Production / 2026-10-26
What a college IP upgrade reveals about shared control rooms
University of Washington Athletics replaced an aging SDI system with a four-control-room SMPTE ST 2110 IP facility; the project's structure offers a useful template for any studio weighing the same move.
University of Washington Intercollegiate Athletics has brought a new production facility, Sundodger Studios, on air at its Seattle campus, replacing an aging SDI system with an SMPTE ST 2110 IP infrastructure. The facility went live for the Washington Huskies men's soccer season opener on August 12, 2026, according to ProVideo Coalition's report, which includes an account shared directly by equipment vendor Grass Valley.
The build uses two Grass Valley K-Frame SXP production switcher frames and ten LDX 100 Series cameras, supporting four control rooms that can run simultaneous live productions. Each K-Frame reportedly supports 128 IP inputs, and control surfaces are split across two Kayenne 3 M/E and two Karrera 3 M/E panels, letting separate production teams work independently while sharing processing resources across the two frames.
The project was designed with broadcast consultant Anthony James Partners and integrated by Conference Technologies, Inc., per the ProVideo Coalition account. Sam Wojtalewicz, UW Associate Athletic Director of Broadcast Operations, is quoted describing the shift from the old SDI setup as 'a significant undertaking' driven by a need for more capacity and workflow flexibility as the department gains experience with IP.
A four-control-room installation is a useful case to study, but it is not a buying guide for a smaller facility. Before comparing equipment, map which productions must run simultaneously, which resources they could share and what a failure in one shared component would interrupt. Those are planning questions raised by this case, not measured benefits demonstrated by the sources.
The reported project used an outside consultant and a separate systems integrator. For a smaller shop, that division suggests questions to ask prospective partners: who is responsible for the design, who commissions the installation, and who documents and supports the operational handover? One installation does not establish that this arrangement is standard or that it will fit a different studio. Its usefulness is as a starting point for defining responsibilities before seeking quotes.
The official UW Athletics facility page corroborates the existence of Sundodger Studios and its four control rooms. The equipment counts, input specification, integrator details and August go-live date remain attributed to the ProVideo Coalition report. The Grass Valley newsroom index confirms vendor and product context only; it does not independently corroborate the UW installation. Budget, total project cost and the claimed operational benefits were not independently verified here.
For readers considering a similar move, start with a short written operating brief: the productions you need to support, what can be shared, what must remain independent and how you will judge a successful handover. Ask vendors and integrators to explain their proposals against those requirements. That is an editorial recommendation drawn from the project shape, not a claim that a particular protocol or equipment list is the right answer for every facility.
This is source-linked desk reporting, not a site visit, product test or interview. The institution confirms the facility description, while detailed equipment claims remain attributed to the trade report and its vendor account. The proposed lessons for smaller studios are editorial interpretation rather than measured outcomes. Readers should request current technical documentation and integrator advice before treating this installation as a model for their own requirements.
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