Cloudbass selects Grass Valley solutions for new IP remote production fleet
Cloudbass has selected Grass Valley’s LDX 150 series cameras and K-Frame VXP production switchers to power two new IP remote production vehicles, set for completion later this year. The deal represents a significant step for Cloudbass in expanding its IP production capabilities with scalable, high-performance workflows.
Cloudbass is one of the UK’s leading providers of outside broadcast solutions and services, with an extensive fleet of UHD, 1080p/1080i, HDR/SDR OB trucks, and scalable SMPTE 2110 and 2022-6 IP units. The two new vehicles, which are being built by integration partner dB Broadcast, will include 32 LDX 150 cameras, three LDX C150 compact versions, and one K-Frame VXP production switcher.
“Designed specifically for remote production, Cloudbass’ new trucks leverage Grass Valley’s technology for its integration into IP-driven workflows, flexible format support, and superior image quality. Grass Valley’s solutions are the perfect fit for our operational needs,” said Mike Beaumont, technical director at Cloudbass. “Deploying an all-IP workflow, reducing weight and energy consumption, and delivering outstanding image quality will enhance our efficiency and production capabilities.”
Built in collaboration with dB Broadcast, the trucks are designed for both on-site and remote production workflows, ensuring flexibility while optimising space, weight, and power efficiency. Reducing energy and operating costs were a core part of Cloudbass’ brief for the new units. The benefits will include significant weight reduction leading to lower fuel consumption and emissions, while faster deployment times will reduce the need for prolonged power usage and crew on-site. The scalable, software-driven workflows will enable Cloudbass to optimise energy consumption based on production needs, while the remote production-ready technology minimises travel requirements for production crews.
“It’s our mission to lower energy consumption and operational costs in live broadcasting even as we increase our operational capability,” said Beaumont. “Grass Valley’s NativeIP camera transmission removes the need for traditional base stations, helping us to streamline systems and improve efficiency, which is very important to us.”
To optimise space, the trucks are compact builds with limited rack space, yet they are designed to handle a mix of HD, UHD and super slow-motion cameras with the flexibility to configure camera outputs as needed – including producing SDR versions of the feeds alongside the HDR versions directly from the head.
“We ticked all the boxes for remote production with NativeIP, while delivering the high-quality results their clients require, such as flexible output configuration, no UHD compromise, colour space and HDR support to successfully bring the project together,” explained Daragh Bass, Grass Valley’s director of business development, EMEA. “The collaboration with Cloudbass reflects the growing adoption of Grass Valley’s market-leading cameras and switchers across the industry, and we’re proud to support them in enhancing their production capabilities while delivering the flexibility and efficiency needed for modern broadcast workflows.”
Cloudbass selected Grass Valley’s K-Frame VXP and LDX camera systems to meet demanding broadcast requirements with limited space, daily redeployment, and IP-based workflows. The K-Frame VXP offers Cloudbass a combination of advanced HDR/SDR colour mapping, flexible keyer configurations, integrated multiviewers, and native 100G IP connectivity, all in a compact 6RU frame. On the camera side, the NativeIP support, flexible output configuration and 3x/6x super slow motion capabilities make the LDX Series ideal for hybrid HD/UHD workflows, with robust image quality and custom HDR colour space handling. Combined with intuitive control and remote configurability, these solutions enable Cloudbass to deliver high-performance live production with agility, quality, and creative control.
Cloudbass’ new trucks are scheduled to make their debut in top-tier English football coverage this coming autumn, supporting high-speed, multi-format workflows for one of the most watched leagues in the world. Mike Bryan, technology director at dB Broadcast, added: “Grass Valley’s IP-based architecture is a perfect fit for this project, helping Cloudbass maximise both operational efficiency and sustainability. We’re excited to be working with them to deliver trucks that are not only powerful but also future-proof and energy efficient.”