How KS Motorsports and Haivision are Changing Motorsports Broadcasting 

KS Motorsport Organisations e.K. is a broadcast services provider headquartered in Würzburg, Germany that specializes in the live coverage of motorsport events around the world. Relying on leveraging state-of-the-art innovative technology, KS ensures the highest quality video broadcasts of all levels of racing events.

We recently spoke with the CEO of KS Motorsport Organisations e.K, Kai Schoke, to learn about the challenges of covering live races and how Haivision has provided them with a video technology solution for the high-quality coverage of race events at low latency over a 5G wireless network.

A need to upgrade

KS Motorsports was searching for a reliable and cost-effective method of providing live video transmission from inside racecars during events. However, weak connectivity combined with inefficient video encoding technology created a sizable challenge for KS. Video signals from cars were being sent up to airplanes and back down to production vans over a wireless mesh network, leading to an expensive set-up that was unstable and unreliable.

Overhauling its entire infrastructure would be time-consuming and expensive, so KS Motorsports was looking for flexible and reliable technology compatible with their current set-up so that it can deliver the quality it requires.

Turning to Haivision and its comprehensive portfolio of low latency mobile video transmitters, KS found the right solution to capture dynamic and immersive race footage during high-profile motorsport events over stable 5G connectivity, eliminating the need for an ad hoc mesh network for contribution.

The Haivision solution

Following a comprehensive test period, KS chose Haivision mobile video transmitters to elevate their live production of motorsports. As Kai Schoke explains:

“Through rigorous testing, Haivision’s mobile video solutions emerged as the technical frontrunner, outperforming all competitors. What distinguishes Haivision from other solution providers is its adaptability for in-car installations, a crucial factor for motorsport applications, while providing reliable and stable video transmission.”

KS outfitted each car with multiple cameras including on the front, back, and side of the vehicle to catch dynamic action from the racetrack. Mounted inside is a Haivision Pro460 mobile video transmitter with four SDI video inputs that can simultaneously encode and transmit all live camera feeds over a 5G network. A Haivision StreamHub receiver located in the production truck decodes the synchronized video streams for distribution to the client. The integration of Haivision products into KS’ existing infrastructure was seamless and provided exactly what was needed as Schoke explains:

“The adaptability of Haivision’s products and the combination of the Haivision Pro460 and StreamHub effectively addressed our issues and helped us to successfully accomplish our objective. According to our client, the immediate benefits were enhanced efficiency in video signal transmission, simplified operation, and seamless integration of up to four onboard cameras.”

KS Motorsports and Haivision are leading the race

KS Motorsports and its clients have been more than happy with the results following the switch to Haivision solutions and according to Schoke, this partnership is transforming how motorsports are being broadcast and are very excited about the future:

“The synergy between KS Motorsport Organisations and Haivision has elevated the standard for video signal transmission in motorsports. The simplicity of operation and streamlined configuration processes set Haivision apart, making their solutions more user-friendly and efficient,” said Schoke. “Over time, our collaboration with Haivision is expected to yield enduring benefits for our clients including sustained and reliable video transmission during motorsport events, continued ease of use, and the ability to tailor solutions based on evolving client demands.”