Dante AV Optimizes GDQ's AV Workflow

Reference in the world of video games and charity, GDQ organizes biannual speedrun marathons to raise funds, for which it has updated its audiovisual ecosystem with Audinate Dante AV, making it easy to use for everyone.

Games Done Quick (GDQ) It's a semi-annual marathon speedrun which is celebrated in the United States, in which video game competitors already have raised more than 50 millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations.

To achieve, GDQ has been perfecting these events until they become a logistical and technical machine., what combines live performances in hotel ballrooms, with broadcasts on Twitch.tv in real time seen by millions of people.

However, Managing this complex configuration has not always been simple. How do you explain Jason Deng, GDQ CTO, “our main show is unique, in the sense that we have to attend to both a online public, broadcast on Twitch.tv, like one in person in the ballroom of a hotel. Also we provide CCTV so that anyone staying there can watch the event on the television in your room”.

This dual delivery configuration, with a marathon that is celebrated 24 hours of the day, for a whole week, coupled with GDQ's dependence on having volunteers to manage audiovisual workflows critics, posed challenges that their previous solutions could not address.

With the aim of finding a solution that meets these requirements, GDQ turned to Audinate and to its solution Dante AV to simplify and improve your workflows.

Find the solution

Before adopting Dante AV, GDQ depended on a combination of video specifications and connectivity technologies whose management required significant resources and efforts. For video streaming, The solution had notable limitations.

“With NDI we had to install one computer in the ballroom and another to capture the signal at the hotel's CCTV location,” Deng recalls.. This setup required multiple equipment and technicians, and was prone to signal degradation and the appearance of artifacts if interruptions occurred in the network”.

GDQ too experimented with connectivity technologies, like HDBaseT, “but we had problems if the signal had to jump through network switches”, duck. The complexity of running SDI cabling further exacerbated problems in physical configurations, especially in narrow or difficult to access areas.

These limitations, combined with the need for easy-to-use and reliable systems, so that volunteers could easily manage them, They showed that a more robust and rationalized solution had to be found.

A smooth transition

GDQ's previous experience with Dante for your audio network made the transition to Dante AV remarkably smooth. “Most of our audio flow already passed through this platform, so we were quite used to it”, aarch.

When the opportunity arose to incorporate Dante AV, GDQ deployed a solution that dramatically simplified its video workflow: a single transmitter AJA Dante AV 4K-T in the ballroom and a receptor Dante AV 4K-R in the hotel consumption area.

This combination proved to be a match for the fast-paced, visually demanding content of gaming marathons.. Based on the codec Dante AV Ultra, These devices offer 4K60 video 4:4:4 HDR with ultra-low latency and lossless visual quality, over standard 1GbE networks.

Besides, admit SDI and HDMI inputs and outputs, which helped GDQ streamline its SDI cabling. Dante AV Ultra audio and video streams are fully time-aligned and can be routed individually, which guarantees a perfect synchronization between screens.

“With AJA Dante AV equipment we deploy a single hardware solution: a fountain in the ballroom and a receiver in the hotel's consumption area. In essence, was plug-and-play -puncture Destances-. “We tried it first and didn't have to set up multiple computers or deal with four or five different pieces of hardware.”.

The result is a Reliable, low-maintenance setup which has eliminated the switch hopping issues and frequent troubleshooting that your previous workflows required.

GDQ's reliance on volunteers to run its audiovisual systems made the ease of use was a critical factor in technology selection. “As this is a charity fundraiser, "We rely heavily on volunteers to manage the audio and video," Deng clarifies.. It is important that we use software and equipment that is easy for them to use”.

In this regard, the team used Dante Controller, a centralized management platform, offering a clear visual interface for routing audiovisual signals. “It's great, because it provides a vsingle window where you can see exactly where the signals go. It can also be managed remotely by those who know the system, and write training documentation for volunteers”.

This user-friendly approach not only made the system accessible to volunteers, but has also reduced GDQ's dependence on external contractors, helping to keep costs down at each event.

Reliability, scalability and quality

Dante AV's impact on GDQ events has been transformative. One of the most notable results is the reduction of technical overheads. “Before we needed two technicians and three machines to get a signal from the ballroom to the hotel's CCTV. With Dante AV we only have one and an AJA Dante receiver/transceiver”, aarch.

In addition to streamline operations, Dante AV provides uninterrupted reliability during the seven days that each marathon lasts. “The image quality is excellent and it works 24/7 throughout the event, without any signal degradation”.

The Dante AV interoperability and scalability integrates perfectly into the wide Dante ecosystem, allowing GDQ to manage audio and video signals through the same interface.

This is what Deng emphasizes: “It's a smooth transition.”, whether you are already in the Dante ecosystem or new to the platform. And with Dante Controller, you can see the signs, which makes the network design much easier than with SDI”.