Mike Cutler (L) of Canon looks on as Jeffrey Feld with TriHealth tries out the CanonXA25 at GV Expo 2013.
WASHINGTON—The Government Video Expo is preparing to launch with a cohort of familiar exhibitors and a focus on emerging technologies such as the cloud and 4K. Running from Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., the GV Expo will have training sessions available on the first day and an open exhibition floor on the two following days.
Access to the show floor is free, and that gets you a seat at the featured presentations. Leading off these featured presentations is the keynote talk by Loren Hudziak, solutions architect for Google Federal, who will discuss the subject of “Is Your Data Safer in the Cloud?” Other presentations on the main stage include “Seven Things The Beltway Can Learn From Hollywood About Video Workflows” by Geoff Stedman of StorNext Solutions, and the popular “Meet the Government Producers” panel.
Of course, there will be plenty of exhibitors on the expo floor, which makes it an ideal place to learn about and compare products that you have in your plans. In fact, the GV Expo is the largest video show on the East Coast, which makes it a good choice for researching equipment if you live within easy travel distance of Washington.
There are many familiar names among the exhibitors, including Panasonic, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Grass Valley, JVC, Ross Video, Cobalt Digital and ChyronHego. These vendors and many others will have personnel at the show to help you get a better look at their gear and answer your questions.
Some companies, such as Matrox, are also leading presentations that are open to all attendees. Matrox will present a deep-dive into technology and an interactive question-and-answer session on the topic “Anything Worth Streaming is Worth Recording,” on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. in the presentation theater at the back of the exhibit hall. In its booth, the company will feature its Matrox Monarch HD, an H.264 encoder designed for professional video producers who need to simultaneously stream a live event and record a master-quality version for post-event editing.
The popular Government Video Producers panel returns for GV Expo 2014.
“Government video operations have special needs and budget considerations that many video specialists in the commercial world do not face,” said Carmel King, executive vice president of the Broadcast Group for NewBay Media, the publisher of Government Video magazine and the parent organization behind GV Expo. “We’ve designed GV Expo to be ‘government-friendly’ and respond to the needs of this community. Additionally, the large technology exhibit and hands-on conference and training programs will be of interest to anybody involved in professional video—public or private.”
TARGETING GOVERNMENT
This will be seen at many of the exhibitors’ booths, as they bring equipment targeted at the government market and specialists who can address the attendees’ questions. Considering access to the exhibition floor is free, the ability to handle gear and ask questions has value to any organization considering an upgrade or expansion.
At the Panasonic booth, expect to see the company’s new PX270 HD camcorder, which is equally at home shooting news and documentary footage, as well as live streaming applications. Panasonic will also show its line of video switchers with integrated audio capability, which puts two major video production functions in a single compact product. If you’re looking for information on security/surveillance cameras, Panasonic will be able to address that as well.
Blackmagic Design has surprised the video industry over the past few years with a string of highly capable and affordable products that range from cameras to switchers to monitors. Expect the company to show its popular Cinema Camera line, as well as its Atem live production switchers.
Comrex’s LiveShot uses 3G/4G networks to transport HD video.
Comrex will feature its LiveShot system, which can wirelessly transmit high-quality video and audio using telecom 3G and 4G networks. At the GV Expo, Comrex will demonstrate how you can use LiveShot to wirelessly transfer live or recorded HD video across town or across the country.
JVC will show off both cameras and monitors, as the company establishes itself as a force in 4K production. With affordable 4K cameras and monitors, JVC will be able to answer questions about what it’s like to step up to what will likely be the future of video production. Surveillance products are also in JVC’s catalog, so be sure to stop by to get a look at products for that category.
A late development at this year's GV Expo is that all the “Next” courses will be free to all attendees, providing there is space available. This includes many excellent topics that are relevant to both government and commercial video operations.
In addition to this large group of no-cost sessions, there will be paid educational conferences as well. These are courses targeted at both the general video production community as well as the special requirements of the government video community.
All courses — paid and no-cost — are taught by industry experts and cover topics that reflect the latest standards and operations. If you are interested in these courses, please visit www.gvexpo.com to look at the descriptions—there is still time to sign up if you find a class that will help advance your work or agency.
Finally, one of the most popular features of the GV Expo is the free raffle that is held at the end of each exhibition day (Dec. 3-4). As with years before, the expo staff will give away some valuable and interesting prizes. All you have to do is be there to claim yours.
This year’s GV Expo is shaping up to be an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest industry trends and developments, as they affect the government video community. It also gives you a chance to catch up with colleagues at other agencies. All this at a price—free—that makes it an excellent value.
