Grass Valley and Lawo sync AMPP and HOME for hybrid production

Broadcasters are moving away from proprietary hardware toward virtualized, container-based microservices. By harmonizing AMPP and HOME, the two dominant software-defined platforms are signaling that the next phase of broadcast infrastructure relies on standardizing the 'virtual cabling' between vendors. This reduces the risk for major networks hesitant to commit to cloud workflows that lack unified orchestration. As compute costs rise, high-performance interoperability via the Media eXchange Layer becomes a critical operational requirement for live sports and news teams needing to burst capacity across hybrid environments. Watch for the first multi-vendor DMF deployments to reach scale during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where low-latency software exchange will be tested under peak global loads.

The transition to software-defined production has accelerated as broadcasters seek to maximize infrastructure efficiency while facing rising compute costs. Per TV Tech (June 2026), public cloud processing costs for broadcast inference have risen significantly due to a deficit in GPU capacity and high demand for AI-driven workflows. To mitigate these risks, industry leaders like Lawo have introduced credit-based payment systems that allow operators to reallocate budgets dynamically between private on-premises servers and public cloud instances depending on the specific event requirements.

This move toward vendor neutrality is a primary goal of the EBU’s Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) framework. According to The Broadcast Bridge (February 2026), the DMF standard was designed to replace hardwired configurations with virtualized processes managed by Kubernetes. Central to this is the Media eXchange Layer (MXL), which simplifies the exchange of uncompressed video between different vendors' software. An alpha version of the MXL SDK was released in mid-2025 under Linux Foundation stewardship to enable high-performance, 'in-memory' media sharing with lower latency than traditional IP packet stacks.

The push for interoperability is already visible in major global projects. Per TVBEurope (June 2026), Fox Sports utilized virtualized platforms and the REMI production model for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to consolidate multi-venue operations. Industry analysts from Deloitte Insights noted in early 2026 that as hybrid architectures become the default for live operations, success will increasingly depend on these open frameworks rather than proprietary migration strategies. This consensus has prompted other major players, including Sony and Ross Video, to align with MXL-based transport to ensure their software functions can integrate into multi-vendor production clusters.