2013 NAB Trip Report by Ron Shaw
UPDATED April 2014:
For the first time in 30 years I am not attending NAB this year. It is going on in Las Vegas right now as I write this in Toronto. I certainly wish I was there but a variety of business issues have prevented me from attending. As I receive dozens of emails currently, from exhibitors that I've visited there in the past, I almost feel like I'm there. So, as I digest these product announcements being sent to me, I plan on writing a 2014 report in the coming weeks, which will be posted here. In the meantime, if you haven't read last year's report, I think it's still current information. We'll see how some of my predictions and thoughts below pan out compared to the 2014 reality...
Here is the unedited 2013 report:
It's mid-April and I've just returned from another National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas.
Here’s my report.
You’ll find two main sections—the General Overview and the Magnacom Future Roadmap—each with bits of information about the show and where technology is taking us.
I also include a story at the end that’s a bit of fun, too.
I've tried to keep the report language as "plain English" as possible, but I admit, some sections are riddled with "geek speak." Sorry. Reading time should be about 15 minutes.
Section One: General Overview
Evolution of NAB (Staying Relevant)
The world's largest electronic media event
2013 Facts and Figures:
- Attendance 91,565
- Countries Represented 155
- Exhibitors 1,600
- Square Footage 900,000
NAB stays relevant because they have been open to and have embraced continuous change. In fact, NAB could (and should) be a case study in how to keep a business growing, relevant and exciting in the face of daunting (and sometimes dangerous) change.
It also shows that a successful organization's brand has very little to do with its name. It's what's inside that counts. When I first started going to NAB in 1982 there was no Internet, no flat panel TV (but HDTV was being considered!), all electronics were analog, crude personal computers could barely handle text in 8 colors (never mind video), and NAB centered on the needs of TV and Radio broadcasters. But even back then, it was evident that change would drive the future. Video producers and facilities were being embraced as a new part of NAB's audience. Also, there was the beginning of an international diversity, a diversity that continues to grow.
In those early days RCA had the largest booth, along with Kodak and Ampex. Those companies are largely gone today. Sony grew from having a tiny booth to having by far the largest booth in the mid to late 90's. Now, it is only among the largest booths - still relevant, but no longer leading.
Against this backdrop, NAB is still thriving and is a world leader. I’d say this is because NAB is open to and embraces change.
A 4K Future (Um, where's 3D?)
For the past two or three years, 3D was all over NAB. This year was an entirely different story. I've always maintained that 3D, especially for TV and video, would never be much more than a passing fad. Some people say that one of the reasons it didn't catch on is because of the awkwardness of having to wear 3D glasses. Producers have said that doing 3D production is just too much hassle, basically requiring two of everything (cameras, recorders, editing paths, etc.). In my opinion, it's just not a very realistic or natural experience for the viewer. Only certain scenes benefit from the 3D process, and productions were being crafted to include specially prepared 3D scenes - audiences I believe can see through this charade - and once the novelty wore off, 3D proved to be not much more than a distraction to telling a story.
This brings us to 2013 and the buzz at NAB.
4K was all over the place and I think this has legs, along with the future 8K to come.
Quite simply, 4K offers over 4000 pixels of resolution versus HDTV, which at best is 1920 pixels wide. Now HDTV is no slouch in the resolution department, especially as compared to Standard Definition, but 4K simply takes your breath away and looks natural and even three-dimensional.
Now that the North American TV ecosystem is entirely digital, doing a changeover to offer 4K to the home is not as onerous as the conversion from analog standard definition TV was.
Indeed, TV set manufacturers are already offering 4K TVs this summer, and at a price point less than first generation HDTVs. Of course, the only 4K content available now is by way of download. But soon, I believe we will start to see a handful of 4K TV channels.
If you ever get a chance to see a demo of 4K it is definitely worth your time.
It's an IP World (that's Internet Protocol and Intellectual Property)
For many years (and still to this day) the word "Convergence" has been used—and overused—to describe the coming together of technology and content. Many companies, both large and small, have been burned by adopting this mantra too early or too late. Television and video have always relied on technology, but what is interesting is how as video has gone from analog to digital, there was a fairly long period (several years) where digital video technology was entirely separate from the IT world. This meant high quality, highly reliable and usable systems and equipment. But this equipment was very expensive, because of its purpose-built nature.
In 2013 the industry is now well on the way to full conversion to an Internet Protocol, IT-based world. This has resulted in substantial cost reductions, but reliability, quality, and usability are all issues still very much in play. As of this NAB, the conversion to production using video "files" instead of "recordings" is virtually complete, from the lowest to the highest levels of production. This is one of those "tidal shifts" in the industry and it has ramifications for every link in the production and distribution chain.
The other "IP" - Intellectual Property - otherwise known as content, is being fully embraced by equipment manufacturers. In other words, equipment designs are now being driven by the effectiveness of the equipment in contributing to production improvement, not simply by engineering prowess. And that's a great thing.
And Intellectual Property disputes are still common. (I mention one in the Sony sub-section later in this report)
Section Two: Magnacom Future Roadmap
The key reason I attend NAB each year is to explore new and emerging technologies and trends that could impact our customers and our business. Some of those trends were already noted in the General Overview that you just read. Now, I'll take a look at some of our specific suppliers and what they had at NAB that's of interest to Magnacom. These ideas will be incorporated into our future production and presentation technology roadmap.
Avid
We have been a user of Avid products for more than ten years. Through this time, Avid has continued to be a video editing and finishing tools leader despite brutal competition that has seen systems pricing fall as much as 90 per cent. Most of this competition is now out of business. Avid remains.
The latest version of Media Composer (7.0) has some interesting features. Since it supports 4K resolution, they have included a feature which is useful to people producing for regular HD (which is just about everyone). If you import a sequence shot in 4K, you can use a tool to "frame" an HD "window" within a 4K frame and use whatever part of that 4K frame you want, to produce the HD output. That's kind of a "pan and scan" with more possibilities. So you could shoot your 4K scene wide and use just the portion of the frame you want in editing.
Media Composer 7 also has an optional plug-in for advanced color correction from the former Avid Symphony editor (which has been discontinued because Media Composer now has all of its features). Additional audio capabilities are included in Media Composer 7 as well.
All of this new functionality only costs $995 for the software.
Sony
Magnacom has been using Sony products since we started in business. We've purchased two million-plus dollars worth of Sony gear over the years. One of the things that has always attracted me to Sony is that they have not only produced great professional products, they were truly a one- stop supplier for every component of video production. We have owned a wide range of Sony products including broadcast and industrial cameras (single tube, 3 tube, single chip, 3 chip, SD, 4:3, 16:9, and HD, with mult-core and triax CCUs, and robotic P/T/Z), video recorders (in all Betacam flavors including original oxide tape Betacam, BetacamSP, DigitalBetacam, Betacam SX, and IMX - those were all Betacam derivatives, 3/4" U-Matic and U-Matic SP, DVCam, Video 8, Hi-8, Betamax (Beta 1 baby!), S-VHS, XDCam, XDCamEX, and XDCamHD 4:2:2), analog and digital video switchers, MPEG encoders, linear edit controllers, optical disc recorders, monitors (CRT, Plasma, LCD, and OLED), microphones (wireless and wired), analog and digital audio mixers, DAT and multi-track audio recorders, PA amplifiers and speakers, signal processing devices, digital multi-effects systems, Videostore servers, projectors, and more. (Phew!) If it had electronics in it, and it was used for video production, Sony made it, and we probably owned it.
Unfortunately, in 2013, and for the past few years, Sony has been significantly hollowed out. They are still strong in high end and mid-range production cameras, switchers, professional monitors, and to a certain extent in wireless microphones, but that's about it. The video world has either eliminated product categories like VTRs, or Sony has had to exit product lines where they can no longer afford to compete.
So this year there wasn't a whole lot new at Sony to get excited about. They are certainly diving deeply into 4K with their cameras and they showed two stunning prototype 4K OLED large flat screen monitors.
The 4K cameras all use single full frame (35mm equivalent) sensors and they basically have 3 models that cover the lower end "wanna-be" film maker with the F5 ($5000 price point) through to a mid-range model F55 ($20,000 price point) and up to a Hollywood special, the F65 ($75,000+). As I mentioned, all of these are single image sensor cameras. They are big 35mm size multi-mega pixel sensors, but they are still single sensor.
Broadcast HD cameras, on the other hand, have evolved and have been refined to have 3 sensors, one dedicated for each of red, green, and blue light. The combined signal from those 3 sensors is what gives them the ability for highly accurate color reproduction. The downside is that these sensors have been developed and made smaller than the 35mm single sensors in the new 4K cameras. The film guys like the shallow depth of field that a larger (film like) sensor allows for. But the RGB color filtering that is required in a single sensor imager generates certain picture artifacts that are hard to remove. (The F65 does a good job at removing them.)
My prediction is that in a couple of years, Sony and others will develop 4K (and even 8K) 3-sensor imagers in the 35mm size. It will be a very difficult development and there will be a formidable challenge in getting the size of the 3-sensor camera body down to something resembling the size of today's 3-sensor HD cameras.
One last note about Sony cameras: As NAB started, Sony launched a major lawsuit against an upstart camera manufacturer for serious patent infringement. That company? RED, who Sony alleges based all of their designs on Sony patents. If Sony wins, it will surely mean the demise of RED.
So let's get to the couple of interesting new Sony products of relevance to Magnacom, on the immediate horizon:
The first is a video recorder that records in the same full HD 50Mb/s 4:2:2 format as the XDCam Professional Disc equipment that we use. It is similar (but half the size) of the XDCam EX30 recorder that we have a couple of now. Our existing EX30 decks only record in the 35Mb/s 4:1:1 EX format so they do not record full HD like the new model does. This new recorder has a built-in LCD monitor and uses SxS media cards, just like the EX30. It goes one step further and has a built in USB port to transfer recordings to an external hard drive without a computer. It can also run on battery power. We will probably get at least one of these for recording HD switcher output on multi-camera jobs. It will go for about $6000 - much cheaper than the $20,000+ of a Professional Disc HD 4:2:2 recorder. The downside is that because, unlike optical discs, SxS card media is very expensive so footage must be transferred off the cards so the cards can be re-used.
Finally, the most interesting new Sony product for us is the new Optical Disc Archive system. It is a drive that accepts a new data cartridge, which consists of 12 individual Professional Disc platters (same as what's inside an XDCam optical disc). Each cartridge (depending on model) can hold up to 1.5 TB of data. I was told that the 1.5 TB cartridge will sell for about $225. So this is a price per GB that is on par with a hard drive but the cartridges have a shelf life of 100 years, unlike a hard drive, which probably only has a 10 year life. So the system is ideal for archiving. We see two uses: When we finish editing a show, we will transfer all assets from the Avid project to this new optical storage. This will include all of the graphics and animation files, the low res proxies, high res sequences, EDL, scripts, music elements, and multiple versions of the complete show. This will eliminate recording a master tape or disc, and will facilitate future changes to the program. The elements can simply be re-imported to the Avid for doing those changes.
The second use will be for transfer, logging, and storage of old camera tapes for future stock footage use, and for logging and searching of current footage. To facilitate this, Sony includes new logging and search software with the drive (Optical Disc Archive Content Manager). This software allows an operator to log footage and then search by text metadata (a normal Google style search) and it can search for spoken words on an audio track or images using facial recognition. The drive will sell for about $7000.
Microsoft
Microsoft exhibited a number of media solutions at its large booth including a couple of hardware innovations that show it is trying to leverage its Xbox and Surface-based hardware business into new markets. One software solution that interests us is a network optimization environment that can be used by our large enterprise customers to send video to employee desktops and devices without clogging their network. This system obviates the need for expensive Cisco switch and router upgrades to accommodate multicast protocol to the edges of the network. (Multicast is a way of sending a video simultaneously to thousands of users with just one stream. It requires a special router and switch capability.)
This new solution utilizes the computing power inherent in every device on the network, to permit any user to enjoy a great video viewing experience without clogging the network with the multiple streams that would be necessary with any other non-multicast delivery method.
We'll be watching this one closely because it will certainly help our customers use video more.
Digital Rapids
Digital Rapids is a Canadian company that has built a reputation as being the finest maker of encoding hardware and software for video streaming and other digital video applications such as DVD and Blu-ray. (Have you heard of a company called Netflix? Sure you have. Some evenings and weekends, movies that their customers watch account for 20% or more of all data traffic on the Internet. Well, it is Digital Rapids encoders that Netflix uses to make all of those movies ready for the Internet.)
Since the video workflow for pre-recorded programs is changing to a file-based process from standard tape or disc recordings, the added benefit is the re-purposing of standard definition encoders that we already own, into high-definition capable machines. This is because it is no longer necessary to "play out" video into the encoder. It can be transferred as a file over Ethernet—and Ethernet doesn't care if the file is HD or Standard Def video. Likewise, the output is in the form of an IP stream over Ethernet so any file format is supported.
It is no longer necessary to have a dedicated HD hardware input capability, unless encoding of a live source is required. In that case, hardware with an HD-SDI input will still be needed.
Digital Rapids is now offering simpler, less expensive hardware-based HD encoders that are optimized for live streaming and leave off the features needed for file-based workflow.
As an aside, Magnacom also uses "software only" encoding solutions from Sorensen and Main Concept. These are good, but we have experienced incompatibility with certain applications such as DVD authoring and multi-cast streaming. We've never had these kinds of issues with Digital Rapids encoded projects, so we have a high level of confidence in their capability. We believe this is because they develop all of their own hardware and software and adhere precisely to encoding rules as set out by organizations such as MPEG.
Telemetrics
We have followed Telemetrics and their products for a number of years. They are focused on the development and manufacturing of hardware and software that moves and controls video cameras. These devices include motorized pan/tilt heads, motorized pedestals and motorized dollies, and computer control with dedicated control panels.
This equipment is valuable in a modern multi-camera studio where it can allow a human operator to control more than one camera at a time. It also allows for a level of control and shot repeatability that is more difficult for a human operator.
This year, Telemetrics introduced a low cost ($9000) software-based control panel that is designed to work with multiple cameras like our Sony HD robotic cameras. This controller solves many problems that are inherent with the Sony camera control panel. For example, it uses a separate menu screen that allows an operator to make exposure, gain, and set-up changes on the fly while a shot is "on-air." It also gives finer control to the movement of the camera, giving a much more fluid look and feel, similar to what a skilled camera person can achieve with a regular camera and high quality tripod head. It's all in the software!
LiveU
This company was recently formed and specializes exclusively in the transport of production and broadcast quality live HD video over cellular networks as an IP stream.
Magnacom owns equipment from a competitor of LiveU (StreamBox) for the transmission of video over wired IP networks. But LiveU excels in this new field of video over mobile networks, because their founders and core engineers came from companies that do mobile networks, so they have a deep understanding of the issues involved.
Broadcasters in the past have done live video interviews and "stand-ups" over fiber optic links, via satellite, or over microwave in urban areas. These methods give great quality, but they are expensive and can be time consuming to set-up.
With the advent of LTE for smartphones, there is substantial bandwidth available now that is reliable enough for video transport. What LiveU does to accomplish this is "bond" several mobile services together to get the required bandwidth. In the US you would use maybe two from Verizon, one from AT&T, and one from Sprint. In Canada you could use one each from Rogers and Bell, and two from TELUS. The LiveU device amalgamates the bandwidth from these carriers and delivers an excellent quality video link. This is less expensive than typical legacy links and allows for fast set-up.
The system consists of a small, battery-powered unit to be used at the camera position, and a rack mount unit to receive the video at a control room.
There is also a reverse channel to carry audio from the studio to the camera position. This is normally used for an IFB (Interruptible Fold Back) earpiece so the person being interviewed can hear the questions from the host in the studio and instructions from a producer.
The cost of the system we are looking at is $25,000. This compares to a portable satellite system we looked at a few years ago that cost $400,000.
Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic has done more to disrupt the business of conventional electronics manufacturers than probably any other company. They started by making video capture cards for Mac computers back in the 1990s. In 2013 they are an awesome force in the television and electronic cinema production business. Their formula is to employ great engineering design, large-scale integrated circuits, digital processing, and low-cost manufacturing. In 1995, we purchased Sony digital signal processing equipment that cost $50,000. Today, the same equipment from Blackmagic Design costs $345. Stunning! Now you know why Sony doesn't make that stuff anymore.
New this year, Blackmagic introduced new fiber optic equipment that we can use for some of our applications. They are also adding 4K capability to their product line and have introduced their own low cost models of 4K cameras. That will perhaps give GoPro a run for their money.
ClearCom
ClearCom is Magnacom's supplier of intercom equipment for production and staging support. We currently have 3 analog party line base stations and about 20 beltpacks/headsets.
Clearcom has now released a complete line of digital party line components. There is a 4 channel base station and 2 channel beltpacks. There is an analog-to-digital interface module that plugs into the back of the new base station so you can use the new digital components together with an analog party line system. The cost of the digital system is about double the analog system currently, but that price will most likely drop. There are several advantages of the digital system. The sound quality is superb, with no pops, buzzes, or crackles. The signal is completely immune to noise that is induced by nearby power lines, dimmers, speaker cables, or two-way radios. And beltpacks can be connected with standard microphone cable (like the analog system) or you can use Cat5 cable or fiber. Unlike with the analog system, a single 3 pin mic cable can carry 4 intercom channels.
While it is designed as a party line system, (everyone on a single channel hears and talks together) I was told that because the belt packs are addressable, ClearCom will be introducing software that will enable users to address and talk to another station privately. That would give you much the same capability as a full matrix intercom system, as used by the largest facilities.
Clearcom also introduced new full size headsets that are lighter and more comfortable than the ones we have now, which are discontinued. They also have a new lightweight headset that is made stronger than the existing ones and will not break as easily.
Finally, ClearCom also introduced a new digital wireless intercom that works on 2.4 GHz spread spectrum technology. That system has optional remote transceiver units that allow wireless users to roam over a large area or into different rooms that have the remote transceivers in them.
Canon
Canon is one of the most successful Japanese companies around. While Sony has stumbled recently, Canon has continued to get stronger and stronger in the imaging industry. Just 6 or 7 years ago at NAB, Canon's booth was not very large or elaborate, and they simply showed the 15 or 20 different lenses that they made for video and television cameras. Canon and Sony always worked closely together (and still do at the very high end of television cameras) because Canon would make the lenses and Sony would make the cameras.
Now, with the exception of the most expensive broadcast cameras, Canon is filling the market with their own cameras, and is making serious inroads into the cinematography world. There are even a few Hollywood feature films that have been shot with Canon digital cinema cameras. These cameras are basically modified versions of digital still photography cameras that can shoot HD video. I have a customer that refers to these as "shooting with the Brownie" and despite what that sounds like, he really wants us to use these instead of our full size broadcast cameras.
There are more than a few issues with relying on these cameras for every part of a shoot (they don't have good audio interfaces, for example), but they are fantastic for shooting "B-Roll" and other visuals that benefit from fast set-up and lightweight, compact equipment. The picture quality is excellent.
Canon is being very smart in going after the market this way. The reason? With the evolution of digital electronics and software nowadays, it is fairly easy to make a digital camera. But making a high performance lens is a whole other story. And that's what Canon has vast experience wIth—they are really good with new lens innovations. So the camera manufacturers need Canon way more than Canon needs any particular camera manufacturer.
This brings me to my "lusted after" purchase for Magnacom. With all the accessories, the new Canon DigiSuper 95 broadcast lens goes for a cool $120,000. Add a new Sony HDC1700 series camera with a large 7.5" OLED viewfinder, fiber CCU and shading panel for about $95,000 and of course a heavy duty Sachtler tripod to hold it all for about $11,000 - a sweet total of $226,000. Now you have a camera system that can fill your HD frame with a dramatic close-up of a human face from 600 feet away, and because of 3rd generation image stabilization in the Canon lens, the picture will be rock steady. Perfect for shooting at the biggest shareholder meeting where the camera platform is stuck at the back of the hall.
The really amazing thing about this lens is the number 95 in the model name. That denotes the zoom ratio - 95:1 - which is more than 5 times the 17:1 ratio of a typical news camera lens. That massive zoom ratio means it can go from wide angle to super telephoto in one smooth move. It's smaller and lighter than the 50:1 lens that you would typically see used at an NFL game broadcast. I spent about 20 minutes at the show playing with this new lens on a Sony camera. It’s incredible!
Christie Digital
Christie is a company that was founded in Kitchener, Ontario and came out of the Electrohome Television company. (It is now owned by a Japanese company that makes specialized light bulbs.)
Magnacom currently owns 2 high performance Christie projectors with full HD capability.
At their booth this year, a brand new 24,000 lumen 4K resolution projector was showing some stunning footage. This baby will go for about $225,000 without a lens.
Christie is also working on a laser projector, which promises to revolutionalize the cinema viewing experience.
Harris
Our Infocaster system, which we use for digital signage and information channels, is a Harris product. It has its roots in the Inscriber character generator system, which was also a Canadian company until Leitch (another Canadian company) bought them and then Harris bought Leitch.
(As a personal aside, the guy who engineered all of those deals as president of Leitch, then CEO of Harris, Tim Thorsteinson, had a few beers with me on one of the many occasions he used to be seen at the Duke of Wellington in downtown Toronto, talking shop with colleagues. He actually asked my opinion on a few different things. Now he's CEO of the Grass Valley Group, which is another major name in broadcast equipment, so don't be surprised to see some M+A deals happen there. In fact, now that Tim is no longer at Harris, their broadcast division, which includes all the former Inscriber and Leitch products plus the Harris products from before those deals, has been divested from the Harris military and RF divisions, and sold off to the Gores Group, a Los Angeles based investment banker. Harris Broadcast will shortly be re-named HBC Solutions.)
At the booth this year, I had a demo of the new Inscriber G8 Windows based character generator, which is optimized for live graphics and has everything you would want for the finest on-air look including real time business data or sports score driven animation. Full HD of course, and it's yours for $40,000.
They also showed a new 1 rack unit "HD channel in a box" that as the name says gives you everything you need to drive content on a 24/7 broadcast channel: Ingest of clips, commercials, and programs, graphic overlays, playlist management, and logging.
Yamaha
My memory of the Yamaha booth this year was that it was the place I stood when the NAB show ended for 2013. A big "whoop - whoop" was heard on the exhibit hall PA along with the voice of an NAB official exclaiming, "It's alllllll over!!"
Before they shut it down I got a chance to talk to the Yamaha rep and see the new audio stage box that they have introduced that uses the Dante audio system. Dante encodes multiple channels of audio and embeds it for transport on a standard Ethernet network, and with superb quality and controllable latency. The advantage of this is that you can now have a single Cat5 cable carry dozens of audio channels, thus eliminating heavy multi-channel XLR snakes between the stage and the Front of House mixer. Because Dante runs on a standard Ethernet network, audio can be routed by IP address, from or to any device.
Yamaha has had 48 channel Dante stage boxes prior to this year but a company like Magnacom doesn't need anything that big for our typical corporate shows. This year, Yamaha introduced an 8-channel version that can be ordered as inputs or outputs. So just drop one of these on either side of the stage and you've practically eliminated the need for long microphone cables.
Closing (Beginning?) Comments
Before I get to the last story, I want to thank a few people who helped a lot with this report. Jenny McKaig from Creative Well who edited it, Jennifer Honneus of Magnacom who entered the story and pictures into our website CMS, and Chris Coltman of Elyptic Production who is our web genius and who trained Jennifer on CMS best practice.
Finally, a super special thank you to Dave Kinzinger of Dynamix Professional Video Systems who hosted a wonderful prime rib dinner at Las Vegas during NAB. Dave has been our systems supplier and friend to Magnacom since 1985.
Area 51
This was fun. After 32 consecutive years (where does time fly?) of going to NAB, mostly in Las Vegas, the "Strip" no longer has much appeal to me. In recent years, I've stayed south of the city, in Henderson. This year I stayed at the brand new Spring Hill Suites by Marriott in North Las Vegas. (I got a $93 rate including hot breakfast!)
After the convention finished I stuck around for a couple of days. Shunning the casinos, I decided to drive the rental car out into the desert for a ride through some stunning wilderness. I ended up on Nevada Route 375, known as the Extraterrestrial Highway. Over a hundred miles later I arrived at Rachel Nevada - truly the middle of nowhere - population 54 - and right next to Area 51.
That's the super secret air force base that's not really a secret. It's rumored that the US government has Aliens from outer space there.
The local innkeeper is taking advantage of this notoriety and hosts a few curious geeks like me every day. The truth is out there.