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Name: Mark Bainbridge,
Job Title: General Manager, Media and Broadcast,
Company: Sony Professional
What new technology are you exhibiting at BVE 2010?
Visitors to our stand (H20) will be able to see the full depth and breadth of Sony’s broadcast offering; from affordable HD solutions with HDV and XDCAM EX products, to mainstream broadcast and production solutions with XDCAM, right through to high-end drama and documentary making with our flagship HDCAM SR line-up. This year we have expanded every product area, giving end-users greater choice at every price point. Visitors to our stand will be the first to see the recently launched NXCAM family, which features Sony’s first AVCHD camcorder, the Sony HXR-NX5E. They will also have chance to see the new additions to Sony’s XDCAM EX range, the PMW-350, our first solid-state shoulder mounted camcorder and the PMW-EX1R, our first backward compatible, solid-state camcorder with DVCAM recording. In terms of high-end production the major draw will be the Sony SRW-9000, for which we recently introduced a file-based memory upgrade path, which along with the launch of SR Lite will bring the benefits of file-based SR production to a much wider audience.
What’s going to be the single biggest attraction on your stand?
As already mentioned, the introduction by Sony of a file-based memory upgrade path for the SRW-9000 will bring the benefits of file-based SR production to a wider audience. With the announcement of SR Lite we give customers the choice of SR production at three bit rates - HQ @ 880 Mbps, SQ at 440Mbps or SR Lite at 220Mbps. This offers our customers the ability to choose between the highest quality or most cost effective workflow. The upgrade path to SR Memory and 35mm sensor for the SRW-9000 future proofs our customers’ investments - effectively creating a camera for life, which will undoubtedly be a major draw for the production community.
What was the most popular product last year?
With many broadcasters battling against diminishing production budgets, the sales emphasis has been on high quality acquisition solutions that won’t break the bank. Based on sales volume alone, our entry level HDV hybrid-camcorders remains the most popular product line. It has also been a phenomenal year for XDCAM; this year marks its biggest growth to date, with the introduction of Sony’s XDCAM EX1R and PMW-350 models.
Apart from your stand, what else should visitors look at in the show?
3D production will be a dominant theme at BVE this year; Sony Specialist dealer Jigsaw will have a powerful 3D exhibition on their stand which is well worth a visit. The Sony Theatre will also be hosting workshops on a variety of topics: from solid-state production on PMW-EX3 and digital cinema workflow on the SRW-9000, to master classes on Vegas Pro and digital wireless audio.
What’s going to be the biggest breakthrough technology at the show – 3D, mobile TV, DSLR, cloud computing?
2010 is shaping up to be a hallmark year for 3D production, with a marked acceleration in the demand for and delivery of 3D content. Over the last 12 months Sony has been at the forefront of innovation in this field, last November we showcased prototype of the 3D processor box and most recently Sony was chosen as the partner to deliver one of the world’s first OB 3D truck with Telegenic and Sky. With the convergence on AV IT, cloud computing is an emerging topic to watch in the broadcast industry. At Sony we have been developing our network production offering at every level of investment.
What’s the most amazing production your kit has been used on in the last 6 months?
One of the best productions on Sony kit over the last 6 months is the F-Word; which transitioned from tape based to file based acquisition for the first time and serves as a powerful example of the cost savings available through tapeless acquisition. Faced with reduced production budgets; the show wanted to maintain the high quality of production at a more affordable price point. Hire company Fat Dog Solutions recommended the PDW-700 from Sony’s XDCAM range. The PDW-700 permits the recording of 8 channels of audio direct onto XDCAM rather than onto computer audio systems; this led to massive time savings in post because there was no need to sync up video and audio. Better still; rushes on XDCAM could be digitized in faster than real time, leading to time saving of 40 – 50% in post production and obviously further cost savings in programme production.
