Preparing for NAB - Post Script

Post, March, 2004 by Marc Loftus

This is a busy time of year for the Post team. With the National Association of Broadcasters show rolling into Las Vegas next month, we're doing our best to give you a heads up as to what will be hot at "The World's Largest Electronic Media Show."

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A number of manufacturers have already given hints as to what they'll be showing at NAB. Panasonic is following up the positive feedback it received at last year's show when it introduced a solid state memory-based product line. This year, the company will be showing a close-to-shipping camera and "VTR," both based on its P2 card, which currently offers 4GB of storage.

Leitch recently held a pre-show event, introducing the press to an affordable high definition NLE--based on its Velocity product--which it will debut at the show as well. Cintel stopped by our office to give us details on a new film scanner targeted specifically toward the DI market. The new "reasonably-priced" Datamill will be on display in a demo suite, while its high-end multistandard DSX will be on the show floor. The company also has plans to introduce a standalone grain-reduction solution.

And Sony will introduce 18 new products, including lower-cost HD solutions that will extend its DVCAM line. The company's XDCAM optical disc-based based products will be at the show, and Sony says it will soon ship its first 1,000 cameras. Look for a new version of the Vegas NLE app Sony Pictures Digital recently acquired from Sonic Foundry, too.

So what about this year's attendees? The folks at commercial mixing house AudioEngine in NYC recently opened a fourth studio and plan on looking at the latest releases from Digidesign, particularly Version 10 software. AudioEngine already has a number of Pro Tools systems, as well as Pro Control interfaces and is looking to possibly add more Pro Controls to their mix.

And Terence Curren, president of AlphaDogs in Burbank, says he'll be looking for a cross-platform SAN solution. His studio has an assortment of NLEs, including Final Cut Pro, Xpress Pro, Media Composers and Symphony. He's not willing to pay what he feels is a high price for Avid's Unity, so Curren will be checking out the Apple booth. "I'd be willing to bet Apple has a SAN solution that's something along the lines of Unity."

We'll be keeping our eyes open too.

By MARC LOFTUS

SENIOR EDITOR

mloftus@advanstar.com