Blackmagic Design ships Fairlight Live, adding 2110 IP audio to ATEM workflows

The release of Fairlight Live effectively commoditizes high-end broadcast audio mixing by removing the entry cost of specialized hardware engines. By bridging ATEM switchers with complex software-based mixing via simple USB, Blackmagic is lowering the barrier for mid-tier productions to adopt immersive audio and SMPTE 2110 workflows. This move pressures traditional console manufacturers as software-defined production becomes more capable. For the ecosystem, the integration with Blackmagic Cloud Stream Router signals a shift toward decentralized, IP-centric production where hardware acts as an edge device for cloud-routed signals. Watch for adoption rates in houses of worship and corporate studios, where the free software tier may disrupt long-standing hardware replacement cycles.

The launch of Fairlight Live follows a significant pricing pivot for Blackmagic Design. Per RedShark News and No Film School in May 2026, the company issued multiple price increases across its URSA Cine and Cloud Store product lines, citing a global shortage of flash memory and high-speed DRAM driven by AI data center demand. Some storage-heavy products saw price jumps as high as 59%. To mitigate these costs for users, Blackmagic introduced storage-free variants of its ATEM Television Studio range, allowing customers to use their own external USB disks for recording—a hardware strategy that aligns with the software-first approach seen in the Fairlight Live release.

Technically, Fairlight Live positions Blackmagic to benefit from the broader industry transition from SDI to IP-based infrastructure. Per SMPTE and TV Technology in April 2026, the adoption of SMPTE ST 2110 reached a critical tipping point this year, with roughly 65% of broadcasters planning cloud-integrated IP workflows by the end of 2026. By including native ST 2110 support in a free application, Blackmagic is lowering the technical friction for smaller production houses to join this standard. This release also marks the formal transition of Fairlight from a post-production tool within DaVinci Resolve into a standalone live environment, a move first previewed at NAB 2026 to compete with established software mixers like vMix and OBS Studio.