Customer Success: Why the Makito X4 Video Encoder and SRT are the Gold Standard for Live Contribution

No matter your use case, building a resilient broadcast contribution workflow requires a suite of video solutions that are not only interoperable but are complementary in achieving your production goals. It goes without saying, then, that not all video encoding solutions are created equal. If low latency, high-quality, reliability, and ease of use matter to you, read on to see what other customers like you have experienced when using the Makito X4 video encoder and the SRT protocol.

Built-in Reliability

Tried, tested, and proven in the field, the Makito X4 video encoder’s rock-solid reliability provides our customers with peace of mind. Consider solutions that make your life easy with an intuitive user interface which makes set up and configuration a breeze. This means adopting encoders, decoders, and other solutions that are straightforward to use and are ready to go live the moment they’re turned on.

“The beauty of the Haivision technology is that it turns right on, everything just lines up and locks in, video is being transported, and people are ready to go to work. It’s a testament to how battle-tested it is.”

Brad Cheney, VP Field Operations and Engineering, Fox Sports

Focusing on Interoperability

Part of what makes video streaming so interesting are all of the variables that need to fall into place in order to broadcast live. In this post we’ve shared much about Makito X4 video encoders and decoders, but there’s a key component that brings it all together, especially when we’re talking about interoperability: the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) Protocol.

“Haivision solutions are at the heart of our contribution system today. We have chosen this technology because of its reliability, ultra-low latency, and native support for SRT, enabling interoperability with a broad range of systems, from cameras to cloud-based mixers.”

Franck Choquard, Head of Content and Platforms, Eurovision Sport

When Low Latency is a Must

Milliseconds matter – but we don’t have to tell you that. When ultra-low latency is a must, the Makito X4 steps up to the plate.

“What we like about Haivision and the SRT protocol together is that you can have sub-second latency for traditional satellite or bonded cellular solutions where you need instant feedback versus waiting for a satellite uplink or downlink. You can be looking at a one-and-a-half to two-second delay. But with Haivision we now can go all the way down to 150 milliseconds to 200 milliseconds glass-to-glass.”

Leann Antucci, President and Owner, Stiver Inc.

Behind-the-Scenes Support

Reliability doesn’t stop at the encoder itself. When questions arise or an issue causes a hiccup in your production, having responsive support is invaluable.

“Support is like insurance; you don’t think about it until you need it. Haivision’s support has been very responsive, very easy to get a hold of, which is very important for us. It gives us the confidence to be able to use and trust these tools.”

Tyler Dalzell, Head of Information Technology, alter ego

Security Safeguards

Yes, having the right video encoders and decoders is critical, but enlisting the SRT protocol adds a layer of security that is required for many live productions, protecting valuable video content with AES-128/256 encryption.

“We selected the Makito X platform because of its native support for the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol which provides both excellent packet loss recovery and the security that our clients demand to protect their valuable content.”

Ken Stiver, Senior Director, Engineering and Fields Operations, The Switch

Space-Saving Solutions

While not every live production setup is the same, many can appreciate the benefits of a low latency video encoders in a compact form factor.

“No other company offers the compact form factor of the Makito X4 encoder, which allows us to simultaneously send streams from four cameras in sync back to our studio in 200 milliseconds, It’s been a total game-changer. We turned it on and immediately saw the benefits. Not only has the Makito X4 made our workflows easier and faster to set up, but it has also made our overall production look better.”

David Sullivan, Senior Broadcast & Media Engineer, Philadelphia Eagles