Description

Key Features
Designed for content distribution networks
Transcodes SDI video for IP transport
Eight bidirectional 3G-SDI ports
Supports simultaneous multi-frame-rate workflows
Bidirectional NDI ↔ SDI conversion
HLS input/output with video preview
Simultaneous bidirectional encode and decode

Professional Streaming for Content Distribution

The AJA BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 is a turnkey solution designed for high-quality, low-latency video streaming within professional broadcast and IP-based workflows.

Housed in a 1RU appliance, the system includes BRIDGE LIVE HD software, enabling real-time encoding and decoding of SDI video to IP streams and IP to SDI.

This solution is ideal for applications such as:

• broadcast production
• remote production workflows
• OTT content distribution
• live event streaming
• site-to-site video transport

BRIDGE LIVE Product Family

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 supports the most widely used IP video compression formats and transport protocols, enabling flexible workflow integration.

The BRIDGE LIVE family allows:

• SDI to IP conversion
• IP to SDI conversion
• full IP-based video distribution workflows

For example, using two BRIDGE LIVE systems, a broadcast facility can:

• receive three encoded camera feeds from a remote location
• decode them back to SDI for editing and production
• simultaneously provide program return to the remote site

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 supports up to 8 HD channels simultaneously.

NDI Support

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 includes support for NDI (Network Device Interface), the widely adopted real-time IP video standard developed by NewTek.

The system supports up to eight simultaneous HD 60p NDI encode or decode channels.

NDI workflows include:

• SDI to NDI (encode)
• NDI to SDI (decode)
• IP video streams to NDI (transcode)
• NDI to IP video streams (transcode)

Additional NDI capabilities include:

• multiple Discovery Servers
• synchronous multi-channel transport

Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport

BRIDGE LIVE maintains the synchronization of independent SDI sources, preserving timing relationships while transporting video to endpoint destinations.

This enables workflows such as:

• SDI backhaul
• site-to-site SDI transport

SRT Ready

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 supports SRT v1.5.3, enabling redundant stream delivery over ISP networks to ensure reliable transmission.

SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) is an open-source video transport protocol designed to optimize streaming across unpredictable networks, providing secure streams and simplified firewall traversal.

Metadata, HDR, Timecode, and Closed Caption Support

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 supports Closed Captioning and broadcast metadata, including:

• MPEG-2 ancillary packet support (SMPTE ST 2038)
• SDR/HDR transfer characteristics
• colorimetry and luminance via SDI
• SCTE-35 / SCTE-104 ad insertion markers
• CEA-608 / CEA-708 closed captions
• timecode support
• embedding Closed Captioning into H.264 SEI messages
• metadata pass-through
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG) input
• SEI timecode insertion

Protocol Support

BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 can be configured with multiple protocols depending on workflow requirements, from low-latency transmission to high-quality delivery.

Supported protocols include:

• HLS
• RTMP
• JPEG2000
• NDI
• AAC-LC
• and additional streaming standards.

Encoding and Decoding

The system supports numerous encode/decode configurations between SDI and streaming formats.

From a single SDI input, the system can generate:

• multiple streams
• different formats
• multiple distribution destinations

Supported codecs include:

• H.265 (HEVC)
• H.264 (AVC)
• H.262 (MPEG-2)
• NDI

Optional licenses are available for:

• JPEG XS (TR-07)
• JPEG 2000 (TR-01)

Video Preview

The Video Preview feature allows operators to visually confirm the correct SDI input before starting encoding.

This provides an additional verification step for users who need to ensure the correct signal before going live.

Hardware

The BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 delivers multi-channel performance in a compact 1RU chassis, featuring:

• 8 bidirectional 3G-SDI ports
• support for up to 8 HD channels simultaneously
• dual 10 GigE network ports
• dual redundant power supplies for maximum reliability

This architecture makes the BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 a robust solution for broadcast, remote production, and professional IP video distribution infrastructures.