Riedel Communications has expanded the control capabilities of its SimplyLive production platform through a new collaboration with SKAARHOJ, introducing official support for SKAARHOJ control panels in the latest SimplyLive 2.1 software release.

The integration adds a dedicated tactile switcher panel option to SimplyLive workflows, complementing the platform’s touchscreen interface and existing RCU-based workflows. Designed in response to customer demand, the new capability provides live production operators with the speed, familiarity and confidence of a traditional hardware switcher panel, particularly in fast-paced production environments.

With SKAARHOJ panels, SimplyLive users can control a range of live production functions, including source switching, programme output switching, transitions, auxiliary output control, keying, graphics and macros.

“SKAARHOJ was the obvious partner for this integration because of their strong reputation for high-quality products designed with the user in mind,” said Paul Macklin, Senior Product Manager, SimplyLive at Riedel Communications. “Their collaborative approach allowed us to tailor the solution around the specific needs of SimplyLive operators, especially in single-operator environments where speed, confidence, and ergonomics are essential.”

To simplify deployment, Riedel and SKAARHOJ are also providing a curated starting configuration that enables users to get operational quickly while retaining the flexibility to customise workflows to suit individual production requirements.

“We’re excited to expand our collaboration with Riedel through the SimplyLive integration,” said Kasper Skårhøj, CEO, SKAARHOJ. “Having previously integrated with Riedel SmartPanels and MediorNet, this is another great example of how our technologies can come together to create new and flexible workflows. While the solution is tailored for the Master Key 48, users can choose any SKAARHOJ panel that best fits their production needs.”

The SimplyLive 2.1 release introduces official support for SKAARHOJ panels through a gRPC API, enabling responsive communication between the control panel and the SimplyLive ViBox application. In addition to the new panel integration, the update includes several workflow enhancements and introduces a new Venue Gateway licence for SimplyLive Production Suite Flex customers, allowing the same server hardware to support Venue Gateway applications alongside All-in-One, Replay, Ingest and Review workflows.

Riedel has also made additional SimplyLive resources, including the curated starting configuration, available through the MyRiedel portal, while implementation guidance for the SKAARHOJ integration is included in the SimplyLive 2.1 user guide.