NAB 2014: On display at this month’s NAB Show in Las Vegas will be the latest developments in 4K technology from the likes of Sony and Cinedeck, alongside file-based delivery tools, and much more.

NAB 2013

NAB: show floor

NAB: 5-10 April

The 2014 NAB Show comprises more than 1,550 companies, including more than 550 international exhibitors and some of the world’s leading brands.

Among the 200 first-time exhibitors this year are several key IT players such as Fujitsu Semiconductor and AMD, with more located in Intel’s new Partner Pavilion.

Also debuting are streaming services Clearleap, Giga Entertainment Media and Ustream.

Central Hall - Acquisition and production

Panasonic (C3607) is set to introduce a 4K version of its Varicam in Las Vegas.

The camera, which was unveiled as a prototype at NAB 2012, incorporates a newly developed super 35mm MOS image sensor.

Another 2/3-inch Varicam with high-speed 1080p image capture at up to 240fps will also be launched at NAB, and both models will have separate camera heads that dock with the recording module, enabling users to switch between super 35mm and 2/3- inch.

They will also include Panasonic’s AVC-Ultra family of advanced video codecs.

There are rumours of new cameras from Canon (C4325) and Sony (C11001) as the manufacturers look to fend off the advances of Arri’s Amira.

We do know that Sony will showcase a series of 4K solutions as well as developments around IP Live production.

For the latter, real-time IP technology for live productions integrates IP network technology and HD-SDI.

Over on the Fairlight (C1459) stand, the EVO.Live digital audio mixing system for on-air and live productions will be introduced.

The console is available in chassis or tablemount configurations from 12 to 60 faders.

Eyeheight (C9511) is using NAB to launch its Legal-8 video and audio legaliser.

With eight loudness level control channels configured as four AES stereo pairs, the Legal-8 provides automatic real-time control of perceptual loudness and true peak level using multi-channel loudness and truepeak computations.

Matthews Studio Equipment (C5437) is introducing the Minivator II, a taller version of the Minivator, which it launched more than 10 years ago.

“We’ve beefed up the payload from 60lbs to 80lbs,” says MSE vice-president, sales and marketing, Robert Kulesh.

South Hall - Distribution and post

Wohler (SU4410) will showcase additions to the RadiantGrid platform.

Version 8.3 offers new tools and capabilities that promise streamlined workflows for the preparation and delivery of content via over-the-top (OTT) and other internet-delivered services.

XSNewsFlash, an end-to-end system that provides smaller newsrooms with full production capabilities, will be debuted by EVS News (SL3819).

Based on the XS server for ingest and playout, the company says XS NewsFlash can provide everything from file and feed ingest, metadata and quick-turnaround virtual editing to disaster recovery and fast-breaking news playout.

EVS is also showcasing the latest enhancements to the XT3 production server.

Sonnet (SL10824) is showcasing the Echo Express SEL, its smallest and quietest Thunderbolt 2-to-PCIe expansion chassis.

Accelerated archiving capabilities plus new LTFS LTO-6 archive appliances are on show from Cache-A (SL9027).

NAB will also see the debut of Pro-Cache610, with 10Gb ethernet connectivity and 6TB internal HDD RAID 0 or RAID 1 disk-cache storage, allowing high-speed archiving at more than 150MB/s.

Meanwhile, over on the Cinedeck (SL14317) stand, the MX4K recorder captures two channels of 4K, YUV10 files at 30fps from 4K/Ultra HD sources while simultaneously recording edit-ready HD Master and Proxy deliverables, plus H.264s versions.

The Cinedeck RX3G and MX also support new codec/wrapper specifications championed by the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the UK’s Digital Production Partnership (DPP).

Adobe (SL3910) will be on hand with its Creative Cloud audio and video tools.

Although there are no details on updates yet, NAB is traditionally the setting for new releases of Premiere Pro and After Effects.

No details are available yet either about the new offerings Autodesk (SL3319) is planning, but the company always has great artist presentations on its stand.

North Hall - Management and systems

PlayBox Technology (N5434) is expanding the range of models in its TimeShiftBox series of television playout delay servers.

Previously available in SD and HD/SDI, the new TimeShiftBox Duo allows simultaneous programme delay for more than one SD/HD channel, is equipped with SDI inputs and outputs and can be genlocked to station sync.

Apantac (N5212) is launching a new family of 4K converters.

The Micro-4K is a 4K to HD Down-Converter that allows UHD sources to be viewed on inexpensive LCD monitors or routed in existing 3G infrastructure.

A Display Port version, the Micro-4K-DP, is capable of displaying 4K UHD resolution up to 3840 x 2160 at 60Hz. FlexGUI will be on display at the LYNX Technik (N1120) stand.

It’s a new concept for the Series 5000 modular equipment that offers a customised and highly interactive display for each module, showing internal interconnections and I/O status in a functional block diagram.

NHK (N231) will be returning to the NAB Labs Futures Park to showcase its Super Hi- Vision technology.

It will demonstrate overthe- air transmission of 8K content in a single 6MHz UHF TV channel.

Fourteen other exhibitors will be showing emerging technologies, such as high framerate and high dynamic-range 4K video, advanced media preservation techniques, augmented broadcasting, targeted advertising, and advances in video compression, 3D TV and emergency alerting.

Sessions and conferences

Tuesday’s keynote, by Amazon Web Services general manager, media and entertainment, Mark Ramberg, will address how cloud services have enabled media and entertainment companies to address the complexity of offering consumers content anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

A Sunday keynote, Breaking the Rules: The Next-Gen Content Creator, will feature industry visionaries who are redefi ning the rules of filmmaking and bypassing traditional broadcast outlets.

NewTek Presents: Broadcast Minds, last year’s highest-rated session, returns on Wednesday 9 April.

It will look at how some of the top creators of digital content are forging new trails and drawing a profit online.

The proximity of the event to California means there is a good chance of seeing some Hollywood speakers, and sure enough, the Creative Master Series will feature creatives from the new Marvel film Captain America, TNT’s Falling Skies, Discovery Channel Canada reality series Airshow, and the Pemberley Digital online series Emma Approved.

Directors of digital cinema will also be talking up second-screen applications in cinemas within the Technology Summit on Cinema, led by Walt Disney Studios head of digital cinema technology Chris Witham.

4K and next-gen home entertainment are on the cards for a Monday Super Session featuring execs from Disney/ABC Television Group, Vubiquity and Technicolor, while HuffPost Live’s Roy Sekoff is the keynote speaker for the Disruptive Media Conference, where he will talk about the impact of online content on today’s media landscape.