There’s a big spotlight coming for Wheatstone when it displays at the 2026 NAB Show, and it will focus on the heritage broadcast technology company’s VMX mixing platform, used for multiple studios, consoles, and glass surfaces.
A new VML virtual mixing console that runs on any modern web browser is also a key product Wheatstone believes will be of interest to attendees.
VMX serves as a single mixing backend for multiple LXE, Glass LXE, Strata, and Virtual Strata consoles and surfaces as well as I/O Blade utility mixers throughout the WheatNet IP audio networked facility. VML is a full-featured virtual broadcast console that can be quickly accessed through any web browser via HTML5 for mixing on a laptop, tablet, smartphone or desktop computer.
VMX can be deployed on a commercial server or PC or on a dedicated appliance made by Wheatstone, eliminating racks of dedicated mix engines for each console along with all the associated engineering, wiring and real estate costs.
Together, VMX mix engine platform and VML virtual broadcast console provide an immediate, full-featured mixing environment for remote broadcasts, temporary studios, disaster recovery, or for permanent on-air, production and voicetrack studios.
The new server platform and HTML5 virtual broadcast console are part of Wheatstone’s Layers software-based broadcast suite for virtualizing audio processing, mixing, and streaming as an extension of the WheatNet IP audio network.
Wheatstone will be demonstrating VMX and VML during NAB 2026 at booth C1051 along with its WheatNet IP audio network products, including virtual and fixed consoles, ScreenBuilder, and Blade 4 access units.
Meanwhile, Wheatstone will be demonstrating a new hitless switching option for zero downtime of critical components across the WheatNet IP audio network.
Hitless failover redundancy is now an option for Wheatstone’s Blade 4 I/O access units and mix engines for LXE and Strata consoles and surfaces. With this, WheatNet IP audio networked facilities can seamlessly switch to a backup I/O access unit and/or a console mix engine for continuous operation during an emergency.
Unlike traditional failovers, which can often cause a slight pause while switching to a backup, hitless redundancy eliminates packet loss, making it ideal for live video (SMPTE-2022-7), audio (AES67), and critical network traffic.
Wheatstone’s advanced hitless redundancy technology features dual mix engines or I/O Blades synchronized in real-time. Should a primary Blade 4 or Mix Engine fail, the backup Blade 4 or Mix Engine takes over for seamless, uninterrupted service. A high-frequency “heartbeat” between primary and backup units enables automatic failover, ensuring rapid recovery in the event of a failure. Active and standby unit statuses are clearly displayed in WheatNet IP NAVIGATOR management software, with manual failover options available for controlled transitions during upgrades or maintenance.
Wheatstone will be demonstrating its hitless failover redundancy feature at booth C1051 during the NAB show.
