The 2025 IndyCar season marks a significant upgrade for IMS Productions, the technical arm behind IndyCar’s world feed and domestic coverage for Fox Sports. Their flagship mobile unit, HD-5, has undergone a complete overhaul, transitioning to a cutting-edge IP-based infrastructure.
This upgrade, spearheaded by BeckTV, focuses on supporting high-frame-rate (HFR) cameras, HDR production, and a substantial increase in routing capacity. Paul Nijak, managing partner and general manager at BeckTV, highlights the long-term cost savings and flexibility this approach offers Fox Sports: “This came together quickly once rights were finalized,” said Nijak. “We looked at the project as a whole and told them, ‘You’re going to save money long term by doing this all at once.’ It also gives Fox the flexibility they need to scale or adapt [coverage] quickly.”
The core of the new infrastructure uses a Cisco-based IP system, integrated with Imagine Communications orchestration and SNP multiviewers. A spine-leaf design with Cisco’s 9408 chassis and 400G capacity ensures sufficient bandwidth for HD-5 and its B and C units, while minimizing space and weight—a crucial factor in mobile units, as Nijak notes: “Space and weight are always at a premium in mobile units…This approach helped us achieve the necessary throughput without exceeding the physical footprint.”
The system is fully HDR-compliant and 1080p-ready, with HDR deployment planned for the Indianapolis 500 broadcast. The upgrade includes 22 Sony HDC-5500L cameras, 24 HDCU-5500 base stations, and 13 Sony P50A cameras for robotics and POV shots, supporting multiple HFR configurations. A new HDR-capable monitor wall and Telestream PRISM scopes ensure real-time signal integrity monitoring.
The transition to IP addressed the limitations of the previous baseband router. “They were maxed out in terms of what the old router could do, and with more 1080p and HFR workflows coming, it made sense to move to IP,” explained Nijak. The audio system also underwent a significant transformation, moving from MADI to AES67 to accommodate the IP infrastructure changes. While the Calrec Apollo console remains, the system now also supports an Artemis console and three additional audio consoles.
Despite the internal shift to IP, HD-5 continues to utilize satellite delivery (C- and Ku-band) for external transmission due to the challenges of consistent broadband availability at temporary race locations. However, circuit-based delivery is under evaluation for select locations.
The upgrade's design considers future needs, including increased HFR camera usage and expanding replay capabilities. Nijak emphasizes the collaborative effort between BeckTV and IMS Productions: “This is the kind of project where planning, execution and education all had to move in parallel…From day one, it was about helping them understand what IP could offer and then supporting that shift in real-time as shows went live.”