Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Appear Founders Petter Jrgensen and Thomas Lind on the Evolution of Live Production Technology

21/05/2024

Appear founders Petter J rgensen and Thomas Lind on the evolution of live production technology By George Bevir

Thursday, May 9, 2024 - 12:46

Print This Story

As part of Appear's 20th anniversary celebrations - and ahead of the company's title sponsorship of SVG Europe's Create Share Engage event founders Petter Jorgensen and Thomas Lind share their thoughts on the evolution of live production technology and the origins of Appear.

Can you tell us about your journey before Appear, and what led you to co-found Appear?

Petter Jorgensen I started my career in the mediatech industry at Tandberg Television in 1996, like the other founders. I embraced a variety of roles, which provided me with extensive insights into product development and the customer perspective in our industry.

Thomas Lind All 11 founders were former Tandberg Television employees and had been working in the professional live video distribution within sales, technical sales, and development. Due to internal restructuring, we saw a unique opportunity to start from fresh with a completely new product design concept that we believed would revolutionise the way professional live video was distributed to consumers.

Appear founders Thomas Lind and Petter J rgensen

We had a clear business plan for how we could start by converting digital video to analogue based on a hardware platform that could be expanded to cover all video processing ports to distribute digital and analogue video to consumers.

Thomas, what were the initial challenges you faced in the early days of Appear, and how did you overcome them?

Thomas Lind Apart from the well-known challenges of securing funding, the main challenge involved building a new hardware platform from scratch with limited financial resources. There were of course a few technological setbacks along the way, but in the end, we managed to deliver what was planned and almost on time. It is heartening to see that the platform we designed and developed 20 years ago is still being used by operators around the world.

Petter, you've played a crucial role in the development of the X Platform, Appear's flagship product launched in 2016. What was the initial concept behind this platform and what impact has it had on media processing and delivery?

Petter Jorgensen The X Platform, our second generation hardware, was designed for high performance, low latency and with flexibility in mind as the core design drivers. It was built upon the groundwork laid by the development of the XC Platform. Designed for rapid and independent release cycles for the different capabilities to be hosted by the platform, this design is key to prevent bottlenecks in the product development cycle and thus get new products to market quicker.

At the time we launched the X Platform, the entire industry was talking about cloud workflows. However, recognising the unique demands of media processing and content delivery, we ventured into developing a robust hardware-based solution. Our approach with the X Platform was to combine the agility and scalability typical of cloud environments with the reliability and high performance of dedicated hardware.

SVG Europe's Create Share Engage event, sponsored by Appear, will take place in London on 23 May. For more information and to register visit svgeurope.org/create-share-engage

Today, the X Platform stands out for its unmatched spatial and power efficiency, fundamentally changing how our customers deploy media infrastructure. By optimising operational costs, minimising physical footprint, and significantly reducing energy consumption, the X Platform offers a sustainable, efficient solution that addresses the evolving needs of the media industry. This strategic pivot not only distinguished us from the prevailing cloud-centric solutions but also affirmed our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.

Looking forward, how do you see live production technology evolving in the next few years?

Thomas Lind That is an interesting question. As with any key new technology, when a new trend emerges, all stakeholders take an immediate interest, but then their vision and use of the new technology becomes more balanced. For example, when cloud computing was first introduced, many thought it would mean the death of hardware dedicated to the production and distribution of live video.

But as our understanding of the technology has grown, this view is now more balanced and the focus is on using the best technology to solve the business need you have, regardless of whether it's a generic cloud, dedicated hardware or hybrid solution.

The key issues that trigger technology choices are the business model (CAPEX/OPEX), operational requirements, utilisation, energy consumption and available network infrastructure. I think the future will bring even more solutions based on a combination of generic computing and hardware acceleration where needed.

Remote production is still in its early stages of deployment, but it will accelerate over the coming years. As the deployment of remote production increases, the technology will evolve and the software and hardware will be optimised to achieve the best performance at a lower cost of ownership.

Petter Jorgensen The multitude of streaming services mean there is a fierce competition for viewer retention and a change of behaviour from consumers. They decide what they want to watch, when and on which device. So, when it comes to live production, I foresee a future where consumers will have more control, such as choosing camera angles during live sports.

With the dynamics of media, entertainment, and sports industries continuously evolving, what role do you see Appear playing in shaping the future of live production technology?

Thomas Lind Appear aims to lead the future of live production technology. It's an ambi
LINK: https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/appear-founders-petter-jorgen...
See more stories from svg

More from Sports Video Group

29/10/2025

MLS, EDGE Sound Research To Debut Immersive Embodied Sound' at LAFC vs. Austin FC Playoff Match

MLS, EDGE Sound Research To Debut Immersive Embodied Sound' at LAFC vs. Aus...

29/10/2025

SVG Remote Production Forum 2025: All Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Remote Production Forum 2025: All Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLA...

29/10/2025

World Series 2025: How Audio Is Transported Around the Sites and Beyond

World Series 2025: How Audio Is Transported Around the Sites and BeyondThe signals also move not just between two countries but around the globeBy Dan Daley, Au...

28/10/2025

SVG All-Stars: Catherine Chalfant, Manager, Remote Operations, ESPN

SVG All-Stars: Catherine Chalfant, Manager, Remote Operations, ESPNThe Ole Miss alum is an operational force behind ESPN's extensive college-football catalo...

28/10/2025

Elevating the Experience: AI and Data Take Ryder Cup to the Next Level

Elevating the experience: AI and data take Ryder Cup to the next level By Joe OHalloran Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - 10:25 Print This Story NBC produced th...

28/10/2025

Conquering the Air (Waves): Taking a Close Up Look at the IBC Accelerator Private 5G from Land to Sea to Sky'

Conquering the Air (waves): Taking a close up look at the IBC Accelerator Priva...

28/10/2025

World Series 2025: Spectrum SportsNet LA Brings Dodgers Fans Closer to the Action With Pre/Postgame Coverage

World Series 2025: Spectrum SportsNet LA Brings Dodgers Fans Closer to the Actio...

27/10/2025

You Can Touch This: Haptics Becoming Central to the Virtual Live Experience

You can touch this: Haptics becoming central to the virtual live experience By Adrian Pennington Friday, October 24, 2025 - 09:12 Print This Story The vid...

27/10/2025

A Tale of Two Trailers: France's Stop & Go Doubles Up With its New Hybrid Truck

A tale of two trailers: France's Stop & Go doubles up with its new hybrid tr...

27/10/2025

Pro Padel League Stages City's Cup Finals Inside NYC's Hammerstein Ballroom

Pro Padel League Stages City's Cup Finals Inside NYC's Hammerstein Ballr...

27/10/2025

World Series 2025: Sportsnet Delivers Made-in-Canada' Moment for a Nation United Behind the Toronto Blue Jays

World Series 2025: Sportsnet Delivers Made-in-Canada' Moment for a Nation U...

27/10/2025

ESPN Extends Partnership With Sony's Beyond Sports To Expand Animated Alternate Telecasts

ESPN Extends Partnership With Sony's Beyond Sports To Expand Animated Altern...

26/10/2025

Obituary: Charlie Jablonski, Industry Leader and Long-Time NBC and NBC Olympics Visionary Passes Away at 69

Obituary: Charlie Jablonski, Industry Leader and Long-Time NBC and NBC Olympics ...

24/10/2025

NEP CEO Martin Stewart on $700M Investment, Restructuring, and the Challenges Facing Live Production

NEP CEO Martin Stewart on $700M Investment, Restructuring, and the Challenges Fa...

24/10/2025

FOX Sports Debuts Next-Gen Graphics, Celebrates Career of Lead Producer Pete Macheska as 2025 World Series Gets Underway in Toronto

FOX Sports Debuts Next-Gen Graphics, Celebrates Career of Lead Producer Pete Mac...

24/10/2025

GROUP MEDIAPRO Chairman and CEO Tatxo Benet Steps Down

GROUP MEDIAPRO Chairman and CEO Tatxo Benet Steps DownBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Friday, October 24, 2025 - 2:37 pm Print This Story | Subscri...

24/10/2025

NBA Tip-Off: Amazon Prime Video Debuts Cutting-Edge Studio, Mobile Units, Globally Distributed Production Ecosystem

NBA Tip-Off: Amazon Prime Video Debuts Cutting-Edge Studio, Mobile Units, Global...

23/10/2025

Unlocking Character: Sportcast on Executing the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 New Season Production

Unlocking character: Sportcast on executing the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 new ...

23/10/2025

Clear Coordination: Juggling the New Bundesliga Rights Cycle Requirements and Pushing Innovation Forward at Sportcast

Clear coordination: Juggling the new Bundesliga rights cycle requirements and pu...

23/10/2025

Analysis: Is Piracy Just the Cost of Doing Business?

Analysis: Is piracy just the cost of doing business? By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 09:58 Print This Story It's high ...

23/10/2025

ESPN's Adam Whitlock on Driving Real-World Innovation Across the Video-Transmission Industry

ESPN's Adam Whitlock on Driving Real-World Innovation Across the Video-Trans...

23/10/2025

SVG TranSPORT 2025 Unites 300+ Industry Leaders in New York for Deep Dive Into Live Transmission Technology

SVG TranSPORT 2025 Unites 300+ Industry Leaders in New York for Deep Dive Into L...

23/10/2025

NBA Tip-Off: League Starts Season With Two New Broadcast Partners, In-House NBA TV/NBA App Ops

NBA Tip-Off: League Starts Season With Two New Broadcast Partners, In-House NBA ...

23/10/2025

NFL Deepens Business Partnership with EA Sports; More Madden Casts to Come?

NFL Deepens Business Partnership with EA Sports; More Madden Casts to Come?EA Sports will remain the exclusive producer and distributor of Madden NFL video game...

23/10/2025

NFL Moves Pro Bowl Games Indoors and to Super Bowl Week; Leans Into a Made-for-TV Presentation

NFL Moves Pro Bowl Games Indoors and to Super Bowl Week; Leans Into a Made-for-T...

22/10/2025

Prime Video Inks Deal To Present NFL Black Friday Game Worldwide

Prime Video Inks Deal To Present NFL Black Friday Game Worldwide By SVG Staff Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 10:06 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story ...

22/10/2025

NBA Tip-Off: ESPN Goes 1080p HDR End-to-End, Flipping HDR Switch on REMI and REMCO Shows

NBA Tip-Off: ESPN Goes 1080p HDR End-to-End, Flipping HDR Switch on REMI and REM...

22/10/2025

FloSports Empowers Division II, III Athletic Departments With Turnkey Production Suite for Livestreaming Production

FloSports Empowers Division II, III Athletic Departments With Turnkey Production...

22/10/2025

Wall Street Video Summit Debuts, Bringing Together 200 Financial Enterprise Video Executives in NYC

Wall Street Video Summit Debuts, Bringing Together 200 Financial Enterprise Vide...

22/10/2025

Dueling Pianos: International Chopin Piano Competition Is as Competitive as a Ballgame - and Has Amazing Audio

Dueling Pianos: International Chopin Piano Competition Is as Competitive as a Ba...

21/10/2025

NAB New York 2025: Although AES Show Is on Its Own, Audio Will Be a Major Part of the East Coast Expo

NAB New York 2025: Although AES Show Is on Its Own, Audio Will Be a Major Part o...

21/10/2025

NAB New York 2025: Business of Broadcast and Media,' Future of Content' Are Themes for Two-Day Show

NAB New York 2025: Business of Broadcast and Media,' Future of Content'...

21/10/2025

SVG All-Stars: Ethan Folz, Senior Director, Digital Operations and Quality of Experience, DTC Products, Tech, and Operations, NBA

SVG All-Stars: Ethan Folz, Senior Director, Digital Operations and Quality of Ex...

21/10/2025

NBA on NBC/Peacock: Livestream Offers Graphic Overlays, Predictive Gaming, Ancillary Camera Angles, Real-Time Highlights

NBA on NBC/Peacock: Livestream Offers Graphic Overlays, Predictive Gaming, Ancil...

21/10/2025

NBA on NBC/Peacock: At the Front Bench With Producer Frank DiGraci and Director Pierre Moossa

NBA on NBC/Peacock: At the Front Bench With Producer Frank DiGraci and Director ...

21/10/2025

NBA on NBC/Peacock: NBC Sports, NEP Build Ultra-Flexible Production Plan That Seamlessly Blends Onsite, REMI Models

NBA on NBC/Peacock: NBC Sports, NEP Build Ultra-Flexible Production Plan That Se...

20/10/2025

Inside TAMS: How Time-Addressable Media Stores Could Redefine Sports Workflows

Inside TAMS: How Time-Addressable Media Stores could redefine sports workflows By Paul Markham Friday, October 17, 2025 - 08:57 Print This Story A penalty...

20/10/2025

Transformational Production: Inside TVN's Remote Production Push for the DFL's Bundesliga 2

Transformational production: Inside TVN's remote production push for the DFL...

20/10/2025

How NBC Sports Transitioned Stamford Facility to One Format: 1080p HDR

How NBC Sports Transitioned Stamford Facility to One Format: 1080p HDRMulti-year plan harmonizes workflows, simplifies operationsBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial ...

20/10/2025

NBA on NBC' Studio Production Team Is Ready for Tip-Off With Coast-to-Coast Tuesday'

NBA on NBC' Studio Production Team Is Ready for Tip-Off With Coast-to-Coast...

20/10/2025

Under Pressure: TVN CEO Markus Osthaus Considers the German Sports Broadcasting Market

Under pressure: TVN CEO Markus Osthaus considers the German sports broadcasting ...

17/10/2025

NEP Group Receives New Equity Investment From 26North Partners LP, Co-Investors

NEP Group Receives New Equity Investment From 26North Partners LP, Co-InvestorsCarlyle remains the largest shareholder as the company prepares for the futureBy ...

17/10/2025

Apple Lands Five-Year Deal for F1 Distribution in the U.S.

Apple Lands Five-Year Deal for F1 Distribution in the U.S.Besides airing on Apple TV, the sport will be amplified on other Apple servicesBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Ed...

17/10/2025

SVG Sit-Down: Marshall Electronics' Bernie Keach on the Future of PTZ Cameras

SVG Sit-Down: Marshall Electronics' Bernie Keach on the Future of PTZ Camera...

17/10/2025

L2 Productions' REMI Facility in Austin Can Produce Content From Anywhere

L2 Productions' REMI Facility in Austin Can Produce Content From AnywhereMusic festivals, sports events are produced via flypacks and remote control roomsBy...

16/10/2025

SVG Sit-Down: FUJIFILM Execs on GFX ETERNA 55 Camera, Importance of Shallow-Depth-of-Field Production

SVG Sit-Down: FUJIFILM Execs on GFX ETERNA 55 Camera, Importance of Shallow-Dept...

16/10/2025

Squash's Most Ambitious Broadcast Production To Be Deployed at Comcast Business U.S. Open

Squash's Most Ambitious Broadcast Production To Be Deployed at Comcast Busin...

16/10/2025

Main Street Sports Group Inks Deal With Omaha Productions, Launches Original-Content Division

Main Street Sports Group Inks Deal With Omaha Productions, Launches Original-Con...

16/10/2025

A Historic Precursor? FIFA, HBS, DAZN Offer an Inside Look at Production of FIFA Club World Cup 2025

A Historic Precursor? FIFA, HBS, DAZN Offer an Inside Look at Production of FIFA...