Overview
SL NEO Changeover is an automated broadcast signal monitoring and switching platform designed to protect live production, playout, contribution, and distribution workflows from source and signal failures. It continuously analyzes primary and backup signals and automatically switches to the best available source when a configured fault condition is detected.
The platform supports SDI, ASI, and SMPTE ST 2110 environments and can detect signal loss, black or frozen video, audio loss, silence, low audio levels, and audio overload. Configurable decision logic and hysteresis help prevent unnecessary switching while maintaining reliable on-air operation.
Changeover can control external broadcast routers, GPI/GPO devices, and automation systems through supported protocols and APIs. Depending on the system design, switching can be performed through a central router, a dedicated changeover router, or internally using a bypass pass-through configuration.
As part of the SL NEO Media Platform, Changeover integrates with monitoring, routing, automation, and redundancy workflows to provide centralized control and reliable signal protection for 24/7 broadcast operations.
Highlights
Reliable Output Protection
Key Features
- Signal Monitoring & Analysis
- ▸ Monitoring of up to 12 pairs of signals
- ▸ Automatic detection of alarms: Signal loss, Video black frames, Video freeze (still image), Audio loss, Audio silence, Low audio level, Audio level overload
- Decision Logic & Reliability
- ▸ Best-source selection logic based on the number and severity of detected issues
- ▸ Configurable hysteresis to prevent unnecessary switching
- Switching Control
- ▸ Manual override and preferred source selection
- ▸ Internal automatic switching logic
- ▸ SDI and hybrid router control
- ▸ GPO outputs
- ▸ External API triggers
- Integration & Notifications
- ▸ Email notifications on detected issues
- ▸ Full REST API for external automation and integration
- Supported Signal Standards
- ▸ SDI
- ▸ ASI
- ▸ SMPTE ST 2110
Workflow
The solution is built around a dedicated server equipped with SDI, ASI, and ST 2110 capture interfaces and a set of functional software modules, including a stream analyzer, monitoring, and a router controller supporting various protocols and APIs. Together, these components continuously analyze incoming video and audio signals, automatically control supported routers when signal anomalies or quality issues are detected, and display a multiviewer with all
sources and their statuses.
When the system triggers an alarm configured for automatic backup switching, it immediately sends a command to the router to redirect the primary source input to the designated backup source.
Depending on the facility design, changeover can be implemented in several ways:
In this configuration, both the main and backup signals are fed into the changeover server for continuous analysis. At the same time, these signals are looped back to the router to dedicated ports controlled by the changeover server. When a signal issue is detected, the changeover automatically sends a switching command to the router, instantly redirecting the output to the backup source.
In this configuration, the changeover server receives feeds from, for example, the main and backup routers, continuously analyzes them, and controls a third router used solely for changeover switching. It is also possible to operate two changeover routers simultaneously to provide redundancy for the switching layer.
The changeover server can forward the signal directly to the output while performing switching internally, eliminating the need for an external router in certain configurations. When equipped with an SDI card supporting hardware pass-through, the primary signal continues to flow uninterrupted even if the changeover server is powered off, ensuring maximum on-air reliability and fail-safe operation.
Integrated Ecosystem
SL NEO Changeover is fully integrated into the SL NEO Media Platform — a modular, software-defined environment where signal monitoring, routing, automation, redundancy, and playout modules work together in real time.
Additional modules — including SDI Router Controller, Multiscreen, Capture & Ingest, and the SL NEO Base Module — can be combined to build centralized signal-protection and automatic changeover workflows for broadcast facilities.
Use Cases
Technical Specifications
SYSTEM
| CPU | Intel® Xeon® Scalable and AMD Epyc Series |
| Memory | 32GB to 512GB |
| GPU | Nvidia Quadro RTX series |
| OS Drives | 2 x 480GB SSD |
| Management | Web User Interface |
| Interfaces | ASI/SDI 4 x 1GbE-T and/or 4×10GbE-T or 2×25G SFP28 |
| Power | Dual redundant power supplies |
| Dimensions | 1RU or 2RU appliance |
Supported Streams
| Protocols | SDI, ASI, SMPTE-2110 |
| Formats | UHD: 2160p50/60M/60 HD: 1080p50/60M/60, 1080i50/60M/60, 1080p24M/24/25/30/30M, 720p50/60M/60 SD: PAL, NTSC |
| Stream Types | MPTS/SPTS, DVB, ATSC |
| Embedded ANC / MPEG2 Data Processing | OP-42/47 Teletext and Closed Captions CEA-608/708 Closed Captions DVB/ATSC Subtitles & EPG Data in SPTS SCTE-104/35 with metadata VBI/VANC Data: VITC, AFD, WSS |
Additional Parameters
| Switching Mode | Automatic, manual override supported |
| Switching Logic | Aggregate Source with best-signal selection |
| Switching Control | Router API, GPO, internal logic |
| Control & Monitoring | Web UI, SNMP, REST API |
Supported Router Protocols
| 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 SDZ HD Series BMD Videohub Ethernet / RS-232 Snell Switcher / Remote Protocol Evertz Quartz / QMC-2 Sierra Xvse Utah SC-4 / RCP-1 Venux VM / SI / 3000 ASCII Ross Video Presmaster / NK-SCP/A AJA KUMO |
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