TV TECHNOLOGY: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trend at the 2017 NAB Show?
RICHARD E. FIORE, JR.: ATSC 3.0 without question, but it should be noted that the 2017 NAB Show will be the “Year of RF” thanks to the FCC’s completion of the 600 MHz spectrum auction and upcoming repack of the broadcast TV band. Having said that, incorporating ATSC 3.0 into RF products that focus on performance and efficiency will be a key driver towards decision-makers.
TVT: What will be your most important product news?
FIORE: Comark will be announcing the VHF Band 3 version of the award-winning PARALLAX. PARALLAX is our flagship liquid-cooled solid state Doherty DTV transmitter that was designed specifically for repack. Last year this transmitter won the NewBay Media’s Best of Show award. At the NAB Show we will be introducing a VHF Band 3 version of the PARALLAX transmitter that features up to 50 percent efficiency. The VHF Band 3 version of PARALLAX shares all the mechanical architecture, user interface and performance with the UHF version of PARALLAX. The PARALLAX family provides the highest reliability and efficiency, for the lowest overall cost of ownership.
TVT: How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?
FIORE: PARALLAX was specifically designed from the ground up for the U.S. repack market. It is band optimized for Channels 14–36, with broadband Doherty technology, high efficiency and unparalleled RF performance utilizing the latest devices available for RF amplification making this product timely! PARALLAX also provides broadcasters with future proof technology—a transmitter that operates at the same RF output power level in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0. So the transmitter you deploy today will be perfectly suited for use with ATSC 3.0 in the future with no need to de-rate the output power due to the different (OFDM) waveform.
TVT: What is it about the NAB Show that brings you back every year?
FIORE: For more than 40 years I have been attending the NAB Show with the same company since the Chicago convention in 1975/76. Over the years much has changed, but we have built many strong relationships with broadcasters and we look forward to bringing innovative products and customer focused solutions to the NAB Show. For Comark, the NAB Show is about technology and relationships.
