As the IBC 2014 in Amsterdam winds down, we can’t help but look back fondly on some of the amazing new things we’ve seen. Yes, IBC is over – for now… but LONG LIVE IBC! Do not be saddened that the good times are over, but revel instead at all the new possibilities we have seen for the advancement of the industry.
“IBC’s goal is to deliver an event that is relevant to the community,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC. “Getting the right attendance is more important than big numbers, but it is encouraging when we get both quality and quantity.” With over 900 exhibitors, some amazing things were bound to appear at The IBC 2014 Show. I simply don’t have the space to expound on all the intriguing items, so I’ll just mention a very few.
Panasonic made an impressive showing with the Panasonic GH4! With its updated firmware, this promises a nice performance boost. New features offer the potential to spice things up, as well! 4K Photo Mode sets shooting parameters automatically, helping to optimize aspect ratios and still shots. It’s the first mirrorless camera that also has 4K recording ability on the planet! The imagining is a marked step-up from the earlier GH3. The new GH4 sensor boasts a high-speed readout under 50 milliseconds. A host of other features makes this camera one to watch.
Scality’s petabyte-scale software-only storage solution RING is an award winner. Through the use of its patented object sharing technology, RING has a scale-out file system support. Distribution ensures nothing is shared and there can be no single point of breakdown or misadventure. This amazingly flexible tiered storage system showcases the amazing potential for high performance that can be had simply by employing the right software.
Volicon sidesteps the expansive user-unfriendliness of legacy capture and ingest solutions and the ‘differently undesirable’ messy legacy cable capture solutions, known for their clumsy and dubious connections and lethargic path to air time. The Observer Media Intelligence Platform with its capture application provides a solution worth its salt with simple user friendly live & linear acquisition solutions that can operate with a wide range of sources such as post-STB, MPEG-TS, & baseband. Live encoding and a variety of feeds (cable/satellite/etc) allow swift and simple editing. Smooth workflow at the pace you choose.
nanoCDN is a revolutionary product that maximizes end-user broadband use. It optimizes the potential of existing broadband gateways, cable modems and/or set-top-boxes, and improves the quality of the video experience as well as reducing network costs. Peak usage times can now be ignored the same amount of bandwidth is now available throughout the home once the NanCDN is activated. Broadpeak manufactures several other products, of course, and most are easily used alongside the Nano.
The Seventh Annual CPUG Amsterdam SuperMeet, held on Sunday the 14th, saw a grand 4-hour event. SuperMeet, Broadcast Beat Magazine’s 
media partner for IBC 2014, was a big success. Special guests included Maryann Brandon, ACE film editor (Eddy and Emmy nominations for mission impossible 3, & 2 Star Trek films) current and future work include “Endless Love” and “Star Wars: Episode VII”, as well as Mary Jo Markey, ACE film editor whose recent resume includes: 2010’s “Killers,” 2011’s “Super 8,” 2012’s “The Perks of being a Wallflower,” 2013s’s “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” and 2014’s “Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Other notable speakers included: Giles Livesy, Hasraf Dulull,Al Mooney,Mike Thornton,Jeromy Young, Patrick Drake, Kylie Flavell, Carlo Ruiz, & Patrick Drake. Special presentations were also presented by Atomos, and HP.
One key attraction of the Amsterdam IBC was the always-pleasing Big Screen Experience. From the 12th to the 15th in this month of September, the big screen experience was rolled-out with a variety of different events to capture the attention of those lucky enough to be in attendance at this industry extravaganza. The synthesis of technology and talent, broadcasting and cinematic venues helped make this part of the grand event that is IBC much more immersive by allowing the audience/participants multiple paths by which they could ‘get into’ the overall experience. The program was free to the attendees of the 2014 Amsterdam IBC. The Big Screen Experience was yet another benefit of attending this spectacular event. Its construction and implementation was designed to thrill and captivate everyone from technicians to board members alike – truly something for everyone.
The Big Screen Experience ran the gamut from informative to entertaining. The use of second screen technologies and their applications for advertisers was explored, helping to showcase the as yet untapped potential of facilitating the combining of the big screen with second screen technologies to increase revenue streams in the industry while making the total experience more immersive for the consumer.
We got a look at advances into hybrid 3D, checking out a tri-focal camera system developed by Walt Disney Studios. With the addition of multiple secondary cameras, the Hybrid 3Dprocess allows film production in the old familiar and well established 2D manner and create a 3D version in post-production.
Embracing the increasingly digital nature of the modern film making process involves, in part, dropping the remembered limitations that a celluloid medium placed on us. New possibilities await us if we simply allow ourselves to see them. Can films be compiled from I-phone images? What can the cloud do for the industry? How will the cloud change the industry? The tools used in manipulation of digital imagery seem eons apart from when the first reel of film slithered out of the primordial swamps of cinematography, yet the industry isn’t that far past the 100-year mark. Looking at 1888’s “Roundhay Garden Scene” and comparing it to something as simple as a TV commercial for ‘brand X cleaner’ gives us a picture of the colossal advancements we have made.
The Big Screen Theater allowed us a view of some very impressive submissions to the industry by RED. Including the 6K RED DRAGON sensor and some 6K R3D RAW masters. We also got a peek at ARRI’s submission to the big screen that gave us a look at ALEXA and AMIRA camera systems. Michael Cioni, CEO of Light Iron helped us properly visualize the use of 4K ALEXA workflows for big-screen productions – including a peek at how ALEXA is used to such impressive effect in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Noted director Phedon Papamichael also explains his use of the ARRIRAW format in a commercial he filmed. Several other personalities piped- in with their uses of ARRI products and tools.
Event/Alternative Content in the cinema is on the rise and a potential of a new direction for theaters with an already ‘panoramic’ array options is on the horizon. The value of this new forefront appears to be headed for billion dollar territory in less than 5-years. Beyond that, who knows how far this theatrical niche may grow/carry us? Its bounds seem limitless…
Broadcast Beat Magazine’s own Janet Anne West manned (or shall we say “womanned”) the Teradek
LIVE Stage and, over a span of four days during the core of the Show, featured many dignitaries and luminaries in the media world, including those from Canon, Sony, Panasonic, Avid and Autodesk and delved into such hot topics as “4K now and beyond,” “Broadcasting: today & tomorrow,” “Post-Production,” and “Media Asset Management.”
Teradek, a Vitec Group brand, manufactures groundbreaking wireless video devices for remote video capture, live ENG backhaul, real-time monitoring, proxy recording and webcasting. For complex wireless workflows, Teradek‘s cloud-based workflow management platform provides a powerful option for remotely managing a fleet of Teradek encoders in real-time from anywhere in the world. All Teradek products are designed and manufactured in the USA. See: www.teradek.tv
The EDCF Global Update Session brought us up-to-speed on the potential effects of new technologies and impending transitions. As well as some possible developments with some legalities and legislations that could impact the industry.
Attendees were able to experience Dolby Atmos sound, with over 40 strategically placed and electronically manipulated speakers that allowed the sound to come alive, allowing participants have the experience sound moving around the cinema. Talk about immersive! Wow. I’d really like to hear this in an IMAX theater in my neighborhood!
The Big Screen Experience also hosted a 2-part session exploring laser projectors. Old hat gets squashed flat when this next-gen technology offers us the chance of higher quality pixels, increased brightness and contrast, as well as enhancing the color palette. New technologies bring fresh challenges, naturally, so perils and pitfalls on the path to increased profit are perused as well. Both parts of this laser projector exploration include demonstrations on 6-Primary 4K laser projection system from Christie.
“Broadcast Beat Magazine” unveiled the first edition of its quarterly digital publication – new for The 2014 IBC Show. Starting-out quarterly, with the first September, 2014 Special IBC 2014 Issue, the second issue slated for January, 2015, followed by April 2015, July 2015 & finally October, 2015. Looking through this issue of the magazine, there are many elements unable to grace standard print-edition magazines – such as hot-links to some of the products or special event information, the ability to click-on and listen to Broadcast Beat Radio, and embedded YouTube Videos, too! In that respect, digital editions has print editions BEAT! The Broadcast Beat Magazine can be found at: www.magazine.broadcastbeat.com.
What could be better than kicking back and watching a recent blockbuster? Well… how about two recent blockbusters shown using the absolute latest cutting edge equipment after both films have been re-mastered for brightness? On Saturday, with the Academy Award-winning film “Life of PI,” and then again on Monday with this last summer’s hit film “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” IBC show attendees enjoyed that experience, hands-down! This included 14fl brightness with Christie 6p laser projectors, Dolby 3D, and incredible Atmos immersive audio. 20th Century Fox should get all their films to have this red carpet treatment. Yowza!
A series of free events that were enlightening, thought-provoking and entertaining demonstrates that IBC’s Big Screen Experience truly had it all – and that was just part of the IBC 2014 Amsterdam extravaganza!
The IBC show had several of its own awards to bestow; these were:
Best Conference Paper Award: ‘DVB-T2 Lite – exploiting HDTV networks for services to mobile receivers’ G. Alberico, A. Bertella, S. Ripamonti, M. Tabone Italy’s RAI
Best Larger Free-Design Stand: Sony – 12.A10
Best Smaller Free-Design Stand: Tech4home – 3.C46
Innovation Award Content Creation: Sky Sports-Monday Night Football Innovation Award Content Delivery Turner Sports-NBA League Pass
Innovation Award Content Management: Sky News Arabia-Project SkyNet
Judges’ Prize: FIFA TV-Advanced broadcasting and multi-platform coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Most Imaginative Use of Shell Scheme Space: Veset – 8.A14
Special Award: Wiener Staatsoper-Opera Live at Home
International Honor for Excellence: FIFA TV
Of course, and out of a desire to call attention to some exceptional products, Broadcast Beat Magazine also handed-out its prestigious awards in
time for the IBC 2014 – having had the pleasure of announcing several well-deserved awards during the general festivities. There were 3 divisions of 5 categories – following is the complete list (with appropriate helpful links):
In the Choice division we have:
Content: Dalet NewsPack
Delivery: MPEG
www.wohler.com/ProductByCategory.aspx?grpId=26
Management: VB288 Objective QoE Content Extractor
www.bridgetech.tv/2013_08_VB288-Content-Extraction-System.php
The Creativity division includes:
Content: mocha Pro v4
www.imagineersystems.com/products/mocha-pro/
Delivery: Ellipse 3202
www.harmonicinc.com/product/ellipse-3000
Management: LiveU Central
www.liveu.tv/liveu-central.html
The Innovation division has:
Content: TD Control
Delivery: td control
Management: Piksel Video Platform
Originality brought us:
Content: Xstream efs
www.editshare.com/products/storage-options/xstream
Delivery: C-Cast Xplore for Live Remote Production
www.evs.com/splashscreen.php?check=true/
Management: Nexidia QC
www.nexidia.com/media/products/nexidia_qc
and finally, Product of the Year:
Content: FORK Xchange Suite
www.primestream.com/products/overview/xchange-suite
Delivery: LU500
Management: Eye on Piracy
www.viaccess-orca.com/security/eye-on-piracy.html
The BB awards hope to sho
wcase the best, and challenge the rest. All in all, according to The IBC, IBC2014 was the most successful show ever, attracting a total of 55,092 attendees – a 4% increase from 2013. Attendees from more than 170 countries visited over 1,500 exhibitors occupying more than 50,000 square meters of display space throughout fourteen halls of the IBC Exhibition. The IBC Conference welcomed 280 speakers across a full program of sessions in a new, more thematically aligned arrangement. These Sessions included keynotes from personalities as diverse as Professor Brian Cox and movie special effects guru Douglas Trumbull.
We hope you enjoyed our IBC 2014 coverage of the Amsterdam show. May your flowers be bright and fragrant, your clogs comfortable and dry, and your windmills well-oiled and spinning vigorously!
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