by Introduction
Every Friday and Saturday night, millions of viewers tune into On Patrol Live on Reelz to ride shotgun with law enforcement across the United States. On Patrol Live showcases everything, including high-speed chases, tense standoffs, and community engagement. It offers a raw, real-time look at police work hosted by Dan Abrams, Sean “Sticks” Larkin, and Curtis Wilson.
But behind the scenes of this high-octane reality series lies an equally sophisticated production effort—one made possible by a pioneering at-home production (REMI) workflow enabled by VidOvation and Haivision technology. This post explores the groundbreaking technology stack that powers On Patrol: Live, and how REMI workflows, cellular bonding, and edge encoders redefine what’s possible in live TV.
The DNA of On Patrol Live
The producers of Live PD now present On Patrol Live. The show follows officers in multiple cities, switching between feeds in near real time. The show maintains a dynamic, unpredictable format, requiring simultaneous video capture from numerous remote locations, often moving vehicles.
This level of complexity demands a robust infrastructure that is:
- Low latency
- High fidelity
- Extremely mobile
- Fail-safe and redundant
Traditional mobile production trucks can’t handle that. Satellite trucks are expensive and slow. Microwave links are limited in range and line-of-sight. What On Patrol: Live needed was a smarter way to go live from anywhere. Enter REMI (Remote Integration Model) production.
REMI Production: Built for Speed and Scale
REMI production allows all the heavy lifting to happen back at the central production facility. Cameras, audio, and data are captured in the field and sent via IP to a central studio for live switching, graphics, commentary, and broadcast.
For On Patrol: Live, this model is ideal. With patrol units roving through different cities, the ability to maintain sync, manage remote feeds, and switch in real time without sending trucks or crews across the country is a massive advantage. VidOvation made this possible.
On Patrol: Live REMI At-home Procution workflow
“The VidOvation team and I are excited to be working again with the production team at On Patrol: Live,” said Jim Jachetta, CTO & Co-founder of VidOvation. “Once again, we provide a cutting-edge At-Home Production workflow pioneered by VidOvation using the industry’s best Haivision Mobile Encoder and Cellular Transmission technology.”
The Technology behind On Patrol: Live
To bring On Patrol: Live to the screen, VidOvation deployed a fleet of advanced Haivision gear:
- 16 Haivision Pro360-5G Mobile Encoders
- 16 Haivision Rack400 Encoders
- 32 Haivision Quad CellLink units
- 9 Haivision StreamHub Receivers
Each component plays a critical role in making the REMI workflow seamless, resilient, and of high quality.
Together, this setup supports up to 16 handheld cameras and more than 32 police car cameras across as many as eight cities, all feeding live video into a centralized control room.
On Patrol Live REMI At-home Production workflow
Haivision Pro360-5G: Untethered, Uncompromised
Haivision Pro360-5G Mobile Encoder & Bonded Cellular Transmitter
The Haivision Pro360-5G encoder is the front-line mobile encoder that captures live HD video from moving police officers and vehicles. Designed for mobility and rapid deployment, the units feature:
- Support bonded cellular transmission over 3G/4G/5G
- Six internal modems
- Deliver sub-second latency
- Mount directly onto professional cameras or come in a backpack form factor
- Provide IFB (intercom) and return video for real-time communication
This means officers can carry or mount these units in their vehicles, and producers back at the control center receive high-quality live feeds as if they were onsite.
Haivision Rack400: The Mobile Studio in a Box
Rack400 UHD & 4 Channel HD Encoder
For fixed installations, such as police headquarters or field command posts, the Rack400 offers the same encoding power in a rack-mountable format. These units:
- Handle up to four synchronized HD video streams
- Support remote PTZ camera control
- Provide dual encoding for live and record
- Deliver flawless lip sync and genlock
They serve as the digital nerve center at each remote location.
Quad CellLink: Cellular Firepower
Haivision Quad CellLink
One of the biggest challenges in field production is the unreliability of cellular signals. That’s where the Quad CellLink comes in. Each unit contains:
- Four high-efficiency 3G/4G modems
- Four SIM slots
- A patented antenna array
They provide the transmission power for the Rack400 encoders in the trunk of the police vehicle, ensuring steady, high-bandwidth connections even in congested or rural areas.
Quad CellLink Modem & Antennas on the trunk of the Police Vehicle
Haivision StreamHub: Command Central
StreamHub Receiver Decoder Transceiver
Back at the studio, nine Haivision StreamHub receivers manage up to 16 concurrent feeds each. These powerhouse units:
- Decode SST bonded streams
- Support multiple output protocols (SDI, NDI, SRT, RTMP, etc.)
- Offer return video and IFB
- Allow remote control of field encoders
They tie together all the field units into a coherent, controllable production environment.
REMI in Action: Why This Workflow Works for On Patrol: Live
- Multi-City Coverage: From the East Coast to the West, the production team gets synchronized, frame-accurate feeds without ever leaving the studio.
- Mobility: Police vehicles can travel anywhere—even at high speeds—and stay live thanks to bonded cellular and advanced antenna arrays.
- Redundancy: With 32 Quad CellLinks enhancing the Rack400 units, connectivity stays up even in harsh environments.
- Intercom & Return Video (optional): Talent and producers remain connected via real-time IFB and video returns.
- Scalability: Adding new departments or units is as simple as shipping an encoder.
The Bigger Picture: At-Home Production Is the Future
What On Patrol: Live proves is that REMI production isn’t just a compromise or backup plan. It’s the future of live television. Benefits include:
- Lower operational costs (no satellite trucks, less travel)
- Faster deployment
- Smaller crews
- Higher quality video provided by HEVC and 5G
- Flexibility and scalability across multiple cities and the world
- Global availability of reliable cellular connectivity
REMI also opens up creative possibilities. Because everything is centralized, you can layer in real-time graphics, social media interaction, data overlays, and more without burdening field crews.
VidOvation’s Role: More Than a Vendor
VidOvation is your comprehensive partner, dynamic systems integrator, manufacturer, technology design consultant, value-added reseller, and boutique rental house with offices in New Jersey, Arizona, and California. Their system integration team designed a mobile cellular encoder and transmission system to meet the demanding needs of a high-profile TV show. From cellular connectivity optimization to real-time troubleshooting, they enable On Patrol: Live to keep running night after night without a hitch.
VidOvation offers services that specialize in empowering clients across various industries, including broadcast, sports, production, entertainment, and live events of all sizes. We seamlessly integrate bespoke video transmission, streaming, content acquisition, production, contribution, and distribution systems into your existing infrastructure and tailor them to diverse applications and budgets. Our expertise includes at-home production, REMI, bonded cellular, public and private 4G/5G, enterprise IPTV, digital signage, cinematic cameras for live production, wireless, and intercom.
Conclusion: Reality TV, Reinvented
On Patrol: Live isn’t just a hit show; it’s a technological milestone. With Haivision’s ultra-mobile encoders, Quad CellLink’s signal-boosting power, and VidOvation’s at-home production expertise, the series showcases the cutting edge of broadcast engineering. When you’re watching those flashing lights streak across your screen, know that a symphony of tech is working behind the scenes to bring it all to you, live, synced, and in HD. That’s the new face of real-time storytelling. That’s REMI production at its best.
See behind-the-scenes video from the original Live PD show.