When I ask cable operator folks if they're going to the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas, they usually answer with some variation of, "Why would I go to that? That's a broadcaster show." Well, yes and no.
True, there'll be tons of broadcaster-specific things there - cameras and gimbals and cymbals and whatnots - but also lots of video technology that crosses industry lines. As we've noted before, video technology is increasingly converging, blurring old industry boundaries. Streaming video is probably the most obvious example: Cable ops, broadcasters, OTT providers, and even satellite operators are all using the same technologies, often the same products from the same vendors.
Much of the NAB pre-show news we've seen so far centers on streaming video. As just a few examples:
- Rohde & Schwarz will be introducing a monitoring system for streaming video.
- CDN operator Akamai is working to tighten up its communication with OTT devices.
- Broadpeak will be showcasing its CDN and streaming technologies.
- Imagine Communications will be highlighting IP-based video processing and delivery, including streaming.
There's more, of course, but you get the point: Streaming video and everything it touches will be big at NAB. And arguably, streaming and IP-based video are the way of the future. It won't happen overnight, and probably not even everywhere, but that's where the trend line points.
In recognition of that trend, BTR will be running an IP video session at NAB, specifically focused on the transition to IP and featuring speakers from the Streaming Video Alliance, Ultra HD Forum, SCTE and relevant vendors. In the spirit of convergence, we're planning to make the session as service provider-agnostic as possible; the goal is to provide information that will be useful to any video service provider, be they cable, satellite, OTT, telco or broadcaster. More information on the session is available here.
We'll also be providing daily video coverage of the show, similar to that we provide at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo: Technology news, interviews with industry movers and shakers, and more. So even if you're not attending, you can still get the high points.
The NAB Show is evolving. There's a lot more there for the cable audience than you might think.
