Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

How advanced broadcast control surfaces can advance live esports production

24/09/2020

Mark Davies, director of products and technology at TSL Products, explains how advanced control surfaces can ensure creative production freedom and the highest technical quality for esports applications.

By Contributor

Published: September 24, 2020

Mark Davies, director of products and technology at TSL Products, explains how advanced control surfaces can ensure creative production freedom and the highest technical quality for esports applications.

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Mark Davies, director of products and technology at TSL Products, explains how advanced control surfaces can ensure creative production freedom and the highest technical quality for esports applications.

https://www.tvbeurope.com/live-production/how-advanced-broadcast-control-surfaces-can-advance-live-esports-production title=Share via Email class=share-email>

In fast-paced live production environments, such as esports, the control layer can simplify a broadcast, whilst sharing and managing resources between system locations to save time, space and money. Each company has its own operations, processes, and workflows and by empowering operators and engineers to have complete control of the system, their job becomes much easier. Advanced control surfaces can ensure creative production freedom and the highest technical quality for esports applications.

Esports productions are very similar to traditional sports broadcasts, but the potential for exponentially more inputs and sources to choose from in the production control room creates an even greater need for advanced control. There is also an added workflow challenge when working with game servers and video game consoles acting as inputs. Advanced control and tally systems can help bridge the gap for production personnel in order to achieve a smooth broadcast or live stream. In addition, intuitive control interfaces enable users to establish seamless communication on a single, unified layer. With the ability to perform powerful actions without the need to invest in a system controller, universal control systems and panels can quickly and cost-effectively plug-in to any infrastructure or workflow, providing operators with the control they need over the devices they use. A well-designed control solution offers an intuitive user interface, providing increased flexibility for esports production personnel.

With increasing demands on resources, budgets, and the rapid adoption of IP and remote production, it is more important than ever for control systems to be able to hide underlying system complexities so that operators can remain focused on making great content. For esports applications in particular, it is important for the observer, the person tasked with managing the in-game cameras as well as identifying key moments in the game for replays and highlight reels, to have an advanced tally and control system because its helps to tie in the entire production ecosystem. Through a unified control layer, operators can share technology between multiple locations, simplifying the production process. This also reduces the risk for human error by putting the appropriate amount of control under the hands of a single operator and creates a seamless workflow that minimises training time. Additionally, with advanced broadcast control, users can decrease the number of operational control panels needed by managing the functionality across a controlled system via unified interfaces.

Routing control is another important component for esports applications Users need to be able to manage signal routes throughout a facility. This might include routing video, audio and data signals between the various elements of a network. Users need a system that will send a signal precisely where it's needed while providing the flexibility and control to build an appropriate signal path for esports operations. Instead of the traditional requirement to route one video signal to one destination, ever-increasing video quality and resolution mean one destination is no longer enough. More bandwidth is required to group 3G data inputs to make a 4K source. This can be achieved by routing between blocks of quad inputs and outputs, by condensing four levels' in an association router into one destination. Additionally, with table routing capabilities, a cross point made within a connected matrix can be used to trigger another cross point. When a source is routed to a destination that feeds a source of the switcher, the control system will then use this change as a trigger to route the same source to a corresponding destination. This will allow all the sources routed to a switcher to be displayed on a multi-viewer.

From multi-device streaming requirements for at home-engagement, to more dynamic onsite live production across facilities, projects at venues such as Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas and Freaks 4U Gaming in Berlin, see the value in using advanced control systems to support high-quality eSports productions. For eSports projects such as these, operators are often volunteers, and lack broadcast-level experience. With the right system and set of controls, users can easily learn which buttons trigger specific actions without having to worry about the coding or engineering processes. Additionally, with TSL Products' solutions, customers can achieve interoperability between equipment routed through analog, IP or hybrid networks, regardless of differing manufacturers and format specifications.

Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas needed to establish a broadcast workflow suitable for its modern, 100,000-square-foot event space. They required an advanced and user-friendly system to transition between live hosts and various player cameras to help organise who should be live at each point of an event. To achieve this, the stadium uses TSL's advanced c
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/live-production/how-advanced-broadcast-contr...
See more stories from tvb

Europe Stories

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

09/09/2026

Celemony Tonalic gains additional Paul Kleber upright bass

New parts aimed at hip-hop and pop productions The latest update to Celemony's innovative virtual session musician expands the collection of built-in in...

09/09/2026

Sonarworks Autumn Sale

Save up to 40% until 21 September 2026 Sonarworks are currently running their Autumn Sale, with discounts of up to 40% currently available across their rang...

09/09/2026

Bjooks Beat Gems to begin shipping

Upcoming title officially launches in September 2026 Bjooks' celebrations for this year's 909 Day will be welcome news amongst drum machine lovers, ...

09/09/2026

Tom Daley adds final stitch to giant Baa-Ewe tapestry celebrating Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom

Wednesday 9 September 2026 Tom Daley adds final stitch to giant Baa-Ewe' t...

09/09/2026

Red Seat Ventures Integrates Barometer into Speakeasy to Maximize Podcast Revenue Across Audio Portfolio

Red Seat Ventures Integrates Barometer into Speakeasy to Maximize Podcast Revenu...

09/09/2026

Avid and FilmLight announce strategic partnership to reimagine the color pipeline for post production

Baselight-powered color comes natively to Media Composer, connecting creative de...

09/09/2026

Rain, hay or shine, RT is heading to The Ploughing

RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...

08/09/2026

Sauceware Audio release Scorch 2

Built for rap producers, by rap producers Sauceware Audio, the independent plug-in company founded by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob (Travis Scott, 21 Sava...

08/09/2026

Warm Audio unveil the Jude preamps

Classic Sound Techniques design revived Warm Audio's latest release delivers a meticulous recreation of the preamp circuitry employed by the Sound Techn...

08/09/2026

XILS Lab introduce MemoryTone

Latest soft synth inspired by the Memorymoog XILS Lab have just launched a software instrument that draws its inspiration from Moog's iconic Memorymoog,...

08/09/2026

Soundcraft Introduces Signature Plus Series Analog Connected Mixing Consoles

September 08, 2026 NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Soundcraft today announced the launch of its Signature Plus Series Analog Connected Mixing Consoles. As the next genera...

08/09/2026

Sky Go gets a major upgrade for Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers

Tuesday 8 September 2026 Sky Go gets a major upgrade for Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers Today, Sky launches a new version of the Sky Go app for Sky Glass ...

08/09/2026

Trailer released for The Wargame, launching on Sky from 21 September

Documentary thriller simulating a Russian attack on UK soil will culminate in a live final episode reuniting the playersTuesday 8 September 2026 Trailer releas...

08/09/2026

Riedel Introduces New OnAir Headset Platform

Wuppertal September 8, 2026 Riedel Introduces New OnAir Headset PlatformRiedel Communications today announced the launch of its new OnAir headset platform, a...

08/09/2026

flexAI Adds Autonomous Mixing, 12G-SDI, NDI, and TVU MediaMesh Integration

BERLIN, September 8, 2026 - J nger Audio will introduce a major expansion of its flexAI audio processing platform at IBC 2026. The flexAI system adds autonomous...

08/09/2026

Harmonic Unveils cOS SensAI Intelligence Fabric for Broadband Operations

New Vendor-Agnostic Broadband Intelligence Fabric Reduces Operational Complexity and Improves Service Quality for Broadband Service Providers SAN JOSE, Calif. -...

08/09/2026

Arvato Systems Brings TI Expertise to the Stage

Arvato Systems Brings TI Expertise to the Stage Panels, workshops, and real-world examples at the TI-SUMMIT 2026 Arvato Systems, a partner of the TI-SUMMIT 2...

08/09/2026

The internet\u2019s favourite cat comes to Apple\u00A0Arcade with Pusheen\u2019s Place - UPDATE - Posted on 08 September 2026

On October 1, Apple Arcade is rolling out a lineup of fun new games for players ...

07/09/2026

HeadRush launch the FRFR Cab Series

Two new full-range, flat-response cabinets introduced HeadRush have recently introduced a pair of new full-range, flat-response cabinets designed for player...

07/09/2026

GameSoundCon 2026

Answering questions about AI in game audio GameSoundCon, the largest professional conference for video game music and sound design, have announced that they...

07/09/2026

DPA to launch the 6388 Core+

New directional headset mic on show at IBC Just ahead of this week's IBC show, DPA have announced the launch of a new directional headset that's bee...

07/09/2026

Accurate.Video rallies Iyuno to rework 35,000 media assets ahead of schedule

We are not building systems to replace human decision-making; we are building systems that execute our decisions at machine speed. The media companies that win ...

07/09/2026

Freddie Meredith joins cast of SNL UK ahead of start of Season 2

Monday 7 September 2026 Freddie Meredith joins cast of SNL UK ahead of start of Season 2 Freddie Meredith Images ZIP (3MB) Saturday Night Live UK announces ...

07/09/2026

Sky and NFTS team up to launch new routes into screen careers

Monday 7 September 2026 Sky and NFTS team up to launch new routes into screen careers Sky has today announced a new apprenticeship programme, with application...

07/09/2026

Sky Sports announces most comprehensive NFL coverage to date for the 2026/27 season

Monday 7 September 2026 Sky Sports announces most comprehensive NFL coverage to...

07/09/2026

Jnger Audio Showcases Industry-First S-ADM Cloud Workflow at IBC 2026

Dolby, MainConcept, Techex and J nger Audio will showcase the industry's first demonstration of Serial Audio Definition Model (S-ADM) in a cloud-based produ...

07/09/2026

dB Broadcast to Showcase APIS Hive at IBC 2026

dB Broadcast will showcase APIS Hive, its software platform for designing, deploying and managing modern broadcast infrastructures, at IBC 2026. Developed from...

07/09/2026

A KNOCKOUT 1.6 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED KATIE TAYLOR'S FINAL BOUT FREE -TO -AIR ON RT2

552,000 streams on RT Player The historic fight, which saw Katie Taylor become...

06/09/2026

BS-203 MacroAcidizer from Born Second

Recreates Rolands TB-303 & MC-202 BS-203 MacroAcidizer is the first virtual instrument from Born Second, and it offers a recreation of two Roland classics -...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

05/09/2026

HEDD Audio update CTRL software

MK2 & Bass system control app improved HEDD Audio have just launched a new and improved version of the control software that pairs with their MK2 and Bass m...

04/09/2026

Business Innovation Synergizer FAQ: What applicants need to know

Media organisations interested in the Media Innovation Europe 3.0 Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) can now consult a new FAQ document providing additional a...

04/09/2026

KeySolutions Sounds release Traveler

Powerful new soft synth announced Traveler is the first software instrument to be released by KeySolutions Sounds, and it's an ambitious one! Said to co...

04/09/2026

e-instruments launch Velvet Guitars Fragment

Free virtual instrument range expanded The latest expansion of e-instruments' free Fragments series introduces a packed-down version of the company'...

04/09/2026

Accentize Chameleon wins Emmy Award

Company recognised for second time Two years after winning an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award for dxRevive Pro, Accentize have been recognised ...

04/09/2026

AgileTV and Friend MTS Complete CDN Watermarking Integration to Fast-Track Anti-Piracy Protection for Operators

Bilbao - 3rd September 2026 -AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV and vi...

04/09/2026

RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF BOBBY RYAN

RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE...

03/09/2026

Yospace releases new Ad Presentation solution, unlocking revenue opportunities with non-linear ad formats

Yospace will be at IBC from 11th - 14th September (booth 5.C78). For more inform...

03/09/2026

Anthony Marinelli launches Bass DNA course

Create musical synth bass sounds from scratch Anthony Marinelli Music have recently announced the launch of Bass DNA, a new online course that teaches music...

03/09/2026

IK Multimedia unveil the Tonex Board

Most powerful Tonex hardware to date IK Multimedia's latest release introduces their most advanced Tonex hardware unit to date, combining their AI Machi...

03/09/2026

Penteo Audio Plugins announce Penteo 8

Upmix & downmix software upgraded Penteo Audio Plugins have announced that the latest version of their powerful upmix and downmix software is now available....

03/09/2026

Young talents begin their training at SGL Carbon in Germany

With the start of the new apprenticeship year, young talent has once again begun their professional careers at SGL Carbon's sites in Germany. Recently, the ...

03/09/2026

Calrec advances EBU's Dynamic Media Facility vision at IBC 2026

With the industry increasingly embracing hybrid, software-defined production models, Calrec will preview a series of Argo and ImPulseV software enhancements at ...

03/09/2026

SES Strengthens Peruvian Navy Operations with New Multi-Orbit Satellite Solution

Luxembourg, 03 September 2026 - SES, a space solutions company, extends its collaboration with the Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Per ) to deliver sovereig...

03/09/2026

Jeff Goldblum announced as host of Saturday Night Live UK series 2 premiere, joined by musical guest CMAT

Thursday 3 September 2026 Jeff Goldblum announced as host of Saturday Night Liv...

03/09/2026

Gonshiro Strengthens Collaboration With Riedel, ARRI, to Advance Cinematic Live Production

Wuppertal September 3, 2026 Gonshiro Strengthens Collaboration With Riedel, AR...