Esports' rapid rise to popularity can be attributed to many factors, from technological advancements that have enhanced the quality of modern gaming experiences to the proliferation of streaming platforms, which have paved the way to an era of global esports influencers with massive fan followings. Considering the sport's upward trajectory, Japanese production company NTV Technical Resources Inc. (NiTRo) combined its broadcasting expertise with its television production, post production, and CGI chops to launch M-CUBE in 2022. Located in NiTRo's Tokyo-based facility, the virtual production studio is now home to sophisticated esports productions for some of Japan s largest gaming leagues. To support encoding and routing needs across a growing range of productions, NiTRo's team integrated AJA HELO Plus H.264 recorders/streamers and AJA KUMO 6464 3G-SDI routers into its M-CUBE pipeline.
To get M-CUBE off the ground, NiTRo initially leveraged a former online editing room, which it renovated and retrofitted using existing equipment. Since its opening, the studio has been tapped for several esports league productions, as well as for the streaming of international motorsports events, small-scale events, and corporate online seminars. Looking to enhance its facility and increase the number of users it could support, it began plans for an update. Its main goal with the upgrade was to establish an environment optimized for esports streaming that would be accessible to even the most novice user. Signal stability and the capacity to display content from remote participants (including on-screen graphics) in real-time, all while supporting streaming to multiple content delivery networks (CDNs), were also considerations.
After the upgrade, the M-CUBE studio now includes a sub-control room, equipment room, editorial suite, two dressing rooms, and three production backgrounds (white, dark blue, and a simple chroma key green); the setup makes it easy for a play-by-play announcer and commentator to be in the studio while players participate online. If needed, NiTRo's on-site CG department is also accessible to M-CUBE productions.
At the center of the M-CUBE workflow is Telestream Wirecast Pro streaming software, which is used studio-wide at NiTRo. The team's backup encoder of choice is AJA HELO Plus, which supports SDI and HDMI input/output and can simultaneously record while sending up to 1080 60p signals to a CDN. It has enabled NiTRo to simultaneously stream to two locations with individual settings for each destination and provided a failsafe, as the team configured it to turn on immediately in the event of production system failure.
In sourcing equipment, our main goal was to meet the streaming requirements of the esports leagues that NiTRo runs. Also, different operators use the system for different projects, so we needed the system to be intuitive to operate, making HELO Plus the perfect choice, shared NiTRo Technical Director and Video Engineer Masaaki Iwahara. When building the system, we carefully tested the equipment and were impressed by its stability and reliability.
The fact that HELO Plus also allows us to simultaneously deliver in two bit rates was a determining factor, Ryuichi Koyama, a video engineer at NiTRo, added.
NiTRo's esports productions often involve many audio and video inputs and outputs that require the connection of many coaxial cables. Managing all these signals can prove taxing, which is where AJA's KUMO 6464 router has proven indispensable to M-CUBE; tucked into a slim 4RU body with 3G-SDI connectivity, it includes 64 inputs and outputs, which the studio often maxes out. For esports streaming, we use all of our available inputs and outputs, explained Iwahara. But, for small-scale streaming gigs, we use only what's needed. With KUMO, we can easily scale on demand.
M-CUBE's workflow also consists of one Panasonic and two Canon cameras, two KUMO CP2 control panels, a switcher, and five SKAARHOJ sub-controllers for tactile control. As NiTRo continues to grow its business in the coming years, it plans to expand its use of M-CUBE for esports and live event production on other entertainment and corporate event productions, and as it does, its AJA gear will continue to provide pipeline stability.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
15/07/2026
Home to leading manufacturers, robotics pioneers, infrastructure builders and iconic gaming companies, of course, Japan is one of the world's centers of AI ...
14/07/2026
South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...
14/07/2026
Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...
Esports' rapid rise to popularity can be attributed to many factors, from technological advancements that have enhanced the quality of modern gaming experiences to the proliferation of streaming platforms, which have paved the way to an era of global esports influencers with massive fan followings. Considering the sport's upward trajectory, Japanese production company NTV Technical Resources Inc. (NiTRo) combined its broadcasting expertise with its television production, post production, and CGI chops to launch M-CUBE in 2022. Located in NiTRo's Tokyo-based facility, the virtual production studio is now home to sophisticated esports productions for some of Japan s largest gaming leagues. To support encoding and routing needs across a growing range of productions, NiTRo's team integrated AJA HELO Plus H.264 recorders/streamers and AJA KUMO 6464 3G-SDI routers into its M-CUBE pipeline.
