--- title: "SociallyU — Case Study" description: "Production-grade UniFi network for a content studio. Dante audio, 4K NDI video, dedicated editing VLANs, 10G backhaul." url: "https://unifiedit.tech/case-studies/sociallyu" lastmod: "2026-10-27" type: "page" --- ![SociallyU’s control room: an operator at the desk in front of a wall of live program monitors](https://unifiedit.tech/images/case-studies/sociallyu.webp) Media & Production Pro AV Dante Audio Video over IP Virtual Production [All Case Studies](https://unifiedit.tech/case-studies) [ Case study · Media & virtual production ] # SociallyU Virtual Production Studio How we built the full UniFi network for a live 4K virtual production studio in Chattanooga: 100+ Dante audio channels over IP, real-time 4K video and one management console for the whole studio. [Read this case study on Ubiquiti’s site (opens in a new tab)](https://casestudies.ui.com/case-study/socially-u-scales-faster-an-all-in-one-unifi-ecosystem-for-growth) 100+ Dante channels Over IP audio routing 4K Live production Green screen virtual sets $0 Licensing fees No recurring costs 1 Platform Network, Protect, Access, Talk, NAS Background ## Real-time 4K virtual production, live to broadcast SociallyU began as a software development company and became a virtual production studio in 2020. Led by a founder with a data center background, the Chattanooga team produces real-time 4K virtual productions on green screen, at a fraction of the cost of an LED wall. Clients pay a day rate, produce as much content as they can, and often leave with finished cuts. That pace depends on the network, and a dropped frame during a live broadcast to ABC or News Nation cannot be recovered. The challenge ## What the studio needed from the network ### Zero downtime for live broadcasts SociallyU is often live on major news networks and streaming platforms. A dropped frame or a network failure during a broadcast cannot be recovered. ### High bandwidth for 4K real-time workflows 4K ingest, real-time editing, large file transfers and live Dante audio routing all run at once, and the network has to carry all of it without a bottleneck. ### Pro AV and Dante integration Moving from XLR-based audio to Dante over IP requires switches that understand Pro AV profiles and can route 100+ channels reliably across the studio floor. ### Scalable management across the full stack SociallyU runs Network, Protect, Access, Talk and UNAS under one roof. Managing them through separate vendor interfaces was impractical. "We can't have the network go down in the middle of a live broadcast — especially when we're on big networks like ABC or News Nation. Ubiquiti's reliability and single-pane-of-glass approach help us deliver that peace of mind." — Isaac Dantzler, Marketing and Technology Specialist, SociallyU What we did ## The full UniFi stack, from core switch to door readers We deployed UniFi across SociallyU's Chattanooga studio: the core Pro-Aggregation switch, cameras, access control and VoIP, all managed from one dashboard with nothing licensed separately. ### Deployed infrastructure - Enterprise Fortress Gateway (HA pair): 25G cloud gateways using VRRP for high-availability routing - Pro-Aggregation switch as the central hub, with 10Gb/100Gb fiber and copper links to every rack - HD switches with Pro AV profiles enabled, so one click sets up Dante audio routing across all connected ports - Enterprise Campus 24 PoE switches: 10 GbE with 25G SFP28 uplinks for high-density production zones - UNAS Pro rack-mount NAS: 10Gbps storage for 4K ingest and real-time editing - U7 Pro, U7 In-Wall and U7 Pro Wall access points throughout the studio - UniFi Protect for studio surveillance; UniFi Access with TouchPass for keycard and Apple Watch door entry - UniFi Talk for studio communications; everything managed from one UniFi dashboard "One click, and the switch is ready for Dante audio. It saves us from needing a separate, highly specialized 'AV-only' network." — Morgan, Studio Engineer, SociallyU The Pro-Aggregation switch is the central hub, connecting the server racks over 10Gb fiber and copper uplinks. Each rack or department has its own high-speed links, so 4K ingest, audio routing and file transfers do not contend with each other. Outcomes ## One platform for the whole studio - 4K video transferred and rendered fast enough to finish a Sony campaign on deadline - 100+ Dante audio channels routed over standard Ethernet, with no separate AV-only network - Consistent performance across multiple racks and production zones from a centralized Pro-Ag core - Administrators manage the entire stack (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, NAS) from one dashboard - Door access by Apple Watch and phone badge, so crews carrying equipment get in hands-free - Video over IP is the next phase, with cameras and monitors treated as network endpoints "We wanted to create an efficient, assembly-line style process. UniFi became a perfect fit because we needed an ecosystem that was powerful, user-friendly, and flexible enough to grow with us." — Isaac Dantzler, Marketing and Technology Specialist, SociallyU Continue reading ### Explore more case studies Projects for studios, law firms, schools and other organizations. 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