Q. What broad technology trends do you think will be front-and-centre at IBC2010?
DSLR cameras. H.264 codecs (AVCHD, XDCAM EX, AVCIntra). Content re-repurposing to address the "long-tail". Multi-platform (tv, web, mobile) delivery of live video. 3D everything.
Q. Any thoughts on how the current economic climate will affect the show?
My prediction is that attendance will be low, but buyers will be out in force, partly because there is still stimulus money left to be spent. Broadcasters will look to technology to bring efficiencies to their operations while content owners will look to technology to find new markets for their products.
Q. What’s new that you will show at IBC2010 and that broadcasters should look for there?
We will be showcasing Matrox MAX H.264 encoding technology in a big way – lightning fast H.264 export for Apple Compressor on the Mac and Adobe Media Encoder on the PC, and live H.264 capture on both Mac and PC.
We will also be showing our inexpensive HD monitoring solution for Avid Media Composer and Avid NewsCutter, the Matrox MXO2 Mini.
For the first time, we will also be demonstrating fast, easy, budget-friendly 3D stereo production and post using the Matrox MXO2 I/O devices and Dashwood Cinema Solutions software.
Q. How is your new product offering different from what’s available on the market?
We like to say we are “triple-A-rated”. We are the only I/O hardware vendor that provides a platform for the big three NLE solutions, Adobe, Apple, and Avid. Add to that platform versatility (laptop, desktop, Mac and PC) and new features with the Matrox MAX H.264 encoding technology and we do offer a unique solution.
We are also showing an extremely cost effective HD-SDI scan convertor with genlock (Matrox Convert DVI) whose new drivers are optimized for 50 Hz broadcast resolutions.
Q. Where are you based, and how many employees do you have? Anything else we should know about your company?
Matrox is a privately held company based in Montreal, Canada with close to 1000 employees. What most people don’t know about us is that about half of our business comes from our OEM accounts, some of the biggest names in the video industry. We offer an entire family of cutting-edge HD and SD digital video hardware and software development tools for Mac and PC that lets OEMs, systems integrators, and developers of video equipment for broadcast, medical, and industrial applications build their own innovative digital media systems. Broadcast applications include capture/playout servers, streaming servers, clip and still stores, render farms, character generators, graphics/production servers, automation and master control units, multi-layer effects compositors, and nonlinear editing systems.
Q. How many years have you been going to the IBC show and what’s your fondest memory? What’s your favorite restaurant or pub?
Matrox has been exhibiting at IBC since 1992, but I am an IBC rookie. My ten years at Matrox have been focused on the North America market but my colleagues have come back with great stories from Amsterdam and I’m looking forward to having my first Grolsch there.
Q. 3D – Hope or Hype or In Between, or wait and see?
I am fairly bullish on 3D technology because it offers story tellers more tools to tell their story. 3D gaming as well as animated movies will be a staple moving forward. 3D cinemas and feature length movies seemed to have reached critical mass and the premium currently placed on 3D televisions will be short lived. With that said, I believe the majority of prime time television and almost all live broadcasts will remain 2D. There will be specialty 3D cable channels, however, given the dedication necessary to view 3D television, I don't think the average viewer will want to give up the unique satisfaction of channel surfing for the sake of the 3D experience.
