Across the NAB Show floor, it was clear that capacity requirements are stretching—from 4K all the way up to 8K—with storage and recording solutions handling even more channels, supporting more formats and outputting to more channels. This year saw a major increase in the number of cloud-based delivery platforms offering everything from traditional asset management to monitoring to archiving within this same cloud environment.
STORAGE/SERVERS/PLAYOUT
Blackmagic Design UltraStudio 4K ExtremeAQ BROADCAST introduced 10 new models in its family of video servers. The range consists of modular hardware platforms that scale from two-channel units to large and redundant storage, port and processing solutions.
ARCHIMEDIA showed off the newest version of the Atlas family of professional media players including Atlas 4K, Atlas Extreme, Atlas 2K, Atlas HD and Atlas Desktop.
ARCHION introduced the EditStor Omni storage solution designed to handle 4K, 6K and 8K media workflows; as well as Collaborate, a new appliance for Adobe Creative Cloud Collaborate that works as a localized version of Creative Cloud while also serving as a platform for media asset management and archive.
ATTO TECHNOLOGY showcased its portfolio of connectivity solutions including its Thunderbolt 2 Desklink devices, which enable connectivity from small platforms to high-performance networks.
AVID introduced ISIS 1000 shared storage, part of the company’s MediaCentral Platform.
With an eye on the Ultra HD space, BLACKMAGIC DESIGN showcased the UltraStudio 4K Extreme, a capture and playback solution that handles resolutions up to Ultra HD 2160p60.
BRIGHT TECHNOLOGIES introduced the BrightDrive AstellaNx Pro, a compact NAS appliance that allows post and broadcast facilities to implement a concurrent real-time workflow using Ethernet components in a NAS appliance.
BROADSTREAM introduced the Harbor master control video server.
CALDIGIT revealed two new storage solutions, including the Tuff portable storage solution, a USB 3.1 external drive; and the T4 nano, a four-bay PCIe SSD RAID storage device.
DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS debuted v3.1 of its Dalet Brio server, now with support for SMPTE 2022-2 H.264/AAC streams recording and FIMS Capture v1.1, as well as ingest plug-ins for Adobe Premiere CC, Amazon S3 and S3 compatible storage, and Apple FCP X
EDITSHARE showed enhanced versions of its XStream shared storage solutions, including the new XStream EFS Metadata server, a 2RU server with a 64GB DDR.
EVS launched a new Multicam software engine, new ingest and playout options, and audio/MADI support for its XT3 and XS servers.
EXTERITY introduced the AvediaStream Origin Server, which provides a gateway between multicast IPTV distribution and OTT streaming protocols to enable content delivery to mobile devices and smart TVs.
FACILIS Technology introduced new shared storage products, including the TerraBlock 24D/HA Hybrid Array that includes a drive group of 8 SSDs; and the TerraBlock 8D, an 8-drive, 16TB server.
With a focus on 4K and IT integration, GRASS VALLEY showcased v2.6 of its iTX integrated playout platform, which is designed for live content and provides enhanced automation of ingest for streamlined workflows.
HARMONIC launched the Spectrum X next-generation media server system for production and playout applications and is designed to ease the transition to IP broadcast workflows by integrating SDI and IP I/O on the same chassis. The company also showcased its MediaGrid shared storage system, which supports up to 360TB of usable storage per chassis.
IMAGINE PRODUCTS showcased its PreRoll Post LTFS archiving application. It automates indexing of camera originals and backs up media to local disk and long-term LTO tapes. The company also showed Cloud-Nine, a cloud-based solution that offers the functionalities in a traditional video server plus standard channel-in–a-box system.
JMR ELECTRONICS debuted the Lightning Thunderbolt 2 product family that includes on-board RAID storage systems, provision for desktop or rackmount installation and provisions for mounting a computer inside the largest tower/rackmount model.
MARQUIS BROADCAST launched v4 of its Project Parking archive and retrieve solution, and announced it can now be used in conjunction with Avid’s storage management solutions. New storage analysis tools include Unify Parking for copying projects onto shared central storage.
MEDIA 5 introduced a new line of 4K video servers called the VIDEO 5 server line.
MEDIAPROXY highlighted the newest addition to its LogServer suite of products, LogServer Access, offering disaster recovery and remote backup.
NETAPP debuted StorageGRID Webscale, a new object storage appliance designed to manage media repositories. The company also showcased the NetApp EF All-Flash Arrays, designed for 4K and high-frame-rate production workgroups; the NetApp E-Series storage platform; and the NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP with FAS8000 Series.
ORAD unveiled a new Pivot Windows-based controller, designed to accelerate the PlayMaker Live Analysis and Sports Replay content production system.
PACE MEDIA DEVELOPMENT GmbH unveiled its CUBA HDP compact Channel-In-A-Box playout system, combining video playout, on-air graphics, playlist and transfer management in one single server solution. The systems’ Web-based CUBA Playout Management administration tool provides for monitoring and playlist editing, allowing one single operator to handle an unlimited number of channels and playout servers.
Quantum Artico NAS archive applianceQUANTEL unveiled the sQ 1000 series server for its Enterprise sQ fast-turnaround News and Sports production systems. The new servers are smaller, lower-cost and more powerful than the existing sQ400 and 800 servers and are compatible with existing Enterprise sQ systems.
QUANTUM launched the new Artico NAS archive appliance and showcased workflow storage and management solutions such as the Q-Cloud Archive storage service and the StorNext Pro series of solutions.
ROHDE & SCHWARZ demo-ed new 4K capabilities for the Venice 4K Server, which allows for material to be synchronously converted to HD-SDI and saved as a file. This parallel generation of both HD and 4K content provides transition option until content is broadcast entirely in 4K.
SGL showed off the newest version of the FlashNet content management solution, which includes new cloud-based archiving capabilities.
Storage solutions from SONNET include a new USB 3.0 + eSATA Thunderbolt adapter.
SONY unveiled new 1TB and 2TB hard disk drives (the PSZ-HB1T and PSZ HB2T) with dual Thunderbolt and USB3.0 interfaces.
SPECTRALOGIC highlighted the Black-Pearl archive library, which can be accessed via standard cloud APIs, as well as the nTier Verde nearline storage solution.
STORNEXT PRO SOLUTIONS showcased its high-performance storage systems including StorNext Pro Studio, StorNext Pro 4K, StorNext Pro Foundation, StorNext Pro Workgroup and StorNext Pro Production.
TELESTREAM announced a new Light-speed Server model, the Light-speed K80, that provides high-density transcoding and video processing in 1RU.
THOMSON VIDEO NETWORKS introduced the FUZE-1 playout infrastructure system that focuses on channel origination and manipulation for linear TV channel playout, ad insertion, branding, mosaic channel playout, time-shifting, disaster recovery, censorship, and EAS insertion.
New archiving solutions from TMD include Paragon, which uses LTFS in conjunction with the Mediaflex digital asset management and archiving software for short-or long-term storage.
Portable recording was the name of the game for VITEC, which showcased the Focus FS-H50/60/70 series of portable H.2664 SD and HD recorders.
VOLICON introduced a new Archiver option for its Observer Media Intelligence Platform, which makes high-quality versions of aired programming, promos, and advertisements readily available for use cases ranging from ad verification to repurposing.
XENDATA highlighted its new X2500-USB, an LTO-6 archive system that includes an external LTO-6 drive and management software.
CLOUD/CONTENTI DELIVERY NETWORK
AFRAME unveiled the next generation of its cloud-based video collaboration platform, with new review and search capabilities. The system can be used to upload, transcode, store and organize content as well as collaborate across locations.
AMAZON WEB SERVICES was at the show with its cloud storage and processing solution, including Amazon S3 cloud storage.
ARCHIMEDIA introduced the Iris Cloud Service, which allows for collaboration for workgroups.
Yaguang Xie (L) and Bo Sun, both from Arcsoft, listen to a presentation by Elemental’s Shawn Lile (R) about the company’s cloud-based video services.ASPERA launched Aspera Files, a new SaaS platform that allows for exchange and delivery of any-size file-based media or data. The company also showcased new advances to its FASP high-speed transfer platform and the Aspera Direct-to-Cloud Storage transfer capability, which moves even large media formats from source directly to object storage destination with native I/O.
BROADPEAK released a new graphical user interface within its BkM100 CDN Manager. The system allows operators to monitor a CDN to troubleshoot ingest, propagation, and delivery issues for live and on-demand content.
DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS previewed media workflow orchestration with the Dalet Workflow Engine and Dalet AmberFin transcoding platform.
DATAVIDEO debuted the HDR-10, a single-channel replay recorder designed for sporting events and sports training.
DELUXE showcased MediaCloud, an IP-based platform that allows broadcasters to manage media assets and playout and deliver channels to any platform in any format; as well as DL3, a platform for end-to-end supply chain management that supports IMF, 4K UHD and HDR content. The company also previewed the V2 Media Store, a cloud-based catalog management suite that provides tracking and management of digital assets throughout the supply chain.
ELEMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES demonstrated Elemental Cloud, a Platform as a Service (PaaS) that enables video providers to rapidly deploy multiscreen offerings for live and on-demand content. The platform automatically provisions and dynamically scales any combination of Elemental’s video processing, delivery, and storage services within a secure private network.
EVS has jumped into the cloud space with the C-Cast multimedia delivery platform. At its booth, the company demonstrated the capabilities of C-Cast by showing how its FanCast solution works with Cisco’s stadium portfolio to deliver exclusive content to fans and video displays throughout a stadium.
FUJIFILM jumped into the cloud space too with the Dternity Media Cloud, an off-premise storage solution.
IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS introduced CloudXtream, a cloud video platform for multiscreen video distribution and monetization that addresses packaging, encoding, transcoding, storage management and cloud orchestration. Components of the platform include CloudXtream cDVR system and CloudXtream Dynamic Ad Insertion system.
MICROSOFT built a sizable booth at this year’s NAB to show off the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, a system that is being used by media companies to integrate storage, data and networking.
MPP GLOBAL announced enhancements to eSuite, the company’s cloud platform that provides print, broadcast and new media organizations with an integrated cloud identity management, customer relationship management and e-commerce platform.
NETAPP showcased its “NetApp in the Cloud,” a storage operating system that includes the ONTAP operating system and SteelStore backup and archive system.
NVERZION showed off the latest features within CloudNine, its cloud channel-in-a-box solution that works as video server playout system. A Web-based interface allows broadcasters to control and monitor recording and playout operations from any location.
ORACLE FRONT PORCH DIGITAL showcased the StorageTek tape storage digital content archiving solution as well as the Oracle ZFS storage system and the Oracle FS1 Flash storage system.
PRIME FOCUS TECHNOLOGIES highlighted its expanded cloud-based Media ERP solutions, including the Clear Operations Cloud for multiplatform distribution.
QUANTUM showcased the Q-Cloud Archive storage service.
QUICKPLAY announced the new Managed Broadcast Operations Service, which can be used to deliver OTT programming and distribute programming to MVPDs.
TELESTREAM highlighted the newest features in Vantage Cloud, which allows users to provision transcode farms in the cloud, as well as the newest version of the Switch media player.
TELVUE launched its Connect+CloudCast video streaming system, an all-in-one solution for broadcasters who want to combine cloud-based content management with the flexibility of adaptive video streaming to any type of viewing device.
WORLDNOW debuted Worldnow OTT Gateway, an OTT video distribution platform that’s part of the company’s Worldnow Media Platform that addresses content management, distribution and monetization.
RECORDING & MEDIA
AJA announced at the show that users of Atomos’ Shogun and Convergent Design Odyssey7Q+ monitor/recorders will now be able to record CION’s AJA RAW.
ATOMOS introduced new features for Shogun, including custom metadata tagging, pre-roll recording, time lapse video, playlist generation. All of these are included in the AtomO6 software update. It also announced support for for high-end cinema with RAW, anamorphic, cinema 4K through Arri, AJA, Canon and Sony products.
DIGITAL FILM TECHNOLOGY showcased new features within the Scanity HDR, which provides a real-time organic solution for the ingest and management of difficult historical film transfer issues.
FAST FORWARD VIDEO debuted Studio Pro Replay, a compact JPEG2000 digital video recorder for replay and time-shift applications that’s part of the company’s Omega HD family of record and playback systems.
Entering a new arena, GRASS VALLEY showcased what it’s calling the first mainstream 4K/ HD camera/replay chain with a switchable camera that works in tandem with its K2 Dyno Universe Replay System.
MATROX showcased Matrox Monarch HD, a video streaming and recording appliance, as well as the VS4Recorder Pro software, which lets users frame-accurately record four live audio/video feeds using a Matrox VS4 quad HD-SDI capture card.
VIDEO CLARITY introduced the Clear-View Player 4K Portable, which builds on the ClearView Player 4K, a player/recorder system for uncompressed quad/4K, HD and SD video with embedded audio and 4K HDMI output.
VITEC showcased the latest developments within the Monisys MR, a multichannel IP stream recorder solution.
