Ideal Systems triumphs at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025
The company emerged as the recipient of the Live Event Streaming - Singapore and Multi-Channel Playout System - India accolades.
Ideal Systems was honoured at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025 for its NDI-based Video Production and Streaming System, in partnership with Singapore Polytechnic, as well as for successfully designing and relocating Sony’s Singapore broadcast facility to Culver Max Entertainment’s (formerly Sony Pictures Networks India) new state-of-the-art hub in Mumbai.
NDI-based Video Production and Streaming System
Singapore Polytechnic, the nation’s oldest polytechnic, has taken a bold step into the future of live event production by adopting Ideal System’s state-of-the-art NDI-based Video Production and Streaming System. The setup is now an integral part of the Diploma in Integrated Events and Project Management (DEPM) curriculum, giving students hands-on experience with professional-grade tools used in today’s fast-changing media landscape.
As Singapore’s first and oldest polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic has long been known for its forward-thinking programmes. The DEPM course emphasises real-world learning and allows students to plan and execute live events in collaboration with industry partners.
With the new NDI system in place, students will gain first-hand knowledge in a professional video production environment using the latest technology and standards. Unlike traditional AV setups made for single-use companies, this system is built for education. It gives students access to advanced production tools, helping them master both traditional SDI workflows, Hybrid workflows and modern all IP-based video technology.
The system also includes Vizrt’s TriCaster 2 Elite, virtual sets, live video switching, and seamless streaming capabilities that are all wrapped into one powerful platform.
By integrating these tools into the DEPM course, Singapore Polytechnic is creating a one-of-a-kind training environment that blends broadcast technology with event management—making students job-ready for the AV industry.
At the heart of the system is a high-performance Netgear switch, supporting 4K video formats and advanced IP protocols. The setup includes Birddog NDI PTZ cameras, Panasonic camcorders, Dante-enabled Yamaha audio mixers, and AJA Bridge Live for remote connectivity. It also uses custom-built mobile racks, each capable of supporting remote production from six different locations. These racks have professional cameras, wireless audio, and 4G/5G-enabled streaming via secure, low-latency SRT.
For students, the system offers practical training with industry-standard tools. For lecturers, on the other hand, they now have a more powerful way to teach both legacy and cutting-edge broadcasting techniques, and how to bridge the two.
The benefits of this technology extend beyond the classroom. The system has already powered several major Singapore Polytechnic events, from symposiums to celebrations, delivering quality streaming to both in-person and online audiences.
Relocating Sony’s Singapore broadcast facility
Meanwhile, the relocation Culver Max Entertainment’s new state-of-the-art hub in Mumbai involved moving over 50 24x7 live TV channels from the Singapore operation centre to the new facility in Mumbai without any on-air disruption, but also designing and building the new future-ready facility to meet Sony’s evolving needs in the digital age.
Led by Project Director Han van 't Zand from Ideal Systems, the transition was executed with zero downtime to Sony’s continuous broadcast and streaming services, and was achieved through careful planning, expert engineering, and a close collaboration between Singapore and Mumbai’s Culver Max’s in-house teams.
At the heart of the new facility is a fully redesigned Master Control Room (MCR) built for maximum efficiency and flexibility. Supporting over 50 channels, including live sports, general entertainment, and international content, the MCR is backed by dedicated “Live Pods” to handle real-time production and delivery of dynamic content such as sports and news.
To ensure 365 round-the-clock reliability and future scalability, the facility includes fully redundant Computer Equipment Rooms (CERs). These CERs power a high-performance broadcast system that features Imagine Communications’ ADC automation for seamless linear playout; Grass Valley signal routing, multi-viewers, and infrastructure components; GB Labs’ intelligent storage systems for high-speed data access; a 3-petabyte archive built on DAC’s Alto and AWS Glacier for secure, long-term media storage; and Skyline’s DataMiner platform for real-time monitoring and operational insights.
Gaurav Sahni, Senior Vice President & Head of Broadcast Operations & Technology at Culver Max Entertainment, praised the smooth and coordinated effort. “We have a long-trusted relationship with Ideal Systems in Singapore and we were very comfortable trusting them to deliver this very large complex project safely and on time,” he said.
“Requiring precise timing and project management both in Singapore and in our new facility in Mumbai, with Ideal teams effectively working as an extension of our own teams to make the project such a success,” he stated.
The new Mumbai hub now serves as the central engine for Sony’s broadcast operations in the region. With a robust and scalable platform in place, Culver Max Entertainment is positioned to lead the next wave of innovation in broadcast and digital content delivery in India and beyond.
Fintan Mc Kiernan, CEO of Ideal Systems Singapore, stated, “We were delighted to be chosen for the relocation project by Sony as it played to our strengths where we coordinated teams of engineers in Singapore and Mumbai for a flawless project managed and sychronised switch over of live TV services to the new facility.”
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards commends companies, industry partners, and vendors in the broadcasting industry that introduce technological advancements in the field. The awards programme highlights projects and initiatives in areas such as digitalisation and engineering.