NAB 2013: Snell is moving away from hardware-based products by making its image processing kit available as software-based tools.

The Snell On Demand platform, which is being launched at NAB, has been designed to provide on-demand access to the firm’s image processing algorithms. 

It will allow users to take advantage of commodity IT kit rather than dedicated hardware.

The company described the move as a “bold step” that would take advantage of advances in cloud computing and virtual machine technologies.

The first Snell On Demand product, which will be demonstrated in Las Vegas, is Alchemist OD, a frame-rate converter.

Snell chief executive Simon Derry said: “Snell is putting the cost/benefit equation fairly and squarely into the hands of the customer.

“It’s very simple — customers can choose to buy as much or as little processing resource as fits their business model secure in the knowledge that Snell products derived from the Snell On Demand framework will give them the best possible quality results from world-leading media processing tools.”

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