The Sunday before the NAB exhibits open is traditionally a day of kiss-and-tell for vendors and VARs. Some noises have been heard coming from these heavy makeout sessions. AJA is adding 4k capabilities to their Kona 3G card. Reports say it will be a free firmware upgrade. Fire up those 4k projectors, kids. Oh wait, did you say you don't have one of those? Well, how about TV Logic's new 4k pixel-for-pixel LCD panel? You saw it last year as a prototype, now you can buy one at your local "4k-Monitors-R-Us." I'm guessing it'll cost a little more than that 19" Zenith flat-panel in your kitchen. But that's just a guess.
I finally finished my first-blush list of what I'm looking for at NAB 2011. Of course, I know there will be some shiny object of geek desire that will distract me within five minutes of walking into the LVCC, ruining all my best-laid plans. But that's NAB baby! Stay on target… stay on target…
Here's what I'll be looking at over the next three days. I'll let you know what I find. Unless it's really gross.
Camera to Post gear. Even though as a post facility we don't do any production, our clients do. So we see nearly every camera format and have to know how to workflow it. Since the camera—or DIT cart—is where it all the trouble starts, I'll be seeking out info on new cameras from Sony and Red, DIT tools like Flexxity, dax|Mobile, Silverstack and 3cd, and external recorders from Codex, Atomos and AJA.
Compression. Our digital delivery guys would attack me with their sharp little teeth if I didn't check out the latest offerings from folks like Sorenson and Telestream. "ProRes files created in Windows? That's black magic, sir!"
Storage. The great thing about SANs is you get lots of storage. The bad thing about SANs is that it's never enough. I'm going to put Active and Promise in a cage match to the death. Who wins? Me.
File Transport Software. Video tape isn't dead but it's in the old folks home waiting for its daily sponge bath. So how do we get a 30 min ProRes file to a network? Maybe Signiant and Aspera will have the answer.
3D Video Card. I know there are lots of 3d video cards out there already but I need/want/crave a frame sequential 3D HDMI output that mimics the output of a 3D Blu-ray player. C'mon people, I'm editing a 3D IMAX feature over here, is that too much to ask?
Monitors. Even though I'm so in love with TV Logic I want to marry it and raise our human/LCD mutant children, I owe it to our shop to check out the latest from Panasonic, Marshall and maybe Sony. But only if Sony is nice to me.
Scopes. Santa, I want a software scope with gamut and adjustable alarms. Santa? Oh no he's drunk again.
Media Asset Management. There's nothing more exciting than shopping for a MAM—except almost anything else in the world.
"Our system handles metadata." "Really? Well, my car has tires.'"
The little guys. I promise pretty please with sugar on it to make a pipe and drape table run around the back of the halls to see the whacked-out, weird and sometimes brilliant products from the people who can't afford much more than a foam core sign and a bathroom stall of floor space. They just want some love.
Finally, the
Las Vegas Supermeet . I called Apple and asked it out on a date to this yearly shindig Tuesday at Bally's. Apple said it was busy that night. Weird.