What to expect in 2016: acquisition and production

From remote production and the demise of SDI, to HDR and the continuing influence of OTT, technology advances promise to further shake up the television industry in 2016.

But which nascent developments will win out? Broadcast asked a cross-section of people working in the technology and facilities sectors for their predictions.

Hamish Greig

Technical director, CTV OB
Remote production will become a standard facility and 4K/UHD production will become normal. My major wish for 2016 is that manufacturers finally agree upon a core IP video and audio format. Without a defining standard, interoperability will remain a major problem.

Les Zellan

Chairman, Cooke Optics
The camera manufacturers will continue to push higher resolutions. But high resolutions do not necessarily make beautiful images. As cameras get better, directors of photography will continue to strive to put character and beauty into increasingly sterile images.

Duncan Payne

Sales manager, WTS Broadcast
Euro 2016, Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics and Paralympics should be the catalyst for the purchase of new HDR 4K equipment. IP will be the way forward for infrastructure advancement, but it may be too early in its evolution for OB firms to take full advantage of its benefits.

George Hoover

Chief technology officer, NEP Group
I am hoping for flexible technology that can be used by multiple clients on multiple projects regardless of resolution, frame rate, dynamic range or colour gamut. This would provide us with the greatest asset utilisation, which translates into lower hire costs. A camera that can shoot 4K, HD, High Frame Rates and HDR is a much more logical solution than a bespoke camera for each application.

Sam Arlow

Area sales manager, Five Arrows Media Finance

I think 2016 will see further consolidation within the broadcast market particularly within the hire and post-production sectors as older stakeholders seek to exit the market and those with aggressive growth policies continue to grow through acquisition.

Kevin Fitzgerald

Head of sales and SI, Gearhouse Broadcast

Over the next 12 to 18 months we’re going to see big changes in how new studios and OB trucks are designed and built. We’re fast approaching the implementation of full IP infrastructures across the industry as broadcasters and production companies recognise the benefits it can bring about including cost and time efficiencies and a reduction in the amount of real estate required for cabling.

Liam Laminman

Managing Director, Trickbox TV Ltd

4K development and adoption, specifically with respect to HDR, will increase but the buzz of 2016 will be about IP video. Manufacturers will continue to develop native IP video devices, including cameras, routers and monitors, with the aim of shifting from a traditional SDI broadcast workflow to an end-to-end IP broadcast video one.