Bridge Technologies Adds Ancillary Data Synchronisation For Metadata Alignment

Bridge Technologies will use IBC2025 to announce a new set of enhancements to its innovative AV Sync Generator toolset, an award-winning component of its wider VB440 production probe.

In addition to frame-accurate synchronisation for audio and video, the functionality has now been expanded to include synchronisation for ancillary data – a function particularly beneficial for ensuring alignment of metadata such as captions, timecode, and signalling, and thus critical for maintaining consistent video length, accurate start and end points, and precise triggering across complex production workflows.

In addition, HDR colour bars have been added to give users yet another layer of intuitive, at-a-glance visualisation when managing production workflows. These enhancements will be demonstrated live at IBC 2025, where attendees will see how the VB440 continues to redefine the possibilities of IP-based production monitoring – not just through the breadth of its functionality, but the depth of innovation within each feature.

Precise AV sync is mission-critical in live production, and in IP-based workflows, where audio, video, and metadata are transported in discrete streams, maintaining that synchronisation becomes significantly more complex. Historically, frame accurate management of this issue has largely been the preserve of Tier One broadcasters with specialist hardware and significant budgets. The VB440’s AV Sync Generator challenges that status quo by delivering a browser-based solution accessible to any production environment – large or small, from anywhere in the world.

The VB440’s AV sync feature works by embedding machine-readable electronic markers directly into the audio signals and using a built-in sync client to visualise, in real time, the delta between video and a virtually unlimited number of audio channels or groups – including immersive audio formats. This provides operators with immediate, granular insight into alignment, allowing for swift and accurate correction. Additional visualisation tools such as rolling shutter simulation, blink-and-beep reference cues, and now HDR-compatible colour bars enhance ease-of-use and confidence in synchronisation.

What truly sets the tool apart, however, is its flexibility. Running entirely within an HTML-5 browser interface, the VB440 allows multiple users – anywhere in the world – to access and monitor production-critical AV sync data in real time, without specialist training or localised setups. And with the recent addition of ancillary data synchronisation, the tool continues to demonstrate how every member of the production team is supported across a full spectrum of technical and creative roles – from video engineers and audio technicians to those managing captions, timecode, and other metadata streams.

Beyond live monitoring, the VB440 also allows for third-party integration via API, paving the way for proactive sync management. In essence, the AV Sync Generator doesn’t just solve today’s problems – it’s built with tomorrow’s automation in mind.

You might also like...

Live Sports Production: Part 3 – Evolving OB Infrastructure

Welcome to Part 3 of ‘Live Sports Production’ - This multi-part series uses a round table style format to explore the technology of live sports production with some of the industry’s leading broadcast engineers. It is a fascinating insight into w…

Building Software Defined Infrastructure: Systems & Data Flows

For broadcasters seeking to build robust workflows from software defined infrastructure, key considerations arise around data flows and the pro’s and cons of open and closed systems.

Broadcast Standards: Microservices Functionality, Routing, API’s & Analytics

Here we delve into the inner workings of microservices and how to deploy & manage them. We look at their pros and cons, the role of DevOps, Event Bus architecture, the role of API’s and the elevated need for l…

Monitoring & Compliance In Broadcast: Part 3 - Production Systems

‘Monitoring & Compliance In Broadcast’ explores how exemplary content production and delivery standards are maintained and legal obligations are met. The series includes four Themed Content Collections, each of which tackles a different area of the media supply chain. Part 3 con…

IP Monitoring & Diagnostics With Command Line Tools: Part 8 - Caching The Results

Storing monitoring outcomes in temporary cache containers separates the observation and diagnostic processes so they can run independently of the centralised marshalling and reporting process.