Replay technology is at the heart of live sports and news broadcasting. Discover why Creative Broadcast Agency chooses Evertz DreamCatcher over traditional replay systems like EVS, and how IP replay broadcasting and IP-based workflows deliver flexibility, scalability, and innovation.
What is Replay in Live Production?
Replay is an essential tool in modern live broadcasting, whether for sports, esports, or breaking news. It allows broadcasters to:
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Instantly roll back to critical moments โ goals, fouls, incidents, or speeches.
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Deliver slow-motion analysis for detail and clarity.
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Build highlight packages for halftime shows, news bulletins, or social media clips.
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Provide official review feeds for referees and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems.
Replay sits directly in the live production workflow, recording all camera feeds in real time, and giving operators the power to tag, cut, and return content to air within seconds.
Why Creative Broadcast Agency Chooses DreamCatcher
At Creative Broadcast Agency, we prefer Evertz DreamCatcher as our replay solution of choice.
Unlike traditional replay systems designed for baseband SDI, DreamCatcher is built for IP-based production. This makes it far more flexible, scalable, and aligned with the future of broadcasting.
Key Advantages of DreamCatcher
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IP Native Workflow โ Fully compatible with SMPTE ST 2110, NDI, and hybrid IP/SDI environments. Perfect for cloud production and remote integration.
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Scalability โ Add channels, servers, and workflows without the heavy infrastructure required for baseband systems.
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Advanced Metadata & Search โ Operators can tag, log, and instantly search events, speeding up highlight creation.
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Highlight Factory โ Built-in tools for compiling playlists and creating ready-to-air packages.
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GPU-Accelerated Replay โ Super-smooth slow motion, UHD, HDR, and multi-angle playback.
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R&D Flexibility โ Because it runs on IP, our engineers can experiment with innovative workflows such as cloud replay, AI-assisted tagging, and distributed production.
For us, DreamCatcher is not just a replay server โ itโs a production ecosystem that supports both traditional broadcast and next-generation IP workflows.
EVS: The Industry Standard
EVS has long been the dominant name in replay. Its XT-VIA servers and LSM controllers are found in almost every major sports OB truck around the world.
EVS remains the standard in:
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Football, cricket, and rugby broadcasting.
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Large-scale events like the Olympics.
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News organisations needing fast-turnaround replays.
While EVS is reliable and battle-tested, it is still heavily baseband-oriented, requiring significant infrastructure and cabling compared to IP-native systems like DreamCatcher.
Other Replay Systems on the Market
Besides EVS and DreamCatcher, there are several alternatives depending on budget and production scale:
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Grass Valley LiveTouch โ High-end replay system designed to compete with EVS.
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Ross Mira โ Mid-level solution integrating well with Ross switchers and workflows.
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NewTek 3Play โ Affordable replay system, popular in esports and university sports.
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Slomo.tv BLT โ Cost-effective replay servers, especially in Eastern European markets.
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vMix Instant Replay โ Software-based replay, perfect for streaming productions.
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Vizrt Libero โ More of an analysis tool, combining replay with AR graphics.
Where Replay Fits in the Broadcast Workflow
A replay system sits between acquisition and playout, acting as a critical tool for both editorial and technical teams:
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Camera Feeds Ingested โ All ISO camera feeds are continuously recorded.
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Operators Tag Events โ Using panels or touch interfaces, moments are logged instantly.
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Replays Sent to Air โ Slow-motion or multi-angle replays are cued directly into the live feed.
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Highlight Packages โ Compiled during play for halftime, post-game, or immediate upload to OTT platforms.
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Archive & Review โ Clips are logged with metadata for refereeing (VAR/TMO) or news archives.
The Future of Replay is IP
Replay technology is no longer just about showing a goal in slow motion โ itโs about flexible, integrated workflows that support global, multi-platform distribution.
At Creative Broadcast Agency, we champion IP-based replay with DreamCatcher because it:
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Works seamlessly across sports, esports, and news.
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Provides low-latency, scalable replay across cloud and remote workflows.
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Allows our R&D team to innovate with AI, automation, and experimental IP pipelines.
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Future-proofs production against the limits of legacy baseband systems.
For broadcasters, rights holders, and event organisers, IP replay is not just the future โ itโs happening now.
