TV TECHNOLOGY: What will be your most important product news?
CRUMP: Comrex is introducing two new products at the show this year. ACCESS NX is a major upgrade to our flagship audio contribution IP codec ACCESS 2USB. ACCESS NX features a more powerful processor, larger touchscreen and several improvements ACCESS users will appreciate. We will also introduce Opal, an audio contribution product designed to allow remote guests to sound like they are in the studio without requiring complicated setup and using devices, such as computers or smartphones, that support Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
TVT: How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?
CRUMP: ACCESS NX is highly anticipated by tens of thousands of customers that have relied on the ACCESS platform for the past 10+ years and we’re very excited to bring this to market. But Opal really shines because it takes advantage of technology that is built into web browsers. We’ve made it truly broadcast-reliable with our nearly six decades of experience moving broadcast media over challenging data networks. Our engineering team has taken a complicated, open source technology and distilled it down to an incredibly simple user interface that will really enhance broadcast program audio in a way that is not currently being done.
TVT: What is it about the NAB Show that brings you back every year?
CRUMP: It’s kind of like the geese migrating North in the spring. Beyond that, NAB is a chance to connect with our customers and potential customers from all over the world. It provides us with an invaluable opportunity to discuss existing and future products with them and get their direct feedback. So, ultimately, it’s our customers that keep us coming back.
