NAB 2008

By any measure, the past year has been an extremely fruitful period for professional video technology. “Convergence,” a buzzword that fell out of fashion years ago, is finally reality. After years of hype in these two realms, cameras that enable accessible IT-based video recording and codecs that facilitate ubiquitous high-quality web delivery finally complete a puzzle that began with one piece: digital editing on the desktop.

The eventful past 12 months inform the year to come as our experts analyze the state of the industry. With an eye on the future, we recap the past year in video technology as the industry gears up for NAB 2008. This month, we look at the current and future camera offerings from the major manufacturers and take a wide-ranging yet in-depth view into the state of streaming and encoding.

Check back with us next month as we look at the recent past and future of desktop postproduction. We'll also have more breaking product news that was not yet available as this issue went to press.

Leveraging the scalability of AVCHD, solid-state construction, and the parts bin of far pricier Panasonic camcorders, the compact AG-HMC70 offers better-than-expected performance at a modest price.

By Barry Braverman

By any measure, the past year has been an extremely fruitful period for professional video technology. “Convergence,” a buzzword that fell out of fashion years ago, is finally reality. After years of hype in these two realms, cameras that enable accessible IT-based video recording and codecs that facilitate ubiquitous high-quality web delivery finally complete a puzzle that began with one piece: digital editing on the desktop.

The eventful past 12 months inform the year to come as our experts analyze the state of the industry. With an eye on the future, we recap the past year in video technology as the industry gears up for NAB 2008. This month, we look at the current and future camera offerings from the major manufacturers and take a wide-ranging yet in-depth view into the state of streaming and encoding.

Check back with us next month as we look at the recent past and future of desktop postproduction. We'll also have more breaking product news that was not yet available as this issue went to press.

The industry's march toward the adoption of file-based workflow will, of course, be evident at NAB 2008, and this trend will be especially apparent at the Panasonic booth. Panasonic's Material eXchange Format (MXF)-based P2 recording format supports a wide range of critical metadata, in keeping with the industry's objectives in creating the format in the first place. The idea has always been to take maximum advantage of the IT world's superior economy and efficiency, while tackling the daunting challenge of managing an exploding amount of data in an ever-expanding digital landscape.

Reflective of this trend, a number of key P2 developments will be on display at NAB. The 32GB cards (and 64GB versions coming in the fall) will eliminate any residual anxiety regarding the constrained running times of earlier P2 cards. In 24p native modes, a 32GB card can accommodate up to 80 minutes of intraframe-compressed HD, which translates to more than 6 1/2 hours of continuous running time in cameras fitted with five P2 card slots.

At the zenith of the P2 architecture, AVC-Intra 100 will be a major story for Panasonic this year as we see expanded industry-wide support for the master-quality codec. Providing full-raster 1920×1080 or 1280×720 video at 100Mbps, 4:2:2, 10-bit implementation, AVC-I 100 finally offers a wide range of shooters and producers the capability to achieve the highly accurate grading, color correction, and compositing that are imperative for the preparation of high-quality HD masters.

For years, D5 has been the mastering format of choice for filmmakers and high-end producers. Now the tools exist on the computer desktop for near-D5 master quality from image capture through display. All this from a digital camera without the requirement for videotape or a pricey $70,000-plus VTR. That's a key development for the industry as the promise of a file-based D5-level workflow becomes a reality for users across a broad spectrum of broadcast and non-broadcast markets.

In the high-end broadcast/production landscape, Panasonic P2 cameras with native AVC-I capability, such as the AJ-HPX3000, are driving the industry, motivating a range of downstream manufacturers and software vendors to support the new codec. Postproduction support is growing both for AVC-I and P2. Apple Final Cut Pro 6.0.2 now supports AVC-I import and transcoding to ProRes 422. Adobe has embraced P2 by offering support for the format's expansive metadata in Adobe Bridge. Adobe After Effects also now supports native P2 MXF import.

For its part, Canopus Edius 4.5 supports AVC-I via a $999 plug-in. Avid has announced future support. MainConcept, which provides technology to Adobe and others, now offers AVC-I support via its ubiquitous transcoder.

The versatile AJ-HPM110 is destined to be a fixture in high-end production. Featuring 24p pulldown removal, native 1080p24 record capability, and six P2 card slots, the rugged-as-hell P2 Mobile can serve as an economical “D5-level”
AVC-I recorder/player.

Owing to its remarkable versatility, the Panasonic AJ-HPM110 P2 Mobile portable solid-state drive is what I like to describe as the company's “P2 glue.” With an MSRP of $12,000, the updated HPM110 offers the enhanced flexibility to record and play back AVC-Intra files. For high-end users, the new model also supports a 1080 23.98PsF workflow, facilitating P2 integration into environments that employ a mix of various manufacturers' gear.

While P2 HD will certainly dominate Panasonic's presentation at this year's NAB Show, a parallel story will also emerge: the migration upward of AVCHD into the professional space. Developed jointly by Sony and Panasonic, the long-GOP format had been, until recently, found only in consumer or entry-level prosumer gear. The H.264 variant is implemented at various bit rates up to 13Mbps, offering 164 minutes of running time on a 16GB card.

Propelling AVCHD into the professional space, the AG-HMC150 is the world''s first camcorder to offer higher AVCHD bit rates.

Now, with an eye toward institutional and educational users as well as entry-level broadcasters, Panasonic will introduce a higher-bit-rate AVCHD format. The company's new AVCHD camcorders should offer dramatically improved picture quality, especially when compared to older DV and HDV cameras.

The new pro-level implementation will be available initially in the AG-HMC150 camcorder with 1080i and 720p capability; 24fps/30fps/60fps frame rates; remote zoom, iris, and focus; and a prerecord function that had hitherto only been available in higher-end broadcast camera models.

All of this is great news to educational users, for whom Panasonic's solid-state-based recording system translates into more reliable gear with no moving parts. This is a godsend for many schools, whose students routinely subject the equipment to wide temperature swings, frequent physical shock, and other abuse. The file-based workflow that AVCHD offers also obviates the need for a VCR, another big consideration for budget-conscious school administrators.

More than 30 manufacturers — including Apple, Adobe, and Canopus — currently support AVCHD, which, in addition to its many other attributes, also offers shooters improved compatibility and ease of workflow for web videos and podcasts. (If you're planning to output primarily to a low-bandwidth format, why not pick a small-footprint format for the whole production process and reap the benefits?) The shoulder-mounted AG-HMC70, at $2,495 MSRP, is an excellent reflection of this new AVCHD mindset. It offers a range of pro-level features in a compact package: a 1/4in. 3CCD imager, a 12X optical zoom, a 2GB memory card, dual XLR audio inputs with phantom power, component BNC jacks for easy output to a projector, and a shoulder-mount configuration to improve balance. An expanded $2,995 package with an 8GB card, a larger 5400 mA battery, a case, and an SDHC card reader will also be available in April.

The Sony PDW-700, an affordable 2/3in. XDCAM camcorder, was announced at IBC in September.

By D. W. Leitner

Marketing summits such as CES and NAB have their charms. They organize the calendar year for press and public alike, eliciting, at “that” time of year, Pavlovian responses to splashy product debuts. Those who attend get to kick the tires in person; those who can't get to read about it immediately on the Internet. But do mega, eggs-in-one-basket tradeshows make sense to manufacturers brimming with product innovations throughout the year?

Avid and Apple are not exhibiting at this year's NAB for various reasons, and it's not hard to notice that Apple has been introducing major products throughout the year — sometimes in sync with its own yearly MacWorld event, sometimes not.

Similarly, Sony peppered 2007 with introductions of remarkable new professional camera and camcorder products. At last year's NAB, a prototype PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX was passed around at a press conference and shown under glass, but it was not until September's IBC show that working models appeared and not until November did they become available in the United States.

Those of us who had attended NAB last year and paid close attention to the EX1 prototypes knew this would be a breakthrough product line. There were simply too many innovations gathered together into one product. Chief among them were the 1/2in. sensors providing full 1920×1080 progressive scans. Sony wouldn't say at the time whether CCD or CMOS was used, but heat-giving CCDs at full throttle — 1080p/60 — would have melted the little EX1, which has no fan (I checked at last year's NAB).

What we couldn't know, however, is that these CMOS wonders would prove to be the new Exmor design used in Sony's Alpha digital SLR line. Exmor boasts lightning-fast parallel read-out of pixel columns, which virtually eliminates rolling shutter and noise. So I'm going to quote myself from a previous review (of Sony's HVR-Z7U/HVR-S270U): “If you're into cars, think of Exmor as a turbocharger on a Dodge Hemi.”

In fact, a better term than “breakthrough” for Sony's pioneering implementation of high-performance CMOS is “breakaway.” The EX1's small size and outsized performance simply wouldn't be possible otherwise, and this makes Sony's introduction of cutting-edge CMOS camcorders an epochal act, much like Sony's introduction of the BVW-105 at the 1986 NAB, memorable as the first Betacam to use a 3CCD imager instead of bulky, fragile, high-voltage Saticon tubes. (Resolution was 510×492 and, yep, horizontal pixel shifting was part of the package.)

If you're old enough to remember avuncular Ronald Reagan addressing the nation on TV, you're old enough to remember that CCD camcorders were thought to be inferior in resolution, sensitivity, and je ne sais quoi to fine-grain Saticons and soulful Plumbicons. Sony has certainly had the last laugh on that one (much as the company is now laughing all the way to the bank with Blu-ray). Will a day come when CCD imaging has to be explained in a Wikipedia entry to those not old enough to remember CCD camcorders firsthand?

Other firsts embodied in the EX1: Sony's first use of flash RAM cards; the first use by anyone of faster PCI Express and ExpressCard/34 standards; the first use of 35Mbps long-GOP MPEG-2 to capture full 1920×1080 (only the second camcorder ever to record 1920×1080, after Panasonic's AJ-HPX3000, $48,000, also introduced at last year's NAB); a flip-out LCD with a record count of 921,600 pixels; the first use of a pro-caliber Fujinon 14X zoom in a Handycam form factor, the first-ever dual-mechanism auto/manual focus ring; the first Handycam with true iris ring; the first dynamic display of active depth-of-field in viewfinder; and the first 90-degree rotating handgrip. There's more, but you get the point.

With a jaw-dropping $6,500 street price, EX1s were unsurprisingly back-ordered from day one of sales — Sony obviously struck a deep vein in the marketplace. That was November, so new users and owners are still in the honeymoon phase of getting to know their EX1s, and it takes no special wizardry to predict that NAB 2008 will see a flood of third-party EX1 accessories — particularly wide-angle adapters, matte boxes, follow-focus rigs, and body braces.

Sony HVR-HD1000U

And as you probably know by now, Sony had even more tricks up its sleeve in 2007. In August, Sony announced a new low-end, shoulder-mount HDV camcorder — the HVR-HD1000U — based on its tiny single-CMOS consumer HDR-HC7 camcorder, with a street price of $1,600. What does it say about the state of today's technology that the guts of a sub-$1,000 consumer HD camcorder can be repurposed to meet the needs of those who specialize in weddings or industrials?

As if the innovative EX1 weren't enough already, in November, Sony announced two more CMOS-driven HDV camcorders: the equally innovative, Handycam-like Z7 (currently $6,500 at B&H Photo Video) and its shoulder-mount version, the S270 ($10,000 at B&H), both available in February. Newly designed from the ground up, both feature three new 1/3in. ClearVid Exmor CMOS sensors (the earlier HVR-V1U uses 1/4in. ClearVids, and they're not Exmor) and bring a whole new set of their own “firsts.”

For instance (and this goes for both): interchangeable Carl Zeiss 1/3in. zooms with a dual-mechanism auto/manual focus ring (like on the EX1); adapters for 2/3in., 1/2in., and Sony's Alpha series lenses from its digital SLR line (many by Zeiss); 12-pin (round) ENG lens connectors; a new Sony XtraFine color electronic viewfinder, which produces an incredible 1,226,880 pixels (compare to the EX1's and HVR-Z1U's 252,000) that has to be seen to be believed; two choices of recording media for 1440×1080 HDV, including familiar DV tape and unfamiliar CompactFlash; a detachable, 4oz. HVR-MRC1 module for recording to CompactFlash, which, like a mini deck, independently downloads video files to an NLE via IEEE 1394; recording to both media simultaneously or in serial order; and native recording of 1080p24/30 (in addition to conventional 1080p30 over 60i with pulldown for 24p).

Key differences between the Z7 and S270 are size, price, and extended feature set. The S270 offers more controls; a side monochrome LCD for audio levels and timecode; uncompressed HD-SDI with embedded audio and timecode (Z7 offers HDMI, which S270 lacks); larger standard DV cassette for 4.5 hours of recording; and four audio channels with four XLR inputs (using Audio Layer II of MPEG-2 instead of MPEG-1, for four channels of 48kHz/16-bit at 384kbps).

As I hold the Z7 in my hand, the word that comes to mind is “refinement.” The balance is perfect, and the controls have never been better placed: ND filters adjust by upper knob (like on big camcorders), and the servo iris ring adjusts exposure smoothly, or you can use the push-auto exposure button found — where else? — at the front of the handgrip (like on big camcorders). All audio-level and mic-routing options are hard-switched and visible at a glance without moving your eye more than an inch from the viewfinder. Documentary makers are going to love the Z7.

Refinements continue on the inside. Shot Transition now automates pulls for focus, zoom, and iris independently. A digital “focus marking” function in the viewfinder aids in pulling focus between an actor's marks.

What the Exmor CMOS family of EX1, Z7, and S270 have in common is full-24p capability, along with remarkably enhanced sensitivity equaling Sony's benchmark DCR-VX2000/DSR-PD150/DSR-PD170 series. (Speaking of DV, the DVCAM logo on the side of the Z7 already looks quaint.)

The Sony BVM-L420 LCD monitor is among this year''s NAB releases.

And NAB 2008? I don't know about you, but I'm almost suffering from new camcorder fatigue. After this barrage, what more could Sony possibly have in store for us this April?

The EX1's S×S card presently ships in 8GB and 16GB sizes. However, ExpressCard/34 is a standard, and 32GB ExpressCard/34 cards appeared on the market a year ago. Expect a 32GB S×S card from Sony and SanDisk. An ultra-compact S×S deck from Sony will be in the cards too, so to speak.

The PDW-700, launched at IBC last September, will make its Stateside debut. It's Sony's first 2/3in. XDCAM camcorder, and while it's ENG in design, it bristles with high-end touches: a new 4:2:2 50Mbps MPEG format recorded to dual-layer XDCAM discs; a 3CCD 1920×1080 PowerHAD FX sensor block (reputedly the same as that of the F23); 1080/720 switchability with interlace and progressive (60/50p in 720, 30/25p but no 24p in 1080); and optional MPEG IMX or DVCAM recording. To accompany the PDW-700, Sony will introduce a half-size PDW-HD1500 MPEG HD422 disc deck.

Sony's pre-NAB announcements don't tell nearly the whole of what's going to be announced at the show. I think I can crystal-ball a few more items.

If memory serves, at last year's NAB there were intriguing hints of a prototype EX with a removable lens.

Here's another possibility. Ever seen one of those tiny 1.8in. hard drives made by Toshiba, 100GB or more, that balance on the end of your finger? You know them from iPods, but they're also at the heart of Apple's MacBook Air. (I don't know anyone who owns the solid-state drive version yet. Do you?) Compact plus capacious equals camcorder-perfect.

Lest you think I've forgotten that Sony makes bigger, more expensive cameras, I haven't. It's just that many think that the epochal digital-cinema camera is Jim Jannard's Red Digital Cinema Red One, and that other new, costly cameras exist in its shadow from now on.

Red's claim to fame rests with its use of a single 35mm-sized CMOS to generate 4K RAW files onto inexpensive hard drives using wavelet compression. The camera enables use of standard PL-mount cine lenses. Red's less-than-$20,000 price for the camera body smashed price barriers and raised eyebrows.

But when it comes to widespread practical application of CMOS — innovation in the hands of thousands of users every day — perhaps it's Sony that is running circles around Red.

What if I told you I had a small CMOS camcorder, less than 5lbs., that could record 2K (OK, 1920×1080) using common MPEG-2, which permitted full viewing and editing upon shooting — no debayering or other processing? No noisy fan either? Costs less than a used PL-mount lens? You might agree I had come up with something interesting. Particularly with interchangeable lenses. In other words, it's all how you look at it.

At last year's NAB, Sony introduced a Rolls Royce of a camera, not CMOS but 2/3in. 3CCD. At the time, I wrote about the F23, “The marriage of Zeiss' DigiPrimes and Sony's F23 [is] the high-water mark of progressive-scan 2/3in. B4-mount imaging. It's hard to see how the F23's 11-13-stop extended dynamic range, … S-shaped, film-like gamma curve, enlarged color space, variable 1fps-60fps, … and camera-assistant-friendly layout will be topped.”

Or its price, north of $200,000, including viewfinder and onboard SRW-1 HDCAM SR recorder, lenses not included. That was before rumors surfaced at the end of last year, since verified, of the existence in Japan of prototype Sony F35s, using the same body as the F23 but featuring a single-striped, 35mm-sized CCD, much like the Panavision Genesis (codesigned by Sony). With rumored price-tag inflation to match. Will NAB see such a fabled beast?

Why would Sony, with its growing CMOS prowess, not choose to out-Jannard Jannard?

If only Mr. Wizard could send us there. In the meantime, there's another NAB on the horizon.

Although it''s out of Canon''s consumer division, and not the pro group, the Vixia HV30 updates the very popular HV20, winner of a number of camcorder-of-the-year awards in 2007 and an ideal second camera to take on a shoot. Introduced at
CES 2008, the HV30 adds a 30fps frame mode (in addition to 24p and 60i), an improved LCD, and an easier-to-manipulate zoom lever.

By Dan Ochiva

In some minds, years of savvy marketing campaigns and innumerable product introductions have made Sony and Panasonic the “go-to” camcorder makers.

But there are plenty of innovative offerings from other manufacturers — including Canon, Grass Valley, and JVC. It was JVC, for example, that introduced the first interchangeable lenses on 1/3in. HDV camcorders in 2005 — an approach Sony took with its most recent products: the handheld HVR-Z7U and shoulder-mountable HVR-S270U.

Meanwhile, Broadcast Engineering gave an IBC 2007 Pick Hit award to the flexible Thomson Grass Valley Infinity Digital Media camcorder, which records to a variety of “open” formats including Rev Pro disks, pro-grade CompactFlash cards, and even USB or FireWire drives.

Canon may not have as deep a product line as other major players, but over the past 18 months, the company has been building a rep with solidly built camcorders that parallel the innovative optic and design flourishes of its well-established professional SLR still camera line. In a 2007 review, for example, Jan Ozer described the XH A1 as “as close to perfect as any camcorder in its price range.” (Read the article at digitalcontentproducer.com/cameras/revfeat/canon_xh.)

Delivered early in 2007, Canon's XH A1 and XH G1 HDV camcorders offered up lower-cost, single-piece alternatives to the top-of-the-line XL H1, which boasted an interchangeable lens system. The simpler design of the later models enabled entry-level pricing compared to the $9,500 list of the H1. The single-piece A1 ($3,999) and G1 ($6,999) are basically the same camcorder, but the G1 bundles the flexible JackPack interface — much the same as the one used in the H1. If you want 4:2:2 output from your G1 or H1, the JackPack is the only way to go. It offers HD-SDI output (with embedded audio and timecode), genlock, and timecode I/O.

These days, some producers seem willing to consider only some flavors of HD, but standard-def formats still have a place at the table, according to Mitchell Glick, manager, video marketing division, Canon USA. “Many pro users still find themselves needing to shoot in standard definition due to budgetary and workflow needs, as well as other requirements,” Glick says. “That's why manufacturers including Canon continue to sell standard-definition models. Canon's XL H1, XH A1, and XH G1 HD models all offer the option of shooting in standard definition, as well as the ability to shoot in high definition and downconvert to a standard-def signal.”

But for the wide range of professional users to which Canon markets, there's still the inexorable movement of the broadcast and non-broadcast markets toward HD, as well as the need of a wider range of storage options, according to Glick.

“There are two main trends occurring in the professional arena,” Glick says. “The move from standard definition to high definition and the move from tape to alternative, tapeless methods of storage. It's hard to deny that the market is beginning to adopt solid-state storage. But though there are certain markets where such storage is demanded, for certain applications, tape proves to be a more viable option.”

While tape-based products offer their own advantages and still sell well for the company, Glick says, Canon also makes sure its camcorders interconnect to nonlinear devices such as Focus Enhancement's popular hard-disk drives.

Thomson Grass Valley''s John Naylor, director of the Infinity series.

In the minds of some independent producers, JVC is revered as a smaller but innovative manufacturer, credited with everything from pushing VHS to its (once) dominant role to making what some consider the first pro-spec'd HDV-based camcorder: the GY-HD100U, introduced at NAB 2005. That camcorder offered the first interchangeable lens on 1/3in. CCD camcorders.

Unlike some larger companies, JVC doesn't suffer from a prejudice against system components “not invented here.” The manufacturer is happy to collaborate with companies that hold special expertise, such as Telecast Fiber Systems. That company's CopperHead camera-mounted fiber-optic system was integrated with JVC's GY-HD250 HD camcorder early last year, delivering flexible long-distance connections for studio acquisition and remote applications alike.

But challenges lie ahead. Over the course of this next year, it will be interesting to see what JVC does now that Panasonic has divested itself of its longtime part ownership of the company. (In a January news report, Agence France-Presse noted the divestiture and stated that last July, “JVC agreed on a capital tie-up with fellow Japanese high-tech firm Kenwood Corp.,” in an attempt to energize its “ailing” operations. A release posted on the Panasonic corporate website last July stated, “JVC reported net losses for three consecutive fiscal years, including the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, and its urgent task is to implement a fundamental management reform.”)

While JVC's financial security might give some buyers pause, last year, Steve Mullen gave the company's most recent camcorder technology — the GY-HD250 — a thumbs-up in his product review, saying, “Press releases call the GY-HD200 and GY-HD250 ‘revolutionary'' — an assessment I fully agree with. At last, we HDV shooters have the opportunity to shoot progressive video at 60fps. For the GY-HD250, I would add an additional word to ‘revolutionary.'' The word is ‘workhorse.''” (Read the full review at digitalcontentproducer.com/hdhdv/depth/jvc_gyhd.)

As local broadcasters, for example, move to HD, the features and flexibility of JVC's three base systems (GY-HD110U, GY-HD200U, GY-HD250) and its support gear are attracting new customers for the manufacturer. Over the past year, the Scripps Television Station Group purchased more than 150 GY-HD250 ProHD camcorders, 150 BR-HD50 ProHD recorder/players, and more than 300 DR-HD10060G HD hard-disk recorders for its move to the new format. The ability to gather local news — including remotes — in HD was key to the purchase, according to Scripps Vice President of Engineering Michael Doback. Happy with the camcorder-only base price of less than $20,000, Doback called the product mix “the right solution at the right time and at the right price.”

“The message from our very first ProHD camcorder was affordable HD, and we're expanding on that,” says Craig Yanagi, JVC's national marketing manager, creation products. “First, it was just about the camera, but now, it's about the workflow in its entirety. The 20Mbps payload of the [camcorder's] HDV 720 platform is relatively compact — only about one-fifth the size of DVCPRO HD, for example. That's enabled WXYZ, the Scripps Howard Station in Detroit, to cost-effectively build out its whole post infrastructure, with 720p QuickTime coming off of DR-HD10060G disk recorders and editing on [Apple] Final Cut Pro.”

Many broadcasters are looking to invest in complete packages as part of a move to file-based HD production. The relatively recent delivery of Thomson Grass Valley's Infinity Digital Media camcorders has allowed broadcasters such as KVBC TV in Las Vegas, a Sunbelt Communications Company subsidiary, to build full digital news acquisition systems around the file-based Infinity. In February, KVBC announced it had bought 18 of the camcorders to develop a news acquisition workflow that involves other Thomson Grass Valley products — including Rev Pro removable media, USB Rev Pro Digital Media drives, and Edius NLE workstations.

The Infinity features three newly developed Xensium CMOS 2/3in. imagers, which offer a full 1920×1080 active-pixel matrix, and a choice of compression schemes, including DV25, JPEG 2000, and MPEG-2.

“One of the biggest workflow benefits of Infinity is that it gives the user all the good things that they value from a modern, file-based workflow — fast and flexible interchange of media and the elimination of the familiar bottlenecks of ingest, log, and tape-out from the bad old days of tape-based operations,” says John Naylor, director of the Infinity series.

Expect to hear Thomson touting the price advantage, too. A 32GB Rev Pro drive costs about $68. While that's spinning media, not solid-state, current list prices are appreciably higher for comparable sizes of solid-state media such as Panasonic's P2 ($1,650 for 32GB) and Sony's S×S Pro Memory Card (final pricing isn't available yet, but it's expected to list at around $1,600 for 32GB at its September 2008 release).

Hulu chose Flash for its ubiquity and customizability and H.264 for its quality.

By Jan Ozer

The streaming world has had a positively rocking year, which should mean a wild and woolly time at the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall. In this article, I'll discuss the major developments over the last 12 months, tell you what I know (and can currently tell) about who's going and what they're going to show, and identify some hot items to look for on the show floor.

The streaming market is broken into four submarkets: codecs, encoders, distribution (servers), and players. To a great degree, changes in the codec submarket tend to drive changes throughout the other three. So let's start there.

The biggest news over the last 12 months was Adobe adding H.264 playback to the Flash Player — which has already shipped — and the Adobe Media Player, which has yet to ship but will shortly, according to the company. Strategically, this was a great move, because H.264's audio compression is vastly superior to that of MP3, and H.264 has much more live-encoding support than VP6. That's not to mention its better long-term prospects for playback support in standard-centric markets such as cell-phones and that tiny little iPod market. At the same time, Adobe added support for graphics-card hardware acceleration and scaling — which should improve the quality of all those fullscreen YouTube videos (and others, of course).

The obvious question is how to produce H.264 content for the various versions of Flash Player and the new Flash Media Server, which I discuss below. There's a new F4V format that's supposed to accomplish this, but the specs have yet to be finalized. To a degree, this hasn't been important, because H.264-capable Flash Player penetration doesn't appear to have reached the tipping point. However, if you listen to the Adobe folks, you would think that the H.264-capable player was spreading faster than flu germs at a daycare center, so knowing how to produce and optimize Flash-compatible H.264 video should soon be critical.

While you're at the show, ask the Adobe folks when the specification will be finalized. When talking to the various purveyors of encoding software, ask how they plan to handle encoding H.264 content for Flash distribution and when they will offer support for live H.264-based, Flash-compatible streaming.

In November 2006, Microsoft released Windows Media Format SDK 11, which updated the Windows Media Video 9 (WMV 9) codec. This new version added an Advanced Profile and various parameters that you can tweak via changes to the registry or by using command-line encoding. Before that, in April 2006, the VC-1 codec was also released. Every time I ask Microsoft about the relationship between WMV 9 and VC-1, the answers are different and seemingly random: It's the same codec; it's a different codec; it's different but uses the same technology — almost like those old Magic 8-Balls that you shake to get answers such as “Without a doubt,” “Don't count on it,” or most appropriately, “Reply hazy, try again.”

If you pass through the Microsoft booth, ask an attendant to explain the difference between Windows Media 9 and VC-1; actually, do it twice, and if you get the same answer (and it makes sense), email me and let me know. From where I sit, as long as you're streaming, WMV 9 is your codec; if you're producing content for Blu-ray or other HD non-computer-based playback environments, think VC-1.

Back to the ability to tweak your Windows Media encoding parameters: This feature will be critical to optimizing WMV output. At least one program, Fathom from Inlet Technologies, supports these tweaks within the application interface — which is much simpler than doing it via the command line, by tweaking your registry manually, or by using the Power Toy to change the registry setting for you (www.citizeninsomniac.com/wmv). I know that at least one additional encoding company, which must go unnamed, will show this capability at NAB. If you distribute Windows Media video and are hunting for an encoding program, these tweaks are a critical feature.

For me, the biggest loser when Adobe adapted H.264 was On2 Technologies, which previously owned the only high-quality codec that played back under Flash. Apparently, the financial market agrees: The company's stock, which peaked at about $4 a share in May, is now down to about $1 a share — although it was already down to around $2 a share in August when Adobe made its announcement.

During 2007 and 2008, On2 took some aggressive steps toward the device-and-telephone-handset market. In November 2007, the company acquired Hantro, which provides embedded solutions for semiconductor and device manufacturers. On2 also carved its VP6 codec into two profiles: VP6-S, which uses less complex algorithms for superior playback on low-power devices, and VP6-E, the full-strength codec for desktop playback.

To me, the market for mobile video will be the next great streaming battleground, and On2 will likely play a significant part. If you're publishing content that you hope to distribute via mobile devices, I would ask On2 about its vision at the show. You should also ask about its Hantro 8190 multiformat decoder, which is the first hardware decoder to support Flash, H.263, H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, and VP6.

The other big loser when Adobe adopted H.264 was Apple — which previously had a near monopoly on H.264 streaming. Now that Flash can stream H.264, it removes a very compelling reason to consider the QuickTime Streaming Server. Because it's a free server, there's no revenue loss, but QuickTime's mind share is definitely on the wane.

You probably know that Apple isn't exhibiting at NAB, and the significance of that decision in regards to Apple's professional applications has been widely discussed. With Final Cut Pro's star still ascending, however, it's hard to criticize Apple's decision, and it certainly can't be taken as a harbinger of Apple's disinterest or intent to withdraw from the market.

However, as the broadcast world turns ever more toward streaming and online delivery, QuickTime usage (outside of the distribution of movie trailers) is getting smaller and smaller. If Apple intends to slow that decline, it's missing a great opportunity to pitch 100,000 broadcast professionals who help choose streaming technologies.

That's the codecs; now lets look at encoding. At a high level, the encoding submarket is broken into multiple categories: batch, enterprise, live encoding, and engines (or licensable modules that you incorporate into the backend of a server environment). Let's address each in turn.

At NAB 2008, Anystream will showcase the latest workflow additions to its Media Lifecycle Platform—including its new media dashboard (pictured here), which graphically displays multiplatform video usage, rights, performance, and distribution.

Last year was a busy time for the batch-encoding category. Grass Valley released ProCoder 3.0 in February 2007. (click here to read my review). The CliffsNotes version is that I liked the program, but it doesn't currently address encoding H.264 for Flash or the Windows Media tweaking issues that I raised above.

Late this month, Sorenson released Squeeze version 5.0, which the company will demonstrate at NAB. Significant enhancements include multifile encoding, which should accelerate encoding speed — especially on multiple-processor systems; a new, higher-quality H.264 codec from Main Concept; support for the VC-1 codec (in addition to WMV 9); and a new plug-in architecture for enhancements such as Bias SoundSoap, which ships with some versions of the new product. Squeeze does support the new F4V format, which may change when Adobe finalizes the spec, but it doesn't provide direct support for Windows Media tweaking.

In October 2007, Telestream shipped version 4.4 of Episode, which included a higher-quality H.264 codec from Dicas. Given that sub-par H.264 quality was my most significant concern about the product, that was a significant move. If you have Episode or Episode Pro, make sure you download the free update — it's definitely an improvement. And no, Episode doesn't currently address either the H.264 Flash issue or Windows Media tweaking. The latter is a special concern because you can't access the tweaks on this Mac-only product via either command-line operation or the Power Toy tool.

While batch-encoding products typically work on a single workstation, enterprise products can incorporate multiple computers into server farms. They're typically operated and monitored remotely via HTML interfaces and watch folders.

Anystream will showcase the latest workflow additions to its Media Lifecycle Platform — including its new media dashboard, which graphically displays multiplatform video usage, rights, performance, and distribution. Anystream will also feature multiplatform format creation — including high-definition CableLabs-compliant content for VOD, H.264 encoding from Ateme, and VC-1 for Microsoft Silverlight.

Digital Rapids will show version 1.2 of its Transcode Manager FE (Facility Edition), which features new video-processing functions, enhanced clip-list options, and a new SOAP (simple object access protocol)-based API — which lets customers integrate Transcode Manager functions into their own custom applications. New video-processing functions include automatic black-border detection and removal, enhanced aspect-ratio conversion, and the ability to concatenate multiple clips into a single clip.

Inlet Technologies will have a range of products on display, including Fathom — which includes support for WMV tweaking and scene-by-scene encoding, a rare feature that lets you fix problem areas in your videos without re-encoding the entire file. Once you're at the booth, have a look at Semaphore, a quality-control product that I really enjoyed using. (See p. 50 for my look at Semaphore.) If you're seeking a live solution for H.264-based Flash streaming, check out the recently introduced Spinnaker 2.0, which handles both Flash and VC-1.

At NAB, Rhozet, a business unit of Harmonic, will show its Carbon Coder video-transcoding solution with new advanced format support for Panasonic AVC-Intra, Sony XDCAM EX, and Avid DN×HD. Rhozet started talking about supporting Microsoft Windows Media tweaks at last year's NAB, so I'd be surprised if we didn't see support for tweaking — although the company declined to announce or comment on my assumption.

At NAB, Telestream will show Pipeline Quad, a 4-channel capture appliance that sits on the network and provides SDI tape ingest for Telestream FlipFactory and Episode products, as well as Apple Final Cut Pro.

Telestream Episode Engine and Engine Pro are leading enterprise solutions. (See a future issue for a review of Engine Pro.) At NAB, Telestream will show Pipeline Quad, a 4-channel capture appliance that sits on the network and provides SDI tape ingest for Telestream FlipFactory and Episode products, as well as Final Cut Pro. Telestream will also demonstrate Episode Podcast, a plug-in for Apple Leopard Server Podcast Producer, which allows Podcast Producer to accept any leading input format and repurpose media to all the popular distribution formats — including Windows Media, Flash 8, MP3, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), VC-1, and H.264.

As mentioned in the live-encoding market, check out Inlet Technologies Spinnaker 2.0 at NAB 2008. Digital Rapids will demonstrate version 1.2 of its Broadcast Manager live-encoder management software, with a new graphical scheduling interface and API. Digital Rapids will also demonstrate a new model of its StreamZ Live dedicated live-streaming encoders, which is targeted at the 3GPP/mobile market.

Those seeking a portable streaming system should check out NewTek, which will show TriCaster Pro FX. This system includes live virtual sets, integrated CG, and storage for up to 20 hours of video.

If you're creating a site for user-generated content — or if you simply need automated, server-based encoding — budget a few minutes to spend with On2. During 2007, On2 updated its flagship Flix Engine product to include H.264 support for the Apple iPhone and iPod, and to produce VPS-E and VP6-S streams. The company also offers the Flix Engine 3GPP for mobile delivery and several other software development kits.

Telestream FlipScan technology makes its first appearance at NAB 2008. Developed as an extension for any FlipFactory product, FlipScan automatically scans, analyzes, and processes non-standard, user-generated content that's being uploaded to a growing number of video websites.

Adobe adds H.264 playback to the Adobe Media Player, which has yet to ship but will “shortly,” according to the company. Strategically, this was a great move, because H.264''s audio compression is vastly superior to MP3, and H.264 has much more live-encoding support than does VP6.

Adobe dominates news in the server area. The company will gladly demonstrate its Flash Media Streaming Server 3.0, which shipped in early 2008, to any booth visitors. In addition to supporting H.264 video and AAC audio, the new server provides two options for digital rights management (DRM), and it is much cheaper than previous versions.

Also at the show, Adobe will demonstrate the newly announced Flash Media Rights Management Server, which will extend additional protection to downloaded or progressive content targeted for playback on the new Adobe Media Player. Flash has long been (rightfully) criticized for the lack of DRM, but if you've stayed away from Flash for this reason, it's definitely time to take another look.

Adobe will dominate player-related news, showing off the H.264-capable Flash Player, as well as the Adobe Media Player. The latter should be an instant winner for anyone attempting to sell or otherwise monetize their content, allowing them to offer downloadable content to the remote viewer for high-quality playback, yet restrict distribution and retain the ability to advertise, brand the video, and retrieve key viewing-related data.

Both of the new players feature hardware scaling in both the Mac and Windows environments, which should enable smoother, higher-quality playback of scaled video. In addition, the Adobe Media Player will play .flv content, as well as .mp4 and .mov files containing H.264 video. The Adobe Media Player is the first application built on the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), which is a cross-platform runtime for building rich Internet desktop applications with Flash, Adobe Flex, HTML, and Ajax that viewers can access online or offline. See digitalcontentproducer.com for an interview with Adobe Director of Product Management Simon Hayhurst.

Microsoft declined to rain on Adobe's parade for this article, but the company undoubtedly will have some compelling Silverlight-related announcements before or at the show.