NAB 2023 features a record 1,200+ exhibitors

APB+ News Editor Shirish Nadkarni talked to the behemoths of the broadcasting industry as they unveil their latest innovations.

Jan

Cinegy, a leading provider of software solutions for the broadcast and media industry, has launched new features at NAB 2023. According to Jan Weigner, Managing Director of Cinegy, the company’s key products on display include the Cinegy Air, a playout solution, the Cinegy Multiviewer, and the Cinegy Capture.

“We have a new subtitling engine, we have finally the ability to encode 8k and 60 fps (frames per second) in HEVC. And that is finally an accomplishment that was for me a milestone,” said Weigner. Cinegy’s new 8k encoding capability is a significant development for the industry, as it allows broadcasters to deliver ultra-high-definition content to viewers with greater clarity and detail. While there may not be many practical applications for 8k broadcasting at the moment, the technology is expected to become more widely used in the future.

“Not necessarily that there are too many practices out there that want to do 8k right now. But you also know it’ll happen — and, yeah, it will happen; it also means if I can do 8k, that means I can do the 16 channels of HD at 60 fps, or 32 channels if you just want 30 fps … and that is actually something I can give you even off a laptop,” said Weigner.

Cinegy’s software-based approach is another key selling point for the company. “We are hardware agnostic. And because it’s software it will always be up to date,” said Weigner.

CueScript President Michael

Accardi revealed at NAB2023 that the company’s FR7 prompter has been designed to suit Sony’s new full-size imager with a removable lens PTZ camera, with a cloud option allowing users to access the software from anywhere without the need of a VPN.

Accardi believes the FR7 prompter will be a gamechanger for the industry. “We’re expecting great things to happen with it,” he said. The FR7’s unique design allows for full wide-angle usage and increased pan-and-tilt range.

Both the FR7 prompter and the cloud option are brand-new products and CueScript is counting on an outstanding response, especially with the amount of field work being done in the industry today.

The new FR7 prompter enables the lens to be in exactly the right position for the prompter, allowing it to go close to the glass, providing a full wide angle and a bit of ‘panic range’. Accardi explained, “It’s getting more usage out of the pan-and-tilt that you have.” The cloud option is also an exciting development, particularly for the industry’s fieldwork. It allows users to access CueScript’s software from anywhere without the need for a VPN, providing flexibility and convenience for users on the go. “One of the things that really separate us from others is not only the product range, but the team we have put together,” Accardi said.

Alex Grossman Vice President, Marketing, Perifery

Pebble, a leading provider of broadcast automation and channel-in-a-box solutions, unveiled its hybrid cloud messaging and IP connection management tools at NAB 2023.

Alison Pavitt, Director of Sales & Marketing at Pebble, shared the company’s vision of building relationships and understanding customer priorities at the event. Although Pebble had some demo equipment on display, its primary goal was to communicate face-to-face with loyal customers and convention attendees who were keen to view Pebble’s products and understand the direction the company had taken. The broadcast automation provider showcased two key products at the show — its hybrid cloud messaging tool and an IP connection management tool, Pebble Control.

Pebble’s hybrid cloud messaging tool offers cloud functionality on the ground and in the cloud to match the changing requirements of broadcasters. The IP connection management tool, Pebble Control, democratises the transition to IP for customers who seek to simplify their connection management in new environments.

Pavitt explained Pebble Control’s unique focus on open standards and interoperability, which is achieved by complying with emerging standards and even helping write them.

James Eddershaw Managing Director, Shotoku Broadcast Systems

Dejero, a Canadian company that provides bonded cellular devices for video transmission, launched its new 5G product line at NAB 2023 in Las Vegas from April 15 to 19. Jeremy Miller, Director of Global Technical Account Management at Dejero, explained that the company provides bonded cellular devices that can seamlessly integrate with any landlines, other internet sources or any sources of IP to provide people with seamless connectivity wherever they go — to transmit video or obtain Internet connections. Dejero’s new product line includes the Dejero EnGo 3 family series, which features the Engo 3 with a single end that does HD video, the just-announced 3s that is a 4K-capable single input, and the 3x multicamera unit that was unveiled last year, and does up to four simultaneous HD feeds or a single 4K feed. Miller explained that the need for more bandwidth in the field is increasing and Dejero’s products can help provide a solution. He said, “The company’s gateway product line provides a blended internet connection, so you can do more in the field, like for example mobile connections, so you can have VoIP phones and all sorts of different connections in order to increase connectivity in the field.

“When you need to get that live transmission out, that’s when we really shine; and that’s the most important thing,” said Miller.

Perifery, a division of DataCore with 25 years of experience in the content delivery and archive market, has introduced new content archive, preservation and delivery products at the NAB 2023.

The company’s premier product, Swarm Software, is software-only installed on customer hardware, allowing them to build large or small archives that are S3 and cloud-based style.

Perifery also recently acquired Object Matrix, which built an appliance product for content archive and content preservation.

For 2023, Perifery is showcasing a transportable product called Perifery Transporter, which is shipped in a flight case and provides over 100 terabytes of encrypted storage and processing solutions. With built-in applications such as BB asset managers and archive tools, Perifery Transporter supports Perifery’s new product, AI Plus, which allows AI-style apps and services to be brought down to the edge and remote locations.

“The hardware key of Perifery Transporter provides secure encryption for the data stored; once you take the encryption key out, no one can read the storage,” said Alex Grossman, Perifery’s Vice President of Marketing. Perifery Transporter has many applications, such as closed captioning and object recognition.

At NAB 2023, James Eddershaw, Managing Director of Shotoku Broadcast Systems (UK), highlighted the company’s latest elevator pedestal, the TI-11x. He declared, “The pedestal allows users to take the camera very low and also very high in the studio, with exceptional range and speed; while the pedestal is fixed in position, it offers smooth and fast on-air performance, making it an ideal choice for broadcasters. “This is not a pedestal that moves around on the floor; we have other products that do that. The TI-11x has robotic control, but can also be used manually, if needed.”

Eddershaw noted that while the company has plenty of competition, its focus on providing an overall package gives Shotoku an edge. He said, “It is the overall customer experience that marks us out — it includes customer service, flexibility of the system, and the ability to expand and upgrade in the future. “We pride ourselves on being able to give all of that to our customers.” The company has been providing robotics solutions to broadcasters worldwide, and is a regular at NAB shows. Eddershaw mentioned that the company’s products are some of the best on the market, offering broadcasters a combination of performance and longevity, including the TG-18, a pan and tilt head for a studio that offers robotic control and can be used manually.

Simen Frostad Chairman, Bridge Technologies

Simen Frostad, Chairman of Bridge Technologies, announced at the NAB 2023 that the company has upgraded its analytics and monitoring system for media signals, which has been in the market since the company’s inception in 2004.

The system allows users to log into their IPTV network to monitor and measure the flow of the video going over an IP network. The device has 100 megabits of interfacing, and can be accessed using a web browser, allowing users to conduct real-time analytics from any location.

Frostad noted that the company had made significant changes since it was launched. “We still do the same things that we did 19 years ago,” he smiled, “but some things have changed.

“Technology has evolved, and now it offers HTML5 protemps; and the backend has gone from 100 megabits to 100 gigabits, which is a huge bandwidth increase. We have gone from compressed media to uncompressed media, all the way up to 8k.”

The company excels in monitoring and analysing any type of signal, whether it is satellite, terrestrial cable, OTT, IPTV or any form of compressed media in JPEG XS or JPEG 2000.

“When you carry any kind of media over Legacy interfaces or over IP, you need to know what’s actually going on, or else you’re kind of flying blind,” said Frostad. “So, that’s our kind of market base.”

He stated that the company’s USP of the system is its helpfulness in remote access.

Barry Goch Product Marketing Manager, AJA

AJA, a leading manufacturer of video and audio interface technologies, unveiled a new product at NAB 2023 that promises to be a gamechanger for the video and audio industry. The Dante AV solution combines high-quality, ultralow latency video with a Dante audio network, which makes it possible to send video signals to any device on the network. Barry Goch, the Product Marketing Manager of AJA, shared that the company has expanded beyond its mini converters and now offers digital recorders and various other products in the marketplace.

The Dante AV solution is a new addition that builds on the company’s expertise in audio and video technologies. “Dante is a well-established audio networking protocol,” Goch explained.

“And what we’ve done is we’re adding high quality, ultra-low latency video to your Dante audio network. It takes in 12 G-SDI or HDMI and converts that signal into the Dante network.”

AJA’s Dante AV solution is expected to be a popular choice for video professionals, especially given the ongoing shift towards remote workflows due to the COVID pandemic. In response to this trend, AJA has created a remote workflow solution on its website, aja.com, which includes highlighted products like the Io, Io x3, and IO 4k Plus, that are designed to operate in remote environments.

“We have a number of highlighted products that are designed to work in a remote environment.”

Viaccess-ORCA, a FrenchIsraeli technology vendor for the content video industry, has showcased its end-to-end data-driven solutions at the show in Las Vegas. The subsidiary of the Orange Group specialises in content protection and anti-piracy solutions, service delivery platforms, data treatment solutions, UI targeted advertising, and AI and machine learningbased solutions. Atika Boulgaz, EVP Global Communication, Viaccess-ORCA, explained that the company’s products and solutions portfolio covers most of the value chain, from DRM and conditional access to service delivery platforms and added value features, such as monetisation-based solutions and targeted advertising. The end-to-end solutions also include working with key partners, providing customers with the necessary tools to monetise their services and engage their end-users.

Boulgaz added, “We experienced a real challenge in communicating with distant communication, virtual events, webinars, and so on. And when we came back last year, we realised that face-to-face meeting, there is nothing else that can replace it. So we are finding a new way of communicating, and being on-site is very important.”

Viaccess-ORCA’s cybersecurity suite of antipiracy services and end-to-end data-driven solutions were also showcased at the event.

Harjinder Sandhu

Director of Marketing, Zixi

Zixi, a global video delivering platform, showcased its SDVP (Software Defined Video Platform) in Las Vegas. Zixi has been in the industry for 15 years and has more than 1,000 customers in the media industry using its software-defined solutions to distribute their content.

The platform comprises of several components including Zixi Zen Master, which is the cloud control plane and orchestration, and the 60 Broadcaster, central to Zixi’s SDVP.

Harjinder Sandhu, Zixi’s Director of Marketing, said, “Our focus is on two things. One is just highlighting the sheer scale of Zixi and Zixi-enabled network, while showcasing its SDVP.”

Sandhu added, “The most important one is Zixi Zen Master, which is the cloud control plane and orchestration as well as the 60 Broadcaster which is the heart of the Zixi’s SDVP that is being used for cloud video gateway, content processing, normalisation transcoding – and everything else that is required for getting your content from A to B reliably, keeping quality of service, quality of experience in mind and getting that content in a costeffective manner from one place to another.”

Zixi’s SDVP is said to be an essential tool for the media industry as it allows for reliable and costeffective delivery of content.

The company’s focus on showcasing the sheer scale of its network and SDVP software highlighted its commitment to provide effective and affordable solutions for the media industry.

Andreas Eriksson

CEO and Head of Telstra Broadcast Services, Telstra

Telstra Broadcast Services, a leading managed service provider for the global broadcasting and media industry, has been attending the NAB shows for many years. This year, the company brought to Las Vegas its latest solutions that can meet the industry’s changing needs. Andreas Eriksson, CEO & Head of Telstra Broadcast Services, shared that the company has been active in the media industry for 25 years. Seven years ago Telstra decided to establish an endto-end business — Telstra Broadcast Services — to address the global broadcasting industry’s needs.

Telstra Broadcast Services has two portfolios: the Media Networks portfolio and the Managed Services portfolio. The Media Networks portfolio includes different platforms such as the Global Media Network, the Internet Delivery Network (IDN), bespoke solutions, satellite provider, and a hybrid solution for media network use case.

The Managed Services portfolio includes the Media Production Platform, a remote production platform, and the virtual advertisement service.

Eriksson shared that Telstra Broadcast Services has a unique selling point compared to its competitors. Being owned by a telco, Telstra Broadcast Services can provide hybrid solutions that are truly end-to-end, unlike other companies that can only provide fibre or satellite propositions.

Andreas Hilmer Chief Marketing Officer,

According to Andreas Hilmer, Chief Marketing Officer of Lawo, their approach to infrastructure optimisation and elasticity means unused gear and processing can be utilised for many applications, attached to different productions and, in turn, maximising the investment. Lawo’s IP native technology futureproofs investments and offers options for the future.

“Our approach is to future-proof that to optimise this investment that needs to be taken in a way that it’s introducing elasticity, which means that the processing can be utilised for many applications that it can be attached to different productions that you basically utilise in a better way the investment that you’ve taken,” said Andreas.

Lawo’s video processing technology uses a high-density secret conversion tool with up to 192 BNC connectors for SDI signals to get those signals on the network, with the aim of optimising broadcast infrastructures. “The future, I mean, he’s about optimising infrastructure, and enabling elasticity, which means if you look at a broadcast infrastructure today, there’s a lot of unused gear and a lot of unused processing,” Andreas said.

Lawo’s new technology is aimed at optimising investments for broadcasters and ensuring that investments are future-proof. As the industry continues to move towards IP native technology, Lawo is looking to offer broadcasters the option of flexibility and optimisation with their new tech.