ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Missed a hot new product at April’s NAB Show? Catch up on the hundreds of products with the recently released Best of Show Special Program Guide, covering products for TV/video, film, radio and pro AV professionals.

The digital guide features the nominated products from Future’s 2019 Best of Show Awards program, with special highlights for the winning products. Companies get the chance to tell you in their own words why a certain product is noteworthy, offering a sampler of the new technology demonstrated on the convention floor.

Read the program guide here.

While the 2019 NAB Show was no world stage, there were indeed the industry men and women from around the globe in attendance. In addition, they were actively engaged in a diverse range of debates centered around a multiplicity of contemporary industry movements. Arguably, there were simply too many options in play—largely driven by multiple disparate technologies—that were consuming all of the players within content creation teams, broadcasters, technologists, system integrators and business management.

A looming backdrop were recent seismic convulsions among the media giants as they continued to pivot in their grappling with the still-growing tech giants—in both content creation and content distribution. Within this industry maelstrom, related technologies (and associated debates) were being unleashed on many fronts—4K UHD, HDR, cloud production, IP production, 5G, esports, AR/VR, and the hot new topic of AI and ML supporting content creation.

CONTENT CREATION, THE STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF

In content creation—1080P fortified with HDR and WCG—emerged in the mainstream of at least near-term live productions in the United States, propelled by the ongoing caution among broadcasters and cable operators about any plunge into 4K UHD distribution services. That said, 4K UHD was indisputably being more positively spoken about as an inevitable transition in the mid to long-term. The overwhelming dominance of 4K products at this show, and their steadily declining price points, added an air of inevitability to the acceptance that at least content masters should be in 4K, regardless of short to mid-term distribution strategies.

Over the past few years, the promise of 4K imagery on larger screens had increasingly spurred sports and concert producers to seek greater framing options in lenses—and this propelled the debut of second-generation 2/3-inch long zoom 4K UHD lenses having greater focal reach and a wider angle of view. Traditionally, the simultaneous extension of focal range at both extremes has eluded the optical manufacturers for decades—an inherent optical conflict conspiring to thwart this—but this NAB saw new long zoom field lenses that broke that barrier.

The early experiences of the first generation 4K UHD lenses also had led to industry exhortations on tightening specifications on 4K UHD sharpness and chromatic aberrations at picture extremes as well as significantly improving image stabilization. Here too, impressive improvements were demonstrated at NAB. Additionally, the solution to a longstanding nemesis of long zoom broadcast lenses—namely, “lens ramping” (the drop in light transmission through the lens when zooming reaches a critical focal length) which has vexed sports directors and camera operators for decades—was demonstrated at the show. This, in the form of the novel collaboration between Canon and Sony and termed ARIA (Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation), should play well on the world stage of sports and concerts.

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD: 8K UHD

Paradoxically, at CES and NAB, the high visibility of 8K UHD hung like a Sword of Damocles over the many TV transition scenarios being explored, sparking new debates among the industry’s engineers, production teams and business managers. 8K cameras were sprinkled throughout the show floor and 8K displays were ubiquitous. A newly formed U.S.-based 8K Association held an all-day seminar during NAB—with one notable presentation arguing that 8K is virtually unstoppable.

Technologically, there is little question that it is advancing rapidly, but sadly absent was any clear messaging on how the technical prowess of 8K imagery can ever be expressed in the living room; that is, the continuing avoidance of any discussion on requisite screen sizes. Seems indeed to be that all the men and women are mere players within this technological tsunami. Nevertheless, 8K imaging will surely do wonders for the future of large screen cinema and multiple other large screen venues such as museums, art galleries and digital signage.

THE GAME IS AFOOT: LARGE FORMAT IMAGING

Large format lenses and cameras have continued their brisk expansion in both product developments as well as their widening penetration of most genres of entertainment production. Full-frame 35mm digital cameras are now more firmly established for high-end television and theatrical motion picture production than they were a year ago—and they are flanked by fast-moving developments in associated zoom and prime lenses from multiple global optical manufacturers. Indeed, many commented that optics seemed to be the central theme of NAB. Meanwhile, a large image format (larger than the established 2/3-inch) has entered the television production arena—the 1.0- inch single sensor camcorder has moved to center stage with highly innovative new products being offered by most of the major manufacturers at NAB—and they are all 4K. The imaging advantages of this larger format are flanked by disparate high-performance recording codecs used in these new products and has sparked broad-ranging debate and comparative evaluations.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: SMARTPHONE IMAGING IN BROADCAST TV

The upstart smartphone continued nudging its way onto the world stage of imaging in numerous manifestations. Smartphones bristling with 4K OLED displays, cinematic displays, multiple cameras within one device (to offer ultra wide to telephoto shooting options), were very visible. Discussions abounded on the possibilities of such devices for broadcast newsgathering—possibly furthering the winter of discontent for professional broadcast camera and lens manufacturers. Given the number of significant movies shot over the past year on smartphones that have gained unusual visibility, the specter of broadcast television adopting this maverick imaging medium cannot be ignored.

THOUGH IT’S MADNESS, THERE IS A METHOD: A WORLD BEYOND SDI

IP infrastructures dominate a great deal of contemporary industry discussion and activities. Confidence in the SMPTE 2110 standard has grown substantially, but is tempered by multiple hard lessons in implementation by those who have undertaken major IP projects over the past couple of years. This was a topic of much discussion throughout Las Vegas. This also encompasses the experiences of those who have built the first IP television mobile production trucks. But, the multiple exhibits, and the many presentations and panel discussions at NAB left little doubt that the broadcast television industry migration to IP infrastructures and workflows is now in full swing—it squarely preoccupies the many men and women on the world broadcast stage.

Infrastructure discussions have expanded among major industry players as many contemplate the deployment of software defined networks (SDN) for moving many production applications into the cloud. Successful multiple worldwide project implementations, contemplation of possible projects by many, and firm rejection by some of any consideration of broadcast television infrastructures in the cloud—were all fodder for this broadening industry discussion.

Notwithstanding this brave new world, the proliferation of 12G SDI on multiple products at the show appeared to have injected new life into the world of SDI.

IN A BETTER WORLD THAN THIS: ESPORTS

Esports has literally exploded over the past year. More players, more dedicated studios and rapidly escalating technological developments abound. The adaptation of existing venues like cinemas for esports is now being overtaken by purpose-built venues of extraordinary sophistication. Production studios, production control rooms, and large high-resolution displays are central to these installations and are creating a new A/V system integration business. Esports has surely morphed into a global stage where many men and women play.

BE-ALL AND END-ALL: DIRECT VIEW CINEMA

Over the past year, direct view digital cinema has leapt to the forefront of discussion within the global cinema communities—propelled by dazzling demonstrations by Sony, Samsung, and others (Sony’s 8K direct view Crystal LED cinema screen drew particularly large crowds). Last year, the Digital Cinema Initiatives published its draft “Direct View Display-D-Cinema Addendum” document reflecting the consensus of some in the international digital cinema industry that might ultimately lead to formal standardization. Following the first installations of such displays in disparate regions of the world stage, it seems however, that the industry has paused slightly—as if to absorb the success (or not) of these first installations.

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL: 5G

Meanwhile, 5G hovers over the global stage—and here the players become even more numerous with all of the technical, business and political considerations now under intense global debate. Perhaps the central theme of these discussions was just how real 5G is at this juncture, and how rapidly will it in fact advance over the next couple of years. But, the promise is surely huge.

Larry Thorpe is Senior Fellow, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group at Canon U.S.A.

This free, 45-minute webinar (now available on-demand), features the editorial teams from TV Technology, TVBEurope and Creative Planet Network reviewing some of the most important media technologies and new products showcased at the 2019 NAB Show.

Topics covered include: 8K, 5G, large-format imaging, machine learning, esports, IP video workflows and Best of Show award-winning products.

Click here to download the webinar.

Sponsored by:
Comark
Evertz
IHSE
Cobalt
VidOvation

As Senator Gordon Smith, CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, delivered his opening remarks, he surprised many by holding up a mobile phone fixed with an ATSC 3.0 adapter and called attention to a largely unknown chip technology that enables reception of live, over-the-air TV and radio broadcasts. Smith elaborated, “While this attachment is great, what we would really like to see is a chip built right into the phone to give consumers this technology…But to date manufacturers, Apple being one of them, refuse to enable broadcast chips in their devices. It begs the question: Why?”

Smith said that consumers would welcome new local programming without using mobile minutes, as well as access to safety and emergency services. Then he chided Apple and other big tech firms for using their powerful market position to limit consumer choice and stifle free market competition. This was a moment to remember, when the idea of putting broadcast receiver chips into mobile devices was elevated from merely a broadcaster’s wish to a national conversation.

Later at another NAB event, organized by Pearl TV, came the dramatic news that the top 40 US TV markets would have implementation of ATSC 3.0 by the end of next year. At that event, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr spoke on the benefits to safety and emergency services that would be possible if broadcast signals could be received on mobile devices. Said Carr, “These new [ATSC 3.0] features aren’t just exciting for their entertainment value. They also have the potential to vastly improve public safety—whether it’s geo-targeted and encrypted information sent directly to first responders, or multimedia AMBER alerts to provide the public with more accurate and complete information.”

Commissioner Carr gave an example, “…many fire stations still receive notices through analog means, like paging, and their queues can get overwhelmed during emergencies. Broadcasters are already working with fire stations to see how ATSC 3.0 can reduce the time it takes to notify fire departments without sacrificing the security and resiliency of analog networks.”

At a third NAB event, Parag Naik, co-founder and CEO of Saankhya Labs, the Indian company that is creating the mobile chip, spoke at a press event sponsored by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Naik elaborated on the technology his company is developing. The chips do far more than display live ATSC 3.0 signals, they can do this for television and radio standards around the world without operator adjustment. The chip is so smart it can determine which broadcast standard signals are in its reception area and automatically adjust to receive the appropriate one. In addition, the chip can be programmed remotely on the fly. If a TV standard needs updating, software updates can be deployed wirelessly across a network.

The ability to adapt to any international broadcast signal makes this chip consistent with how mobile devices are marketed in the world today. Typically, device makers build for a global market.

Senator Smith’s keynote speech, Commissioner Carr’s comments, and Parag Naik’s technical explanation all happened early in the convention. However, momentum about “chips in phones” and chips in all kinds of mobile devices carried throughout the Show and into the press coverage that has continued. Since then, industry experts have been debating when this might happen.

Mark Aitken, President of Sinclair’s ONE Media group, said that while he is disappointed with the initial telecom response, he expects a better result once a critical mass of ATSC 3.0 broadcast stations have been deployed. With recent announcements such as “ATSC 3.0 Next Gen OTA TV is Launching in Detroit”, and stations reported for 3.0 service in 2020 (69 stations covering 71.4% of US population), critical mass seems to be rushing forward.

Another cue can be taken from the work of the European division of McKinsey & Company. Many European countries went through their broadcast repack years ago and are further than the US in implementing 5G. Most are realizing that full 5G implementation is far more costly than projected. They are finding that “network sharing” with their telecom competitors, as well as other bandwidth providers such as cable companies and broadcasters, is key for long-term profitability. Chips in phones and support of ATSC 3.0 in mobile devices can be part of a network sharing strategy.

Because of this realization, there are test programs blending broadcast and telecom spectrum. The “5G Today” initiative in Germany is testing use of tall broadcast towers in an SFN configuration to make 5G distribution more efficient and profitable. Similarly, in Korea, SK Telecom has initiated working relationships with most major Korean broadcast stations and several telecom competitors, as well as a Joint Venture with US-based Sinclair Broadcast Group aimed at 3.0 commercialization.

Ultimately, it may be economic pressure and the unique distribution properties of ‘low band spectrum’ (the TV Band) that motivates telecoms to build ATSC 3.0 chips and capabilities into their phones and mobile devices. When that day finally comes, remember Senator Smith’s keynote address at NAB 2019. This is where it started.

Josh Gordon is a TV Industry Strategist for ONE Media/Sinclair Broadcast Group.

TVB Europe will be joining forces with sister titles TV Technology and Creative Planet Network to host a free webinar on May 22.

The live webinar, titled "Tracking the Trends from the 2019 NAB Show," will take place at 11 a.m ET.

The webinar will review some of the most important media technologies and new products showcased at the NAB Show, including 5G, 8K, esports, IP video workflows, Machine Learning, speech-to-text, standards and more.

Don’t miss out on this free webinar for an update on some of the most important trends from this year’s NAB Show; register for free here.

LAS VEGAS—With the growth of esports creating opportunities for broadcasters and the wider media industry, the 2019 NAB Show featured the debut of the “Esports Experience” in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s North Hall, as the once-emerging form of content is becoming more mainstream, requiring higher levels of production and distribution.

“The increasing popularity of esports is attracting attention and investment from traditional and new media alike,” said Ann Marie Cumming, senior vice president of communications. “By all indications, NAB Show’s attendee base is very interested in the developments related to this exciting medium.”

Topics up for discussion included brand integrations; implications of 5G; live events that are held in venues such as the 30,000-square-foot, multilevel HyperX Esports Arena, at the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip; collegiate and amateur esports; broadcast infrastructure; convergence of esports and TV; storytelling and Hollywood IP; and game development.

Anzu, another company that’s keened in on the esports market, exhibited at the Sprockit Hub, also in North Hall, which featured startups. The company, based in Berlin, has developed a new in-game advertising ecosystem that crosses digital game worlds, where ads are blended directly into the setting.

Anzu gives advertisers “another way to promote products to the unicorn [or premium] audiences they could never reach before―on PC, console, mobile and in the esports space, during actual game competitions,” said Natalia Vasilyeva, vice president of marketing. “So advertisers can now advertise in-game and engage the players without disrupting their user experience.”

One advantages of Anzu is that the creative can be updated dynamically. “The platform offers advanced targeting and personalization capabilities, and ads can even be based on an event that occurs during the game session,” said Vasilyeva. “From the game developer’s angle, they can integrate the technology into the game, take control over ad placements and add as many ad spaces as they want, which leads to greater monetization opportunities.”

Anzu acts as a middleman between the game developers and advertisers. “After the integration of Anzu, we start selling ad spaces to brand advertisers and advertising agencies, matching their preferences with the right game audiences via Anzu’s private marketplace; and also programmatically, using the real-time bidding technology (RTB),” she said. “We’ve brought interactivity, brand safety and RTB to the in-game world at scale and have already partnered with a number of big game studios and brand name advertisers.”

As for the Esports Experience, it “was a success by all measures with well-attended sessions and lots of activity and excitement surrounding the live gaming component, in which attendees could observe professional teams and also have the opportunity to play themselves,” said Cumming. “It was a popular destination for attendees, and the sponsors appreciated the exposure it provided.”

On that note, she said to look for the Esports Experience next year, “perhaps with an even larger footprint.”

Find out what other sports-related technologies were on display at the 2019 NAB Show here.

LAS VEGAS—While attendees at the 2019 NAB Show milled the floor by day and partied into evening, players large and small in the broadcast sports market presented their newest wares to take the user experience to the next level.

While the larger players tended to promote product upgrades, smaller companies promoted exciting technologies that, if not necessarily new, were making further inroads into the market.

ENHANCED VIEWS

Speaking of upgrades, at NAB ’19 ChyronHego focused on promoting its Paint 7.5 sports video telestration and analysis solution, “which includes enhanced tag and text features that bind to multiple data sources, on multiple rows of text and all parameters from the 3-D model,” said spokesperson Olivier Cohen.

Also on the company’s plate was Virtual Placement 7.1, which Cohen called a “simple-to-use solution” that allows for the placing of virtual elements into a live scene, such as sponsor advertisements (see the sidebar section about Anzu). Scene tracking, ChyronHego’s latest method of optical tracking, allows virtual placement to gather metrics without using pitch lines or sensors.

ChyronHego also featured Click Effects PRIME 3.5, an arena graphics creation and custom digital display control solution noted for its single-click action. “While competing solutions force you to script every configuration change, Click Effects PRIME’s no-scripting approach to data-binding and extremely low operating cost means fan engagement is always your first priority,” said Cohen. “[It’s] a powerful resolution and format agnostic graphics system for the sports arena that allows graphics and clips to play out in HD, 4K, HDR via SDI, IP 2110-2022-6, DVI or NDI, with a high level of channel density.”

EVS showcased how its latest VIA technology connects creative teams, reduces technical demands and enables more efficient live IP-based productions. “The new XNet-VIA Ethernet-based live media sharing network offers unique live control over any XT/XS-VIA production servers available on a network,” said Sébastien Verlaine, marketing & communications manager, EVS, “whether working in HD, full HD and UHD-4K.”

The company launched a new, flexible ingest-to-post solution for multicam studios, combining two new products: XS-NEO, its first software-defined server relying on the new VIA software engine, hybrid IP/SDI connectivity, simultaneous multiformat support including cinematic 24p frame rate; and IPD-VIA Ingest, the first application of its next-generation of EVS Media Asset Management relying on the VIA platform, with a brand-new HTML-5 web browser, enabling intuitive control over content.

EVS also demonstrated some of its latest development in AI relating to the control of robotic cameras for unified production operations.

The big news from Ross Video was the acquisition of U.K.-based Piero Sports Graphics, a sports analysis toolset, from Red Bee Media of London. It’s used by broadcasters to provide audiences with new angles and virtual views of sports events through 3-D graphics and image recognition; and by sports teams as a coaching tool to guide players and improve performance.

Kevin Cottam, director of sports and live events for Ross, said the acquisition “is a perfect complement to our industry-leading XPression Graphics and VS/AR offerings” because it offers customers a new avenue for storytelling and sponsorship engagements.

PLUG IT

Smaller companies also offered upgrades to existing technologies at NAB. SportzCast provides real-time scoreboard data for broadcasts and webcasts, now with its updated ScoreHub technology.

That may seem a rudimentary function, but consider the vastness of that market. SportzCast Director of Marketing and Sales Sam Provencher said that device is designed to work with “about 150 types of scoreboards across the U.S. Daktronics, for instance, has about 50 models, all with individual specs. ScoreHub can pull the data out of every one.”

While most professional and major college stadiums offer LED scoreboard technology, “we still have more than 1,000 clients that use matrix boards,” Provencher said, like colleges, high schools, the minor league franchises, etc.

What separates SportzCast in the market, he said, is that ScoreHub connects physically to any technology at the scorer’s table, in the press box, etc., and that the new model is wireless and works with systems that cover “about 99% of the U.S., and we’re adding more overseas.”

While the bulk of the company’s profits come from working with production trucks at large venues for ESPN, Fox, regional sports nets, etc., the 10-year-old Winter Springs, Fla.-based company has always honed in on smaller markets. “Plenty of small venues now have an LED board, too,” Provencher said, “and we can often take data from one venue and send it to a number of other schools in a school district, for instance, that present real-time scores and data on their websites.”

AI-DRIVEN

Tedial showcased SMARTLIVE, a live sporting event production tool that acquires data from various sources and automatically sets up its logging screen for multiple uses. It’s 100% compatible with EVS data, according to Jay Batista, general manager of U.S. operations, and relies on artificial intelligence for speech-to-text commentary and annotates video proxy, both in a fraction of a second. “That allows users to set key words and key events―such as the offensive line of a football team getting into the set position, for instance―and automatically make a clip; then use those, with like clips, to make automatic highlight reels,” Batista said. “The reels are then used for production in the truck or can be set as a social media campaign that enables the insertion of advertising.”

As for the AI angle, Batista pointed out that SMARTLIVE accentuates production and doesn’t eliminate the human element. “It doesn’t replace people in the truck,” he said. “It triples or quadruples their output.”

Batista also said it’s a great tool for smaller productions, like a small college basketball game. “It’s a software-as-a-service tool that’s meant to be connected to a truck with EVS. It’s also a new key to saving truck content that has traditionally been discarded, as it expands the truck’s capabilities to work in tandem with the studio.”

Tedial is set to roll SMARTLIVE out “by June to three customer locations,” he said. What’s next? IBC this fall and the intro of multi-camera, as well as multi-venue, feeds, “which will allow the user to garner content from 10 games at once.”

MORE CAPACITY

A product like SMARTLIVE might pique the interest of Fred Gerling, president of Sunbury, Ohio-based Gerling & Associates (G&A), who builds trucks for living and noted a shift in that market.

“What I learned at NAB this year was quite a surprise,” said Gerling, “and that was that large clients want more space in their trucks, especially when they’re working on big shows” for the NFL, PGA, NHL, etc. “They want more seating capacity and more space. I’m really surprised that people still want more space, [because] two years ago I thought they didn’t.”

But sometimes, a surprise is what a person gets for thinking. “Eight years ago I didn’t think G&A would be building anything but [remote integration] units by 2019,” he said. “As replay is such a big part of pro sports in 2019, however, we find replay consoles are now larger than production or graphics areas. Thus, more space is required.”

As for clients wanting bigger, Gerling mentioned the company developed marketing trailer widths of more than 120 inches on each side of a trailer.

“When I mentioned that at NAB, clients like Lyon Video, F&F Productions, Mobile TV Group, NEP and Game Creek Video got all over me for not getting back to them with these new designs,” he said. “The normal square footage we have with a big Expando is about 800 total; my mobile marketing trailers are 1,600 square feet. Now, my TV production clientele want to see those groundbreaking designs,” he said.

Speaking of Gerling’s clientele, he’s “amazed” that those large clients all want new units―all at the same time. “I’ve never had all of them in our shop simultaneously, and some have more than one under construction. We’re custom building nine trailers right now, with 40 more projects in the queue.”

Why the boom? It all comes down to the viewer’s desire for more graphics, more angles, more shots.

“Hockey for example, used to need only one large trailer per show,” Gerling said, “now it’s three or four for the playoffs. They’re using more split feeds and more graphics, but the increase is mainly due to the demand for more replays, thus more cameras, equipment, etc.”

Find out about what the NAB Show offered for esports here.

LAS VEGAS—To provide the RF signals for the “Riding the Road to ACTS 3.0” model train displays, the NAB arranged for a four-transmitter single frequency network (SFN) to be designed and installed at the LVCC to demonstrate both the relative ease with which an SFN could be rolled out using ATSC 3.0 technology and the rock-steady video that the standard delivers to receiving devices that are on the move.

Kelly Williams, the NAB’s senior director of engineering and technology policy, described the project as very rewarding, and stated that even with the miniscule power being delivered by the network’s “transmitters” (they’re actually ATSC 3.0 modulators, or exciters with no power amplifiers added), he was very pleased with the results at all of the receive sites in the cavernous exhibit halls.

“[We found that] the signal had good coverage,” said Williams. “The modulation was set for 16-QAM, as we wanted it to be pretty rugged and robust, and the payload was set at about 10.5 mbps pushing video at about eight, and we’re using Surface Pro tablets with 3.0 dongles as receivers. The results were pretty darn good.”

One of these model railroad demos was set up in the Central Hall Concourse, and two others in the North Hall.

Williams explained that the idea for the SFN to complement the ATSC’s “Road to ATSC 3.0” and “Riding the Road to ATSC 3.0” themes came about in a brainstorming session, and that the time from concept to installation at the LVCC was less than four months.

“Lynn Claudy (the NAB’s senior vice president of technology) conceived [the SFN idea] around the first of the year,” said Williams. “We always want to do something new here at the show, and we knew we wanted to do some sort of ‘on-the-air’ demo, as we’re broadcasters and we’ve done something that involved being on-the-air for the last three years. In noodling it around, Lynn said ‘why don’t we build an SFN?’”

Williams said that John Turner of Turner Engineering was tasked with designing and building the SFN, and once he was on board, things moved out very quickly. Another principal contributor to the demos was Comark, which provided the entire rack of integrated ATSC 3.0 headend equipment and two of the four exciters.

“I think we shipped everything to John by mid-February and here we are today,” said Williams. “John is a master of figuring out how to do things that have never been done before.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—The “Road to ATSC 3.0” journey in the United States began more than five years ago, and for those waiting for the new DTV transmission standard to start edging out the existing ATSC 1.0, it has been a long one. The question from the back seat, it seemed, was not so much “when are we going to get there?” but rather “are we ever going to get there?”

To anyone who “trod the boards” at this year’s NAB Show, it was very apparent that the ATSC 3.0 “road” is finally open for business and ready to start taking high-speed traffic.

Perhaps the single biggest news story emanating from the Las Vegas Convention Center this year was the announcement that some of the biggest players in television broadcasting have joined together in an effort to fast-track Next-Gen television’s availability in the 40 largest U.S. television markets. Players in this collaborative effort include Cox Media, Fox, Gray Television, Hearst Television, the News-Press & Gazette Co., E.W. Scripps, Hubbard Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting and, of course, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which has been championing 3.0 practically ever since the ATSC issued its “call for proposals” to develop a new system in 2013.

At the press conference, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr advocated for broadcasters to use ATSC 3.0 to innovate and better compete with telecommunications companies.

“It’s important that the FCC authorized broadcasters to start experimenting with ATSC 3.0, giving you the freedom to innovate—a freedom that your competitors and many others in the tech sector already enjoyed,” he said. “And when I think about the ways that broadcasters can use that freedom to innovate, one use case stands out to me: ATSC 3.0 as a new and competitive broadband pipe.”

A key component in a successful introduction of ATSC 3.0 in the United States is the availability of receivers to receive the hybrid off-air/IP transmissions.

There seems to be movement on this front too, based on a show-time announcement from the senior vice president of the Consumer Technology Association’s research and standards division, Brian Markwalter.

“We expect CES 2020 will feature a wide variety of reception devices—integrated 4K Ultra HD TVs, gateway receivers, portable devices and more—optimized for reception of Next-Gen TV signals,” he said.

ATSC 3.0 NO SHRINKING VIOLET AT 2019 SHOW

So, aside from these announcements of 3.0 solidarity and support from both broadcasting and consumer electronics sides, what else was there at the 2019 NAB Show to strengthen the belief that ATSC 3.0 will be arriving on these shores in short order?

In a word, plenty!

In strolling through the halls this year, it appeared that there were more ATSC 3.0-related broadcast products being shown, 3.0-oriented technical and business presentations going on, and demonstrations of Next-Gen TV than at all other previous shows.

And promoters of the DTV transmission standard made sure that show attendees didn’t miss anything, with copies of “Your Guide to ATSC 3.0 at the Show” being distributed at a large circular information center in the Central Hall concourse. The guide, in addition to flagging all exhibitors with 3.0-relevant items or services, provided a day-by-day schedule of events taking place at a special “Riding the Road to ATSC 3.0” presentation stage set up in the North Hall, and even included a reference listing of the “elements” comprising the 3.0 suite of standards.

Even if attendees managed to miss the information center and guide, there were other visuals to attract attention to the new standard in the form of model railroad displays at various locations, with diminutive CSX freight engines pulling minuscule cars carrying tablets showing off 3.0 over-the-air reception.

ATSC 3.0 IN FUTURES PARK

While there were plenty of ATSC 3.0 reminders distributed throughout the three exhibit halls, perhaps the largest cluster of devices and demos was found at the Korean exhibit in North Hall’s Futures Park.

Korea’s Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) showed a complete line of ATSC 3.0 dongles, set-top converters, and home gateways for distributing received 3.0 to companion devices in a user’s home, and more.

One of the demos seemed especially relevant, as 8K UHD continues to gain ground. This was the RF transmission and reception of 8K video, something that at the present state of compression technology, even the new ATSC 3.0 standard isn’t quite up to yet in an “ordinary” deployment.

As explained by ETRI’s principal research scientist, Jae-young Lee, the 7680x4320 resolution video transmission feat was accomplished by the bonding of two six-MHz ATSC 3.0 channels.

“The bitrate needed is about 80 Mbps,” said Lee. “We can accommodate this by combining two standard TV channels. The channels can be contiguous or non-contiguous.”

He noted that the bonded-channel transmitters and receivers being used were fully compliant with ATSC 3.0 A/3222, which supports the bonding of channels to achieve greater throughputs.

Jang Seok Young, South Korea’s deputy minister of Science, Information and Communications Technology was also at the Korean Pavilion, and was asked about the very rapid rollout and acceptance of ATSC 3.0 in his country, which began more than two years ago.

“As compared to the U.S., South Korea was in a better position to roll out ATSC 3.0,” said Young, speaking through an interpreter. “Major broadcasters needed to change their business model, as terrestrial stations [have been losing] market competition against paid TV service providers such as cable, satellite, IPTV and OTT.

“ATSC 3.0 has the ability to be connected to the internet, so terrestrial broadcasters can provide more services and provide better viewing experience,” Young added. “Also, the Korean government put aside 700 MHz spectrum for UHD broadcasting service. This decision drove the industry harder to launch UHD broadcasting using ATSC 3.0 in Korea.”

He added that the move to 3.0 Next-Gen broadcasting in his country has benefitted broadcasters, set manufacturers and consumers alike.

MORE ATSC 3.0 HARDWARE

At an invitation-only suite shared by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and chip-maker Saankhya Labs at the Wynn, a constant flow of industry representatives wanted to learn more about uses for the tiny low-power ATSC 3.0 integrated circuit that Saankhya unveiled at the International CES in January.

Demos have progressed from a “bread-boarded” prototype receiver in January, to a fully-developed “dongle” that snaps into a vacant USB port on a handheld device, instantly turning it into a 3.0 TV receiver.

According to Vasanth Shreesha with Saankhya, the company integrated their SL3000 chip for demodulating and decoding ATSC 3.0 into a USB dongle that can plug into mobile devices, enabling them to receive the ATSC 3.0 signal and display it.

Shreesha said the chipset could equally function as the heart of ATSC 3.0 TVs, set-top boxes and gateway devices. However, when asked if the dongles shown were commercially available, he answered in the negative, but did offer that “we’re working with vendors to bring this to market by early next year.”

Saanhkya was also showing a complete low-power ATSC 3.0 transmitter designed for mast mounting, which can be used either for deploying service in a small community or as a possible adjunct to an existing wireless broadband carrier’s service to reduce overloading the network when large numbers of customers decided to stream a popular event.

A PLEA FROM AN INDUSTRY GIANT

With all of the excitement about ATSC 3.0 at this year’s NAB Show, untold thousands of words were spoken there about it and its deployment. None though, seemed as direct and passionate as those of the executive chairman of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, David Smith, when he addressed a large audience gathered for a Monday afternoon press event.

“ATSC 3.0, as far as I’m concerned, is the single biggest opportunity that’s ever been available to the broadcast industry,” said Smith. “… 3.0 is really ready for deployment and it’s time for this industry to get out of its own way and do what’s clearly in its own best interest … it’s going to be incumbent upon us as an industry to literally coalesce market-by-market, and get this thing built out for the express purpose of the broadcast industry’s survival.

“I would encourage anybody in this industry who has any influence whatsoever to do everything in your power to get your platform rolled out as fast as possible. It’s a matter of life for this industry and it’s a matter of the public interest and for the public to be served at large in the grand scheme of things.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—Crowded, loud, overwhelming, sensory overload … all are observations one could take away from the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

However, to a certain extent, those sensations depended on where you spent your time at the show. In particular, the South Lower Hall seemed the loudest and most crowded to me, with the South Upper Hall taking second place.

This reflects the continuing shift of attendees away from traditional over-the-air broadcasting and more toward web-based and streaming video applications, the latter two of which were well represented in the South Hall. There are still plenty of traditional over-the-air broadcast activity at the NAB Show, but there are also lots of non-OTA vendors and activities.

ATTENDANCE DOWN, BUYERS UP

To get a feel for the overall show, let’s start with the numbers. The official word from the NAB is that the 2019 show’s preliminary registered attendance was 91,460, compared to 2018’s final attendance, which was 92,912. Preliminary registered attendance is based on pre-show and onsite registration, and subject to an ongoing audit.

“Although total registered attendance was down slightly, the number of attendees who identified as ‘buyers’ was up, which is a positive development for exhibitors, many of whom commented positively about an uptick in business deals at the show,” said Chris Brown, executive vice president for conventions and business operations at NAB. “More than 200 companies exhibited for the first time and were among the nearly one million net square feet of space that make up the NAB Show exhibit floor. These new exhibitors, along with specialized exhibit areas, reflect the unique position of NAB Show at the center of the convergence of media, entertainment and technology.”

There was also a small drop in the number of exhibitors at this year’s show.

“In total, 1,632 companies exhibited at the 2019 NAB Show, compared to 1,718 in 2018,” Brown said. “This reflects an industry in the midst of consolidation and transition. Newer technologies, like 3D, VR and drones, have gone through the classic bell curve of innovation and shake out, with an initial rush of new entrants giving way to consolidation and ultimately resulting in a few key suppliers. We were also impacted by global economic factors, including a slowdown in some of the bigger emerging media technology markets like China. We saw a noticeable drop-off in Chinese exhibitors this year versus 2018.”

ACROSS THE WORLD

Attendees stream to the NAB Show from all over the world, and each has his or her own expectations and impressions of the show. Some are old hands at attending NAB Shows, while others experienced their first.

Brian Scott, from Image Design Productions in Charlotte, N.C., has been to more than 30 NAB Shows, and was looking closely at cameras, among other things. He noticed that there was some 8K gear on the exhibition floor, but found another aspect of the show more interesting.

“I think the emphasis on storytelling this year has been really good, because I think that is what we do as a company, whether we’re doing a documentary or doing marketing,” he said.

Scott had been to many NAB Shows and knew what to expect, but Taylor Bascue, from PBS station KCWC in Riverton, Wyo., was at his first show.

“It’s big—there’s a lot to take in,” Bascue said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and there are a lot of interesting things here.”

Bascue said that he was looking at transcoders, decoders, filters and other products to help get the station’s signal out there and cleaned up.

MORE THAN EXPECTED

Shamillia Rock works at a church in Trinidad and Tobago, and was also attending her first NAB Show.

“I was astonished,” she said. “I didn’t foresee the scale [of the show]. I was looking for a camera, but here there are 10 different cameras! There was much more than I expected.”

Rock arrived at the show thinking that three days would be too long.

“But you really need all that time,” she said, and went on to say what she would be doing next year: “I will surely be back.”

One of the draws for attendees is the extensive program of sessions and learning opportunities. Mattie Macintosh, a producer for the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, was effusive in her praise of the sessions.

“I’ve signed up for the Post-Production World pass and I’ve gotten to go to a lot of great classes,” she said. “I thought I was pretty good with Adobe Premiere but after going to all these classes, there’s a lot to learn. I got to see Dan Judy, the senior colorist for ‘The 100,’ which was really cool because I like that show.”

Macintosh was also a first-time attendee at the NAB Show and gave her perspective on what it was like to walk through the door.

“It’s a little overwhelming at first, but I think it is definitely worth coming,” she said.

WHAT’S TRENDING

The attendees I spoke to were generally focused on their specialties and didn’t have a feel for new technologies that were on display. However, members of the NAB’s staff had their thoughts on the latest tech trends.

“The two big items I saw at NAB Show were Next Gen TV [aka ATSC 3.0] and connected car infotainment systems,” said Sam Matheny, executive vice president for technology and chief technology officer for NAB. “There were more than 50 exhibitors featuring ATSC 3.0 equipment and solutions, multiple live single-frequency networks and a major announcement of planned deployments in the top-40 markets. In our PILOT booth, we featured televisions from LG, Samsung and Sony all showing Ultra-HD content, while running interactive applications that combine broadcast and broadband connectivity to provide new and improved user experiences.

“I thought the new In-Vehicle Experience exhibit area showcased the latest and greatest in how radio continues to play a central role in future infotainment systems,” Matheny said. “There were new and evolved infotainment systems from Audi, Panasonic, Xperi and many others. There is a lot of new technology coming to the car, and this area highlighted the amazing opportunities broadcasters have to engage audiences in new ways.”

SUNDAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

One small change in the schedule of next year’s NAB Show was the subject of some discussion. At the 2020 NAB Show, the exhibition floor will open on Sunday instead of Monday.

“Shifting the dates provides professionals the opportunity to attend the show outside of the busy work week, while aligning with our existing education programs,” said NAB’s Brown. “This change is in response to research we conducted and feedback from the NAB Show community at large.”

Keep the new schedule in mind as you begin long-range planning to attend next year’s show.

In my 30+ years of attending the NAB Show, I’ve seen it transition from being predominantly about gear and engineering into a show focused more on the technology of entertainment and how to use it to tell stories. There is still plenty of engineering here, but tens of thousands of non-engineers feel completely satisfied when they attend the show and find content and products to meet their interests.

This is a good sign—the broadcast and filmmaking industries have moved beyond their technical roots and now place easy-to-use content creation tools in the hands of more artists than ever before. In the process, there are also far more outlets for this creativity, so that no one has to wonder about how his or her story will find an audience. If you make good content, the audience will find it.

“This is a resilient industry, built by people passionate about creating and delivering the best—the most exciting, most visually appealing content possible,” Brown said. “There was a lot of buzz around this year’s theme: Every Story Starts Here. There was widespread acknowledgement that stories are what make this industry hum. The good news is that there are more people and companies out there developing stories than ever before, with video as the preferred medium.”

The 2020 NAB Show will take place in Las Vegas, April 18-22, 2020. 

LAS VEGAS—Advanced emergency alerting as part of ATSC 3.0 demonstrated at the recently concluded 2019 NAB Show has evolved into a tightly knit system, not restricted simply to the delivery of imminent threat warnings but also conveyance of useful emergency information.

However, on the consumer side of the equation, the show underscored that there is still work to be done. “At this stage in the game—and we are pre-commercial launch—not all 3.0 sets are fully loaded with software,” said Ed Czarnecki, senior director, Strategy & Government Affairs, at Digital Alert Systems.

A case in point was the glass-to-glass demonstration of ATSC 3.0 by Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark. “We had some canned EAS messages in the [Digital Alert Systems] DASDEC that we were pushing to the Triveni Digital GuideBuilder XM,” explained Tim Hosmer, director of Comark Digital Services.

“What we discovered was that on our Samsung TV, the receiver app was not able to find those EAS messages,” he said. “So we could see them on the output of our [Triveni Digital] StreamScope Verifier but not on the TV.”

However, the inability of the set to recognize these messages says more about where 3.0 is in the process of becoming productized by consumer electronics manufacturers than anything else, said Czarnecki.

“This points to where the [consumer electronics] industry will have to go next in terms of harmonizing specifications and approaches for the actual display of the information on consumer TV sets,” said Czarnecki. “It’s not a bad place to be, given we are still pre-market [launch of 3.0 sets].”

Recommended practices defining what devices should do with the Advanced Emergency Alerting information payload are expected later this year from the Consumer Technology Association, he added.

On the broadcast side of the equation, the 2019 NAB Show pointed to the success vendors are having in developing interoperable systems to support AEA. “That’s one of the big things we are trying to show at the NAB Show this year,” said Czarnecki.

To that end, Comark featured a “glass-to-glass” 3.0 demonstration in its booth originating with a Hitachi DK-H200 studio camera through an all-in-one 3.0 hardware travel rack, including the CDS powered by TITAN Live (ATEM) encoder; Triveni GuideBuilder XM with ROUTE server option; Digital Alert Systems DASDEC feeding EAS messages; Enensys ATSC Scheduler; Triveni StreamScope and StreamScope Verifier; Comark EXACT V2 3.0 exciter; and Comark QoS 1000 RT layer monitor receiver.

UniSoft, working with several partners, including IBM’s The Weather Company, also transmitted live, over-the-air 3.0 with an emphasis on Advanced Emergency Alerting information.

Based on its UniRack, a Next-Gen TV station-in-a-box, the UniSoft system played out an HD signal from a BroadStream OASYS player, inserted Nielsen and Verance Aspect watermarking with a Linear Acoustic Aero 2000, encoded an HEVC stream with an ATEM TITAN encoder with DASH packager, and pushed the DASH segments to an S&T ATCaster Signaling Server where emergency information and alerts from a Digital Alert Systems’ DASDEC were received.

“The result of the ATCaster is several multicasts, which go straight to the scheduler that encapsulates them in ALP [ATSC Link-layer Protocol] packets and generates physical layer pipes through the STL to our preferred exciter, which is a Pro Television Exciter,” said UniSoft CTO Guy Hadland.

For the AEA demo, UniSoft transmitted on channel 24.2—one of three 3.0 channels, the others being a UHD channel and another HD channel—using a 10W transmitter from GatesAir. Samsung, LG Electronics and Sony television sets around the show floor, including those in the UniSoft and Digital Alert Systems booths, received the transmission.

For UniSoft’s demo, a Sony ATSC 3.0 consumer set, connected to a gateway receiver running an AEA receiver application, detected the presence of emergency information in the 3.0 signaling and pulled up radar scans of a hypothetical tornado warning affecting the Boston area provided by The Weather Company. Using the remote control, a viewer could request additional related emergency information, such as what to do in a tornado to stay safe, or dismiss the warning entirely.

“The AEA [Advanced Emergency Alerting] message is a very low-level [ATSC 3.0] service. It is one of the very first things a TV set receives and processes,” explained Czarnecki. “The receiver app is triggered by that AEA message and displays the text and—also through a feature like this—accesses the multimedia files that are being downloaded.”

The demo reflected the efforts of the emergency alerting community to develop the emergency information capabilities of ATSC 3.0, which permits viewers to choose to view rich media and textual information or dismiss the alert and continue watching regular programming without distraction.

“We have strongly encouraged all the parties to reposition the thinking on AEA, from Advanced Emergency Alerting to Advanced Emergency Information,” said Czarnecki. “The information being the broad spectrum of urgent information, community-related information that a broadcaster can present to its audience. That’s really taken ahold. That’s exciting.”

John Lawson, executive direction of the Advanced Warning and Response Network, delivered much the same message in the AWARN booth. “One direction we are taking is to go a step further and not just focus on alerting, but focus on aggregating a whole range of local news and information content that can be made available,” said Lawson.

This strategy is consistent with the desires of TV news managers and the emergency management community that have told Lawson that alerts should “only be used for the most severe and urgent” warnings, especially if the 3.0-based TV wakeup function is used, he said.

AEA Manager, a new product from Triveni Digital, powered the AWARN demo, said Ralph Bachofen, VP of sales and marketing of the company.

“It’s a studio tool that allows a high-level, canned interface for such alerting [AEA alerting] where you can just add information that will be encoded and put into that [AEA] environment,” he said.

Representatives of NAB’s PILOT initiative approached Triveni Digital about building the product to make it easy for newsrooms to leverage the emergency information aspect of AEA, thus providing 3.0 viewers with access to a wide variety of text- and rich-media-based content, such as evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in tornado, he added.

To demonstrate what is possible, Lawson showed how emergency information can be conveyed via 3.0 following an emergency. “It could be road closures or where to find generators,” he said. Eventually a small on-screen icon could show up on the screen to alert viewers that such information is available and give them access to it.

“If they don’t want to interrupt their programming, they don’t have to,” he said. “But if they click on it, there is an aggregation of content from public sources [and] non-profits. It could be weather, traffic [or] school closings.”

There is even a provision for a revenue model to sponsor this type of information that can be used “to fund continual improvement of the alerting function,” he said.

Another focus at the AWARN booth was the user experience (UX) of alerting. While still under development, the alert UX—designed by a creative executive from CNN—conveys in an instant that an alert is legitimate and issued by a bona fide source so that viewers react without delay, he said.

“They delay because they seek more information; they seek confirmation. It’s called milling. If we can cut that down, it will help,” Lawson explained.

Leveraging the geo-targeting capabilities with 3.0 should also help viewers to pay attention when an alert is issued. “Over-alerting is the biggest problem in alerting,” he said “With geo-targeting you can reduce that.”

To illustrate the power of geo-targeting, Lawson showed a map from the Santa Barbara (Calif.) County Office of Emergency Management. It illustrated various debris flows stemming from rains that followed the Thomas Fire of 2017. “It’s very important to put ‘You Are Here’ on the map,” he said. “We can do that, but there are still some implementation decisions [to be made].”

While such decisions remain as does the development of recommended practices for an AEA-enabled receiver app, there was a feeling of general accomplishment at the NAB Show about ATSC 3.0 and more specifically about the status of AEA.

That became evident to Czarnecki during NAB Show setup. “We put it all together, and things just worked,” he said. “We are taking theory into practice in very short order and showing people that ATSC 3.0 is ready for market—at least in terms of what we are doing—ready for market today.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The 2019 NAB 4K 4Charity Fun Run, which is put on annually by AWS Elemental at the convention, reached the goal that it had hoped for, as the total proceeds from this year’s run brought the 4K 4Charity gross proceeds to $1 million since its founding in 2014.

For the 2019 event at NAB, more than $68,000 was raised for Girls Who Code, a national non-profit that works to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like, and set a record for individual registrants at 735. Elemental reports that registration was up 30% from the 2018 NAB Show, while the number of runners and walkers on the course was up 33%.

“Since 2014, more than 10,000 people have helped increase equity in the media industry through their support of the 4K 4Charity Fun Run,” said Laura Barber, co-founder of the 4K 4Charity Fun Run Series. “Thanks to the commitment and generosity of sponsors and individual registrants alike, more than $1 million in proceeds are being put to work today to help people marginalized by our society and educational systems find opportunities for success. With your on-going support, we are enriching our industry by making it better for everyone.”

The next 4K 4Charity event will take place on Sept. 14 during the 2019 IBC Show in Amsterdam. Information can be found at 4k4charity.com/ibc.

LAS VEGAS—At the 2019 NAB Show Teradek introduced the Ace 500 zero-delay wireless video system, targeting smaller production budgets. The ACE 500 features the same wireless technology found in the company’s Bolt product line, but in an ultralight, streamlined experience at a more accessible price point, according to the company.

“Ace 500 was designed for independent creatives beginning to incorporate wireless video into their workflows, or for those operating within strict budgets who still need a reliable video link,” said Greg Smokler, vice president, products for Teradek.

Ace 500 transmits uncompressed 1080p60 video up to 500ft. line-of-sight with less than 1ms delay. The units feature HDMI input/output and can be powered via the 3.5mm barrel input using either a PTap/2pin power source or one of several battery plate accessories available.

Since the Ace 500 is compatible with Teradek’s Bolt ecosystem, users of the ACE 500 can transmit and receive video from any Bolt 500 or SmallHD FOCUS 500 transmitter/receiver.

The Teradek Ace 500 will be available mid-June and a transmitter/receiver set will retail for $999.00.

In recent years, Beijing's technology industry related to radio and television has flourished, and the number and scale of enterprises have increased in varying degrees. Beijing’s radio and television technology enterprises are involved in the equipment manufacturing and service sectors. 

This year is the fourth time for Beijing Pavilion to appear at the NAB Show. At this year's NAB Show, the “Beijing Pavilion” organized by Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau is located in the Central Pavilion C2033, which brings together 11 outstanding radio and television technology companies from Beijing, mainly focusing on the collection, production, transmission, content distribution, terminal bearer, business application and operation management of Beijing’s radio and television industry.

Technology and product innovations of radio and TV industry such as Broadcast-Level 8K VR Content, 10G ALL-IP FTTH Solutions, AI Automated Video Production System, Live VR Station, UHF Broad-band Panel Antennas and so on will be displayed. In order to let the audience better understand product features, from 8th to 11th during the exhibition, every day from 10:00 to 11:30 in the morning, from 14:00 to 15:00 in the afternoon, “China Beijing Radio and TV New Technical Product Release” will be held in the booth of C2033, which will give you a more comprehensive understanding of the product technical performance of Beijing’s radio and television technology enterprises. 

From 8th to 11th, every day starting from 5:00 pm, there will be a “Beijing Party” held in the booth, which can establish a face-to-face communication platform for enterprises and audience. Beijing Pavilion will better play the role of an international platform through organizing various activities to further promote diversified communication and cooperation between domestic and foreign companies.

LAS VEGAS—At the 2019 NAB Show, Wohler Technologies debuted iAM-12G-SDI, the latest product in their iAM IP range of rackmount monitors. Based on Wohler’s iAM-Video-2, the new monitor includes dual input 12G-SDI over BNC and 4 SFP cages, two of which may also be configured as additional 12G inputs. Featuring 16 meters and touchscreen technology, Wohler says it is the first in-rack monitor to offer 12G Video with the option for Dolby Atmos monitoring.

The two 12G-SDI inputs on BNC can also monitor 3G/HD/SD-SDI signals, providing complete backward compatibility. ST2110 and ST2022 inputs are enabled by the use of SFP’s using the SFP cages that can also accept a variety of modern and traditional signal inputs. Dolby Atmos signal processing is also enabled over the 12G-SDI inputs, along with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos and Dolby E.

“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to partner with Wohler in delivering Dolby Atmos monitoring solutions to the market allowing Dolby Atmos roll-out to scale,” says JC Morizur, senior director of Professional Products and Solutions, Dolby Laboratories. “The addition of Dolby Atmos monitoring in Wohler’s iAM series range of rackmount monitors will drive more ways to experience spectacular audio.”

The iAM-12G-SDI supports multiple signals: 12G/3G/HD/SD-SDI, options for VoIP formats (SMPTE 2110, SMPTE 2022), as well as a growing range of additional I/O options via its small form-factor pluggable (SFP) interface. All iAM Series products use SFP cages to enable simple adaptation of interfaces and a wide selection of signal I/O. The addition of Dolby Atmos, Dolby E and Dolby D processing makes this unit a first in the marketplace, according to Wohler.

LAS VEGAS—At the 2019 NAB Show, Vislink Technologies introduced the INCAM-HS integrated wireless camera transmitter, which is built into Sony’s new HDC-5500 4K multi-format live camera system. Vislink Technologies’ INCAM-HS provides full HEVC 4K UHD broadcast-quality encoding as well as 1080p, 1080i and 720p resolutions, plus built-in wireless camera control and HDR support.

Targeting event coverage, newsgathering and sports broadcasting, the Vislink INCAM-HS is an all-in-one solution designed to be incorporated into the camera. It features the same technology as Vislink’s HCAM on-camera device, which offers single-frame end-to-end UHD latency. As an integrated option, the Vislink INCAM-HS reduces the weight at the rear of the camera, resulting in a significantly improved weight distribution for operators.

The HCAM-HS is designed for all current image capture needs—including UHD and HDR, with high-quality 4:2:2 Chroma and 10-bit Luna—and features integrated camera control, delivering an easy-to-use, fully integrated grab-and-go camera solution.

“The introduction of Sony’s new HDC-5500 4K multi-format live camera system with Vislink INCAM-HS technology is sure to make a big splash in the industry,” says John Payne, president and COO of Vislink Technologies. “We are excited to once again be collaborating with Sony to offer an INCAM-integrated wireless camera transmitter for its new camera that is simple to use. The INCAM-HS’ high-quality HEVC performance means that HD operations can benefit from single-frame latencies in combination with a 6dB increase in signal robustness—doubling the transmission range compared to MPEG-4 systems.”

The Vislink INCAM-HS is available with several frequency band solutions, from 1.3-7.75GHz, and offers up to 16 preset channels for tuning. The omnidirectional 3dBi gain antenna provides an adjustable 10-250mW transmission power. The transmitter includes COFDM DVB-T and LMS-T modulation options, while the integrated UHF receiver operates in the 410-490MHz RF range.

Featuring bandwidth efficient HEVC compression as well as MPEG-4 video encoding and multi-channel AAC, MPEG-1 and AES/Dolby E audio Passthrough, Vislink’s INCAM-HS supports 480i, 576i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p and 2160p video formats. This fully featured and flexible capability ensures that the INCAM-HS can fulfill the needs of all video productions.

Vislink also announced that Grass Valley’s newest LDX 86N Series 4K-RF camera is now integrated with Vislink Technologies’ INCAM-HG wireless camera transmitter, which provides HEVC 4K UHD, HDR-ready wireless encoding and a remote-controllable camera interface via WiFi.

LAS VEGAS–At the 2019 NAB Show, VITAC, a Colorado-based provider of captioning services, launched VPC Control Tower, what the company describes as a “first-of-its-kind” cloud-based application that allows easy, always-on connections between captioners, events, and clients, and serves as a central hub that establishes multilevel monitoring and management of client programming.

The latest part of the company’s VITAC Power Connect product line, VPC Control Tower serves as a “traffic director” for captions, ensuring that captioners using VPC Client, a new, specially developed VITAC software are routed to the proper audio and video sources as well as the correct endpoints. VPC Control Tower enables 24/7 monitoring not only of captions and caption paths, but also of the entire captioning workflow process, including captioner readiness, caption transmission, and transcript delivery, according to the company.

Launched at the 2017 NAB Show, VITAC Power Connect is part of the company’s large-scale initiative to connect, control, monitor, and report on continuous network connections between realtime captioners and live broadcasting encoders, minimizing threats such as captioning loss due to ISP outages and modem disconnects.

The first delivery, the “Connect” phase, announced at the 2018 NAB Show, was the VPC Hardener, which provided a multi-line path from the captioner to the encoder for use in troubled areas. Also in 2018, VITAC introduced the concept of VPC Control Tower, which links together captioners, encoders, and audio and video lines, and enables staff to control and monitor captions and connections at a never-before-seen level of detail, according to the company.

At the 2019 NAB Show, VITAC also introduced another feature of VITAC Power Connect, a reporting function designed to provide dashboards and reporting for clients and VITAC control teams.

LAS VEGAS—EVS kicked off its Monday afternoon press conference with a celebration of the 25th anniversary of its founding. The event included a recap of its beginnings and mentions of milestones through the years.

Company executives also announced new products, starting with XNet-VIA, an Ethernet-based network that enables fast sharing of high-resolution content between the company’s XT-VIA and XS-VIA servers. XNet-VIA also permits convenient transcoding between HD and 4K content.

“It’s a new kind of media sharing network that enables you to connect different XT-VIA and XS-VIA servers together, with three times more bandwidth than the legacy network that we had between our servers before,” said Nicolas Bourdon, marketing and communications director for EVS.

The XNet-VIA system can support up to 64 servers, providing the capacity to handle even the largest sporting events.

One recent EVS customer was on hand to discuss its sports program and its partnership with EVS. The University of Miami outfitted its athletic facilities with EVS servers, networking systems and software-defined Dyvi switchers. Thanks to the configurability of the network and Dyvi switcher, the school is able to deliver back-to-back broadcast-quality sports productions with just hours between events.

LAS VEGAS—Grass Valley comes to this year’s NAB Show not only to celebrate a milestone birthday (its 60th) but to reiterate its commitment to the live video production market. To do so, it’s made a reinvigorated pledge to IP deployment, jumped into the competitive gaming market, finalized the integration of Snell Advanced Media (SAM) and completed a number of far-flung remote production deployments for customers around the world.

The company announced that nearly 100 LDX 86 and LDX 86N cameras will be heading to the U.K. as part of a deal between Grass Valley and NEP U.K. GV will supply 96 LDX cameras—24 LDX 86s and 72 LDX 86Ns—which will be integrated into NEP’s U.K. fleet of trucks. NEP U.K. & Ireland’s Director of Engineering and Technology Rob Newton said the LDX 86’s DirectIP feature, which allows the cameras to be connected directly to a network, was the driving force behind the acquisition.

Grass Valley’s goal at NAB Show 2019 is to launch solutions that enable customers to engage viewers on all devices and across multiple platforms without having to dramatically change their media workflows, Shoulders, said.

At its booth, the company is showing its end-to-end ecosystem of open standards-based solutions. Among the product highlights is the introduction of the GV Stratus One production platform and the Grass Valley Creative Grading creative camera shading solution. The company is also demoing new highlighting and live replay features as part of its LiveTouch production system.

One notable hot spot at the booth is the debut of a live esports gaming competition. The goal is to show how Grass Valley production gear can be used to meet the needs of esports and specialist ventures in live productions.

LAS VEGAS—“This year, JVC is unveiling its entire CONNECTED CAM ecosystem,” said David Walton, assistant vice president, media service sector for JVC Professional Video, as the company continues to evolve its CONNECTED CAM technologies. “It’s not just cameras anymore.”

A compact, live production and streaming studio, JVC’s new CONNECTED CAM Studio 6000S serves as a self-contained control room, offering a production switcher with six IP inputs that support NDI as well as the SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) streaming protocols. The Studio 6000S joins the company’s CONNECTED CAM product line, which now includes the 500 series of streaming handheld camcorders that are said to optimize both image processing and IP performance.

These three compact 4K cameras — the GY-HC500 base model, GY-HC550 with advanced streaming and graphics and GY-HC500SPC sports production camera — can record to SSD media in 10-bit ProRes 422 at 4K resolution and 50/60p frame rates. The company also announced the version 3.0 firmware upgrade for its GY-HC900 CONNECTED CAM broadcast camcorder, which adds ProRes recording and integrated graphics to the 2/3-inch camcorder.

According to Joe D’Amico, vice president of JVC Professional Video, “Connectivity is the foundation of JVC’s IP-based production solutions.”

LAS VEGAS—Maxon announced its acquisition of Redshift Rendering Technologies during an NAB Show press conference on Monday. Financial details of the deal, which closed April 5, were not available.

David McGavran, who was appointed Maxon CEO last summer, said that when he began looking to acquire GPU technology for the company’s Cinema 4D modeling, animation and rendering software, he found RedShift to be “a natural fit.”

“I think both sides felt these two companies fit so well together that it was obviously a case of better together than apart,” he said.

The two companies are “a great cultural match,” said Redshift CEO Nicolas Burtnyk. The acquisition allows Redshift—which he said is made up of engineers, not sales or marketing people—“to leverage the infrastructure of Maxon.”

Redshift will continue its development of Redshift 3.0, with a targeted soft launch in May, and accelerate work on RedShift RT, a new GPU-accelerated renderer promising millisecond-per-frame rendering speeds that leverages game rendering technologies for more traditional pipelines.

“I think in the next year the plug-in for Cinema from Redshift will get better and better. We are working closely together on that,” added McGavran.

No changes are planned for the workforces of either company, he said

LAS VEGAS—Following its announcement of the acquisition of NewTek, which happened to fall on April Fool’s Day, Vizrt began its press conference with a joke: “A Viking and a cowboy walk into a bar.”

The two companies see the acquisition as a complementary merger, with each possessing different strengths in different areas of the industry. In the immediate future, plans seem to be to let the individual operations continue, with a long-term goal of collaboration to create new technology and products.

On the product front, Vizrt is rolling out Viz Engine 4, the latest version of its render engine for live media. New features include beefed-up options for render pipelines; in addition to Vizrt’s existing render pipeline, Viz Engine adds the Reality Fusion render pipeline for added effects of realism, and includes support for third-party engines such as Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4. Additional features include a new Fusion Keyer, intuitive control applications and a built-in asset management tool that delivers graphics rendering, clip players, downstream keyers, switch functionality and DVEs.

Technology for sports broadcasters will be a focus for Vizrt at the show, with demonstrations of products including Live Virtual Presenter, Viz Libero AR and Viz Arena.

LAS VEGAS—Harmonic announced the immediate availability of its VOS360 OTT media processing SaaS solution on the Microsoft Azure cloud with video content delivery by Akamai Media Delivery.

The companies are offering the market a “best-in-class combination of services” that will reduce the time it takes media companies to deliver high-quality streaming video to viewers, according to Thierry Fautier, vice president, video strategy, at Harmonic.

The combination also gives media companies a new immediacy when it comes to evaluating their operation and offerings.

Harmonic touted two important wins. IndyCar recently deployed the company’s VOS360 SaaS live streaming solution in under five weeks, and Hong Kong’s PCCW Limited has begun using Harmonic’s VOS Cluster SaaS solution as a unified IPTV and OTT content prep and delivery platform.

The company also introduced a primary distribution solution to streamline management and delivery of shows from programmers to pay TV operators and local broadcasters by replacing dedicated satellite links with CDN distribution.

Harmonic also announced a joint NAB Show demo with Sony of advanced, hybrid ATSC 3.0 functionality relying on Harmonic’s VOS360 SaaS solution for delivery of content via OTA and OTT.

LAS VEGAS—Sinclair Executive Chairman of the Board David Smith called ATSC 3.0 the “single biggest opportunity ever available to the broadcast industry” at a Monday press event.

Also present at the press conference was ONE Media President Mark Aitken, who presented plaques to representatives from DigiCap, Ateme and Enensys for helping Sinclair roll out ATSC 3.0. ONE Media is a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Smith mentioned Bill Gates’ prediction that the internet was the beginning of the end for broadcasting.

“It wasn’t the beginning of the end. … This show is really the end of the beginning. [ATSC] 3.0 really is ready for deployment, and it’s time for this industry to get out of its own way,” said Smith.

Smith added that the industry needs to coalesce market by market to get the build-out done and said the kinds of data possible with 3.0 will keep broadcasters afloat for the next generation. While some digital outlets are selling consumer data, broadcasters have, until quite recently, been encumbered in their data efforts by handwritten Nielsen diaries, he noted. Smith said broadcasters’ advertising challenges were based on the inability to deliver modern data to advertisers.

Also, Smith said when public safety personnel and politicians hear what is possible for enhancing emergency alerts and safety aspects of 3.0, they want the technology.

Smith concluded, “The future success of our industry depends on our ability to deliver 3.0 to every device in the marketplace. … Getting access to the consumer is the sole determinant of industry success.”

LAS VEGAS—The focus at Sony’s booth is on two core areas: content value and workflow efficiency. Content value is being demonstrated through 4K, 8K, high dynamic range (HDR) and high frame rate (HFR) technology, supporting the creation of valuable, engaging assets. Workflow efficiency is being illustrated through IP and media services that provide workflow efficiencies supporting interoperability and drive flexibility, enhance collaboration and empower global distribution.

One significant announcement in line with these priorities is Sony’s HDC-5500, a multiformat live camera equipped with a 2/3-inch 4K global shutter 3-CMOS sensor. The imager is said to ensure superb image quality in 4K, HD and HDR live production applications. OB operator Game Creek Video announced the purchase of 48 of these new cameras.

Sony’s Intelligent Media Services will be shown in a variety of workflows for broadcast operations, as well as sports and production workflows. Integrated AI capabilities supporting object recognition, speech-to-text and facial detection in Sony’s Ci Media Cloud improve discoverability and searchability.

Sony also announced a pair of executive promotions. Neal Manowitz has been elevated to the position of deputy president, Imaging Products and Solutions–Americas (IPSA) business unit, and Theresa Alesso has been promoted to president of the Professional Solutions Division within Sony Electronics IPSA.

LAS VEGAS—Media companies must adopt “new mindsets” to navigate the steady and fast-paced succession of challenges they face, said John Honeycutt, vice president of Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment at Google Cloud.

Leading “The Evolution of the Cloud” session April 9 on the NAB Show Main Stage, Honeycutt, who recently joined Google after spending more than 25 years as a broadcaster with FOX and Discovery, said the television industry has been a bit stagnant over 20 years in its technology evolution, failing to deploy solutions that keep pace with where the business is headed.

“We continue to operate on linear supply chains for nonlinear content distribution,” he said.

A problem facing many media companies is overcoming the fragmented business system touchpoints that an asset must go through before it can be distributed to viewers.

“In short, it’s complicated, it’s slow, it’s manual and it’s inefficient. And it has multiple failure points,” he said. Media processes based on legacy infrastructure do not offer the speed and agility required to enable that growth mindset.

“Many companies know they have to make this transition. And this transition can only be enabled by beginning the move to the cloud,” he said. However, fully leveraging the strengths of the cloud involves more than simply shifting workloads from an on-premise data center to the public cloud. “It is an easy way to get started … but only a first step,” he said.

What’s needed is continued innovation to re-architect media workflows and infrastructures in ways that are native to the cloud. Google has made a major investment in building out infrastructure over the past few years with 19 cloud regions and four more on the way, and it has deployed hundreds of thousands of miles of fiber optic cable, including 13 under-sea stretches, to ensure fast, secure transport of data, he said.

“This is the backbone upon which media companies can build a truly global business,” said Honeycutt.

He was joined on stage by Phil Wiser, chief technology officer of CBS, for a lively exchange about the cloud. At big media companies, a series of separate silos, including those for IT, broadcast operations, engineering and digital, have grown up over the years, said Wiser, who took on his top tech role at CBS at the end of last August. Upon arriving at the network, Wiser said, he advised CBS to identify “a true North Star” to drive thinking on what a media company should be.

“A future media company does not look like one that has these pockets of technology that are distinct as everything converges to IP,” said Wiser. While viewers are consuming content in droves on their mobile devices, a complete strategy is much more than simply about how best to stream video.

“It goes all the way back into the data-driven decision-making that’s back in the production process, the distribution process,” said Wiser.

Wiser has been pleasantly surprised by the response among various stakeholders at CBS to the cloud. While he anticipated some resistance, the opposite has been the case. “I think there is a real awareness in the broadcast operations side of the business that this transition is important. They are feeling it, and they want to be a part of it.”

Production and distribution of Super Bowl LIII served as a catalyzing event to pull together the various teams within the company and tackle how to use the cloud to enable delivery of the game, he said. Wiser also cautioned media companies to be “precise and thoughtful” about their move to the cloud and to find satisfaction in small initial steps that build a feeling of accomplishment.

LAS VEGAS—The idea of 5G means so many things to so many people that it is not surprising what 5G means at NAB Show largely depends on whom you ask.

Outside the industry, 5G is more broadly seen as the high-speed wireless network that will let consumers download an HD movie in seconds; the wireless backbone upon which smart cities will be built; the low-latency network that will enable remote surgeries and autonomous vehicles; and on and on.

At NAB Show, it’s much the same. 5G is the ultimate wireless contribution platform; it’s the nemesis of TV broadcasting that will allow others to compete for eyeballs and revenue; it’s the complementary cousin of Next Gen TV that will enable a new symbiosis between broadcasters and wireless operators; it’s the AR and VR enabler; it’s the technology that will bring about a lifestyle normalcy for sports production personnel who today travel constantly; and on and on.

Those differing perspectives on 5G were on full display at Destination 5G, a pavilion in the South Upper Hall, and at exhibitor booths, including those of Airwavz.tv, Cinegears, Gaian Solutions, Lumens, MixedTek, Nimbus, PIXTREE and Radionor Communications.

Shelly Palmer, president and CEO of The Palmer Group, brought some clarity to 5G with the session “5G Is the Future … Or Is It?” Joining Palmer was Lynn Comp, vice president of Data Center Group, and general manager of Visual Cloud Division at Intel’s Network Platforms Group; Taher Behbehani, senior vice president and general manager, Mobile B2B Division, Samsung Electronics America; and Christopher Levendos, vice president of network engineering and operations at Crown Castle.

The session “Making Meaning Out of 5G” put 5G into context specifically for those in the media and entertainment industry. “For most people, 5G is an abstract idea,” said Fabian Birgfeld, CEO and co-founder at W12 Studios, who is presenting the session.

However, this session presented concrete examples of how the technology will impact brands and content. “For brands, 5G will mean new interactive ways to engage with the audience,” said Birgfeld.

That will translate into new monetization models built on targeted, contextual offers, cross-sells and up-sells as well as giving the media entre into “new sectors that are not traditionally media and entertainment focused,” he said.

Overall, 5G will demand rethinking what content looks like. It likely will make content interactive and participatory for the audience, leveraging the throughput and low latency of the next-gen wireless network to present viewers with a “seamless mixture of physical and digital worlds,” said Birgfeld.

Perhaps the most immediate impact of 5G on content production will emerge in the more familiar territory of remote contribution and field production. “5G allows the freedom of movement of cameras and opens up creativity options for directors to be freer calling shots and pursuing their ideas,” said Matt Stagg, director of mobile strategy at BT Sport and a panelist on today’s session “5G: Revolutionizing the Sports Fan Experience.”

However, creativity is only one benefit, he said. 5G will also reduce the overall carbon footprint of traditional OB production by making REMI (REMote Integration), or at-home production, practical in more situations because of 5G’s throughput and low latency.

“We don’t have to send OB trucks everywhere, nor send all of the people needed for remote productions on the road in their cars,” he said.

5G also will translate into a better work-life balance for many of the people who today spend a lot of time on the road traveling long distances to various sports venues and are rarely at home on weekends. “They can come into the office or the studios, work there and are not away all the time,” Stagg said.

For the sports lover, 5G will transform how fans experience games, said Jim Ewaskiew, executive technical director at IBM Aspera.

Like fellow panel member Stagg, Ewaskiew predicts 5G will open up production options as well as offer fans new levels of sports enjoyment.

“On the capture/production side, local 5G nodes will support much improved wireless camera connectivity, higher bandwidth, high resolution [and] further coverage,” he said. “On the consumption side, the consumers can have richer in (and out) of venue experiences with augmented reality, game and player metrics and beyond.”

For local TV stations, 5G raises the prospect of battling a new competitor for audience, but it doesn’t have to be that way—it’s just too soon to tell, said Allan Tantillo, vice president of new technologies at Vertical Bridge, and moderator of today’s “ATSC 3.0 and 5G as Complementary, Not Competitive, Technologies” panel session.

“What I want those attending the session to walk away with is the need to continue questioning where 5G and ATSC 3.0 are going to end up together,” said Tantillo. “I don’t think there is an answer to that question yet.”

Peter Sockett, director of engineering and operations at Capitol Broadcasting Co.’s WRAL in Raleigh, N.C., a panelist during the session, concurs. “We have to figure out whether or not 3.0 and 5G come together in some magical universe where all things are wonderful—in other words do they complement each other,” said Sockett. “Or, do they exist in two separate spaces? Only time will tell.”

LAS VEGAS—Sports fans often want near-24/7 access to the stars, stats and scores of their favorite teams. In today’s live sports world, technology has pretty much caught up to the superfan’s appetite for content anywhere, on any device.

In the session “Beyond the Field: How Sports Pioneers are Powering the 360 Audience Experience in the Cloud,” acclaimed sports stats expert and journalist Cynthia Frelund moderated a fast-paced panel discussion about how the cloud is being used to enable a modern workflow that allows organizations to provide a modern experience for fans.

The panel featured Stephanie Lone, senior vice president of engineering at CBS Sports Digital; Scott Sonnenberg, chief global partnerships officer at L.A. Clippers; Rafael Soltanovich, vice president, Software Development at Hulu; and Mark Kramer, vice president, Engineering & Technology at Pac-12 Networks.

Frelund said the use of advanced analytics was already common in the National Football League for performance purposes. “Many teams are already using analytics. … The more they know about themselves and the players, the better they will be,” she said.

On the consumer side, Frelund, a reporter at NFL Media, said the cloud was also raising the quality and depth of game coverage. She noted that the NFL player tracking known as Next Gen Stats captures the real-time location data, speed and acceleration for every player, for every play, on every inch of the field. Sensors throughout the stadium track tags placed on players’ shoulder pads, charting individual movements within inches. Next Gen Stats is powered by AWS, supporting the analysis and complex stats that are already enhancing the fan experience.

Lone of CBS Sports Digital talked about how the company used cloud media workflows to help deliver the Super Bowl LIII live stream to a record-breaking audience. It’s a big deal and Lone said her team had “crushed” the project. “There were lower expectations for streaming just a few years ago, but now when a viewer plugs a streaming stick into a TV the demands are very high,” said Lone.

She noted that the project had multiple failover backups just like a broadcast. Soltanovich said that Hulu was a relative newcomer to live content, but the company had quickly learned that the cloud was key in scaling projects. Hulu is now streaming multiple sports, and this is certainly where the cloud shines. He said Hulu had some events with as few as 20,000 streams along with football level streams in the millions. “We have gotten quite good at projecting and then scaling as needed.”

Sonnenberg noted that AWS was a great guide as the L.A. Clippers began using cloud-based machine learning and data analytics to modernize the way its audience watches live games. With Clippers CourtVision the team’s fans are in control and have access to lots of real-time stats, analysis and viewing enhancements. He said CourtVision could also be set to offer only the natural sounds of the game if that’s what a consumer wants. The system can also go beyond the Clippers organization to the wider National Basketball Association, and may find its way into entirely different sports. Kramer said the Pac-12 Conference and Pac12 Networks went all-in on the cloud to deliver exceptional viewing experiences to millions of collegiate sports fans across schools and sports. The tools used were cloud analytics, machine learning and digital media services.

“With cloud we can scale without the overhead,” said Kramer. “And it also allows us to try new things or sports more affordably.” Lane echoed that thought, saying that the 35,000 or so live events CBS Sports Digital puts out every year would not be possible without cloud technology. She also predicted that a more automated cloud experience would be hot at next year’s NAB Show.

Kramer noted that nobody really knows where all this technology will lead, so the future of TV must be software-defined to allow for creativity and experimentation. He also thinks that more ways to share content with partners in the cloud will be a focus moving forward.

LAS VEGAS—Three FCC commissioners shared the stage for the panel “Raining 3s: A Q&A With FCC Commissioners O’Rielly, Carr and Starks.” Gordon Smith, NAB president and CEO, introduced Michael O’Rielly, Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, describing the panel as “unusually important.”

Moderating the session, Rick Kaplan, NAB executive vice president of legal and regulatory affairs, brought up the subject of ownership of TV stations. Carr said ownership rules were scripted when a morning paper and an evening newscast represented the extent of local news voices. “The market you all compete in today is vastly different,” he said, mentioning Pandora, Spotify and the “Silicon Valley giants” as prominent competitors to local TV. “We’re mindful of the tremendous competition you are facing.” He also described the importance for a regulator to get out and about to see how ownership groups operate.

Starks, the only Democrat of the three, mentioned the practice of some large broadcast operations of writing news scripts to be shared throughout their groups and across the country. Without singling out any companies, he lamented a lack of localism in such cases.

He also cited statistics that of more than 1,300 TV stations nationwide, 102 are owned by women, 62 by Latinos, 12 by African-Americans and 10 by Asians.

“Diversity in media ownership is something that’s become critically important to me,” he said, calling it “deeply troubling” when station ownership does not reflect the nation generally. Starks cited access to capital as an issue for minority ownership, along with access to opportunity.

O’Rielly brought up a program designed to bring more minority owners into radio. “We have an incubator program on the radio side, how do we do it on the TV side?” he said.

Carr mentioned the struggles newspaper owners are going through, and said they might have been helped by changes years ago in newspaper/station cross-ownership limitations. “It’s really incumbent on us to update our rules, to understand the marketplace,” he said.

TV station sales were lively in 2018, Starks noting that they outpaced transactions the year before. “This is still a nice, robust business,” he said.

When Kaplan asked about the TV repack, O’Rielly said he is “generally pleased with where things are at the moment.” Carr noted that he had climbed a broadcast tower in Rowena, South Dakota, and developed a new appreciation for what tower teams accomplish.

Carr said he considers the incentive auction to have been a success, and O’Rielly noted that the demand for mid-band spectrum is “off the charts.”

O’Rielly saluted his fellow Republican, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, for clamping down on pirate radio, and said some politicians advertise on illegal stations, calling it “not acceptable behavior.” On the subject of Equal Employment Opportunity, he also stressed that broadcasters don’t need a government mandate in their EEO efforts. “The vast majority of broadcasters are doing a wonderful job,” he said.

As the panel wound down, each of the commissioners saluted broadcasters for their efforts when extreme weather and other calamities hit their communities. “In times of crisis, no one stands up bigger than the broadcaster,” said O’Rielly.

Carr admired how stations that normally compete ruthlessly will work together when it comes to covering these crises. “Hopefully you’ll find the FCC a good partner in those efforts,” he said.

The FCC returned to full strength in January when the U.S. Senate confirmed Starks and approved Carr to a full term. Jessica Rosenworcel holds the remaining seat.

LAS VEGAS--The National Association of Broadcasters announced today preliminary registered attendance of 91,460 for the 2019 NAB Show, the world’s largest annual convention encompassing the convergence of media, entertainment and technology.

"Once again, NAB Show is the premier showcase for the latest advancements that are reshaping the world of media, entertainment and technology," said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. "We thank our exhibitors, program partners and speakers for making NAB Show a must-attend event for content creators, producers and distributors from around the world."

TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDEES: 91,460

INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES: 24,096

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED: 160

The 2018 NAB Show final attendance was 92,912.

nternational attendance figures are included in the overall registration number. All numbers are based on pre-show and onsite registration and subject to an ongoing audit.

LAS VEGAS—TV Technology announced its Best of Show Awards for the 2019 NAB Show today. The awards are judged by a panel of industry experts on the criteria of innovation, feature set, cost efficiency and performance in serving the industry.

The winners will be featured in TV Technology magazine, read by thousands of broadcast professionals in the United States, around the world and online. In addition, all nominees will be featured in a Best of Show Program ebook (You can read the 2018 Guide here).

The winners are:

Accelerated Media Technologies (AMT) — QRV-IP (Quick Response Vehicle-IP)

Advantech Corp.— VEGA6-6304 8K Broadcast Video Encoder

Alteros — GTX-FX8 Direct-To-Fiber System

Amazon Web Services — AWS Elemental MediaConnect

BB&S Lighting — Area 48 Color Lighting Fixture

Bittree — Bittree Patch32A Dante Patchbay

Black Box — Emerald Unified KVM Platform

Blackmagic Design — ATEM Constellation 8K Switcher

Bolin Technology — 9 Series 1 Inch Sensor 4K PTZ Camera

Bridge Technologies — VB440 IP Probe with Instrument View

Brightcove —Brightcove Live

Canon USA—DIGISUPER 122

Canon USA — CJ18ex28B and CJ15ex8.5B

Cineo Lighting — LightBlade Edge Modular Lighting System

Cisco Systems — Cisco IP Fabric for Media

Clear-Com — V-Series Iris

Cobalt Digital — 9992 Compression Series

Dejero — CuePoint low latency return feed server

ENCO Systems — enTranslate - Automated Live Translation

ENENSYS Technologies   vCN

Evertz — evEDGE Virtualized Processing Services

Evertz —MediaFlow

Flanders Scientific, Inc. (FSI) — XM311K 31" 4K HDR Mastering Monitor

Glensound Electronics Ltd — DIVINE AoIP PoE Powered Monitor

Grass Valley — GV STRATUS One: Turnkey Workflow

Grass Valley — Creative Grading:Redefine Camera Shading

Haivision — Secure Reliable Transport (SRT)

Harmonic — Harmonic Primary Distribution Solution

Hitachi Kokusai Electric America —SK-HD1800 Production Camera

Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC— E-Compact model EC710MP-BB

IHSE USA — Draco Ultra DisplayPort for Gamers

Imagine Communications — xG GamePlan ad inventory optimizer

Interra Systems —WINNOW Classification & Compliance

intoPIX — FastTICO-XS low-latency software codec

JVC — GY-HC550 Hand-held Broadcast Camcorder

Leader Electronics — LV5900 8K Waveform Monitor

Leader Electronics — LV5600 SDI/IP Hybrid Waveform Monitor

Limelight Networks — Limelight Realtime Streaming

LiteGear — LiteMat Spectrum

LiveU — LiveU Matrix cloud video management

Lupo Srl — SuperPanel Full Color 60RGBW LED Panel

Magewell Electronic — Pro Convert - SDI/HDMI to NDI converters

Make.TV — Newsroom in the cloud - Live Video Cloud

Matrox — Matrox DSX LE5 Q25 ST 2110 NIC card

Mobile TV Group—  45 FLEX IP Mobile Production Unit

NewTek — NewTek VMC Software

NewTek — NDI 4.0

Panasonic — AW-UE150 4K/60p pan/tilt/zoom camera

Panasonic — AG-CX350 4K Handheld Camcorder

Prime Focus Technologies — AI-led Promo Assistance

Pronology  — rNAS.m3 ruggedized, high performance NAS

Qligent — Vision Analytics - Churn Prevention

Rohde & Schwarz — R&S PRISMON.cloud monitoring solution

Ross Video — Carbonite Ultra UHD Production Switcher

Ross Video — Ultritouch System Control Panel

Signiant — Jet SaaS Solution

Sony Electronics — Live Element Orchestrator

Sony Electronics — Ci MediaLog

Sportzcast — ScoreHub data & graphics distribution

Tektronix — Aurora 7.0 File QC

Telemetrics — RCCP-2A Remote Camera Control Panel

Telestream — Vantage Cloud Port

Teradek — Bolt 4K wireless video

TestTree — ReFeree 3 Field Broadcast Coverage

TVLogic — IS-mini 4K Video Color Processor

TVLogic — F-7H mk2 Field Monitor

TVU Networks — TVU One 4K cellular mobile transmitter

Vela — Encompass Compliance Monitor SmartLogger

Vislink Technologies — HCAM 4K UHD Wireless Camera Solution

Wheatstone — Strata 32 Digital Audio Television Console

TV Technology is the industry’s leading magazine for broadcast and media technology news and reviews. Companies pay a fee to nominate a product.

LAS VEGAS--A broad coalition of broadcast television station groups as well as public broadcasters announced at the NAB Show on Monday that ATSC 3.0 (aka Next Gen TV) will be rolled out in 40 U.S. markets by the end of 2020.

Subject to final engineering and required approvals, consents and FCC license modifications, the participating broadcasters have identified the first stations that will convert to ATSC 3.0 service in this rollout. Primary broadcast programming currently broadcast on the stations planning to upgrade will be hosted by other stations in their respective markets.

Station groups involved in the deployment include Fox Television Stations, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, Univision, Spectrum Co. (includes Sinclair) and members of the Pearl TV Group, a coalition of broadcasters and manufacturers testing ATSC 3.0 in the Phoenix Model Market.

Top 40 Markets where the first transitioning stations have been identified (ranked by population) include:

• Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
• Houston, TX
• San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Seattle-Tacoma, WA
• Detroit, MI
• Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL
• Portland, OR
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Raleigh-Durham, NC
• Baltimore, MD
• Nashville, TN
• Salt Lake City, UT
• San Antonio, TX
• Kansas City, KS-MO
• Columbus, OH
• West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL
• Las Vegas, NV
• Austin, TX

Work is now underway to identify Next-Gen TV stations in these Top 40 markets (ranked by population), with details to follow in the coming months:

• New York, NY
• Los Angeles, CA
• Chicago, IL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Washington, DC
• Boston, MA
• Atlanta, GA
• Tampa-St.Petersburg-Sarasota, FL
• Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN
• Miami - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Denver, CO
• Cleveland-Akron, OH
• Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
• St. Louis, MO
• Charlotte, NC
• Indianapolis, IN
• San Diego, CA
• Hartford-New Haven, CT
• Cincinnati, OH
• Milwaukee, WI
• Greenville-Spartanburg, SC - Asheville, NC

Additional TV markets where stations have been identified for Next-Gen TV service (ranked by population) include:

• Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Albuquerque - Santa Fe, NM
• Grand Rapids - Kalamazoo, MI
• Memphis, TN
• Buffalo, NY
• Providence - New Bedford, RI
• Little Rock - Pine Bluff, AR
• Mobile, AL - Pensacola, FL
• Albany-Schenectady - Troy, NY
• Flint-Saginaw - Bay City, MI
• Omaha, NE
• Charleston - Huntington, WV
• Springfield, MO
• Rochester, NY
• Syracuse, NY
• Chattanooga, TN
• Charleston, SC
• Burlington, VT - Plattsburgh, NY
• Davenport, IA - Moline, IL
• Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - San Luis Obispo, CA

“America’s broadcasters are on the cusp of a revolution in television,” said Gordon Smith, NAB president. “The many companies invested in TV broadcasting are committed to better television service for both our viewers and for our advertisers.

There was also good news for consumers as Michael Bergman, vice president of technology and standards for the Consumer Technology Association noted that ATSC 3.0-enabled sets and devices are expected to hit the market by 2020.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr advocated for broadcasters to use ATSC 3.0 to innovate and better compete with telecommunications companies.

“It’s important that the FCC authorized broadcasters to start experimenting with ATSC 3.0, giving you the freedom to innovate—a freedom that your competitors and many others in the tech sector already enjoyed,” he said. “And when I think about the ways that broadcasters can use that freedom to innovate, one use case stands out to me: ATSC 3.0 as a new and competitive broadband pipe.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—As more broadcasters and content providers eye a move to the cloud, Encoding.com has announced that it has added support for several new features that will assist with the process with its setup at the 2019 NAB Show.

One of the new supported features is for the encoding and decoding of Apple ProRes. Encdoing.com will support all versions of the ProRes codec from 442 up to 4444 XQ with the PQ and HLG HDR metadata by integrating it into the Encoding.com 64-bit Linux-based platform.

Another new supported technology includes Dolby Vision to assist with distributing videos using HDR technology. Via Encoding.com, users will be able to scale the distribution of content created in Dolby Vision.

Nielsen and Encoding.com have also began collaborating, with Encoding.com enabling Nielsen’s audio watermarking technology for audience measurement to work in a cloud-based computing architecture. Encoding.com has also received certification for the ability to convert existing Nielsen PCM audio watermarks already embedded in video content to ID3 tags for tracking on iOS devices.

There is also a new Encoding.com service that will debut at the NAB Show, the Ludicrous HLS video processing service that enables video content providers to process long-form HD and UHD videos into multi-bitrate HLS packages. The Ludicrous systems is designed to reduce video processing time by creating separate, small chunks of the source video and doing all transcoding and packaging in parallel, and then stitching the transcoded bits back together.

In addition, recently released an annual study on trends in video formats for broadcast, OTT, MVPD, web and mobile distribution that the company can share during the show. It’s key findings included that H.264 remained the top video codec; broadcast codecs increased in usage by Encoding.com customers; immediate processing workflows/repackaging are becoming more widely used; and new data on HDR formats.

Encoding.com will be at booth SU5224 throughout the NAB Show.

LAS VEGAS—The last batch of startups that will be featured in this year’s Sprockit Hub at the 2019 NAB Show have been unveiled. In total, 27 startups have been tapped to join the Sprockit global marketplace, which strives to connect emerging companies with established figures in the media, entertainment and technology industries.

Here are the 12 newly announced startups that will make up this year’s Sprockit group:

• Adoppler—Platform for media buyers and sellers to establish direct programmatic channels with their partners.
• Advocado—Helps optimize advertisement spending by integrating CRMs and analytic tools for both broadcast and digital campaigns.
• Burbio—Aggregates local school, government, library, sports and community-based nonprofit events.
• Folio Photonics Inc.—Offers low-cost archival data storage with next-gen optical solutions with a 100-year archival lifespan.
• JUMP, Data-Driven Video—Uses Big Data and Artificial Intelligence technologies to provide insight on audience and content performance for video service market players.
• LocalBTV—Allows OTA viewers to watch local TV stations with phone, laptop & smart TV apps.
• Plum Research—Provides OTT audience measurement by analyzing hardware, software and ISP data to create high volume research panels for the entertainment industry.
• Switcher Inc.—Helps create professional-quality video content with the ability to edit and stream live directly from iPhones.
• Sympli—Connects designers, developers and other digital product team members through the integrated collaboration and workflow platform for building digital products.
• The Q - Live Game Network—Offers a platform for publishers, brands and broadcasters to deliver live gaming experiences through additional channels that can be embedded into their own properties.
• Vionlabs—Provides AI-powered products that analyze customer preferences and recommends content tailored to the end-user.
• Widespider—Leverages the latest in AI technologies to create customized news and content for individuals.

These companies, along with the previously announced batch, will exhibit in the Innovation Pipeline in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the NAB Show. They will also be able to participate in Sprockit Sync events throughout the year, where industry execs and entrepreneurs meet to discuss new technologies and collaboration opportunities.

In addition to revealing its full slate of startups for this year, Sprockit has also announced that it hit a new milestone. Since it began in 2013, the more than 150 companies that have participated in Sprockit have raised more than $1 billion, according to the organization, including $500 million after joining Sprockit. These numbers include the latest batch of Sprockit companies. Harry M. Glazer, the founder and CEO of Sprockit, calls the milestone “a true testament to the power of the global community and strength of the collective.”

All of the Sprockit companies will be highlighted during the 2019 NAB Show, which runs from April 6-11.

LAS VEGAS—Fox News Channel will launch its Quick Response Vehicle Program during the NAB Show next week in Las Vegas. In partnership with LiveU and Accelerated Media Technologies, the program centers around a Nissan NV 3500, which Fox News said is “a one-stop shop for a photographer and crew covering and chasing down a breaking news story.”

The vehicle has enough cargo space for a full ENG photographer kit, said Fox News, and enough workspace for a correspondent and field producer to toil away as well. The NV 3500 is built on an entirely IP platform and equipped with bandwidth efficient HEVC bonded encoding from LiveU, said Fox News, with satellite technology to guarantee transmission from anywhere in the U.S.

Fox News plans to have the vehicle in multiple domestic bureaus this year, meaning “more in-depth breaking newsgathering and reporting across FNC and O&O stations,” it said.

Sharri Berg, chief operating officer, news & operations at Fox Television Stations and senior VP of news operations at Fox News, is overseeing the program. “Bonded cellular works great, but we knew we needed the reliability of satellite when the biggest breaking news hits,” she said. “We also listened to our field folks and built an IP-based vehicle with simple, auto-acquisition satellite technology that could be operated by one photographer, while also giving the rest of the team the workspace they require.”

The vehicle also features a roof camera for on-the-go streaming, LiveU Xtender for improved cellular throughput and Cobham satellite dish and Newtec satellite modem for satellite IP throughput up to 20 Mbps. 

LAS VEGAS– At the 2019 NAB Show, JVC Professional Video will showcase three new cameras in its CONNECTED CAM product line. Introduced in late 2018, the 500 Series of streaming handheld camcorders are designed to optimize both image processing and IP performance. The new cameras include:

• GY‑HC500 base model

• GY‑HC550 with advanced streaming and graphics

• GY-HC500SPC sports production camera

The new 500 Series cameras can record to SSD (solid state drive) media in 10-bit ProRes 422 at 4K resolution and 50/60p frame rates. The cameras also record several other native 4K UHD and HD file formats to support a wide range of workflows, and the GY‑HC550 adds MPEG-2 and MXF recording as well.

When paired with any ProHD Bridge product, JVC says all 500 models provide reliable 1080p streaming performance up to 20 Mbps with SMPTE 2022 forward error correction, low latency (less than 500ms), and return video and IFB. The GY-HC550 also includes dual external antennas with built-in wireless LAN, integrated GPS, and Zixi error correction with automatic repeat request (ARQ).

All 500 Series cameras feature a 1-inch 4K CMOS imager and integrated 20x zoom lens with built-in ND filters and manual zoom, focus, and iris control rings. For creative flexibility, the cameras record HDR footage in the HLG (hybrid log gamma) mode or 10-bit J-Log mode, and support 120 fps slow-motion HD recording.

Both the GY-HC550 and GY-HM500SPC include integrated lower-third and full-screen titling options for recorded or streamed video output without an external CG. The GY‑HC500SPC also offers professionally designed, high-resolution score overlays for a number of sports, and users can add logos or icons to customize graphics. Camera operators can update scores using a Wi-Fi connected smartphone or tablet, or receive real-time data automatically in venues where a Sportzcast Scorebot is integrated with the scoreboard. For coaches, the GY‑HM500SPC is compatible with DV Sport and XOS Digital technologies for critical video analysis.

Dual SDHC/SDXC media card slots offer redundant, relay, backup, and proxy recording modes. Other 500 Series features include a four-inch, high resolution LCD screen for menu navigation, LCOS viewfinder, dual XLR inputs, 3G-SDI and HDMI video outputs, and M.2 drive slot for external SSD recording. The cameras are expected to ship in June, with MSRP starting at $3,900 for the GY-HC500.

JVC will also demonstrate its GY-HC900 and GY-HC900ST CONNECTED CAM models at NAB. Both cameras feature three 2/3-inch CMOS sensors to produce full HD images, plus an industry B4 lens mount and four-position optical filter. For news-over-IP applications, the GY-HC900 has built-in Wi-Fi, dual external antennas, streaming/FTP performance up to 20Mbps, and SMPTE 2022 forward error correction and Zixi error correction with ARQ for reliable transmission. The GY-HC900ST studio camcorder, with full streaming and recording capabilities, integrates seamlessly with the JVC FS-900 camera module for an affordable fiber-based studio solution.

Here we are, just days away from the 2019 NAB Show. As I’ve done each year, I build on all my other former NAB blogs to create a new “what you need to know for NAB.” For me, this is NAB #29, and I’m still excited about the show.

First thing to know is this looks to be the last NAB Show with a Thursday exhibit day. Yes, after many years of a Monday through Thursday exhibit floor, they’ve moved to a Sunday through Wednesday show floor event. If you didn’t catch it, Paul McLane has written about this change.

There will still be the shuttle buses, overcharged-for-convention center food and drinks and sore feet. After attending so many shows, I’m always very appreciative of the amount of work (and money) that manufacturers invest in this show (thus making it possible). This IS the BIG show for the U.S. broadcaster and many international broadcasters as well!

I enjoy seeing so many familiar faces and friends from the past (from engineers, old co-workers, to manufacturers), and making new friends is always welcomed too. If you are new to the NAB convention, I’d say the best part of the show is the contacts you make within the industry. Sure, you’ll learn a LOT about the “latest & greatest” gear, but one year later you’ll be learning about all the NEW “latest & greatest.” But the contacts and friends you make will be there year after year!

For me personally, I’m looking at both radio, and the upcoming 4K/UHD video systems as I’m in the process of a $3.5 million upgrade to all-4K at New World Center (for the New World Symphony). I’ll be running around, getting sore feet, but having a great time in “nerd heaven!”

I’ve already been planning my show and need to point out for those who are returning that there are some changes that occurred last year worth recalling. Some of the events at the event rooms/ballrooms between the North Hall and the Westgate (AKA formerly the Las Vegas “Elvis” Hilton), have moved into a space in the North Hall, and it’s now called the Main Stage. That, in itself, was a major change.

Many of the radio equipment manufacturers are centralizing in the North Hall. The remainder of the North Hall building has a mix of media management, some TV gear manufacturers along with specialty pavilions like Sprockit, the Startup Loft and the Futures Park. With the main stage eating up a quarter chunk of the North Hall (where it was last year), it seems that many of the TV gear folks have moved over to the South Hall. Unlike last year, expect South Hall to be full of manufacturers, and that’s both the upper and lower floors!

As I said, this is my 29th consecutive NAB Show and they’ve all been in Las Vegas since I started attending. There have been so many changes over the years. Vegas is constantly in transition, so new casinos and hotels are up, while some (many) that were in Vegas in 1990 have been demolished or (significantly) remodeled. Monte Carlo is now MGM Park and fully remodeled. There’s always so much to see … and Vegas is a “world” constantly in change.

The convention itself has changed in many ways. At one time, seeing a computer by itself or standalone software was more of a rarity. Solutions to broadcasting were nearly all based on hardware, so there were a lot of physical “products” and a lot of variety to how they appeared. Then there were things called “tape recorders” that were analog, and later on new “digital tape recorders” of both the audio and video variety. Radio used reel-to-reel models, turntables, EBS equipment (now, of course, EAS), in addition to these crazy things called “cart machines” full of fun parts like pinch rollers, capstans with problems like phase/azimuth issues. Ah, the “good old days!”

TV solutions were generally “bigger” while usually doing less and along the way there was a new thing that they were talking about called “High Definition TV.” Rumors were going around about radio maybe going digital and in 5.1. There was no word in 1990 about streaming radio because it was simply impossible to get any quality when you dialed up your provider at 14,400 bps and heard that familiar “answer and screeching” before the sound muted on the modem.

In the TV world, it was tubes, tubes and more tubes but now the talk is of 4K/UHD with 8K around the corner. Japan’s NHK started 2019 by showing a 70mm transfer of “2001: A Space Odyssey” and HDR (High Dynamic Range) is now a thing.

Many years ago, the convention center could no longer hold the NAB Show, so they moved part of it to the Sands Convention Center. That required more “bus time” (and lost time) shuttling between the Sands and the convention center. Then the South Hall was added, and now we see SU and SL (South Upper and Lower) on our maps.

There’s now talk of a “subway” to run from the farthest end of the South Hall to the planned new addition across Paradise Road, in the parking lot where the old Landmark Hotel was and stretching over to the backlot of where the Riviera used to be.

We saw the addition of the monorail years ago and it has come to be a great way to get to the LVCC. If you are at a hotel on the east side of the strip where the monorail runs from the MGM up through the Westgate (or, for “old timers” the old Hilton) to the SLS or, for “old timers” the old Sahara). Still waiting and hoping that eventually Vegas loops both sides of The Strip with the monorail.

Over the years, many dignitaries and celebrities have come and gone to the show. I’ve “stumbled across” people like Gary “Radar” Burghoff to Sherman “George Jefferson” Hemsley. Many friends have passed away or moved on to other career fields. A lot of old engineers decided to “get out of the rat race,” while many others saw new opportunities in radio and TV. But the NAB convention remains a great time to learn and grow and a great time to catch up with old friends and make new friends!

So whether a new person to the NAB Show or an “old timer,” here’s a look at some new things around Vegas and some things worth knowing about the convention and Las Vegas. Stay tuned in the middle of the links for my list of things you should REALLY know about the convention. The list grows every year. If you’ve gone to the show less than, say, five times, it might be of real benefit to read this.

Firstly, if you’ve been to Las Vegas before, you know it’s a city constantly changing so it pays to do a little research on the new things. Here’s one link with “the Cliff’s Notes.” And here is more information.

Packing Your Suitcase

This is funny, but I had never seen “a good way to pack your suitcase” video before until I saw this one and thought it looked like a good way.

And here is another person using the same method (with the Benny Hill “Yackety Sax” background music).

Fly Healthy

Flying to Las Vegas (or anywhere) is always a little bit of an experience. From the friendly TSA agents wanting to make sure “everything is good,” to the “cattle car” (AKA flying coach in a plane). WebMD has some great advice for traveling to stay healthy while being cramped up next to the sneezing, hacking person and the crying baby.

Speaking of TSA Agents

From Business Insider, here are 12 tips that can get you through the airport a little faster.

Things I’ve Learned:

Now for this short pause from the links as I share “the secrets” to having a much better NAB convention (at least the things I’ve found over the past 28 years):

Wear Comfortable Shoes!

You will walk … and walk … and walk some more in Las Vegas. And everything looks a LOT closer to you than it really is! Especially if you are on The Strip and see a hotel or casino “just down the road.” Warning! It isn’t “just” down the road.

A couple of years ago I stayed downtown and thought “that’s an easy walk” to the convention center. Rookie mistake. It ISN’T!

Be Prepared for Peddlers and “Hawkers”

The good Las Vegas weather allows for a lot of people to solicit for money or push “cards” (I say cards because anyone who has been on The Strip know what these are … but for the most part, you probably do not want these cards!) I just say, “No thanks” and walk by. As for the peddlers or panhandlers, what I can tell you is what a friend told me who works feeding the poor and hungry. If you truly want to help, donate to organizations that help these people. Handing them money often supports “needs” other than food or housing.

Big City Safety

Be aware of your surroundings. There are lots of international travelers who are confused, lots of panhandlers, some “unstable” people and even some unscrupulous people in Las Vegas. Be aware of people around you, especially away from the convention center or on The Strip. Keep bags or purses with strap from one shoulder to your opposite side (making it harder to grab and run). Keep bags zipped up and close by.

Turn your wallet sideways in your back pocket or keep it in a front pocket. There are pickpockets in any big city and Las Vegas is no different. Keep track of credit cards and watch them around taxi drivers and people who might take them from your sight while scanning them. About 10 years ago a driver used an old mechanical machine claiming his electronic wouldn’t work and within hours my credit card was used in Louisiana—while I was still in Vegas!

Keep your senses and never let yourself partake of the partying aspect to the point where you no longer are in control (you’ll see plenty of people doing that). Don’t get me wrong that it’s dangerous and unsafe, but it is a big city with a lot of tourists and you just need to be aware.

Sign Up for “Players Clubs” and Rewards Programs

If you drop money in “one-armed bandits,” don’t do it unless you sign up for the casino rewards programs. I know many people are smart enough NOT to do this (I’m not one of them), but at least know you may potentially get some benefit from your losses. I usually get a free meal or a discounted/free room on my next visit.

Also, wherever you stay, you don’t have to walk away an “unsatisfied customer.” If something is not up to your expectations or liking, they often will make it right (like a discount or free room on the next visit). This IS Vegas, and they are experts in the “hospitality business.” There are a lot of choices, and they prefer you stay with them.

One thing I repeat is avoid telling them “I’m here for the convention.” The reason is conventioneers spend less time and money on gambling, and that’s the customer they want! I don’t lie, but I say “I’m here with a lot of my friends all having a good time.” Okay, mildly stretching the truth, but it makes the casino/hotels more interested in making sure you’ll be back to THEIR casino/hotel next time.

Don’t Sit at a Bar and Let a Chatty Person of the Opposite Sex Sit Next to You and Become Your “Friend”

One year a nice enough lady spent 20 minutes next to me talking up a storm at Quark’s Bar at the old Star Trek Experience in the former Las Vegas Hilton (yes, I’m a nerd). Had a nice enough time talking to her (this was before there was a Mrs. Slentz, of course). When I went to leave, I found out the bartender had dropped her tab onto mine (yes, scammed!). Chalk this up to “live & learn.”

Spiffs & Floor Freebies

Companies used to give away a lot more of these things 20 years ago, but look around for these things and grab some for home, work, your significant other or kids. My wife and daughters always have fun going through the “bags of goodies” on my return. (And thanks to the companies that still “find it in their hearts” to give away little trinkets.)

Show Planning

Prior to the show, many people (myself included) make appointments and plan to visit particular manufacturers on the “floor” of the massive Las Vegas Convention Center. It’s actually several “floors.” Look carefully at where they’re located. Schedule appointments or visit manufacturers who are close to each other on the floor. There’s nothing worse than doing this haphazardly where you have a 9 a.m. appointment in the North Hall, then a 10 a.m. in South Lower, then back to the North Hall at 11. You’ll get the point. (*See above “Wear Comfortable Shoes”)

Make Friends and Get to Know Manufacturers

I almost hate to have to say this, but this is the best opportunity to forge great relationships with the people on the floor selling the gear that you use or want to use. I can’t begin to count the number of friends I’ve made over the years. They’ll be lifesavers when you need help with gear or have questions, and some of the friendships will last many, many years (even as some manufacturer’s reps move to selling gear with other companies). Oh, and have sympathy for them since they’re on their feet the whole time and stuck in one place. For me (and those of us attending and not showing), the convention is a little less work and probably a lot more fun than it is for the good people working the booths.

Dress for the Day

Vegas nights can get cool. Just watch the weather forecast and be sure to keep in mind that you might be still out after dark and walking around. It gets cool in the desert at night. And I wouldn’t worry too much about rain. In my nearly 30 years, I think it’s only rained a little maybe on two days. And only one year was it actually cool (and windy!) most of the week. Otherwise the weather is great! Again … just do a little preplanning and check the weather before you start your day.

Oh … and between the constant air conditioning in the hotels and convention center, and the fact that you are in the desert, plan for dry skin and dry lips. Bring Chapstick and some sort of hand lotion. Many hotels provide a travel-size bottle of hand lotion as part of their bathroom offerings. Grab it and put it into your pocket when you leave the room in the morning. Vegas’ April weather generally runs in the upper 70s to low 80s, though the direct sun can be much warmer. At night it can get quite chilly with a temperature in the mid to upper 50s.

Be Prepared

If you were a Boy Scout or in the military, this may be second nature … If you do a lot of walking (after the show), there seems to be a lot of bees … so those with sting allergies shouldn’t forget their EpiPens, etc. And pack all the necessities like antacids, pain relievers, Band-Aids, etc. They can get expensive buying them at the convention center, in hotel gift shops or off of carts.

If You Aren’t Prepared

Know that anything you buy in the casinos or hotels is more expensive than a regular store, much less a store back home. There are drug stores on The Strip where you’ll find the things you’ve forgotten at a much better price than in hotels and casinos. Same thing with cash. Avoid the casino ATMs as the fees are terribly high. Use your “Boy/Girl Scout” skills and BE PREPARED!

So these things are just a few of the most basic tips I can provide to those new to the NAB Convention or Vegas. Have fun and enjoy a great show and wonderful learning opportunity!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming …

Vegas Weather

After many trips to Las Vegas for the NAB Show, as previously mentioned, it’s generally pretty nice weather. If you’re coming from Ohio, it’s going to be a LOT nicer (probably), but coming from Miami, you’ll find similar temperatures but a major lack of any humidity. For the week of the NAB (4/6 through 4/11/19), the weather calls for highs in the mid to upper 70s (a little cooler on Saturday 4/6 at 73 degrees), with the nighttime chilling down to about 51 degrees. So heading out in the morning, it will be chilly. Then by the time you leave the Las Vegas Convention Center, expect it to be hot (81 degrees on Thursday 4/11). But if you’re attending an after-hours party, it can be chilly if “you’re hoofing it” after sunset. In the years I’ve been there, the most notable thing is the wind. It sometimes really picks up. And if it’s evening or the temps haven’t gone up, it cuts through you. As for rain, in 28 years and as previously mentioned, I only remember two days with some rain. You’re not very likely to get wet … but you never know. You really do need a medium to light jacket after sunset. Also keep in mind that the hotels and casinos sometimes run things on the cold side with their air conditioning. Keep this Accuweather link handy.

Vegas for the Solo Traveler

If you don’t happen to be traveling with co-workers or friends in Las Vegas, there are still a lot of options on things to do without being in a big group. Of course, there are a LOT of show opportunities to meet with other broadcasters and manufacturers so grab those opportunities when you can. But if you are looking for some things to do for the “solo traveler,” here are some ideas from Esquire.

Solo Safety

I’m originally from a small town in Ohio. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to live in places like Madrid, Denver and now Miami, so I’m pretty aware of how to stay safe in big cities (though, to avoid jinxing myself, you still must always be aware of your surroundings). If you are traveling solo, take time to review this information of staying safe.

LOTS to Eat in Vegas

There are a lot of great places to eat in Sin City. From the all-u-can eat places in about every casino to the big names in cooking. I found a few worth mentioning. First, I’m not a big steak fan, but The Steak House in Circus Circus deserves mentioning. It’s been voted “the best steak in Vegas” for 30 years … and there’s a good reason. There wasn’t a scrap of steak left on the plate. Just incredible. Sure, Circus Circus isn’t the top destination for many, but you’re missing the best steak ever if you don’t visit The Steak House.

Further on down the strip, Aria has their buffet. As a big fan of Alaskan snow crab legs, I’ve got to mention that this place is beautiful and the food is awesome. As opposed to MGM, where they serve snow crabs on ice, Aria has them steamed hot with lots of butter. Delicious!

If you’ve ever watched “Hell’s Kitchen” on TV, you’ve seen Chef Gordon Ramsay. I discovered the Yorkshire ale batter fish & chips at his Pub & Grill inside of Caesar’s Palace is awesome and the service is really good! On the flip side, it’s on the expensive side at about $30.

And when I worked for Hubbard Broadcasting, Mr. Hubbard liked the Hash House A Go Go inside the Linq hotel and casino (formerly the Imperial Palace). If you’re hungry, bring a BIG appetite. I’m not kidding when I say I really think a family of four could easily eat the food delivered on just one plate. They call this “Twisted Farm Food.” Another awesome choice!

Old Vegas Pics
Here are some pics of the original Flamingo (a la Bugsy). This website, vintage Las Vegas has lots and lots of great photos from Vegas’ history (since most gets demolished).

Vegas Trivia

Las Vegas is certainly an interesting place. If you don’t have the ability to go to another planet, it’s probably the closest thing to being in another world. Here are a few websites with some interesting Vegas facts (note that a few are out-of-date on some information …).

34 Things First-Time Visitors Need To Know About Las Vegas

50 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Las Vegas

Vegas Legal

From Ladah Law in Las Vegas comes “The Best of the Best in Vegas.” It’s their round-up of places worth knowing or checking out. There is also a section half way down the page on the “Worst that Could Happen in Vegas,” which shows some unfortunate accidents (where legal services were presumably needed). Keep in mind that this is a legal firm and it’s part of their business and note that this is not an endorsement for any company or business by myself, Radio World, or Future Inc., but just provided as a story link since it contains some useful information. The “worst of” is an interesting combination of links to unfortunate events that happened in Vegas to individuals. In addition to events like the ones listed, there are other tragic stories like the MGM fire (now Bally’s Las Vegas) in 1980 and the terrible shooting last year during a concert. These should serve to remind you to be aware of your surroundings and know how to escape and what to do in the event of an emergency. Even as a young Airman in the U.S. Air Force in the mid-1980s, overseas we were taught to always be aware of our surroundings and have some sort of escape plan in the event of an emergency. Remember, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.”

And Finally … Shows, Shows, Shows!

Hey, “This is Vegas, baby!” There are so many excellent shows that you should really try to see one (or two). You can find show discounts, hit Vegas show “discount stands,” or show up at the box office just before showtime for better pricing. I've seen everything from “Starlight Express,” “EFX Alive” (now “KA,” which I’ve also seen), “Zumanity,” “The Beatles Love” (STILL my all-time favorite).

This is not an endorsement of this or any company, but with most shows, if you get “last minute tickets” (and not from people standing on the street but at the box office or legit sellers), you can get substantial discounts for shows (as it’s better to sell a cheap seat than leave the seat empty). I work with a fellow who worked for Cirque du Soleil and has friends who work on “The Beatles Love” show. He’s the one who mentioned this particular ticket dealer as a good way to get discounted tickets (and I’ve ignored these ticket brokers for years … go figure!) My friend did say that it’s a little bit of a hassle as you still need to go to the box office even after you get the tickets through the broker, but he said “for the good 40% discount, it’s worth the extra little effort.” But like anything I find, I’d invite you to do your own research and check into these.

So, have fun, learn a lot, stay safe, and remember that the Vegas nickname is Lost Wages for a reason. Be smart about “dropping nickels in the ‘one-armed’ bandits”!

If you have any post-show info you think is worth passing along next year, please let me know. My email address is dan_slentz@yahoo.com.

LAS VEGAS—A new addition to its slate of products that will be featured at Grabyo’s NAB Show booth includes its newly released advanced video editing tool, the Grabyo Editor,

Grabyo Editor is a browser-based unit for creating short video highlights and social videos. It features an intuitive interface that enables output and is inclusive of transitions, audio edits and titling without the need for specific hardware or software licenses. Other features include a suite of video tools for real-time clipping, live event production and video editing. It has support for square, vertical and horizontal video formats, audio replacement and sponsor integration.

Grabyo Editor will be featured at the company’s booth, SU2202.

LAS VEGAS–Xytech, a provider of facility management software for the broadcast, media services and video transmission industries is partnering with video cloud provider Blackbird to offer a frame accurate codec player in v9 of Xytech’s MediaPulse facility management software system. The companies say the partnership will help streamline the asset management process for users of MediaPulse v9 and provide users with a real-time, accurate browser-based viewer featuring complete access security for all files. Xytech will showcase MediaPulse v9 at the 2019 NAB Show, April 8-11.

The cloud-based Blackbird player will provide MediaPulse users with an efficient, cost-saving viewer through a streaming proxy codec, according to Xytech. By using the integrated player during their workflow, post-production professionals can now frame-accurately play, jog and shuttle backwards and forwards through their video content at multiple speeds, all in the cloud on bandwidth as low as 2 MB per second. Since the content is streamed, deleting the source file instantly renders all stream void for an added a layer of security.

“This strategic partnership with Blackbird brings real-time viewing features to MediaPulse users supporting Asset Management and Promo Workflows,” said Greg Dolan of Xytech. “Post-production professionals will be able to securely and accurately access and view video content using Blackbird and do it all on a nominal connection right from MediaPulse. Blackbird shares our vision of intuitive user experiences. This partnership is a great fit.”

Xytech will be in booth SL4705. Blackbird will be exhibiting on Microsoft’s stand, SL6716. 

LAS VEGAS—Fujifilm’s range of broadcast and cine lenses, as well as its optical technologies, will be the highlight of its NAB Show booth.

The display of its broadcast lenses will include both its 8K lens series and the UA series of broadcast lenses, which support 4K cameras equipped with a 2/3-inch sensor. Specifically, the company will feature the Fujinon UA46x9.5 portable 4K zoom lens, equipped with a 46x zoom, and the Fujinon UA107x8.4 zoom lens, which features a 107x zoom.

Making its premiere at the show will be the Fujinon UA125x8 4K-compatible box-type broadcast zoom lens, offering a zoom ratio of 125x2 and covers focal lengths from 8mm in wide angle to 1,000mm in telephoto. Other under developed products that will get a sneak peak are the Fujinon UA18x7.6 and the Fujinon UA23x7.6, 2/3-inch 4K portable lenses.

The newly announced Premista 28-100mm T2.9 zoom lens is another product coming to NAB. It covers focal lengths of 28-100mm, and combines the large-aperture aspherical lens and the newly developed focus/zoom system. Other cinema lenses expected to be on display include a mock-up of the Premista 80-250mm T2.9-3.5, and lenses from the HK, ZK, XK and MK series.

Additional Fujifilm products that will reside in the company’s booth include the Fujifilm X-T3 digital camera, which supports 4K/60P 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output and 4K/60P 4:2:0 10-bit recording on an SD card and features ETERNA, Flog and Film Simulation modes; as well as the GFX100Megapixels digital camera, which is equipped with an image sensor with 102 million pixels and an image stabilizing mechanism. There will also be the Z5000 Fujifilm Projector that can project images in various directions by the rotation of the lens.

All of these products will be at booth C7225 during the NAB Show.

LAS VEGAS—Teradek is sharing what attendees can expect to find at its booth during the 2019 NAB Show, announcing that it will feature its next-generation ecosystem for Teradek RT wireless lens control. The two main products that make up these offerings are the CTRL.3 three-axis controller and MDR.X compact three-axis smart receiver.

The CTRL.3 offers precision lens mapping, allowing users to store and recall lens maps and display the information in real time on SmallHD monitors. This integration is available on all of the latest SmallHD monitors running OS3. The device also has integrated Bluetooth for additional connectivity between Teradek receivers and allows sharing of lens-mapping information and rapid configuration with the new, free RT iOS app.

The MDR.X is a lightweight three-channel receiver that is camera agnostic. It also has integrated Bluetooth as well as a built-in OLED display that allows for quick configuration and real-time status updates.

Both the CRTL.3 and MDR.X are compatible with previous generation Latitude and MK3.1 RT products. In addition, the MDR.X offers RED camera control integration via Foolcontrol.

Teradek will begin shipping the CRTL.3 and MDR.X in May. Check them out beforehand at the Teradek booth, C5725, at the NAB Show.

LAS VEGAS—ENENSYS, a French-based provider of broadcast networking and monitoring technology has announced its plans for showcasing its ATSC 3.0 technology and expansion into the North American market.

At the show, the company will launch a new suite of ATSC 3.0 products for virtual environments. These new products allow broadcasters to save space and costs by migrating all their ATSC 3.0 Network Operation Center functions to the public or private cloud, allowing for cloud advantages like scalability, high-availability, and instant recoverability. These new products will be previewed at PBS TechCon 2019, and demo-ed at the ENENSYS NAB Show booth #SU6102.

The company will also announce a partnership with ONE Media 3.0, LLC, a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group to build and roll-out 10 of Sinclair’s first ATSC 3.0 Broadcast operations in the United States. The solution is based on ENENSYS’ new software-based product suite, designed to be easily deployed on a dedicated server or run in pure cloud environments.

ENENSYS is expanding its presence in North America by opening its first U.S. office, specifically targeting the ATSC 3.0 market. The company will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at its booth, #SU6102, 11 a.m. Wednesday April 10. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres will served.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

LAS VEGAS—At the 2019 NAB Show, Rohde & Schwarz will discuss its participation in broadcasts over 5G trials in taking place in Germany. In the Bavarian research project “5G TODAY,” Rohde & Schwarz is investigating large-scale TV broadcasts over an HPHT (high power, high tower) 5G Broadcast field trial near Munich. The project is also supported by Kathrein, Telefónica Germany and Bayerischer Rundfunk, who is providing two HPHT sites near Munich for the field trial.

Using the HPHT concept will allow broadcasters to distribute video over 5G networks with all the advantages of classic broadcasting like high quality levels as known from HDTV broadcasting, low latency live content as well as enormous spectrum efficiency and wide coverage, according to the company. This will enable broadcasters to bring their valuable assets for efficient distribution of high-quality video into the future 5G ecosystem. Content providers will also benefit from 5G Broadcast because it offers their customers better quality of service and better quality of experience.

With a cell radius of more than 60 km in each transmission area, Rohde says 5G Broadcast offers better and broader coverage for transmitting media content, even in rural areas. This reduces necessary infrastructure investments since large areas can be covered with just a few transmitters.

The company will highlight the advantages of this technology at the Rohde & Schwarz booth and will demonstrate the first end-to-end solution for LTE/5G Broadcast. The 5G Broadcast experts will speak at the Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) conference and discuss this topic on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 9.00 a.m.

LAS VEGAS—Electronic Research Inc.’s NAB Show portfolio will include two new high rejection, low pass harmonic filters designed for high-band VHF television applications, the CF232 and CF3032.

The CF232 is rated for 6 kW average power, ATSC 1.0 (3 kW ATSC 3.0) with 1-5/8-inch unflanged flush cut female input and output connections. The CF3032, meanwhile, has 3-1/8-inch unflanged flush cut female input and output and is rated for 25 kW average power, ATSC 1.0 (16 kW ATSC 3.0). These 13-section filters provide harmonic attenuation of 60 dB minimum from the second through the fifth harmonic.

ERI will display these new filters at its booth, C1322. To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

LAS VEGAS—The development and deployment of Next Gen TV technology, powered by ATSC 3.0, is one of the key points of focus in the industry, and the NAB Show, one of the industry’s largest events, is making sure that it has the topic covered. NAB says there will be more than 100 sessions and more than 50 exhibitors that will feature the technology, showcasing how it plans to deliver better pictures and lifelike multichannel audio in IP-transmitted broadcasts.

A couple of presentations will highlight what ATSC 3.0 has to offer, including an ATSC, CTA and NAB sponsored “Ride the Road to ATSC 3.0” exhibit and Single Frequency Network demonstrations.

“Ride the Road” is a series of free presentations in the North Hall (booth N2512) that covers all facets of the ATSC 3.0 standard. There will be updates of the Dallas, Phoenix, Santa Barbara, Calif., East Lansing, Mich., Cleveland and Korea deployments. Specific session topics include consumer research, consumer device plans, conformance testing, audio enhancements, station build-out advice, watermarking, advanced emergency information, channel security, advanced advertising and interactivity. But the marquee display, per NAB, will be a new LED videowall optimized for broadcast applications, provided by LG Business Solutions.

Additional sponsors taking part in “Ride the Road” include Pearl TV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, LG Electronics, Dolby, Sony, Samsung and AWARN Alliance.

Also in the North Hall, as well as the Central Lobby, will be the demonstration of Single Frequency Network capabilities of the Next Gen TV standard. This area will demonstrate how reception can be improved in difficult locations and in moving vehicles by deploying multiple broadcast towers transmitting the broadcast signal on the same channel. Using four low power transmitters in the Las Vegas Convention Center, special SFN viewing kiosks will be located in the LVCC lobby, in the North Hall at the NAB Pilot area and at the “Ride the Road” exhibit.

Other papers and sessions on Next Gen TV will be presented throughout the show. A free Guide to 3.0 at the Show will be available for attendees to pick-up in the Central Lobby throughout the show.

The 2019 NAB Show runs from April 6-11 in Las Vegas.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

TV TECHNOLOGY:What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trend at the 2019 NAB Show?

PHIL OWENS: The move to IP is happening, but we realize that the transition may be gradual for some stations. It will be important to offer systems that incorporate the newest IP-related requirements while also supporting the embedded architecture in current use. Not everyone will be able to just flip that switch.

TVT:What will be your most important product news?

OWENS: Wheatstone will be showing an enhanced version of the IP-64 TV board. It has enhanced graphics, more context sensitive touch screens and a more flexible Automixer. Layer management has also been improved.

We’ve been able to leverage our development work on the IP-64 to create a new TV board, the Strata 32. Like the IP-64, it’s fully IP-based and AES67-ready. It uses many of the same touchscreen functions as the IP-64 and has 32 physical input faders with two control layers, providing 64 mix channels, all in a 40-inch wide footprint. We’re able to use the Gibraltar IP Mix Engine to produce 16 aux busses, 16 mix minus busses, eight sub masters, stereo and 5.1 master outputs, all at a very attractive price point.

We’re also introducing a new Stagebox for IP-connected I/O with 32 mic/line in, 16 line out and eight-by-eight AES in a 4RU enclosure.

Finally, we’ve “virtualized” our Dimension 3 console to run on a touchscreen app for stations that require high channel counts but no physical console, for automated newsroom operations.

TVT:How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?

OWENS: Wheatstone is addressing the changes we see in the market—the move to IP, the need for higher functions/lower cost and the need for powerful virtual mixing.

TVT:What is it about the NAB Show that brings you back every year?

OWENS: We all work better with deadlines! Every year the NAB Show drives product development at Wheatstone. We take all the feedback from our customers both at the show and over the year to help us create and display great new gear in Vegas! Plus, we enjoy seeing our friends and making new ones!

LAS VEGAS—Aveco is crossing the pond to attend this year’s NAB Show, and with it will come the American debut of its Redwood BLACK multipurpose video engine for production control and master control automation. After launching in Europe last year, the Redwood BLACK is now available in the Americas.

The Redwood BLACK is a software-based integrated channel playout device and video engine with IP and SDI I/Os, with support for 4K UHD HDR, integrated graphics and multi-channel DVE for production-in-a-box and quality master control branding. The unit can also integrate with Aveco automation systems.

Powered by Harmonic Spectrum X, Redwood BLACK supports 4K UHD, HDR, SDI, SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE ST 2022-6, Dolby E encoding/decoding and a flexible storage architecture. Each unit is capable of four channels of SD/HD in/our or one channel I/O of 4K UHD. There can also be up to two channels of DVE and advanced graphics.

A studio production system of the Redwood BLACK and Aveco automation integrate with major Newsroom Computer Systems, includes MAM and provides the ability to edit-and-playout during ingest. A master control playout solution, consisting of Redwood BLACK and Aveco automation, includes BXF 5.0 traffic integration and Ad Juggler. Aveco’s integration of production control and master control operations includes automated cue exchange.

Aveco will feature the Redwood BLACK and more of its products at booth SL2808. To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

LAS VEGAS—Adder Technology is going 4K, announcing that it will debut its new dual-head high performance, 4K IP KVM matrix over a single fiber at this year’s NAB Show.

Dubbed the ADDERLink Infinity 4000 series, Adder created the new technology with the goal of supporting IP KVM users in the transition to 4K. The ALIF4000 is designed to deliver pixel and color accurate video quality, audio and USB to single or dual 4K screens. It features full compatibility with the existing Infinity range, allowing it to be phased into an existing network without disruption.

Other products that Adder is expected to highlight at its booth include the ADDERLink ipeps+ remote access system, which enables broadcasters to manage out-of-band servers and remotely access HD video in real time at up to 30 fps.

The Adder booth is at SL8620.

To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

LAS VEGAS—Thomson Broadcast has announced that it is expanding its business to the United States in response to what it sees as a invigorated broadcast television market spurred by the channel repack and the deployment of ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV.

The company, which for the past several years, has focused most of its business on the Asian and African broadcast markets, is opening a New York office and distribution center to meet demand for its low-power to high-power transmitters. Aby Alexander, former president and CTO for cybersecurity company eXstream, has been appointed the president of the new Thomson Broadcast USA division. Jay Yogeshwar, founder of Front Porch Digital and formerly with Hitachi Data, is the new chief strategy officer.

At the 2019 NAB Show, Thomson will launch what it calls “Software Defined Television” targeting the ATSC 3.0 transition and repack. The approach, according to Yogeshwar, is to develop a “software as a service” platform that can handle all of the components within the signal chain that can be processed within the cloud.

“The 2019 NAB Show is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our Low-Power and High-Power TV Transmitters that are ideal for the Spectrum Repack and for ATSC 3.0 deployment," Yogashwar said. “We’re also proposing new solutions for the delivery and monetization of ATSC 3.0 content with an all-software suite of encoding, packaging, signaling, metadata management, service quality assurance, content distribution, security monitoring, media migration, media asset management, playout automation and master control.”

To this end, Thomson is working with partners Triveni Digital, Media Translation, eXstream Security, mediathand and Pace Media Development to offer this end-to-end solution and will show the following demonstrations at its NAB Show Booth (N4206):

. • Triveni Digital will provide metadata management and content distribution systems for broadcasters, cable operators, content providers and telco and IPTV providers.

• Media Translation offers non-disruptive media migration to the cloud, media asset management in the cloud, and federated Search and Discovery across all content repositories.

• eXstream Security has cybersecurity products and services for broadcast and enterprise customers to protect against cyber threats. The company’s Sentinel Cyber 360 predicts, detects, prevents, protects, remediates and responds to any internal and external threats to a broadcaster’s mission critical infrastructure.

• mediathand provides a real-time cloud-based encoder, multiplexers and packagers for Over- the-Air and Over-the-Top content, media players, and ATSC 3.0 receivers with convergence and personalization options.

• Pace Media Development specializes in playout automation with integrated playout either “on premise” or “in the cloud” using the same software. All software is provided as a service with remote monitoring options.

With its headquarters in Paris, Thomson Broadcast currently has 191 television broadcast customers in the U.S. and this “rebirth” in the U.S. market comes after the company was acquired by Groupe Sipromad of Madagascar, a conglomerate that operates in industrial, technology, finance, real estate, tourism, aviation and broadcasting markets.

Headquartered in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, Groupe Sipromad has additional locations in Mauritius, Seychelles, Morocco, Mali and Paris. Groupe Sipromad owns information technology and telecom operator Broadcasting Media Solutions Indian Ocean (which primarily serves the Indian Ocean region.)

“The acquisition of Thomson Broadcast is just one part of a larger developmental plan that goes beyond TV transmitters and into the areas of cloud-based solutions, cybersecurity and digital solutions to support private and public TV broadcasters,” said said Ylias Akbaraly, CEO of Groupe Sipromad and Chairman of the board of Thomson Broadcast. “We want to create greater value for Thomson Broadcast and offer cutting-edge solutions for the evolving television and global digital market from Africa to the United States.”

Groupe Sipromad created a new management company called Phenixya that allows the Thomson Broadcast brand to retain its autonomy and support from existing French partners and collaborators. A renovation of the new Colombes headquarters of Thomson Broadcast, in a western suburb of Paris, is planned to begin soon.

In addition to the broadcast market, Thomson is also looking into expanding into the U.S. satellite and aerospace markets and plans to partner with, according to officials, a “prestigious” U.S. university to establish an Innovation Center in North America.