Provides at-a-touch routing and monitoring of BLADE//runner functions
Arkona technologies GmbH has announced native integration between its BLADE//runner AT300 platform and Bitfocus Buttons, the rapidly growing control system from media control and monitoring specialist Bitfocus. The arkona module (v1.0.0) is available now in Bitfocus Buttons v1.8.2 and later, supporting flexible working templates across both SMPTE ST 2110 and SDI applications. By connecting directly with the AT300 BLADE//runner, the integration allows users to perform a range of BLADE//runner functions at a touch, through a physical interface.
The most crucial of these functions is internal blade routing, along with external routing to third-party devices. The module can autodiscover sources and destinations, and these can then either autopopulate the Buttons, or be selected according to preference and need. Users can then route blades and devices with the simple touch of a button – whether that’s a straightforward SDI input to output, or more complex breakaway routing of SDI audio inputs into an audio shuffler.
Monitoring of blade status metrics is also another important element of the Buttons integration. Users can see at-a-glance where inputs and outputs are locked, connected or routed, as well as information about the hardware itself, including PTP lock status, power supply voltage, CPU usage and uptime. Multiple blades can be connected to the Buttons, with status displayed and the ability to identify and reboot as needed.
What distinguishes this integration is the attention given to practical operational requirements, extending well beyond basic technical compatibility. The combined engineering expertise of arkona and Bitfocus has resulted in BLADE//runner-specific configurations and preset templates at the Bitfocus control level, designed to make the platform’s capabilities readily accessible in real-world production environments. Autodiscovery, autopopulation and a comprehensive range of preconfigured collections and setups for common workflows allow operators to get started immediately, without extensive manual configuration. At the same time, Bitfocus’s intuitive user interface enables users to configure, adapt and save their own personalised workflow presets, providing the flexibility to tailor BLADE//runner control to specific production requirements while retaining the simplicity of an out-of-the-box solution.
Tarald Moe Bjølseth, Key Account Manager Europe and Africa at Bitfocus, commented: “The strength of this partnership lies in the complementary expertise of our engineering teams and their shared understanding of real-world production challenges. By developing BLADE//runner-specific configurations and preset templates within the Bitfocus control environment, we have gone beyond basic interoperability to create a genuinely practical solution. Autodiscovery, autopopulation and preconfigured collections for common workflows allow operators to get started immediately, while the intuitive Bitfocus interface makes it easy to customise, adapt and save individual setups. We’re proud of what our teams have achieved by combining their technical expertise and look forward to building on this success with new features in future releases.”
Speaking of their platform more generally, he added: “We’re really proud to be able to extend our support to arkona, alongside our other new capabilities for tally, timelines and virtual routing. With these, the platform now operates as a fully featured Broadcast Control System, while continuing to deliver what Bitfocus is best known for: mission-critical show control. With support for more than 850 different connections across the platform, arkona joins an extensive ecosystem, with workflows that flexibly combine both SMPTE ST 2110 and SDI”.
Wiggo Evensen, Sales & Partner Manager at arkona technologies, added: “We knew from early contact with Bitfocus that they understood implicitly that workflow efficiency is about achieving a perfect balance between speed and flexibility. Achieving that requires a real understanding the product you’re integrating with – in this case, our BLADE//runner – and then packaging likely functional workflows together in easy-access presets, whilst still making it simple to adapt and alter those if desired”.
He continued: “Ultimately, Bitfocus provides an intuitive way for all users – not just engineers – to leverage the power of the BLADE//runner, whether that’s within a single blade or across many within a facility, whilst allowing the user to grow their operation as needed. We’re proud of what our teams have achieved by combining their technical expertise and look forward to building on this success as we develop new features for future releases”.
More information about arkona technologies and manifold technologies and their solutions is available at www.arkonatech.com and www.manifoldtech.tv.