Bluebell Opticom Wins Technical Emmy® for SMPTE Hybrid Cable Format Converter and Power Injector Technology
Bluebell’s ShaxX range recognised for advancing flexible, efficient fibre-based camera connectivity in broadcast production.
Maidenhead, United Kingdom, 4th September 2026, Bluebell Opticom has received a prestigious Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award for its work on the SMPTE Hybrid Cable Format Converter and Power Injector, technology embodied in the company’s ShaxX range of broadcast connectivity solutions.
SMPTE camera chains are fundamental to live broadcast production, connecting cameras with their base stations through standardised hybrid cabling that carries video, communications, control data and power. Bluebell’s ShaxX range enables these camera systems to operate over existing single-mode fibre infrastructure across distances of several kilometres while preserving the essential signal, data and power connections required for reliable production.
The technology gives broadcasters, outside-broadcast operators and venue owners greater freedom when designing camera networks. By allowing installed or lightweight tactical fibre to replace long runs of traditional SMPTE hybrid camera cable, ShaxX can substantially reduce cable weight, simplify deployment and improve operational efficiency. It can also deliver significant cost savings, particularly at large venues and in mobile productions where long cable routes would otherwise be required.
“Receiving a Technical Emmy is an extraordinary honour and a proud moment for everyone at Bluebell,” said Paul Felix McCann, Managing Director at Bluebell. “ShaxX was developed to solve a very practical challenge: giving production teams the reach and flexibility of fibre without sacrificing the familiar operation and capabilities of a complete SMPTE camera chain. This recognition reflects the ingenuity of our team and the trust that broadcasters around the world have placed in our technology.”
The ShaxX range converts SMPTE hybrid camera connections for transmission over single-mode fibre and provides power injection at the remote end. This approach allows camera equipment to be positioned far beyond the practical limits of conventional SMPTE cable. ShaxX is used at major sporting events, including soccer and golf, where cameras must operate reliably across expansive venues and over long distances. It also supports applications including stadiums, arenas, live events, remote productions and outside broadcasts.
The Emmy recognition underlines Bluebell’s longstanding contribution to broadcast fibre connectivity and its commitment to developing dependable solutions for increasingly distributed and complex production environments.
“Broadcast production continues to demand more cameras, longer transmission distances and faster deployment,” added McCann. “ShaxX helps organisations meet those demands while making better use of the fibre infrastructure they already have. We are delighted to see that contribution recognised at the industry’s highest level.”
About Bluebell Opticom Limited
Bluebell designs and manufactures advanced fibre-optic connectivity solutions for broadcast, media and professional audiovisual applications. Its technologies help organisations transport video, audio, data, communications and control signals reliably across venues, production facilities and remote workflows.
For more information about the Bluebell ShaxX range, visit www.bluebell.tv.
Media contact
Anil Parmar
Sales & Marketing Director
Bluebell Opticom
[email protected]
+44 (0)1628 51 00 55
Emmy® is a registered trademark of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.