Alibaba Cloud & OBS launch OBS Cloud 3.0 for the Paris 2024 Games

Alibaba Cloud, in collaboration with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), has announced the launch of OBS Cloud 3.0 for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

This new cloud platform leverages advanced technologies including artificial intelligence to enhance broadcasting capabilities. OBS Cloud 3.0 will be the fundamental infrastructure for OBS and Media Rights-Holders (MRHs) globally, enabling high performance and low latency with improved cost efficiency.

For the first time in Olympic history, live cloud broadcasting will become the primary method for distributing live signals to MRHs, replacing the satellite communication that began at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. At Paris 2024, two-thirds of the booked remote services from 54 broadcasters will use the OBS Live Cloud, including two Ultra High Definition (UHD) broadcasters. The system will transmit 379 video feeds, of which 11 are UHD and 368 are High Definition (HD), along with 100 audio feeds. Cloud-based content transmission has demonstrated superior scalability, flexibility, and cost benefits while enhancing the stability and agility of global broadcasting.

OBS Live Cloud was first introduced at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with one UHD broadcaster, and during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, it was offered as a standard service with 22 broadcasters subscribing. Traditionally, broadcasters relied on costly international telecommunication optical circuits and substantial setup times to deliver live footage across the globe. This new cloud-based approach significantly reduces these logistical challenges.

During the unveiling of OBS Cloud 3.0 at the Alibaba Cloud International Broadcasting Centre showcase opening, Yiannis Exarchos, Chief Executive Officer of OBS, stated, "With approximately half of the world's population watching the Games, technologies like Alibaba Cloud help us tell the stories of the best athletes in the world, but also bring the world together in ways which are more exciting and inspirational. Broadcasting the Games is fundamental in trying to do that, and having partners like Alibaba that help us bring this dream to life are very valuable for us!"

Content+ is OBS' content delivery platform and remains fully hosted on Alibaba Cloud. The platform simplifies remote production workflows and ensures seamless content delivery. For Paris 2024, OBS will produce over 11,000 hours of content, a 15% increase from Tokyo 2020. New functionalities in Content+ allow MRHs to create their own highlights from any location globally, with content available for download in three different resolutions suitable for linear, digital, and social media usage. For the first time, Content+ will deliver UHD content via Alibaba Cloud's infrastructure, enhancing broadcast quality.

Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, expressed her enthusiasm for the technological advancements, saying, "We are very excited to see the evolution of Olympic broadcasting from Tokyo 2020 to Paris 2024, enabled by Alibaba Cloud's extensive global infrastructure and proven AI technologies. The partnership between Alibaba Cloud and OBS amplifies our commitment to help transform the viewer experience at the Olympic Games, turning technology innovations into practical applications for tangible results. We are honoured to support Paris 2024 as the most digitally compelling Olympics ever."

The OBS Multi-Camera Replay Systems, powered by Alibaba Cloud, will offer frame-freeze slow-motion replays of athletes’ performances during Paris 2024. There will be 17 systems across 14 venues, covering 21 sports. The footage will be sent to the cloud where AI-driven computing capabilities will enable live spatial reconstruction and real-time 3D rendering. The replays will be ready in seconds and integrated into live or non-live broadcasts, enhancing the viewer experience.

Additionally, OBS's Olympic Video Player (OVP) will utilise Alibaba Cloud's infrastructure to support UHD live streaming for the first time, providing MRHs, especially smaller organisations, with a comprehensive solution to deliver high-quality videos without the need for complex in-house development.

Since becoming an Olympic Worldwide Partner in January 2017, Alibaba Cloud and OBS have continuously worked to innovate broadcasting standards. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games marked the first instance of cloud-based broadcasting, and Alibaba Cloud has maintained its partnership with OBS to uphold the highest broadcasting standards.