Overview

The AJA BLVE-3G8-R0 Bridge Live 3G-8 is a 1RU turnkey appliance designed for high-density, low-latency, bidirectional streaming and transcoding, supporting up to 8x 3G-SDI I/O. It bridges SDI and IP video, supporting codecs like H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and NDI for REMI, remote collaboration, and live event production.

AJA Video Systems unveiled BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8, a new addition to its production-proven family of streaming and IP video solutions. Featuring eight bi-directional 3G-SDI connectors in a 1RU form factor, BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 doubles the 3G-SDI I/O capabilities of AJA’s BRIDGE LIVE. With an expanded channel count to provide video professionals with enhanced flexibility, the new solution decreases per channel costs for customers, while providing reliable encoding, decoding, and transcoding for critical live video environments. AJA will showcase the turnkey system for REMI, synchronous multi-channel video contribution, remote collaboration, direct-to-audience streaming, and multi-bitrate/multi-format delivery at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show from April 6-9, 2025, at the AJA Booth, SL3310.

Extensive support for industry-standard codecs and formats like H.264, H.265, NDI, SRT, and HLS ensures the device can support nearly any encoding/decoding/transcoding need that arises. BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 answers a broad range of live event production, remote workflow, multi-camera podcast, web-based programming, security and surveillance, and over-the-top (OTT) content delivery needs. Educational organizations and corporations with live stream workflows can also benefit from the device, while its synchronous multi-channel/multi-system transport streaming enables more efficient live sports and news broadcasts.

Features

• Pure IP transcode capability expands the usage of BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 beyond SDI workflows. It enables conversion between any IP codec, such as NDI to/from H.264 with SRT or HLS encapsulation.
• 8 bi-directional SDI ports with multi-frame rate capability enable usage of 25/50 and 59.94/60 frame rates at the same time.
• Bi-directional NDI-SDI conversion enables users to receive NDI (Full and HX) and decode to SDI or input SDI and encode to full NDI. They can also integrate remote NDI and non-NDI equipment/facilities via RTP/UDP/SRT and tap directly into the NDI network for a conduit to content delivery networks (CDNs) or other delivery mechanisms.
• Synchronous multi-channel/multi-system transport supports the backhaul of multiple SDI sources, which egress at the exact same time from the remote location, and with a receiving BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8, ensures the SDI outputs are aligned and genlocked. This unique timing feature also enables production switching, multi-cam recording or other workflows where live sources are required to be timed together.
• HLS input and output provide more ways to deliver content that can be provided to a CDN and consumed by multiple devices and software, including for remote screening to iOS, iPadOS and/or tvOS.  
• A video preview feature provides a visual check so that operators can ensure they have the correct SDI input/content for encoding. It promotes basic confidence while providing customers who cannot “go live” to check their content with added peace of mind. 

• SDI
  • YCbCr, 4:2:2, 10-bit
• Transport Streams
  • YCbCr, 4:2:2, 10-bit/8-bit
  • YCbCr, 4:2:0, 10-bit/8-bit
• NDI
  • P216, 4:2:2, 16-bit
  • UYVY, 4:2:2, 8-bit

Video Codecs

• H.264 (AVC, MPEG-4)
• H.265 (HEVC)
• JPEG 2000 (VSF TR-01)
• H.262 (MPEG-2)
• NDI
• JPEG XS (VSF TR-07)

Audio Streams/Codecs

• AAC-LC (ADTS, LATM)
• AAC-HE (ADTS, LATM)
• AAC-HE v1 & v2 (ADTS, LATM)
• AC3
• E-AC3 (input)
• Dolby E pass-through
• MPEG-2 Audio
• NDI (uncompressed float)
• Uncompressed PCM multi-channel (SMPTE ST 302M-2007) 

Metadata

• MPEG-2 ancillary packet support (SMPTE ST 2038)
• HDR over SDI end-to-end via VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, and Luminance 
• Closed Captioning (EIA-608/708)
• Line 21 Captions
• Metadata pass-through
• SCTE-35, SCTE-104
• Subtitles embedded within H.264 SEI messages
• Timecode embedded within HEVC and H.264 SEI messages
• Electronic program guide (EPG) on input

Containers and Protocols

• HLS (input)
  • AVC TS segments
  • Fragmented MP4
• HLS (output)
  • AVC TS segments
• MPEG-TS
• MPTS (input)
• RTMP
• RTMPS (output)
• RTP, UDP
• SRT (including encryption)
• VSF TR-01
• VSF TR-07

Video Processing

• Auto Color Component Sampling based on I/O settings
• Cropping / Padding
• Color adjustments
• Deinterlacing
• Frame rate 50% down-conversion (60p->30p, 59.94->29.97, 50p->25p)
• Frame rate up-conversion (50i->50p)
• Logo insertion 
• Resizing

Audio Processing

• Channel Remapping
• Gain
• Sample Rate conversion
• Up/Down-mixing (e.g., 5.1 to stereo and vice versa)

Synchronization

• Input PCR
  • Global configuration (in separate transport stream)
  • Local configuration (in each transport stream)
• Output PTS
  • Pass-through
  • Add offset to input PTS
• NTP
  • Encoder Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport
• PCR
  • Decoder Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport

Audio Input Digital

• 16-channel, 16 and 24-bit SDI embedded audio, 48 kHz sample rate, synchronous per SDI connection

Audio Output Digital

• 16-channel, 16 and 24-bit SDI embedded audio, 48 kHz sample rate, synchronous per SDI connection

Configuration and Monitoring

• Local “Kiosk” interface (keyboard, mouse, and monitor)
• Remote access via Browser
• REST API
• SNMP

BRIDGE LIVE 3G-8 Form Factor

• 1RU turnkey system
• 8x Din 1.0/2.3 (3G-SDI compatible)
• 2x 10 GigE RJ-45
• Local interface via Display Port and USB
• OS custom image
• Update and license via download

Size (w x d x h)

• 17.2” x 16.9" x 1.7" (436.88 x 429.26 x 43.18 mm)

Weight

• 28 lb. (12.7kg) in box
• 18 lb. (8.2kg) server only

Power

• 100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz (Dual, redundant power supplies) 
• 190W typical, 245W Maximum

Environment

• Safe Operating Temperature: 5 to 35 C (41 to 95 F) 
• Safe Storage Temperature (Power OFF): -40 to 60 C (-40 to 140 F) 
• Operating Relative Humidity: 8-90% noncondensing 
• Nonoperating Relative Humidity: 5-95% noncondensing