In partnership with LiveU, Corrivium, Lightning Visuals and Grass Valley, Racing WA delivers scalable, low-latency race coverage across Western Australia using AMPP and AWS.
Racing WA delivers over 280 race meetings annually across Western Australia, spanning locations from Esperance to Kununurra. To meet the growing demand for low-latency, multi-version live racing content tailored to various distribution partners, the organization has transitioned to a cloud-based production model.
In collaboration with partners in Sydney and using Grass Valley’s AMPP platform, this innovative approach enables the delivery of fully produced racing programs with greater flexibility and reduced operational costs – ensuring Racing WA remains agile and responsive to evolving client needs.
To capture and distribute media from race events, Racing WA uses the LiveU Ecosystem. This includes multi-SIM video transmitters equipped with Starlink, which transmit high-reliability streams to a LiveU receiver hosted in AWS. From there, Racing WA uses LiveU Matrix, the company’s global distribution platform, to deliver clean feeds from each racetrack to rights holders.
AMPP: More Flexibility, Lower Cost
“With our transition to LiveU and an AWS cloud-based environment, we saw an opportunity to explore more flexible, cost-effective production methods,” said David Hines, Commercial Operations Manager at Racing WA. “This shift also enabled us to establish a dedicated OTT channel, enhancing our distribution network and expanding our audience reach.”
Grass Valley’s AMPP platform emerged as a natural extension of this cloud-first strategy. Like LiveU, AMPP operates natively in AWS, allowing Racing WA to stream media directly to the cloud-based LiveU receiver, distribute it via LiveU Matrix, and simultaneously feed it into AMPP’s suite of cloud-based production tools – including switching, graphics, replay and others.
Before implementing the new workflow, Racing WA recognized the need for specialized expertise to install and configure the AMPP components within the AWS environment. After consulting with Grass Valley, Racing WA was referred to Corrivium, a Sydney-based specialist in AMPP workflow deployment.
Tailored Workflows with Corrivium
Corrivium is a provider of live streaming and media services, supporting projects end-to-end across cloud infrastructure, onsite services, project delivery, testing and backup systems. Their team worked with Racing WA to develop a proof-of-concept tailored to their needs.
“We currently use AMPP for ingest, delay, monitoring, graphics, audio mixing, vision mixing, recording and playback. It's allowed us to be more agile and offer more flexibility to our clients,” said Steve Jones, Founder & CEO at Corrivium. “By offering apps as a service, we can build a client’s workflow locally, and then run the project for them a week later, from anywhere. We can help organizations that are moving to the cloud and want to avoid hosting infrastructure themselves, while minimizing their CapEx costs.”
Corrivium’s bespoke approach ensures that every AMPP workflow is custom-built. In 2024, Racing WA faced a critical deadline – to have their AWS infrastructure, LiveU ecosystem and AMPP workflow fully operational for several clients within just four weeks, a challenge Corrivium helped them meet successfully.
Cloud-Native Graphics and Real-Time Data Integration
To support its production operations and real-time graphics requirements, Racing WA engaged Lightning Visuals, a Sydney-based production team with expertise in integrating live data sources into broadcast graphics.
Specializing in sports coverage – including horse and motor racing, football, and other data-rich events – Lightning Visuals also brings experience from high-profile television productions such as Deal or No Deal and Australian Idol. Their ability to deliver dynamic, data-driven visuals makes them a valuable partner for Racing WA’s cloud-first strategy.
What sets Lightning Visuals apart is their web- and cloud-native approach. “Being cloud native helps us scale our functionality and integrate data in real time,” said Brendan Carmody, CEO of Lightning Visuals. “Because both the data feeds and our graphics streams originate in the cloud, integration also takes place in the cloud – we don’t need to replicate content between our office and the cloud environment.”
With a strong background in broadcast graphics, Brendan has developed deep expertise in managing live data sources in cloud environments. His team ensures these systems remain accessible and reliable, enabling high-quality live event coverage with minimal on-site hardware.
Racing WA first took notice of Lightning Visuals through their work at Bunbury Racecourse. Impressed by their ability to access and visualize data directly from cloud-based feeds, David Hines quickly recognized the potential fit for Racing WA’s AMPP-powered content workflows.
Today, Lightning Visuals is responsible for designing the look and user interface of Racing WA’s online graphics. They also manage the freelance directors who operate the graphics production remotely during race events, while Racing WA’s live vision is streamed from venues directly into the cloud.
TV Production Facility in the Cloud
“AMPP is essentially a cloud-based software version of a traditional TV production facility, replicating familiar workflows in a virtual environment,” Brendan said. “This allows the director to communicate with hosts and crew on-site at the venue, while directly switching between multiple live feeds from the racetrack, as well as replay and advertising content.”
At the same time, the director benefits from the flexibility of operating remotely – even from home – while managing the entire production as a single operator. Graphics overlays are integrated into the workflow in much the same way as they would be in a physical control room. However, because both AMPP and Lightning Visuals’ systems are cloud-native, this integration happens entirely within the cloud, eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure.
Real-Time Data-Driven Graphics
“The director controls which graphics appear and when, using a custom-built dashboard,” said Brendan. “Everything is cued and triggered in real time, rather than being pre-timed. Automation is also a key feature – we can trigger graphics to appear or disappear based on external data inputs.”
For operators, AMPP’s production module allows them to work with a familiar interface, managing layers of graphics, text and live video sources. Each event is organized into a series of layouts, scenes and shots that can be reused consistently. Operators can also customize transitions that incorporate branded graphics, creating a distinctive look for Racing WA’s coverage. During live broadcasts, a detailed program layer view gives real-time control, allowing operators to override or adjust elements on the fly.
Beyond its real-time capabilities, Racing WA values AMPP’s flexible subscription model, which aligns well with the seasonal nature of racing. During peak periods such as race carnivals, they can scale up to support multiple events per day. In quieter times, they can scale down, optimizing costs. The subscription model also allows Racing WA to trial new AMPP services without long-term commitments, supporting continuous innovation.
A Future-Ready Production Model
By combining cloud-native tools, real-time data integration, and a flexible production model, Racing WA has positioned itself at the forefront of live sports broadcasting innovation. Through strategic partnerships with Corrivium, Lightning Visuals, LiveU, and Grass Valley, the organization continues to deliver high-quality, scalable, cost-effective coverage to audiences across Australia and beyond. www.grassvalley.com
