Overview
SL NEO Multi-Channel Playout is a high-performance, software-defined platform for building and operating multiple broadcast or OTT channels on a single server. It combines automationgrade playlist control, live and file-based playback, dynamic graphics, subtitle processing, and real-time format conversion into one unified engine.
Built on the same robust core used in mission-critical broadcast environments, SL NEO can simultaneously play out up to 24 HD or 4 UHD channels per server, each with fully independent playlists, graphics layers, caption workflows, and failover logic.
From master control rooms to FAST and OTT operations, SL NEO delivers television-grade reliability with the flexibility modern playout demands.
As part of the SL NEO Media Platform, Multi-Channel Playout integrates seamlessly with ingest, media management, graphics, QC, and automation modules — enabling a unified workflow across one or many hardware platforms.
Optimized for 24/7 operation, SL NEO ensures predictable, synchronized, and visually flawless playout at any scale.
Highlights
Up to 24 HD or 4 UHD channels per server
markers—frame-accurate and fully deterministic.
Key Features
- Channel & Output Capabilities
- ▸ Multi-channel playout from a single server
- ▸ Simultaneous SDI and IP outputs per channel
- ▸ Clean and dirty feed generation
- Content Ingest & Playback
- ▸ File-based, live, and growing-file playback
- ▸ Supports YouTube and other video platforms for live input and output. IP streams can be used as playlist items without consuming server inputs
- ▸ On-the-fly trimming, scrubbing, and cueing
- Playlist & Automation
- ▸ Manual, scheduled, and event-driven playlist execution
- ▸ Export AsRun logs and BXF Connector for integration with traffic systems
- ▸ SCTE-35/104, DTMF, GPI trigger support
- Graphics & Branding
- ▸ Built-in dynamic graphics: logos, tickers, crawls, banners, DVE
- ▸ External graphics integration (Chyron, VizRT)
- Subtitles & Accessibility
- ▸ Multilingual subtitles and captions: CEA-608/708, DVB, Teletext, SRT, STL, EBU-XML conversion, Live and AI-based captions
- Video & Audio Processing
- ▸ Real-time up/down/cross conversion
- ▸ HDR/SDR handling and audio normalization
- ▸ Up to 64 audio channels per service
- ▸Loudness control (EBU-R128)
- ▸Accepts audio from multiple sources (WDM, mics, Dante/AES67, IP streams) and mixes it into playout outputs, with up to 60 s A/V offset for precise synchronization
- Media Management
- ▸ Integrated media database and metadata with support for external storage systems
- Redundancy & Reliability
- ▸ N+1 / N+N failover with playlist and graphics sync
- Monitoring & Control
- ▸ Real-time visual control of Playout and Ingest channels in the Multiscreen module
- ▸ System status monitoring in Air Manager with SNMP support for external monitoring systems
- User Interfaces & Control
- ▸ Desktop client, Web UI, hardware panels and remote control
- ▸ Unified control of playout, graphics, and ingest channels, with flexible role-based access for different operators
- Integration & Ecosystem
- ▸ REST API and automation interfaces
- ▸ Router control for all major vendors
- Deployment
- ▸ On-prem, hybrid, and cloud deployment
Workflow
Each SL NEO server hosts multiple fully independent channels.
Every channel has its own:
▸ Playlist
▸ Live inputs
▸ Graphic layers
▸ Subtitle streams
▸ Output format and routing
Operators can manage all channels from a single interface while maintaining complete isolation between services.
Channels may combine:
▸ File-based content
▸ Growing files (near-live)
▸ Live SDI/IP feeds
Switching between sources is seamless and frame-accurate. Content can be trimmed, re-ordered, or replaced while on-air.
Playlists may be executed by:
▸ Time schedules
▸ Operator actions
▸ SCTE-35/104 markers
▸ DTMF tones
▸ GPI events
▸ Media-embedded cues
This enables regional ad insertion, live program overrides, and dynamic channel behavior
without external automation systems.
Air Manager is a multifunctional client application designed for centralized control of SkyLark recording and playout servers, graphics stations, and media storage. It provides a unified workspace for creating, editing, and executing recording and playout schedules — both for standalone servers and for fully automated broadcast, production, ingest, and archive facilities.
Air Manager is the primary operational tool for ingest and on-air operators in broadcast environments, enabling fast, accurate program preparation and real-time control of complex multi-channel workflows.
Broadcast List Web is part of the Web Access client interface and is used to display the playlist loaded in the Program module directly in a web browser, providing remote, read-only monitoring of on-air and upcoming events.
Integrated Ecosystem
SL NEO Multi-Channel Playout is fully integrated into the SL NEO Media Platform — a modular, software-defined environment where specialized modules operate together in real time.
Additional modules — including Graphics, Ingest & Encoding, and Base Module — can be combined to create a fully tailored solution:
Use Cases
Technical Specifications
SYSTEM
| Chassis | 2U — 4U, dual hot-swap power supplies |
| CPU | 1 or 2 x Intel Xeon or AMD Epyc Series |
| Memory | 48 / 96 GB DDR4 |
| System Drive | SSD for OS |
| Network | 2 x onboard 1GbE |
| Storage | Built-in RAID-10, 4 or 8 x SAS 3.5″ RE drives (4 or 8 TB), useful capacity |
| OS | Windows Server |
Channels
| Mode | HD/SD | Ultra HD |
| Channels | 1 — 24 | 1 — 4 |
Video Formats & Color Spaces
| Formats | 625i/525i, 720p, 1080i/1080p, 2K 2048×1080p, 2160p |
| Frame Rates | 25 / 29.97 / 50 / 59.94 / 60 fps |
| Color Spaces | BT.601 / BT.709 / BT.2020, HDR: SMPTE ST 2084, ARIB STD-B67 |
I/O Streams: Interfaces, Protocols, Codecs
| SDI | SDI 1.5G to 12G, embedded audio |
| IP (Broadcast) | SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE ST 2022−7 |
| IP (Streaming) | NDI, HLS, RTMP, UDP, RTP, SRT, Zixi, RIST, MPEG-DASH |
| DVB / ATSC IP | UDP / RTP, Unicast / Multicast, SPTS / MPTS |
| DVB / ATSC ASI | SPTS / MPTS |
| Video Codecs | MPEG-2, H.264, HEVC |
| Audio | 48 kHz / 16−24 bit PCM (SMPTE-302M), MPEG-1 L-I/II, AAC, AC3, AC3 and E-AC3 Pass-Through |
Input Ancillary & MPEG-TS Data
| Teletext / CC | OP-42 / OP-47 WST Teletext, Closed Captions |
| Closed Captions | CEA-608 / CEA-708, SRT, STL, EBU-XML |
| Subtitles / EPG | DVB / ATSC Subtitles, EPG |
| Markers | SCTE-104 / SCTE-35 with metadata |
Protocols & Device Support
| Monitoring | SNMP (SL NEO Software) |
| Hardware Panels | X-KEYS XK-24 / 60 / 80 |
| Automation | REST API, Router & GPI Control, Schedule, SCTE-35/104, DTMF, BXF |
File Containers
| Category | Supported |
| MXF | OP-1A, OP-1B, D10, Avid OP-Atom |
| Sony | XDCAM HD/422, XAVC (50…480, Long GOP) |
| Panasonic | P2 AVC-Ultra (50…480, Long GOP) |
| General | AVI, MPEG PS/TS, MOV, DV DIF, MP4, MPG, GXF |
| Still Graphics | JPG, BMP, With Alpha: PNG, TGA, TIFF, PSD |
Video with Alpha
| Codecs | Uncompressed, TGA, PNG, ProRes, QTRLE, SpeedHQ, Lagarith |
| Methods | Key from separate file, JPGA (AVI) |
| Containers | AVI, MOV, Still image sequences |
Video/Audio Codecs (Files Playout)
| SD / HD | DV25 DVCPRO25/50/HD100 HDV IMX 30/40/50 XDCAM EX SP/HQ XDCAM HD LP/SP/HQ/422 DNxHD 120/145/180/220 AVCHD XAVC 50/100/200 XAVC Long GOP AVC-Ultra 50/100/200 AVC-Ultra Long GOP ProRes HQ/SD/LT MPEG-2 I-Frame/Long GOP H.264 I-Frame/Long GOP |
| Ultra HD | H.264 8/10-bit XAVC 300/480 XAVC Long GOP AVC-Ultra 300/480 AVC-Ultra Long GOP ProRes SQ/HQ DNxHR SQ/HQ HEVC 8/10-bit |
| Audio | ADPCM, MPEG-1 L-I/II, AAC, AC3, E-AC3, WMA, FLAC, ALAC |
Playout Environments
| Graphics | Multiple real-time layers per channel |
| OS File System | File-based recording; normal or fragment-ed file mode (array of files with configurable fixed duration) |
| Failover | N+1 / N+N with live sync |
| Control Interfaces | Desktop client, Web UI, API |
| Audio Processing | EBU-R128 loudness normalization Audio level control |
| Synchronization | LTC, NTP, Black-Burst, Tri-Level |
Hardware & Software Options
| Hardware Options | LTC Input (incl. supported LTC reader and software license: Adrienne AEC-4I, Plura PLC, Miranda Little Red, Horita TCI-50) GPIO (incl. supported USB GPIO and software license, up to 8 I/O ports: Ontrak ADU200, ADU2X8) GPU Board Increase Internal RAID Array Capacity 2x SSD in RAID-1 for System |
| I/O Interfaces & Boards | SDI / ASI — DekTec DTA-2172 / 2174B / 2175 / 2178 / 2179 / 2195 ASI / IP — DekTec DTA-2160 / 2162 with FEC Network — Mellanox ConnectX Video I/O — Matrox DSX LE3 / LE4, DataPath VisionRGB Capture — Blackmagic DeckLink Playout — Blackmagic DeckLink Other — Standard Ethernet, IEEE-1394, DirectShow |
| Additional Hardware Ports | SD / HD / 3 / 6 / 12G SDI, HDMI, ASI I/O ports NVIDIA ConnectX 10 / 25 / 40 / 50 / 100 / 200G ports for SMPTE ST 2110 / 2022−7 1G Ethernet ports for UDP / RTP IP with SMPTE 2022−1 FEC Standard 1 / 10G Ethernet ports for IP streams, control, file transfer RS-232 / 422 / 485, i-Link / IEE-1394 hardware ports AES I/O for Matrox DSX boards |
| Software Options | Transfer Manager PRO NVENC Assistance (for file encoding or output stream encoding) Avid Unity / Interplay Support (for REC channels) Web Application Server |
| Client Applications | Air Manager, Rec Manager, NewsCut |
| Additional I/O & Channels | Capture Port (SDI / HDMI, ASI / IP with DeMux and stream decoding, all supported protocols) Output Port (SDI / HDMI, ASI / IP with stream encoding, all supported protocols) MultiScreen Processor (4, 8, 16 or 24 inputs — software license) REC Channel (Full Resolution + Proxy) |
| Device Server Software Licenses | VDCP for REC Automation (Slave mode for single REC channel) SDI Router for REC Automation (for single device) VTR for REC Automation (for single device) TSL 5 UMD (Master mode for single device) |
| SDI Routers Control Protocols | Grass Valley Triton BDS Grass Valley NVision / Native Protocol / Vega / M-2100 Nevion VikinX V128 / Thor Leitch Imagine LRC Kramer ProBel SW-P-02 / SW-P-08 ELPRO SD2 HD Series BMD Videohub Ethernet / RS-232 Snell Switcher / Remote Protocol Evertz Quartz / EQM-2 Sierra XV Utah SC-4 / RCP-1 Venux VM / SI / 300 ASCII Ross Video Proemaster / NK-SCP/A AJA KUMO |
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