Attendees of NAB2007 are facing a unique period in history, with the digital transition less than two years away.
Even with two decades of planning for the digital TV transition, no one has a confident, clear view on how well it will work. Numerous questions still abound. Will the transition be invisible to most TV viewers, or will there be a period of chaos and confusion for the unknown number of Americans who still depend on over-the-air television? Will terrestrial DTV, at full power, be robust enough to well serve those who still desire on-air service? Will there be interference issues?
All of those issues and many more will be on the table at NAB2007. Even with the logistics of the analog shutdown looming, broadcast engineers must also look ahead to the rapid expansion of new distribution channels, ranging from iPods to mobile phones.
With more than 100,000 attendees anticipated (including 82 international delegations) and hundreds of domestic and global technology companies represented at NAB, there’s a lot going on at the show.
David Rehr, the NAB's President and CEO, will deliver his annual state of the industry address on Monday, April 16, at 9 a.m. Katharine McPhee of “American Idol” will perform the national anthem at the opening keynote.
