Ross Video
Canadian privately held manufacturer and technology provider for broadcast, live-event, and video production.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Ross Video Ltd. is a privately held Canadian company that designs, manufactures, and integrates equipment and software for broadcast television, live events, sports venues, and other forms of video production. The company was founded in Iroquois, Ontario, in 1974 by John Ross, a former Canadian Broadcasting Corporation engineer. Its original business was centered on production switchers, but it has progressively expanded into a broad portfolio covering live production, graphics, robotic cameras, routing and infrastructure, media processing, newsroom systems, automation, social-media workflows, and immersive or venue-based visual experiences. The company’s early development was closely tied to the evolution of television production control rooms. Its first RVS switchers provided the basic functionality required to combine and select video sources. The 500 Series, introduced in 1978, added multi-level effects, enabling operators to preview and layer content before transmission. Ross later introduced the Encore Memory System, which digitized switch and control-panel positions so production setups could be stored and recalled. In the mid-1980s, a new generation of compact, microprocessor-controlled switchers used serial communication between the chassis and control panel, reflecting the industry’s movement toward more software-defined and modular production equipment. Ross experienced significant pressure during the recession of the early 1990s but subsequently returned to growth. John Ross’s son, David Ross, joined the business full-time in 1991 and moved through product-development and executive roles before becoming chief executive officer in 2006. He also became chairman in 2005 and is identified in the reference material as the company’s majority shareholder. The company’s privately held structure has allowed it to pursue long-term product development and acquisitions without the reporting requirements of a public listing. Its present business spans both hardware and software. Product areas include production switchers, graphics platforms, cameras, robotic camera systems, routing and infrastructure, signal processing, production automation, newsroom computer systems, media-asset workflows, social-media management, replay and video servers, KVM systems, tally control, LED displays, and specialized mobile-production services. Ross also serves customers in professional sports and entertainment venues, where its technology can support scoreboards, stadium displays, in-venue graphics, and control-room operations. Reference material identifies customers and production users associated with organizations such as Shaw, NBC, Univision, ESPN, Fox, the Ottawa Senators, the New York Mets, and the Buffalo Bills, while Ross systems have also been used in productions connected with the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards, and the Grammy Awards. From 2009 onward, Ross broadened its capabilities through a sequence of acquisitions covering graphics, data insertion, routing, robotics, mobile production, newsroom systems, virtual production, video servers, networking, KVM, sports graphics, media workflows, LED displays, and cable-camera systems. Further acquisitions or transactions described in the supplied material include Bannister Lake Software in 2024 and EagleEye, LAMA, and ioversal in 2025. These moves reflect a strategy of combining core control-room hardware with software, creative services, data-driven graphics, immersive production, audio, and specialized capture technologies. Ross Video remains an active, globally oriented supplier headquartered and manufacturing in Iroquois, with research and development facilities in Ottawa.
History
John Ross founded Ross Video in Iroquois, Ontario, in 1974 after working as an engineer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The company was established to develop production switchers for television and live video operations. According to the supplied reference material, initial seed financing came from the sale of a restored Taylorcraft L-2 aircraft. Jim Leitch, who founded Leitch Video, had encouraged Ross to begin the venture. Ross Video’s first switcher family was the RVS series. The RVS 16–4 was the company’s first manufactured switcher, followed by the RVS 10–4, which reduced the number of video inputs. A downstream keyer could be added to the 10–4, allowing an additional video layer to be placed over the selected output. These early products established Ross’s focus on practical control-room tools for live and broadcast production. In 1978, Ross introduced the 500 Series, its second major generation of switchers. The series incorporated multi-level effects, known within Ross terminology as MLE, allowing operators to preview and arrange multiple video layers before taking them to air. In 1983, the company added the Encore Memory System. This option converted switch and knob positions into digital data that could be saved and recalled, improving repeatability and reducing the time required to rebuild complex production configurations. A third switcher generation arrived in 1985. These units were smaller and used microprocessors in the chassis, with a serial link connecting the electronics to the control panel. The architecture helped separate operator controls from the core processing hardware and reflected the increasing use of digital control and embedded computing in television equipment. Ross was adversely affected by the recession of the early 1990s. The company later recovered and, according to the reference material, reported more than 25 consecutive years of growth. John Ross’s son David joined the company full-time in 1991. He first worked in product development, later becoming responsible for product development across the company, and then moved into senior executive positions. He became chairman of the board in November 2005 and chief executive officer in April 2006. The reference material identifies him as the majority shareholder, with ownership exceeding 80 percent. Over subsequent decades, Ross expanded beyond switchers. Its portfolio came to include cameras, robotic camera systems, graphics, routing and infrastructure, signal processing, production automation, newsroom computer systems, social-media management tools, video servers, replay, media-asset workflows, tally systems, LED displays, and mobile-production services. The company also developed a presence in sports and entertainment venues, supplying systems for stadium graphics and other large-format live displays. Its equipment and services have been associated with major broadcast and event customers, including NBC, ESPN, Fox, and Univision, and with productions such as the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards, and the Grammy Awards. Acquisition has been a major part of Ross’s expansion. Between 2009 and 2021, the supplied material lists acquisitions including Media Refinery, Norpak, Codan Broadcast, Fx-Motion, Cambotics, Montalto, Mobile Content Providers, Automated Data Systems, Unreel, Rocket Surgery, Abekas, Coveloz, Portalis, PIERO, Coiron, Image Video, Primestream, D3 LED, and Spidercam. These transactions added graphics, data insertion, routing, robotics, mobile production, newsroom and prompting systems, virtual production, creative services, replay, networking, KVM, sports graphics, media workflows, LED displays, and cable-camera capabilities. The supplied material further identifies Bannister Lake Software as a 2024 acquisition and EagleEye, LAMA, and ioversal as 2025 additions. Together, these transactions broadened Ross’s position in data-driven HTML5 graphics, aerial cable-camera systems, live audio mixing, and immersive experiences. Ross Video remains privately held, with headquarters and manufacturing operations in Iroquois and research and development facilities in Ottawa. Its business now spans the full live-production chain, from image capture and switching to graphics, automation, distribution, venue presentation, and workflow management.
- 2025
Ross adds aerial-camera, audio, and immersive-production capabilities
[1]The supplied material identifies EagleEye, LAMA, and ioversal as 2025 additions to the Ross Video portfolio.
- 2024
Bannister Lake Software is acquired
[1]Ross adds data-driven and HTML5 graphics capabilities through the acquisition of Bannister Lake Software.
- 2021
Acquisition program reaches its 2009–2021 phase
[1]The supplied reference material records 18 acquisitions during this period, including businesses in media workflows, LED displays, sports graphics, and cable-camera systems.
- 2009
Ross begins an extended acquisition program
[1]The company begins a multi-year sequence of acquisitions intended to broaden its graphics, robotics, routing, production, and workflow capabilities.
- 2006
David Ross becomes chief executive officer
[1]David Ross is promoted to CEO as the company continues its expansion beyond switchers.
- 2005
David Ross becomes chairman
[1]David Ross assumes the chairmanship of the board.
- 1991
David Ross joins the company full-time
[1]John Ross’s son David joins Ross Video and later takes responsibility for product development.
- 1985
Third-generation switchers are launched
[1]Ross introduces smaller microprocessor-controlled switchers with serial communication between chassis and control panel.
- 1983
Encore Memory System is introduced
[1]The system digitizes switch and knob positions so production configurations can be stored and recalled.
- 1978
500 Series switchers launch
[1]Ross introduces its second switcher generation with multi-level effects for previewing and layering content before broadcast.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated professional technology provider for live production, broadcast operations, sports venues, and immersive media environments, combining production hardware with graphics, automation, workflow, and creative capabilities.
Production switchers · 1974
RVS Series
Ross Video’s first family of production switchers. The RVS 16–4 was the company’s first switcher, followed by the RVS 10–4, which provided fewer video inputs. An optional downstream keyer enabled an additional video layer, establishing functionality that became central to live television production.
Production switchers · 1978
500 Series
The second major generation of Ross switchers, introduced in 1978. Its multi-level-effects architecture allowed operators to preview and combine multiple video layers before putting the result on air. Ross used MLE as its branded term for the multi-level-effects function.
Switcher control and memory · 1983
Encore Memory System
An option introduced in 1983 that converted switch and knob positions into digital data. Operators could save and recall production configurations, making complex live-production setups more repeatable and reducing manual reconstruction between programs or events.
Live-production systems
Ross production switchers
Ross’s broader switcher portfolio provides live video source selection, compositing, keying, effects, and control-room production functions. Switchers remain a foundational part of the company’s business while being integrated with graphics, automation, routing, and production-workflow systems.
Broadcast and sports graphics
Ross graphics systems
Graphics solutions for broadcast presentation, live events, sports, virtual sets, augmented reality, and venue displays. The portfolio has been expanded through acquisitions and supports data-driven presentation, motion graphics, sports visualization, and large-format event output.
Camera robotics
Robotic camera systems
Robotic camera and camera-support technologies designed for repeatable movement, remote operation, and live-production environments. Ross expanded this area through acquisitions involving robotics and cable-camera systems, serving broadcast studios, sports, entertainment, and event production.
Broadcast infrastructure
Routing, infrastructure, and signal processing
Systems for routing, managing, processing, and distributing video signals within production facilities and outside-broadcast environments. These offerings support the infrastructure layer connecting cameras, switchers, servers, graphics, displays, and transmission or distribution workflows.
Broadcast software
Production automation and newsroom systems
Software and integrated systems that coordinate production tasks, newsroom operations, prompting, playout-related workflows, and live-event control. Acquisitions in newsroom systems, automation, prompting, and media workflows have helped Ross address operational processes beyond individual hardware devices.
Media production software and hardware
Video servers, replay, and media workflows
Solutions for recording, replaying, managing, and moving media through live-production and post-production environments. Ross expanded this capability through acquisitions involving video servers, replay, media-asset management, and production workflow software.
Outside broadcast and production services
Mobile production services
Mobile production capabilities for sporting and other live events. The company’s mobile-production unit has been associated in the reference material with events produced for ESPN, NBC, and Fox, extending Ross from equipment supply into packaged production operations.
Live-event display technology
LED and venue-display systems
LED display and venue-graphics technologies for stadiums, arenas, and other entertainment environments. These systems can deliver sports information, branded content, replay, and live-event graphics to large-format displays.
Brand decisions
2025
Expansion into aerial cameras, live audio, and immersive experiencesM&ABackground
Ross continued broadening its live-event and production technology portfolio beyond traditional broadcast control-room equipment.
Action taken
The supplied material identifies acquisitions or additions involving EagleEye, LAMA, and ioversal.
Aftermath
The reported additions extended Ross’s capabilities into aerial cable-camera systems, live audio mixing software, and immersive experiences through the Vertex platform.
2024
Acquisition of Bannister Lake SoftwareM&ABackground
Data-driven and HTML5 graphics were identified in the supplied material as an area relevant to Ross’s expanding graphics and production-software portfolio.
Action taken
Ross Video acquired Bannister Lake Software.
Aftermath
The transaction added data-driven and HTML5 graphics capabilities to Ross’s offering.
2009
Start of the extended acquisition strategyM&ABackground
Ross sought to expand beyond core switchers and build a broader portfolio for live production, graphics, infrastructure, and workflow management.
Action taken
The company began acquiring specialist businesses in graphics, data insertion, routing, robotics, mobile production, newsroom systems, virtual production, servers, networking, sports graphics, media workflows, LED, and cable cameras.
Aftermath
The acquisitions created a more diversified technology portfolio and supported Ross’s positioning as an integrated live-production supplier.
1983
Introduction of the Encore Memory SystemProduct launchBackground
Live-production operators needed a reliable way to recreate complex switcher settings and control-panel configurations.
Action taken
Ross introduced a memory option that digitally stored switch and knob positions for later recall.
Aftermath
The product improved repeatability and reduced the setup burden associated with complex production configurations.
1978
Move from the RVS family to the 500 SeriesGeneration changeBackground
Ross needed to develop more capable production switchers as television control rooms demanded increasingly sophisticated compositing and preview functions.
Action taken
The company introduced the 500 Series with multi-level effects, allowing operators to preview and layer content before transmission.
Aftermath
The 500 Series established a more advanced switcher platform and helped broaden Ross’s production-control offering.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Ross Video updates Newt and SRG-4500 products[2]
Reported:
Ross Video released Newt V4.0 and an upgrade to the SRG-4500 reference generator. Newt V4.0 adds SSM, NMOS and diagnostics; the SRG-4500 upgrade adds support for Precision Time Protocol.
Ross Video launches Ultrix Carbonite[3]
Reported:
Ross Video launched Ultrix Carbonite, an integrated solution combining Ultrix routing and AV processing with the Carbonite mid-size production switcher.
Sources3 sources
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