TAG Bridge is the communication layer between TAG systems that eliminates redundant processing and network strain. Once a source is ingested by one Multichannel Management (MCM) instance, Bridge creates optimized signal proxies that can be shared with other TAG locations or teams. This means video, audio, and metadata only need to be decoded once, then distributed efficiently to any mosaic, anywhere.
Key benefits include:
- Optimized bandwidth use: delivers display-ready, visually lossless resolutions (up to UHD) based on mosaic layout and tile size.
- Reduced compute load: removes the need to decode and process the same stream in multiple places.
- Flexible deployment: supports on-premises, cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud workflows.
- Dynamic scaling: adjusts stream delivery with low-latency scaling and compression.
- Simplified orchestration: separates input and output processes for efficient control via TAG’s Media Control System (MCS).
By freeing up inputs and avoiding duplicate stream ingestion, Bridge lowers operational costs while giving distributed teams seamless access to the same content. Whether for global monitoring centers or hybrid cloud setups, TAG Bridge ensures sources can be viewed anywhere, anytime- without exhausting network and compute resources.
Technical Overview
TAG Bridge functions as an interconnect layer between TAG systems, designed to distribute pre-scaled and pre-processed content across multiple geographic or operational locations without duplicating stream ingestion or decoding. It transfers video, audio, and metadata as compressed IP signals optimized for low latency and bandwidth efficiency.
Each Bridge connection encapsulates decoded content into lightweight, visually lossless proxy streams that are dynamically resized based on mosaic tile dimensions and resolution requirements. The Bridge output supports up to UHD (2160p) per tile, with adjustable encoding profiles to balance quality and network load.
Bridge operates over UDP, RTP, and SRT transport layers, supporting both unicast and multicast delivery models. It preserves all associated SCTE, HDR, and audio metadata across the transmission path, ensuring that downstream TAG instances receive complete analytical context without the need for reprocessing.
At the system level, Bridge is managed via TAG’s Media Control System (MCS) and API 5.0, which handle stream registration, bandwidth allocation, and endpoint authorization. The feature integrates directly with Adaptive Monitoring, allowing remote TAG systems to share active-decoding resources and escalate probe levels based on event thresholds.
Bridge is fully compatible with hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, allowing workflows to span across on-premises, AWS, Azure, or private data centers, while maintaining synchronization through time-stamped metadata and network timing protocols (PTP / NTP).
This architecture allows distributed teams to visualize identical multiview mosaics or subsets of the same content, all without redundant stream acquisition or decoding overhead. TAG Bridge therefore acts as the transport backbone for multi-site operations – connecting monitoring, visualization, and analytics environments into one unified media network.
