PSSI Global Services deploys Appear’s X Platform for UFC coverage

PSSI Global Services has tapped Appear’s X Platform to deliver contribution backhaul for REMI-based productions for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which sees PSSI Global Services launch Appear’s X Platform for its global distribution of UFC coverage beginning in May. 

PSSI Global Services will deploy Appear’s X Platform to support high-capacity REMI productions. The first Appear platforms will be configured to perform high density HEVC encoding and decoding from live events to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where PSSI has located its UFC NOC.

The platform is used by broadcasters and service providers globally for high-quality and low latency it delivers for live contribution, enabling next-generation remote production and distribution workflows. The platform allows media companies to send signals from cameras at an event to a cloud production platform, without the need to send a mobile unit and accompanying production team. In primary distribution, and video transport to and from the cloud, the platform enables cost-efficiency through transport over the internet. The X Platform provides video transport with industry leading flexibility, density, and energy efficiency.

It offers the ability to seamlessly blend formats such as HEVC/AVC, ST-2110, JPEG XS, Zixi and now high capacity SRT, with an array of processing, Network Address Translation (NAT) and firewall functions.

“The Appear X platform was the only compression solution tested that met all of our requirements,” said Brian Nelles, executive vice-president, PSSI Global Services. “The Appear X platform’s flexible feature set and density enables us to scale to meet our client’s increasing volume of camera signals and super slow-motion feeds for remote replay servers. To be able to encode and transmit within such a small form-factor saves money in power and dramatically reduces costs for shipping our field acquisition kits. Appear’s combination of high-quality, low latency production formats, ease of configuration and operational resilience is incredibly powerful.”