The hidden costs of fixed hardware in outside broadcasting

Outside Broadcasting has never been more demanding or dynamic. Today’s live event producers are tasked with creating content, sometimes in different formats, across multiple platforms, all without missing a beat. Yet many broadcast trucks remain anchored to fixed-function hardware systems that were never designed for the level of complexity, scale or agility required of modern productions.

This rigidity comes at a cost. Traditional, hardware-bound environments can’t flex fast enough to meet new production requirements, and this inefficiency not only strains budgets but can also limit creativity. When production needs change, the only option is often a costly and time-consuming hardware upgrade.

As viewer expectations and production models shift, outside broadcasters need infrastructure that can adapt just as quickly. That’s where software-defined hardware comes in. It enables dynamic resource allocation, smarter usage, and the flexibility to meet hanging production demands.

The limitations of fixed-function gear go far beyond cost. They inhibit the very creativity today’s broadcasters are trying to unlock. Traditional switchers scale in only two directions: more I/O or more MEs. But even small creative additions, like a simple layer or effect, can easily deplete existing capacity. The only alternative is to increase system size, a difficult task for space and weight-constrained mobile units. This rigid model sacrifices performance and inflates already tight budgets.   

From wasted rack space and power overhead to creative constraints and operational slowdowns, the message is clear: fixed-function hardware might have worked in the past, but it can’t support today’s live, multi-platform, ever-evolving broadcast reality. 

In traditional outside broadcast environments, each piece of hardware is built for a specific task: one frame for switching, another for routing, a separate one for multiviewing, and so on. If you need more capability, say, another mix-effect bank or additional DVEs, scaling often means installing new or duplicate hardware, and in many systems, even upgrading to a larger frame. This requires additional cabling, configuration, and setup time to unlock more features. 

A software-defined production approach replaces that model with flexibility. Instead of static hardware cards, you deploy general-purpose processing blades. These blades are hardware platforms, but their function isn’t fixed; Rather, they are defined by software licenses. One day, a blade might run as a powerful mix-effects engine. Next, it could be reconfigured to handle scene-based compositing — all without changing any cables or physical gear. 

Need more DVEs for a graphics-heavy live segment? Just assign a MaxME license, which includes additional DVEs and when the segment ends, reallocate those same compute resources to a different task. 

This is what makes the model “software-defined”. The capabilities live in software, and production teams assign and reassign those capabilities dynamically based on real-time needs.  

The consequences of the above scenario go beyond workflow friction. Every redundant chassis still pulls extra amps and consumes valuable rack space that could be dedicated to other essential components. By consolidating into a smaller, software-defined frame, OB teams cut down on hardware clutter and energy consumption. As Todd Riggs noted during his 2025 NAB keynote, software-defined consolidation brings:

In total, these real-world failure points mean higher costs, wasted time, and lost storytelling opportunities. While purpose-built hardware has long been the backbone of broadcast production, it can become a constraint when flexibility, speed, and resource efficiency are paramount.