IBC2018 review: 4K, OTT and cloud-based workflows

The themes of high resolution content, OTT and cloud-based workflows reflect and address the trends for quality, real-time production solutions on a global scale, in no little part to meet the diverse consumption of all film and broadcast media by an increasingly demanding audience.

The behemoth that is Sony was once again the dominant force in Hall 13 this year. IBC wouldn’t be IBC without Sony making a major camera or technology announcement. Sure enough, on day one of the exhibition an early morning press conference saw the wraps coming off a quintet of cameras – four live production models and the 4K (XAVC S at 100Mbps) NXR-NX200 camcorder.

When paired with Sony’s MCX-500 multi-camera live production switcher and its RM-30BP remote commander the NXR-NX200 camcorder enables content creators to stream live events in HD through this simple production set-up.

From the quartet of live production cameras unveiled at IBC the HDC-P50 POV camera and the HDC-3500 model both feature the world’s first 2/3-inch 4K global shutter three CMOS sensor system, whilst the HDC-3100 and the HDC-3170 Fiber and Triax system models incorporate a newly developed HD HDR optical block.

Also making its debut at IBC2018 was Sony’s 31-inch BVM-HX310 4K HDR reference monitor, which is the first product in the new TRIMASTER HX technology brand. The HX in the brand name is said to represent the combination of both HDR (hence the H) and Liquid Crystal (Xtal) Display (hence the X) technologies.

Away from the hardware side of things Sony was busy highlighting…