KSC CORE: Ten years of intelligent control for broadcast and production environments

KSC Core was developed in 2015 with the aim of simplifying complex control processes in television studios, master control rooms, mobile production units, and control centers. Its modular architecture, manufacturer-independent integration, and high reliability have made the system a fixture in the industry in recent years.

"KSC Core is not a static product, but a platform that continuously adapts and evolves to new technologies and requirements," says Marco Lennartz, KSC Operations Manager. "All of our key functions, software developments, and front ends, such as the bouquet function, GFXUnit, EventManager, and CircuitManager, have emerged from specific customer projects. We don't develop in a lab, but directly in practice, in direct exchange with our customers."

From the outset, KSC Core has focused on IP and hybrid support. The first IP functions were integrated in accordance with SMPTE 2022 back in 2015 – at a time when SDI still dominated. Today, the system is fully SMPTE 2110-compatible.

Sven Hesselbach, Managing Director of BFE, emphasizes the strategic value of this development: "In an industry characterized by technological upheaval, reliability is a crucial factor. KSC Core combines this stability with the ability to integrate new technologies quickly and securely. This gives our customers planning security – and users the certainty that their system will still be running smoothly in five or ten years' time."

KSC Core is used worldwide – from public and private broadcasters to service providers in live production. Its areas of application range from signal-accurate control in live operation to centralized control of entire networked production chains.

Ten years of KSC Core in figures:
•    Over 300 installations worldwide
•    Control of 500+ device types and 80 routers
•    More than 150 device control interfaces with around 80,000 functions
•    Use in broadcast and event environments on all continents

"We don't see the tenth anniversary as the end or rest on our laurels, but rather as an interim milestone," says Lennartz. "The coming years will be characterized by even stronger IP integration, cloud connections, and intelligent automation—and KSC Core will actively shape these developments."

BFE will be showcasing some exciting new developments related to KSC in September at IBC in Hall 8 / Booth 8.B60.