The 2025 IndyCar season has seen IMS Productions complete a major upgrade to its flagship mobile unit, HD-5, thanks to a new broadcast partner. The improved truck boasts an IP-based infrastructure built to handle high-frame-rate (HFR) cameras, HDR production, and increased routing capacity.
IMS Productions, a Penske Entertainment division and the producer of IndyCar’s world feed, also handles domestic coverage for Fox Sports. This IP transition helps the organization meet growing technical and coverage demands. “This came together quickly once rights were finalized,” said Paul Nijak, managing partner and general manager at BeckTV, the company leading the upgrade. “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 HD-5 rebuild, completed under a tight deadline, is IMS Productions’ first foray into IP mobile production. BeckTV implemented a Cisco-based IP core with an Imagine Communications orchestration system and SNP multiviewers. The routing infrastructure uses a spine-leaf design with Cisco’s 9408 chassis (400G capacity), optimizing bandwidth for HD-5 and its B and C units while saving space and weight. “Space and weight are always at a premium in mobile units,” Nijak noted. “This approach helped us achieve the necessary throughput without exceeding the physical footprint.”
The workflow supports HDR and 1080p, with HDR set to debut during the May broadcast of the Indianapolis 500. Pre-race practice sessions will allow engineering teams to fine-tune camera shading, monitor calibration, and tone mapping. The system uses HDR10, with Sony’s HDC-5500L and P50A cameras providing native HDR output and dual SDR/HDR paths. A new HDR-capable monitor wall and Telestream PRISM scopes allow real-time signal integrity monitoring and HDR/SDR feed consistency.
The updated camera package includes 22 Sony HDC-5500L units, 24 HDCU-5500 base stations, and 13 Sony P50A cameras for robotics and POV shots. Multiple HFR configurations are supported, including six HDC-5500s and two P50As. IMS Productions also expanded its lens inventory with Canon broadcast zooms.
The decision to switch to IP was partly due to the previous baseband router reaching its I/O limits. “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,” said Nijak. BeckTV worked alongside the IMS Productions engineering team, providing training and system testing. “With any IP project, we treat it like a baseband project at the start – talking in terms of signals, not flows – then help translate those requirements into the IP world,” Nijak explained. “From there, it’s about building confidence over time. Every show, we give them more control.”
While the original Calrec Apollo console remains, the MADI-to-AES67 transition was key to the redesign. The system also supports an Artemis console and three additional audio consoles. “This wasn’t just a camera or router swap. The audio side had to evolve too, and flipping the router halfway, from MADI to AES67, was a big part of that,” Nijak added.
Despite the internal IP transition, HD-5 continues using satellite delivery (C- and Ku-band) for external transmission. While circuit-based delivery is being considered for locations like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, consistent broadband availability remains a challenge at temporary race locations. “Getting enough bandwidth for contribution on the beach at Long Beach or on a tarmac in St. Pete just isn’t practical right now,” said Nijak. “Until they’re forced to make a change, satellite is still the best option for their footprint.”
Nijak highlighted that HD-5’s new infrastructure design considers future format changes, HDR workflows, and expanded replay capabilities. “Fox has talked about increasing their use of HFR from two to six cameras. That kind of growth just wouldn’t be possible with their old router,” Nijak said. “Now, they have the flexibility to grow without hitting hard stops.”
The successful HD-5 upgrade, according to Nijak, resulted from close collaboration between BeckTV and IMS Productions. “This is the kind of project where planning, execution and education all had to move in parallel,” he said. “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.”