthens AJA’s position in areas such as:
- IP transport
- Media processing
- JPEG XS workflows
- JPEG 2000 workflows
- Cloud production
- Remote contribution
- Streaming infrastructure
IP25-R Makes SMPTE ST 2110 Easier to Deploy and Monitor
While Bridge Live IP focuses on media transport and conversion, the IP25-R addresses another important challenge: helping engineers work more effectively with SMPTE ST 2110 infrastructure. Initially introduced as a receiver platform, the IP25-R specializes in converting SMPTE ST 2110 signals into SDI and HDMI outputs, ensuring effective monitoring and integration with traditional displays—setting it apart from streaming and transport-focused solutions like Bridge Live IP. This capability is increasingly valuable because many production facilities have extensive investments in monitors, switchers, multiviewers, and displays that lack native ST 2110 interfaces. The IP25-R is a crucial catalyst, effortlessly integrating ST 2110 signals into existing environments and empowering production teams to unlock the full potential of their legacy investments.
The system supports:
- SMPTE ST 2110 reception
- 12G-SDI output
- HDMI monitoring
- Dual 25 Gigabit network interfaces
- ST 2022-7 redundancy
- Out-of-band management and control
Broadcasters can deploy the unit behind monitors, inside equipment racks, at production positions, or throughout facilities where visibility into IP sources is required.
NAB 2026 Firmware Enhancements Expand the IP25-R Beyond Monitoring
One of AJA’s most significant NAB 2026 announcements was a major firmware update that transforms the IP25-R into a bidirectional workflow tool. With the update, users can switch the platform between receive and transmit modes. In receive mode, the system functions as originally designed, converting ST 2110 signals into SDI and HDMI outputs.
In transmit mode, the platform accepts SDI inputs and converts them into SMPTE ST 2110 streams. This breakthrough dramatically expands deployment flexibility, enabling organizations to confidently adapt and excel as technology evolves.
Organizations can now use the same hardware platform to:
- Introduce SDI sources into ST 2110 networks.
- Monitor IP sources
- Support hybrid SDI/IP facilities.
- Simplify migration projects
- Reduce equipment inventory
For forward-thinking facilities migrating to IP, this powerful flexibility enables engineers to incrementally and strategically adopt ST 2110, while maximizing the value of current technology investments and positioning teams for future success.
Built-In Troubleshooting Tools Reduce the Learning Curve of ST 2110
A key benefit of the IP25-R is simplified configuration and troubleshooting. Engineers entering the ST 2110 world often encounter technologies and concepts that differ significantly from traditional broadcast workflows, including:
- SDP files
- Multicast networking
- Packet analysis
- Network diagnostics
- Timing configuration
AJA addresses many of these challenges through automation and integrated diagnostics. The platform automatically ingests SDP files and configures itself accordingly, reducing the amount of manual setup required. At the same time, engineers retain the ability to modify settings when customization is necessary. The IP25-R features integrated packet capture. Users can export PCAP files for network analysis with tools like Wireshark. This integrated approach provides engineers with indispensable visibility into network behavior, reducing troubleshooting time and giving you greater control. For engineers troubleshooting ST 2110 environments, having packet capture integrated directly into the workflow can significantly accelerate problem resolution.
Integrated ST 2110 Test Signal Generation
The new firmware also introduces extensive capabilities for generating test signals. Users can generate professional test patterns directly from the IP25-R to validate network operation, verify installations, and troubleshoot signal paths. The platform supports a wide range of commonly used test signals, including a true black ST 2110 test pattern requested by many broadcast customers. By uniting monitoring, conversion, troubleshooting, packet capture, and test generation in a single platform, the IP25-R redefines what’s possible—transforming from a simple gateway into a strategic asset for technical success. It becomes a valuable engineering tool for commissioning and maintaining IP infrastructures.
OG-GEN10 Brings Modern Synchronization to the OpenGear Ecosystem
Although much of NAB’s attention focused on IP networking, synchronization remains one of the most important requirements in any professional broadcast facility.
Whether signals travel over SDI or IP, reliable timing remains essential. AJA’s new OG-GEN10 brings the company’s proven synchronization technology into the openGear platform. Built for openGear environments and managed through Ross Dashboard software, the OG-GEN10 provides a centralized synchronization solution for facilities requiring scalable timing distribution.
The card includes:
- 9 independently configurable synchronized reference outputs
- 1 AES-11 synchronized audio reference output
- HD tri-level sync
- SD black burst
- AES-11 synchronization
- Flexible signal grouping
- Dashboard control and monitoring
Unlike the original standalone GEN10, the OG-GEN10 leverages the capabilities of the openGear ecosystem to provide centralized management and greater scalability.
Facility-Wide Timing Distribution in a Compact Footprint
One of the strengths of the openGear platform is density. Multiple OG-GEN10 cards can be installed within a single frame, enabling a facility to distribute large numbers of synchronized timing signals while maintaining centralized control. The frame itself can receive a facility reference signal and distribute synchronization across all installed cards.
For broadcasters, production facilities, and systems integrators, this approach offers a compact, scalable way to maintain timing consistency across an operation. As facilities become increasingly complex, centralized synchronization management becomes increasingly valuable.
Making Complex Infrastructure Easier for Broadcast Engineers
Throughout the interview, a common theme emerged across all three products. AJA is focused on reducing complexity. Bridge Live IP helps connect ST 2110 infrastructures with contribution, streaming, cloud, and remote production workflows. The enhanced IP25-R simplifies deployment, monitoring, troubleshooting, testing, and migration within SMPTE ST 2110 environments. The OG-GEN10 delivers scalable synchronization while leveraging the operational benefits of openGear infrastructure. Each solution addresses a different challenge, yet all share the same objective: helping engineers work more efficiently while navigating increasingly sophisticated production environments.
Building the Next Generation of Broadcast Infrastructure
The broadcast industry’s migration toward IP continues to accelerate. Broadcasters are expanding remote production initiatives, deploying cloud workflows, adopting SMPTE ST 2110 infrastructures, and seeking greater flexibility across facilities and operations. Successfully navigating that transition requires technology that solves practical workflow challenges while remaining approachable for engineering teams. AJA’s NAB Show 2026 product introductions reflect that philosophy. Bridge Live IP, IP25-R, and OG-GEN10 help broadcasters connect legacy and emerging workflows, simplify deployment, improve troubleshooting, and support the infrastructure requirements of modern production environments. For broadcasters evaluating SMPTE ST 2110 deployments, remote production architectures, contribution workflows, cloud production strategies, or synchronization infrastructure, these solutions offer practical tools designed for real-world operations. VidOvation works closely with broadcasters, sports networks, production companies, live event producers, and media organizations to evaluate, design, deploy, rent, and support AJA solutions. From ST 2110 migration planning and remote production workflows to monitoring, transport, and synchronization infrastructure, VidOvation helps organizations identify the technologies and architectures that best fit their operational goals.
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