SBT Expands Playout Operations

Brazilian national broadcaster Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão (SBT) is continuing the modernisation of its playout infrastructure with Pebble Automation, establishing a platform designed to support its national channels and future developments in television delivery.

Headquartered in Osasco, northwest of São Paulo, SBT is Brazil’s third-largest television broadcaster. It operates channels reaching audiences nationwide and works with affiliate stations across the country to deliver localised content and programming.

The move to Pebble follows the approaching end of life of SBT’s previous automation system, which had begun to constrain the broadcaster’s ability to expand its operations and improve efficiency. SBT assessed a range of high-performance playout automation solutions against technical and operational requirements before selecting Pebble.

Working with Brazilian distributor and systems integration partner Videodata, Pebble developed a proof-of-concept demonstration to validate integrations, workflows and operational efficiencies. The demonstration showed that the platform could work with SBT’s existing infrastructure while providing the flexibility needed for future expansion.

Pebble Automation now provides real-time control of graphics systems, servers, redundant routing and master control switching across SBT’s channels. The platform also integrates with the broadcaster’s traffic, scheduling and advertising systems.

As part of the deployment, Pebble provides the media management layer for moving, preparing, validating and approving content ahead of transmission. The architecture incorporates full redundancy for SBT’s national channels, supporting on-air reliability and operational continuity.

Remote operations are supported through Pebble Remote, which provides authorised users with secure, web-based access to monitor and control the playout environment. Users can also access high-resolution content previews from their desktops without affecting critical transmission resources.

The new platform has already enabled SBT to expand its channel portfolio with the launch of SBT News. The channel was integrated into the existing Pebble playout environment without requiring a fundamental redesign of the infrastructure, allowing the broadcaster to add the service while maintaining its existing operational framework.

The deployment is also intended to give SBT greater flexibility when making last-minute programming changes, while automating repetitive operational tasks and streamlining day-to-day playout workflows.

The project forms part of a wider programme to renew SBT’s delivery infrastructure as the Brazilian television market moves towards TV 2.5 and the next generation of television services. Future requirements include greater interactivity, new services and dynamic advertising models.

Pebble’s combination of automation, media management, integrated channel control, redundancy and secure remote access is intended to provide SBT with a scalable foundation for these developments.

The Pebble Automation platform at SBT Network Origination went live at the end of 2025.

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