Written by Mathis Lorenzo, Software Engineer at TrackIt
The media and entertainment industry continues to demand reliable, scalable, and monetizable live streaming solutions. Broadcasters, event organizers, and enterprises need systems that not only deliver high-quality video but also provide opportunities for dynamic revenue generation through advertising.
TrackIt TV is a demonstration pipeline designed to highlight how professional broadcast standards can be preserved while extending reach and monetization globally. By combining AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere and AWS Elemental MediaTailor, the pipeline offers a fully functional live streaming workflow with advanced ad insertion, showcasing how on-premises video encoding can integrate seamlessly with AWS cloud services.
Contents
What is AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere?
AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere is a feature of AWS Elemental MediaLive that enables live video encoding on on-premises hardware while retaining management, monitoring, and orchestration in the AWS Cloud. This hybrid approach combines the flexibility of cloud-based operations with the control and performance of local infrastructure.
Key Benefits
- Multi-cast support: Efficiently delivers a single stream to multiple internal destinations, ideal for broadcast setups such as studios or stadiums.
- Uncompressed signal: Preserves full video quality end-to-end before processing.
- AWS as control plane (plug & play): Simplifies on-premises deployment through centralized, cloud-based orchestration and monitoring.
- SMPTE 2110 support: Standards-based IP transport for video, audio, and data, compatible with modern broadcast workflows.
- SDI support: Ensures smooth integration with existing production equipment for backward compatibility.
The TrackIt TV Streaming Pipeline
Solution Architecture
The TrackIt TV pipeline is structured around three main stages that together form a complete end-to-end streaming workflow:
1. On-Premises Encoding
The workflow begins with video capture and local encoding:
- A camera with SDI output provides the feed.
- An SDI acquisition card ingests the signal into a dedicated local server.
- AWS MediaLive Anywhere, running on the server, encodes the live video stream.
This ensures that the video is processed locally in compliance with professional broadcast standards before being handed off to the cloud. For example, sports stadiums or live concert venues can encode feeds directly on-site, taking advantage of multicast distribution and SMPTE 2110 support for seamless integration with IP-based broadcast infrastructures.
2. Server-Side Processing & Ad Insertion
Once encoded, the video stream is transferred to AWS for adaptive processing, ad insertion, and global delivery:
- AWS Elemental MediaLive converts the stream into adaptive bitrate formats (HLS/DASH), ensuring consistent playback across devices.
- AWS Elemental MediaTailor manages server-side ad insertion (SSAI), seamlessly stitching ads into the stream. Ads can be linear (directly embedded) or non-linear (independently displayed, such as overlays).
- Amazon CloudFront distributes the stream worldwide with low latency, supporting large audiences.
Non-linear ad insertion is enabled through scheduled triggers:
- Amazon EventBridge Scheduler initiates an AWS Lambda function at regular intervals.
- The function injects SCTE-35 ad markers into the MediaLive channel.
- MediaTailor processes these markers to determine which ads to serve.
This model enables broadcasters to monetize live streams dynamically without disrupting continuity.
3. Client-Side Experience
On the viewer’s side, the stream is rendered by a media player across devices such as desktops, mobile phones, or smart TVs. For non-linear ads, the client communicates with MediaTailor’s Client-Side Ad Tracking API:
- Every 30 seconds, the client polls MediaTailor.
- MediaTailor responds with ad payloads, including timing, format, and creative details.
- The ad is displayed to the viewer as an overlay or interactive element.
The result is a hybrid monetization model:
- Linear ads – Traditional stitched-in ads within the live stream.
- Non-linear ads – Interactive elements complementing the viewing experience.
This combination provides personalized, relevant ads to viewers while enabling broadcasters to maximize monetization opportunities.
Applications & Business Impact
TrackIt TV highlights how a demonstration pipeline can deliver both technical reliability and business value. By combining on-premises encoding, cloud-based orchestration, and advanced ad insertion, the workflow demonstrates a flexible and scalable model suitable for:
- Live sports streaming
- Concerts and festivals
- News and broadcast television
- Corporate events and conferences
Organizations can benefit by:
- Reducing operational costs through simplified infrastructure management.
- Expanding revenue streams with SSAI and non-linear ad formats.
- Delivering live content globally with minimal latency using Amazon CloudFront.
Conclusion
TrackIt TV demonstrates how a fully functional live streaming workflow can be achieved by integrating AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere and AWS Elemental MediaTailor. The pipeline preserves broadcast-grade quality, leverages the scalability of the cloud, and enables advanced, personalized ad monetization. This model provides a future-ready framework for broadcasters and enterprises seeking to deliver premium live streaming experiences while optimizing revenue potential.
About TrackIt
TrackIt is an international AWS cloud consulting, systems integration, and software development firm headquartered in Marina del Rey, CA.
We have built our reputation on helping media companies architect and implement cost-effective, reliable, and scalable Media & Entertainment workflows in the cloud. These include streaming and on-demand video solutions, media asset management, and archiving, incorporating the latest AI technology to build bespoke media solutions tailored to customer requirements.
Cloud-native software development is at the foundation of what we do. We specialize in Application Modernization, Containerization, Infrastructure as Code and event-driven serverless architectures by leveraging the latest AWS services. Along with our Managed Services offerings which provide 24/7 cloud infrastructure maintenance and support, we are able to provide complete solutions for the media industry.