ARRI ALEXA 35 Live ST 2110 update enables uncompressed UHD transport

This update removes the technical friction between high-end cinematic aesthetics and the rigid requirements of live IP broadcast infrastructure. By adopting open standards like NMOS and ST 2110, ARRI ensures its multicam system is compatible with existing SMPTE-based routing and control layers used by major sports and entertainment broadcasters. This move signals a broader industry shift where the distinction between 'cinema' and 'broadcast' hardware is disappearing in favor of unified IP workflows. Watch for adoption rates among high-end flypack providers as they transition away from legacy SDI-to-IP conversion hardware.

The SMPTE ST 2110 standard has become the backbone of IP-based live production, and ARRI's ALEXA 35 Live system is joining a growing ecosystem of cameras and infrastructure that support it. In early 2025, Sony announced that its HDC-3500F and HDC-5500 system cameras would ship with native ST 2110 support, reinforcing the trend of major camera manufacturers embedding the standard directly into hardware rather than relying on external converters. Similarly, Blackmagic Design introduced ST 2110 compatibility across its URSA Broadcast G2 line in March 2025, signaling that even mid-range production cameras are moving toward native IP transport. ARRI's decision to deliver ST 2110 via a software update rather than new hardware positions the ALEXA 35 Live as a flexible option for facilities that have already invested in IP infrastructure.

On the business and standards side, the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) continues to drive NMOS interoperability, which is central to ARRI's implementation. AMWA published NMOS IS-04 v1.3.1 and IS-05 v1.1.2 specifications in late 2024, tightening device discovery and connection management requirements for ST 2110 environments. The Video Services Forum (VSF) has also been active, with its TR-08 specification for ST 2110 interoperability gaining formal endorsement from multiple broadcast equipment vendors throughout 2025. These standards efforts reduce integration risk for facilities adopting ARRI's system alongside existing SMPTE-compliant routing and control layers from vendors like Riedel Communications and SimplyLive, both of which are mentioned as ecosystem partners in the ALEXA 35 Live workflow.

From a technical standpoint, the ALEXA 35 Live's uncompressed UHD transport over ST 2110 demands significant bandwidth, typically 12 Gbps per 4K signal. EBU showcases cloud-native ST 2110 and uncompressed broadcast workflows at IBC, highlighting how industry leaders are managing these high-bandwidth requirements. Nevion reported in a 2025 technical brief that uncompressed 4K60 over ST 2110 requires careful network design to avoid packet loss, particularly when multiple camera feeds converge on a single spine switch. ARRI's inclusion of hitless redundancy (ST 2022-7) in the LPS-1 SUP 1.5.0 update addresses this concern by duplicating each stream across separate network paths. Abbott Elementary production workflow uses ARRI 35 for broadcast efficiency, demonstrating the system's versatility in high-end production environments where reliability is paramount. Recent ST 2110 infrastructure upgrades continue to validate this transition for major network operators, as industry analysts forecasts universal IP-based production by the end of 2026.