Arkona To Launch New Configuration Tool And Platform Enhancements

Arkona technologies GmbH has announced a major update to its BLADE//runner platform ahead of NAB Show 2026, introducing a new graphical configuration tool alongside a range of usability and workflow enhancements.

The Germany-based provider of IP core infrastructure solutions for professional broadcast will showcase the updates at Booth C.1808, with a focus on improving how engineers configure, control and automate FPGA-accelerated processing.

The BLADE//runner platform, built on Arkona’s AT300 architecture, is known for delivering ultra-low latency audio and video routing, processing and compression. The latest updates aim to expand how users interact with that processing power, offering new tools for visual configuration, automation and control integration.

Central to the announcement is BLADE//planner, a new graphical configuration tool designed to simplify system design and deployment. The tool allows engineers to build and visualise entire processing workflows offline, providing an intuitive overview of system architecture and signal flow.

BLADE//planner is designed to balance ease of use with advanced control, enabling operators to select services such as colour correction, audio processing and frame synchronisation without navigating complex low-level settings. At the same time, it provides access to more than one million controllable parameters for advanced users, supporting large-scale automation while maintaining the option for detailed manual configuration.

The company said the tool is built on an open API, allowing integration with third-party control systems or custom workflows, while also offering in-platform configuration options.

Additional updates to the BLADE//runner platform include a new Video Switcher soft panel to extend software-based control capabilities, and an upgraded Audio Mixer featuring AutoMix for automated microphone management in live production environments.

Arkona has also enhanced its EasyIP software to support hardkey router panels and the SWP-08 protocol, and is collaborating with technology partner manifold to enable direct picture-in-picture routing into multiviewers. These developments are intended to improve interoperability with existing broadcast control systems and support the transition from traditional routing infrastructure to IP-based workflows.

Further technical enhancements include the introduction of HBM-based FrameSyncs for SDI inputs, designed to improve buffering performance and synchronisation as signals move into IP environments. The platform also gains Video ID insertion functionality to improve tracking and identification of video flows across large-scale systems.

www.arkonatech.com