Exploring the Carbonite Development Journey: Real-World Innovation

With the recent introduction of our all-new Carbonite Ultra 60 production switcher, we thought it was an excellent time to take a look back on the product’s development journey over the last 10+ years and reflect on how Carbonite has grown to become the world’s most popular mid-sized production switcher. 

The following are the reflections of Tedd Tramaloni, Business Development for Production Switchers and Video Servers: 

The Essence of Innovation

The Oxford Dictionary defines “innovation” as “the action or process of innovating,” which, I admit, doesn’t say much. It goes on to list almost thirty synonyms for this “action or process,” including words like “revolution,” “upheaval,” and “transformation.” Innovation, it seems, is an ongoing process rather than a static event. Truly innovative products are not just “shiny and new.” They spark a paradigm shift that can redefine an entire industry or, in extreme cases, life as we know it.  

Carbonite Makes It Debut

Carbonite production switchers debuted at NAB 2011, and during that show alone, over sixty units were ordered — an impressive accomplishment for a new product. The reason for its immediate popularity was evident: Carbonite was not simply a new product. It represented an entirely novel approach to meeting the demand for powerful, efficient, and user-friendly production switchers without breaking the bank.  

After its introduction, the Carbonite line quickly expanded, including Carbonite MultiMedia, which incorporated both digital and HDMI inputs to give users more flexibility. Even more transformative was Carbonite eXtreme, a production switcher housed in a Ross router chassis. This relationship between the switcher and router foreshadowed our current hyperconverged product line, hinting at future innovations. 

Over the years, Carbonite evolved with each generation, driven by faster and more capable FPGA hardware. This evolution brought new features and functionality, many compatible with existing hardware, allowing us to provide no-cost software upgrades to existing users. The next-generation Carbonite Black series, featuring the compact and powerful Carbonite Black Solo, and the Black and Black Plus models, offered feature sets comparable to switchers twice their size and price. Success built upon success, and Carbonite soon claimed its position as the world’s most popular mid-sized production switcher. 

But since innovative thinking is part of the Ross DNA, Carbonite has continued to evolve … 

Carbonite Evolution Continues

In the last five years alone, three new Carbonite models have been introduced: Carbonite Ultra in 2018, Ultrix Carbonite in 2021, and at NAB 2023, the largest Carbonite switcher ever produced, Carbonite Ultra 60. Each model builds upon the innovative legacy of the original Carbonite, delivering powerful feature sets that address the evolving needs of customers. 

What makes Carbonite “innovative” is not that it provides Mix/Effects Banks or Keyers but that it addresses the real-world demands of small and mid-size facilities with tools designed to help tell engaging stories economically and efficiently.  

Don’t believe us? Hear from a range of customers worldwide who have been on the Carbonite journey with us

Visit us at IBC 2023

Discover new creative possibilities at IBC 2023 with Ross Video’s impressive showcase of end-to-end video production solutions, including the all-new Carbonite Ultra 60. As a new class of production switcher from Ross, Ultra 60 delivers big performance in a single cost-effective hardware platform. 

Designed to tackle the most demanding productions, Carbonite Ultra 60 supports an impressive I/O of up to 60×25 in HD or UHD. Its 3RU modular design offers the flexibility to start with fewer inputs and outputs, allowing facilities to prepare for present and future needs. As production requirements grow, easy upgrades become a seamless option. 

To learn more about Carbonite, or any of our other transformative products and services, visit rossvideo.com or join one of the many Ross Video Communities comprised of end-users who have embraced Ross-inspired innovation in their facilities.