Vislink Technologies Stock

Vislink Technologies, Inc. (Vislink) operates as a global technology business specializing in collecting, delivering, and managing high-quality, live video and associated data from the action scene to the viewing screen.

Vislink provides solutions for collecting live news, sports, entertainment, and news events for the broadcast markets. Vislink also furnishes the surveillance and defense markets with real-time video intelligence solutions using various tailored transmission products. The Vislink team also provides professional and technical services utilizing a staff of technology experts with decades of applied knowledge and real-world experience in the terrestrial microwave, satellite, fiber optic, surveillance, and wireless communications systems delivering a broad spectrum of customer solutions.

Live Broadcast

Vislink delivers an extensive portfolio of solutions for live news, sports, and entertainment industries. These solutions include video collection, transmission, management, and distribution via microwave, satellite, cellular, I.P. (Internet Protocol), MESH, and bonded cellular/5G networks. The company also provides solutions utilizing A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) technologies to provide automated news and sporting events coverage. With over 50 years in operation, Vislink has the expertise and technology portfolio to deliver fully integrated, seamless, end-to-end solutions.

Industry-wide contributors acknowledge Vislink’s live broadcast solutions. The transmission of most of all outside wireless broadcast video content uses the company’s equipment, with over 200,000 systems installed worldwide. The company works with the majority of the world’s broadcasters. Vislink wireless cameras and ultra-compact encoders help bring many of the world’s most prestigious sporting and entertainment events to life. Recent examples include globally watched international sporting contests, award shows, racing events, and annual music and cultural events.

Military And Government

Vislink has developed high-quality solutions to meet surveillance and defense markets’ operational and industry challenges based on the company’s knowledge of live video delivery. Vislink solutions are specifically designed with interagency cooperation, utilizing the internationally-recognized I.P. platform and a web interface for video delivery. Vislink provides comprehensive video, audio, and data communications solutions to law enforcement and the public safety community, including Airborne, Unmanned Systems, Maritime, and Tactical Mobile Command Posts. These solutions may include integrated suites of airborne downlink transmitters, receivers, and antenna systems; data and video connectivity for airborne, marine, and ground assets; UAV video distribution; flexible support for COFDM and bonded cellular/5G Networks; terrestrial point-to-point; tactical mobile command; IP-based, high-end encryption, full-duplex, real-time connectivity at extended operating ranges; high-throughput air/marine/ground-to-anywhere uplink and downlink systems; secure live streaming platforms for use in mobile and fixed assets; and personal portable products.

Vislink public safety and surveillance solutions are deployed worldwide, including throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, at the local, regional, and federal levels of operation, criminal investigation, crisis management, mobile command posts, and field operations. These solutions are designed to meet the demands of field operations, command centers, and central receiving sites. Short-range and long-range solutions are available in areas, including established infrastructure and exceptionally remote regions, making valuable video intelligence available regardless of location.

Satellite Communications

Vislink’s satellite solutions ensure robust, secure communications while delivering low transmission costs for any organization that needs high-quality, reliable satellite transmission. The company offers turnkey solutions that begin with coding, compression, and engine modulation and end with the company’s robust, lightweight antenna systems. Vislink Satellite solutions focus heavily on being the smallest, lightest, and most efficient in their categories, making transportation and ease of use a key driver in the customer experience. Vislink offers an extensive range of satellite designs that allow customers to optimize bit rate, size, weight, and total cost. The company’s satellite systems are used extensively globally, with over 2,000 systems deployed by governments, militaries, and broadcasters. While the company continues offering satellite solutions, the company no longer invest in the engineering and product development necessary to stay relevant in the sector. The company will continue to market and sell the company’s solutions but do not anticipate introducing further upgrades or features to the company’s satellite product line.

Connected Edge Solutions

Vislink offers the hardware and software solutions needed to acquire, produce, contribute, and deliver video over all private and public networks with the Mobile Viewpoint acquisition. Connected edge solutions aid the video transport concept of ubiquitous IP networks and cloud-scale computing across 5G, WiFi6, Mesh, and COFDM-enabled networks. These solutions include live video encoding, stream adaptation, decoding, and production solutions; remote production workflows; wireless cameras; AI-driven automated production; and ability to contribute video over Bonded cellular (3G and 4G), satellite, fiber, and emerging networks, including 5G and Starlink.

Strategy

The company’s participation in the Live Production, Mil/Gov, and Satellite sectors allows the company to offer various end-to-end, high-reliability, high-data-rate, long-range wireless video transmission solutions.

The company uses its solutions for applications in growing market segments, including in-game sports, mobile video feeds, real-time capture and display footage from drones and other aerial platforms, and rapid-response electronic newsgathering operations.

The acquisition of Mobile Viewpoint (‘MVP’) in August 2021 is a component of the company’s strategy to provide an industry-leading portfolio of live video acquisition, contribution, and distribution solutions that meet the demanding needs of media, enterprise, defense, and government organizations.

Market

The company’s services and product offerings broadly address Live Production, Mil/Gov, and Satellite markets.

Among the new subsections of the sports and entertainment market, the company has identified the burgeoning e-sports live-streaming applications markets as those where the company’s solutions have applicability. The Live Production market is focused on applying more agile wireless video systems for live production and broadcast of sports, entertainment, and news events. Drivers in this market include small, lightweight, easy-to-use equipment, low-latency video systems, reliability of the wireless links, and the ability to use licensed and unlicensed bands. Trends within the market reduce the size of these products further and improve the wireless video systems’ agility as users demand higher link reliabilities at longer ranges. There is also an increased desire to provide audiences with new views and camera angles to enhance the viewing experience. The company addresses this need by incorporating 4K, HDR, and other emerging video technologies.

The Live Production market’s broadcast news sector looks to improve operational efficiencies in gathering, producing, and transmitting wireless content. Recent trends in the market include a movement towards I.P. connectivity over point-to-point links for infrastructure, high-definition upgrades of remote newsgathering vehicles, and continued pressure to reduce expenses by improving operational efficiencies. Vislink focuses on the specific ways these customers create and gather content wirelessly. As the wireless communications industry begins transitioning to fifth-generation (5G) networks, the speed increases they will usher in expect to augment the availability of on-demand live streaming, where Vislink equipment is already in use.

The Mil/Gov market comprises vital segments, including state and local law enforcement agencies, federal agencies, and military system integrators. The market looks to improve video content’s reliability and quality without adding complexity and omitting technical intervention while operating video systems. State and local agencies benefit from the Department of Homeland Security grant programs to improve overall security. Recent trends within these segments include improved interoperability within agencies and demand for fully integrated systems, including robust microwave combined with ubiquitous I.P. networks; as the wireless video systems become more reliable and straightforward to deploy, the wireless systems’ option rate increases. Customers within this market include state police forces, sheriff’s departments, fire departments, first responders, the Department of Justice, and Homeland Security.

The drive to experience more and better visual communication systems impacts the Satellite market. Live T.V. broadcasting over satellite, and other connectivity types continues to be driven by cost-per-bit economics. Uplink operators are keen to reduce their OPEX costs by investing in greater transmission efficiency via compression and modulation approaches. There is also an interest in high-rate I.P. connectivity products and the desire for fully integrated solutions that enable remote live content capture, production, broadcast, and distribution. While the company continues offering satellite solutions, the company no longer invest in the engineering and product development necessary to stay relevant in the sector. The company will continue to market and sell the company’s solutions but do not anticipate introducing further upgrades or features to the company’s satellite product line.

Products and Solutions

The company offers a full spectrum of wireless video products built around providing complete solutions. The company has traditionally focused on developing core product technologies in final assembled products that cross-market segments. Such technology focus areas include R.F., Live Streaming, and microwave component development spanning the frequency range from D.C. to 18GHz, waveform modulation, advanced video encoding (HEVC) and decoding, 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) camera systems, and digital signal processing. Through these products, the company is positioned with significant technology I.P. and an established reputation for rapidly and economically delivering complex, bespoke engineering products and solutions to customers that are expertly managed to tight deadlines. Production of these products can quickly be scaled to respond to changes in market demand.

Live Production Products and Solutions

Vislink Live Production Solutions include high-definition communication links that reliably capture, transmit and manage live event footage. The company offers a line of high-margin wireless camera transmitter and receiver products that may be interconnected over I.P. networks, expanding and simplifying their widespread use and significantly reducing deployment costs. HCAM is a 4K Ultra HD-capable on-camera wireless system designed to cover significant events among the company’s transmitter products. The company’s flagship receiver product is the Quantum Receiver. The Quantum is an ultra-low latency, waveform agnostic central receiver representing the Vislink premier receiver in all market verticals, including MilGov. Features include HEVC quad signal decode, seamless geographical coverage, and an I.P. stream engine with cloud integration possibilities, OTT, and social media platforms. IP Link 3.0 is a studio-transmitter link system that enables broadcasting service platforms to access new monetization opportunities. Other essential receiver products include the ViewBack, CRx6, and CIRAS-X6. ViewBack is a lightweight, low-power, low latency, dual-channel diversity receiver-decoder that enables quicker production, more efficient editing, and more effective collaboration between camera operators and studio teams. The company also offers ultra-compact onboard solutions integrating the company’s MDR (Multi-Channel Diversity Receive System) technology with ruggedized support components designed to capture video from high-speed motorsports.

As a result of the company’s acquisition of Mobile Viewpoint, the company also offers a portfolio of products that includes the WMT line of mobile encoders and TerraLink rack encoders for live streaming over 4G and 5G, and systems developed using AI technologies for the automated coverage of news and sports productions., The TrolleyLive RemotePro is an all-in-one production unit for remote live broadcasts. LinkMatrix is a central platform for managing all devices and synchronizing all data sources.

Mil/Gov Products and Solutions

In the Mil/Gov sector, Vislink has focused on supplying miniature transmitters and handheld receivers for tactical surveillance and benefits from limited competition in this area. The HHT3 and Mobil Commanders are handheld receivers/monitors designed for tactical situations.

The Airborne Video Downlink System (AVDS) is a comprehensive aerial-based video transmission solution that delivers real-time surveillance to enhance law enforcement, emergency, and critical infrastructure operations. It includes an integrated suite of downlink transmitters, receivers, and antennas that capture real-time, reliable high-definition video from drones, helicopters, and other aircraft for display at command centers, mobile units, and video management systems. AVDS allows an unlimited number of observers to view the video over any network connection, including wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi, I.P. satellite, and I.P. cellular. AeroLink is an aircraft-based transmitter unit that provides bi-directional data transmission and is tightly integrated with other elements of the Vislink AVDS, including the Quantum and other Vislink central receivers. In addition to supporting Mil/Gov applications, AeroLink supports broadcast/ENG applications for transmitting air-based feeds from breaking news and sporting events.

Satellite Products and Solutions

The company’s top satellite product has historically been MSAT, a highly portable tri-band satellite antenna system designed for rapid deployment in challenging environments. The Vislink Satellite product line features terminals ranging from 65cm man-portable systems to 2.4m flyaway and driveaway systems, all available in multiple satellite band configurations. Other Vislink Satellite products include the DVE6100 encoder and IRD6200 decoder electronics units complementing the company’s satellite terminals. They support 4k UHD transmissions and deliver significant bandwidth efficiencies to satellite communications.

Sales and Marketing

The company’s sales team comprises sales managers responsible for defined regional areas, inside sales personnel, and business development representatives focused on targeted sectors and regions, supported by solution engineers trained in technical sales with a given market focus. The sales team focuses on helping customers and nurturing relationships with prospective customers in key domestic and international markets. The company employs a combination of sales channels, including direct-to-end customer sales, network group sales, reseller/integrators, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (‘OEM’) sales channels to use the most efficient means of reaching customers depending on the market segment. Marketing and public relations activities, digital and print marketing initiatives, the creation of support materials, trade shows, and other event appearances support the company’s sales efforts.

As of December 31, 2022, the company’s business development, sales, and marketing team comprised 22 full-time employees and 4 contractors.

Customers

The company has developed a diverse and stable customer base among blue-chip, tier-1 clients in Live Production markets and high-profile agencies and organizations in Mil/Gov and Satellite markets.

Intellectual Property

The company has developed a broad intellectual property portfolio covering wired and wireless communications systems. As of December 31, 2022, the company had 17 patents granted in the United States, no patent applications pending, no provisional applications pending, and one disclosure. Internationally, the company has two patents granted, no patent applications pending, and no Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications.

Areas of the company’s development activities that have culminated in filings and/or awarded patents include Self-Organizing Networks; R.F. Modulation; Compression (protocols, payload, signaling, etc.); Modulators/Demodulators; Antennas/Shielding; Wired and Wireless Networks; Media Access Control Protocols; and Interference Mitigation.

The company’s registered trademarks in the United States include ‘xG,’ ‘IMT,’ ‘Vislink,’ ‘Mobile Viewpoint,’ and the names of the company’s products, among others.

Research and Development

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the company’s research and development expenses were $4.1 million.

History

The company was founded in 2002. It was incorporated as a limited liability company under the laws of the state of Delaware in 2002 under the name JTS Acquisitions, LLC. In 2003, the company changed its name to xG Technology, LLC. Pursuant to a certificate of conversion and a certificate of incorporation filed with the state of Delaware in 2006, xG Technology, LLC converted to a Delaware corporation under the name xG Technology, Inc. Further, the company changed its name to Vislink Technologies, Inc. in 2019.