Beyond Faster, Better, Cheaper
Every year I join the spring pilgrimage to Las Vegas and worship at
the shrine of unaffordable and unavailable equipment. Every NAB I’m
impressed, inspired and frustrated; sometimes all by the same vendor.
But like a moth, every year I’m drawn back to the flame because I have
real equipment needs. And I like flashing lights. This year is all
about HD, so here is what I want to see in Vegas for production and
post.
the shrine of unaffordable and unavailable equipment. Every NAB I’m
impressed, inspired and frustrated; sometimes all by the same vendor.
But like a moth, every year I’m drawn back to the flame because I have
real equipment needs. And I like flashing lights. This year is all
about HD, so here is what I want to see in Vegas for production and
post.
Everything shown at NAB 2005 but shipping now. Come on,
manufacturers. You’ve had 12 months. Some NAB exhibits seem like
experiments to provide data proving the mythical Osborne effect. So
show me shipping versions of what I saw last year!
manufacturers. You’ve had 12 months. Some NAB exhibits seem like
experiments to provide data proving the mythical Osborne effect. So
show me shipping versions of what I saw last year!
Mid-range HD cameras. With so many of us buying HD cameras this
year, let’s see economies of scale kick in for HD cameras and lenses. I
mean beyond HDV. I’m not looking for five-dollar prime lenses. HDCAM
and DVCPRO HD are good mid-range HD formats. What can you sell me for
$20,000 to $30,000?
year, let’s see economies of scale kick in for HD cameras and lenses. I
mean beyond HDV. I’m not looking for five-dollar prime lenses. HDCAM
and DVCPRO HD are good mid-range HD formats. What can you sell me for
$20,000 to $30,000?
Industrial HD lenses. Lenses for HD cinematography look great
and cost a fortune. The lenses on HD prosumer cameras are passable.
What about the middle ground? For those mid-range HD cameras, I want to
see the HD equivalent of moderately priced industrial SD lenses for
low-cost HD cameras.
and cost a fortune. The lenses on HD prosumer cameras are passable.
What about the middle ground? For those mid-range HD cameras, I want to
see the HD equivalent of moderately priced industrial SD lenses for
low-cost HD cameras.
Higher bit-rate HDV. Both 19 Mbps 720p and 25 Mbps 1080i HDV
look better than they should. The 6-frame GOP on JVC’s GY-HD100U HDV
camera is appealing. Sony’s HDV-like 35 MBps XDCAM HD is intriguing.
Why not 50 Mbps HDV with a 6-frame GOP? HDV isn’t the right term, but
it’s so much more concise than the anti-euphonic quartet of long-GOP
MPEG-2 MP@H-14, MP@HL, 422P@H-14 and 422P@HL.
look better than they should. The 6-frame GOP on JVC’s GY-HD100U HDV
camera is appealing. Sony’s HDV-like 35 MBps XDCAM HD is intriguing.
Why not 50 Mbps HDV with a 6-frame GOP? HDV isn’t the right term, but
it’s so much more concise than the anti-euphonic quartet of long-GOP
MPEG-2 MP@H-14, MP@HL, 422P@H-14 and 422P@HL.
New acquisition compression formats. HDV, DVCPRO HD and HDCAM
are fine. But what about JPEG2000 and all the other great ideas
engineers have developed? Let’s see more compression options in cameras.
are fine. But what about JPEG2000 and all the other great ideas
engineers have developed? Let’s see more compression options in cameras.
Improved tapeless location storage. The undead media format,
videotape, needs a wooden stake through its heart. But not yet; the
current alternatives for HD field production neither warm my
documentarian heart nor calm my producer gut. I want to see more HD
cameras and formats recording to optical disc, P2 cards with greater
capacity and compact hard-drive systems with longer run times and
support for more HD formats.
videotape, needs a wooden stake through its heart. But not yet; the
current alternatives for HD field production neither warm my
documentarian heart nor calm my producer gut. I want to see more HD
cameras and formats recording to optical disc, P2 cards with greater
capacity and compact hard-drive systems with longer run times and
support for more HD formats.
Kinetta or Red ready to ship. I want to see a full-raster HD
camera at a down-to-earth price. Like Kinetta’s compelling plan: a
single large CCD or CMOS sensor, standard PL lens mount, uncompressed
1920 x 1080 10-bit log images, all in a small hand-held camera priced
far below $100,000. For the past two years, Kinetta’s shown impressive
prototypes. But with Red on the case and every other camera
manufacturer not sitting still, it’s time for someone to finish and
sell something.
camera at a down-to-earth price. Like Kinetta’s compelling plan: a
single large CCD or CMOS sensor, standard PL lens mount, uncompressed
1920 x 1080 10-bit log images, all in a small hand-held camera priced
far below $100,000. For the past two years, Kinetta’s shown impressive
prototypes. But with Red on the case and every other camera
manufacturer not sitting still, it’s time for someone to finish and
sell something.
Cheaper digital wireless mics. Digital wireless mic systems from
Zaxcom and Lectrosonics rival the audio clarity of balanced audio
cables. But at $2,500 and up, three to four systems (for talent and a
camera link) will set me back a bundle. Some corollary of Moore’s Law
needs to kick in to give us quality digital wireless systems at
significantly lower prices.
Zaxcom and Lectrosonics rival the audio clarity of balanced audio
cables. But at $2,500 and up, three to four systems (for talent and a
camera link) will set me back a bundle. Some corollary of Moore’s Law
needs to kick in to give us quality digital wireless systems at
significantly lower prices.
Better HD monitors. My Apple 23-inch Cinema HD LCD panel makes
an okay HD monitor, but it doesn’t have HD-SDI inputs, broad frame-rate
support, great blacks or consistent color. BMD’s HDLink and AJA’s HDP
converters address some, but not all of these issues. I want a monitor
specifically designed for evaluating and grading all SD and HD video up
to 1080p. I want 601 and 709 color. I want to see every pixel without
scaling or motion smoothing. I want the color, blacks and off-axis
viewing of a CRT with the precise pixels and compact depth of an LCD.
What I saw at NAB 2005 was either expensive, disappointing or both. I
an okay HD monitor, but it doesn’t have HD-SDI inputs, broad frame-rate
support, great blacks or consistent color. BMD’s HDLink and AJA’s HDP
converters address some, but not all of these issues. I want a monitor
specifically designed for evaluating and grading all SD and HD video up
to 1080p. I want 601 and 709 color. I want to see every pixel without
scaling or motion smoothing. I want the color, blacks and off-axis
viewing of a CRT with the precise pixels and compact depth of an LCD.
What I saw at NAB 2005 was either expensive, disappointing or both. I
want a monitor with the quality of the eCinema Systems DCM23 but with a
much lower price.
Affordable HD Scopes. Hardware HD scopes cost more than $10,000.
I can get along with software scopes, but the online editors I work
with can’t. I’d rather they not pass on to me the cost of an expensive
scope. If someone can sell a good HD vectorscope and waveform monitor
for under $5,000, they’ll find many happy customers.
I can get along with software scopes, but the online editors I work
with can’t. I’d rather they not pass on to me the cost of an expensive
scope. If someone can sell a good HD vectorscope and waveform monitor
for under $5,000, they’ll find many happy customers.
Fast and secure storage. More HD means I need more and faster
storage. I’m set for SD and some compressed HD formats, but I want the
option of working with uncompressed or lightly compressed HD, support
for multiple streams and data security. I can live without shared
storage if I must. I can find all of this in Fibre-Channel systems, but
I’d like to keep the price under $4,000 for a couple of terabytes. In
other words, I want Fibre-Channel performance at SATA prices.
storage. I’m set for SD and some compressed HD formats, but I want the
option of working with uncompressed or lightly compressed HD, support
for multiple streams and data security. I can live without shared
storage if I must. I can find all of this in Fibre-Channel systems, but
I’d like to keep the price under $4,000 for a couple of terabytes. In
other words, I want Fibre-Channel performance at SATA prices.
Intermediate codecs. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m
impressed with HD video encoded in Avid DNxHD and CineForm Prospect HD;
the material is less compressed than HDCAM and DVCPRO HD but much
easier to move through post than uncompressed HD. And intermediate
codecs can make my storage needs much more affordable. This year I want
to see digital intermediate codecs that work across platforms and
across more applications.
impressed with HD video encoded in Avid DNxHD and CineForm Prospect HD;
the material is less compressed than HDCAM and DVCPRO HD but much
easier to move through post than uncompressed HD. And intermediate
codecs can make my storage needs much more affordable. This year I want
to see digital intermediate codecs that work across platforms and
across more applications.
Broader inter-application metadata sharing. Software companies
let me share media and metadata between their own applications.
Utilities from Automatic Duck move timelines across vendor’s lines. But
I want broader metadata standardization and sharing. And let’s include
cameras in the equation. AAF and MXF sound great, but they haven’t done
much for me yet. I want to see working demonstrations of metadata
moving all the way from camera to display, all with equipment I use or
can afford.
let me share media and metadata between their own applications.
Utilities from Automatic Duck move timelines across vendor’s lines. But
I want broader metadata standardization and sharing. And let’s include
cameras in the equation. AAF and MXF sound great, but they haven’t done
much for me yet. I want to see working demonstrations of metadata
moving all the way from camera to display, all with equipment I use or
can afford.
Everything at NAB 2006 Available in 2006
Exhibitors got a one-year grace period to ship what they showed in
2005. For NAB 2006, let’s give them eight months. I’m not talking about
clearly experimental projects. But if it looks like a product, be close
to shipping it. Don’t waste my time with FUD-inducing balsa-cams. If
it’s at NAB 2006, let us buy it in 2006.
2005. For NAB 2006, let’s give them eight months. I’m not talking about
clearly experimental projects. But if it looks like a product, be close
to shipping it. Don’t waste my time with FUD-inducing balsa-cams. If
it’s at NAB 2006, let us buy it in 2006.
None of these requests are impossible. I’m looking for stuff that
really could be available in 2006. A theme runs through all of these
topics. I want to see kits equal to or better than those used at large
and mid-sized production companies and facilities but priced for small
production houses and boutique design shops. There’s a good financial
motivation for manufacturers to meet the needs of companies like mine-
there’s a lot of us, and if you price your equipment right, we’ll stop
just renting the same single piece of gear and we’ll each buy our own.
Why should the rich kids have all the fun?
really could be available in 2006. A theme runs through all of these
topics. I want to see kits equal to or better than those used at large
and mid-sized production companies and facilities but priced for small
production houses and boutique design shops. There’s a good financial
motivation for manufacturers to meet the needs of companies like mine-
there’s a lot of us, and if you price your equipment right, we’ll stop
just renting the same single piece of gear and we’ll each buy our own.
Why should the rich kids have all the fun?
Write Jim at jfeeley@accessintel.com
Sections: Business Technology
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