TVT: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trend at the 2017 NAB Show?
Bryce Button
Bryce Button: At NAB 2017, I anticipate a continuation of trends that dominated conversations at the show last year, including HDR and Broadcast IP, VR and AR implementations and cloud-based production and storage.
As an industry, we’ve made great progress with the promise of HDR, but there are still challenges to be sorted out, especially in standardizing, converting between standards and controlling the way color is treated beyond the initial luminance phase. You can expect to see new tools from AJA at NAB that address current HDR pipeline challenges.
Although broadcast IP became a reality last year, as industry professionals worked together to establish standards like SMPTE 2022-6 and SMPTE 2022-7 and developed IP-compatible technology to simplify the transition, it was but a start. Now we are entering a new phase with SMPTE 2110 and practical implementations with lots of interoperability that will be shown at NAB 2017 and soon put to the test in the real world with many broadcasters viewing this as the turning point. AJA and other AIMS members will be showing some of these interoperable solutions on their stands and at the AIMS stand at NAB 2017.
We will still be in an interim phase for a while yet in the broadcast space with SDI and IP implemented in practice as what one might consider a hybrid of the two, but the promise of IP is closer at hand. AMWA and the efforts to standardize registration and discovery are migrating fast from theory to practicality. At NAB this year, we’re likely to see new solutions from manufacturers that promise to tear down some of the barriers that remain. As a founding member of AIMS, and a member of both the Aspen Community and SONY IP Live, AJA is thrilled to be part of this transition.
TVT: What will be your most important product news?
Button: Though we don’t disclose product news ahead of NAB, I can tell you that we’ll be rolling out exciting new items for the broadcast, production, post and ProAV markets. Our newest tools and updates will address some of the industry’s biggest workflow challenges, so don’t forget to stop by our booth #SL2505.
TVT: How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?
Button: We’ve built a reputation for creating affordable, flexible and reliable solutions that meet the needs of broadcast, production, post and ProAV professionals now and into the future, and our NAB product lineup will be no exception. To top it off, our products are uniquely backed by a three-year or five-year warranty, innovative engineering and unrivaled support.
TVT: What is it about the NAB Show that brings you back every year?
Button: Not only does NAB give us a great opportunity to connect with major customers, technology partners and other industry friends in-person, but we also walk away from the show with excellent insight into the current and new trends that will be top of mind for industry professionals as the year progresses.
