EVS turns 30!

EVS Broadcast Equipment S.A. was established in February 1994 in Liège, Belgium. Our early years were marked by pioneering work to develop equipment for the digital recording of pictures on hard disks (disk recorder). This groundbreaking technology laid the foundation for the first-ever replay system based on a digital platform, forever changing the landscape of live video production.

Our team developed a super digital hard disk recorder in partnership with Panasonic, who released the first Super Motion camera (capturing three times more pictures than a traditional camera) for a major sporting event in Atlanta. A move that helped establish EVS’ reputation at an international level.

In the period between 1996 and 1999, we established our first regional offices in key locations such as the USA, France, Italy, and the UK. This enabled us to extend our reach beyond Belgium, fostering partnerships, facilitating market outreach, and delivering our technology to a broader spectrum of customers. Today, EVS counts over 20 customer support offices and 5 development centers worldwide.

The use of EVS technology at a major competition allowed France to make a mark in live sports broadcasting. The deployment of 60 LSM and super LSM replay systems helped deliver an exceptional viewing experience to audiences worldwide and highlighted the substantial advancements of tapeless workflows over analog tape-based ones. This triggered a widespread adoption of EVS systems, establishing them as the industry standard for high-quality live event coverage.

In October 1998, EVS took a significant step by becoming publicly listed on the Euronext Brussels Stock exchange, raising EUR 7.4 million in funds - an amount used to fuel our expansion efforts and enable the recruitment of top-tier talent.

EVS 25th listing anniversary

A prominent EVS customer launched the first High-Definition Mobile Truck in the US, equipped with the first HD XT production server.  This innovation not only set a new benchmark in live production but also played a pivotal role in catalyzing the transition from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD) television on a global scale.

In 2003, we launched our first timeline news editing solution. Specifically designed for broadcast studios, it streamlined the process by eliminating file transfers and rendering. This solution empowered journalists and editors with unmatched speed, precision, and flexibility, marking a significant shift in how news stories were crafted.

Solutions for news production

Our IPDirector content management suite made its debut at prestigious events like the Little League World Series and the Tennis US Open. Enabling users to easily ingest, log, manage, search, track, edit, create clips and highlights, browse and instantly play out any video or audio content, the introduction of IPDirector reflects our commitment to advancing our technology beyond replays.

Solutions for sports production

At a major Winter competition and soccer championship that year, EVS implemented its first media server, a cluster of XT production servers located at the International Broadcast Center, and connected together with the XNet media sharing network. This breakthrough allowed content rights owners to seamlessly navigate and retrieve recorded content from the various venues, facilitating efficient content distribution and enhancing the overall broadcasting experience.

Reinforcing our integration with post-production systems, we continued to expand our presence in the TV entertainment market, leaving an indelible mark on TV series as well as events including the Red Carpet, Montreux Jazz Festival, and iconic awards ceremonies like the Golden Globes and Festival de Cannes. 

Solutions for entertainment production

At IBC that year, EVS showcased its Media Archive Director, a content management system that allows instant media access and the delivery of content on multiple platforms with a central management interface. The Media Archive Director offers a set of software tools to manage all platforms of the workflows centrally, including their formats, and allows for intelligent media browsing based on metadata and logging. With Media Archive Director, users can ingest clips or media from any source to any networked point and directly archive new content with totally centralized management.

EVS announced a new strategy focused on four key markets: Sports, Entertainment, News and Media and introduced a revamped visual identity and a strengthened internal organization support this change.

Spanning 23,000 m2 and nestled within the Liège Science Park, the new building not only provided an enhanced work environment for our team members but also highlighted our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

Diversifying our portfolio, we introduced the Xeebra multi-review system, leveraging our expertise to enhance officiating standards in various sports disciplines. This system has since earned esteemed FIFA certifications for its AI-based offside line technology and Video Assistant Referee (VAR), establishing EVS as a reliable technology partner for football leagues, clubs, and broadcast service providers worldwide.

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In 2020, EVS achieved its most significant strategic acquisition to date with the incorporation of leading broadcast and media network infrastructure specialist, Axon. This milestone further expanded our capabilities with the introduction of trusted media infrastructure technology, facilitating our customers' seamless transition from SDI to IP.

Another important milestone in 2020 was the launch of our iconic LSM-VIA. Developed in collaboration with our operator community, this new replay system is designed to offer unparalleled speed and reactivity, setting a new standard for live-event coverage and enhancing the viewer experience. With its launch coinciding with the COVID-19 outbreak, the IP-based system played a pivotal role in accelerating remote operations.

Learn more about LSM-VIA

We unveiled our first routing solution, MediaInfra Strada, merging the trusted technology inherited from our recent acquisition, Axon, with Arista switches. This innovative solution which seamlessly blends SDI and IP capabilities, underscores the success of integrating Axon products into our portfolio while offering a flexible routing solution for our customers.

Learn more about MediaInfra Strada

Our sustainability journey took an exciting turn with the formation of an ‘ESG Core Team’ guiding the implementation of ESG best practices and policies, the release of our first sustainability report, and the appointment of a Belgian freediving champion as our ESG ambassador to further amplify our message! These initiatives laid the groundwork for an ESG strategy that integrates environmental, social, and governance considerations into our daily operations and decision-making processes.

Sustainability at EVS

The unveiling of VIA MAP at the IBC 2023 show marked a significant step forward in our offering, with the emergence of an ecosystem of solutions.  This media asset platform seamlessly connects live content creation and production with distribution and monetization, empowering our customers with unprecedented efficiency and flexibility.

Learn more about VIA MAP

The Innovation Lab at EVS continues its pioneering work in AI applied to broadcast operations. The technology becomes seamlessly integrated into various solutions, enabling efficient content search functionalities within our MediaHub content exchange and distribution solution, as well as elevating the creative process through the generation of special effects during live replays.

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EVS has come a long way since its official launch in 1994. Three decades later, we’re more than ready to celebrate this exciting journey with those of you who have been part of this remarkable journey! EVS Family & Friends, Together for Live!