At NAB 2026, Ross Video introduced HyperMax, a new production switcher platform with resource pooling capabilities, and the TouchDrive TDx 5L, a five-stripe control surface for large-scale productions. The HyperMax platform utilizes Software Defined Production Engines within the Ultrix ecosystem, allowing dynamic resource allocation across multiple productions.
HyperMax's resource pooling model means facilities no longer need dedicated switcher hardware per production — processing blades can serve a large Monday Night Football broadcast one day and multiple smaller shows the next, with multiple control surfaces running off shared core hardware. The launch fits a broader NAB 2026 pattern: Sony introduced flexible weekly licensing for its M2LX software switcher (per SVG, April 2026), Grass Valley pushed its AMPP cloud platform and software-defined workflows, and Blackmagic shipped SMPTE-2110-native ATEM Constellation IP switchers from $7,995 (per RedShark News, April 2026). Watch how quickly existing Carbonite and Ultrix facilities adopt HyperMax licensing, and whether Sony or Grass Valley introduce comparable multi-switcher pooling features.
Ross Video's Carbonite HyperMax Resource Pool, announced at NAB 2026, represents the culmination of development that began with HyperMax's initial launch at NAB 2025. The V12.0 update introduced the ability to run multiple independent switcher instances within a single Ultrix frame, with each SDPE blade configurable as MaxME, MaxMini, or MaxScene depending on production needs. A single TouchDrive panel can now control specific ME and MiniME resources across up to four production switchers simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate panels per switcher and enabling centralized access to local and remote resources.
The business model behind HyperMax centers on dynamic software licensing managed through Ross Platform Manager rather than hardware purchases. License pooling allows facilities to activate advanced features such as MaxME, MaxMini, and MaxScene across SDPE blades on demand, scaling up for peak events and reallocating licenses when demand drops. This approach targets news organizations and sports broadcasters that need to support variable production schedules without maintaining dedicated hardware for every control room. The platform integrates into hybrid SDI, IP, and NDI signal environments with SMPTE ST 2110 support, allowing adoption as part of planned technology refreshes rather than requiring wholesale infrastructure replacement.
Ross Video's Carbonite family has more than 15,000 installations worldwide, providing a substantial installed base for HyperMax adoption. The company demonstrated the expanded production ecosystem at NAB 2026, including the additional HyperMax row, flexible licensing options, and the TouchDrive 5 control surface, alongside Carbonite Code Solo. The Resource Pool capability addresses a core operational challenge: maximizing production capacity while using hardware resources more efficiently across facilities that support national sports broadcasts, regional productions, and simultaneous studio shows throughout the week.
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