BitFire Shines Under International Spotlight by Deploying 75 Simultaneous Remotes and Over 100 Total IP Broadcast Transport Feeds for 2020 NHL Draft

NHL Network receives remote contribution from 31 NHL clubs and over 40 draft prospects through BitFire’s browser-based FireBridge for its coverage of the 2020 NHL Draft

PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#iptransport–BitFire, a solution developed in response to new-world demand for an agile, professional-grade, live IP television transport experience, and remote production services, successfully deployed its remote IP video transport and production solutions this past week on an international stage – the 2020 NHL Draft. BitFire was commissioned by NHL Network to solve a unique challenge for synchronizing all 31 NHL clubs from their respective locations, and over 40 more draft prospects located throughout North America and Europe as teams made their selections remotely via a virtual draft due to COVID-19. BitFire also was tasked with providing over 100 feeds to NHL Network’s facilities for its world coverage of the two-day event.

With prospects drafted all over the world covering a wide span of time zones, BitFire showed a high-level of calm, professionalism and can-do attitude to help produce a high-quality broadcast experience. BitFire provided NHL Network with 37 servers for the NHL teams utilizing BitFire Transport Network. The company also provided over 50 links to browser-based FireBridge for communication contribution from draft prospects from around the world to the NHL Network. BitFire’s NOC in Boston was operated by dedicated personnel who oversaw the feeds from a 31-box Multiviewer created by BitFire, then feeds transmitted to NHL Network.

“This partnership with NHL Network is a testament to the commitment of these two organizations to provide hockey fans with an uncompromised, broadcast-quality viewer experience,” said Bob Sullivan, CEO of BitFire. “Our company was created by broadcasting experts and engineers who are professional and poised, and they aren’t afraid to take on challenges and create customized solutions for our clients. We join the international hockey players, families, and fans in our excitement to have made the virtual draft a success, and we’re grateful to our broadcast partners for trusting us to deliver. This shines a bright, global spotlight on the depth of BitFire’s talent, technologies, and solution-focused capabilities.”

“Collaborating with BitFire to produce coverage of the 2020 NHL Draft was an extremely rewarding experience,” said Susan Stone, NHL Network SVP of Operations and Engineering. “Through creativity and innovation, BitFire provided a robust and efficient IP transmission system, which was vital in presenting this world-class virtual experience for one of the National Hockey League’s tentpole events.”

BitFire was built by broadcasters for broadcast solutions. The live video transport platform intelligently combines pioneering technology with advanced 24/7 network management that dramatically reduces latency and surpasses the quality and performance of any other live transmission or production company currently in-market, taking live video from where it is to where it needs to be.

About BitFire

BitFire is an end-to-end live video transmission and production solution built by broadcasters for broadcast solutions. With headquarters in Phoenix and Boston, BitFire was created in response to new-world demand for an agile, professional-grade, live IP video transport experience, and expert remote production services. BitFire’s comprehensive platform includes the BitFire Transport Network, a fully managed portal that provides point-to-point delivery of broadcast-quality video to wherever it needs to go. The BitFire Transport Network can be accessed by either browser-based FireBridge, when broadcast is needed for one-to-one or one-to-many live contribution and collaboration, or through FirePower, a stackable HD server and authentic configuration that receives and delivers video packets with deterministic latency and frame-accurate synchronization. BitFire Production Services are provided by a team of broadcast experts, along with production trucks and additional assets, including remote production control rooms (REMI), camera packages, and live production and post- production capabilities. BitFire is taking live video from where it is, to where it needs to be.

Visit BitFireNetworks.com for more information.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Melanie McBride

McBride Communications

M: 480.862.9094

E: MelJoMcBride@gmail.com