We're definitely looking for CRT monitor replacements, because we are tired of having to use the Sony HD monitors that always break down. If you get a year out of them, you're lucky. We're looking at e-Cinema Systems, Cine-Tal [and] TV Logic, and Canon and Toshiba have some flat panel options. We're also looking at new software for DIs and digital restoration, which would include Pixel Farm, and Imagineer Systems' Mokey, and Monet. The other thing of interest to us this year is DCI delivery technologies, which would include watermarking systems and JPEG-2000 encoders. We're looking for streaming solutions along the line of Smart Jog and Digital Rapids, so we can send clients review-and-approval copies and move things around the world. We're also looking for cheaper, faster storage — near-line SATA storage. And, lastly, we're also looking for 2K and 4K projectors for the DI suites, since our whole pipeline is 4K up to the final projectors. Who offers a 4K projector aside from Sony? I'm hoping to be surprised.
Todd Brown, COO, West Post Digital
Our objectives are to look at equipment to outfit the new facility we are building. Things like edit bays and color-correction monitoring gear, facility router, and equipment to support growth areas such as encoding. We're also looking to research DI technology and projectors for our new screening room and, finally, speak with manufacturers regarding solutions to issues we've had with some of the newer formats such as HDV.
Ruben Garcia, senior VP of DI solutions, Matchframe
We'll be looking at storage solutions and switcher commands and software systems that will allow us to have multiple users and minimize rendering times. In switchers, I'll be looking at IBM, Cisco, EMC, Williams, and for server solutions, I'll look at True Stream. The switchers are an opportunity to be more effective with the scans in our servers and move media quickly without compression and preserving resolution quality. We're going to look at where the market is at with 4K and even 6K, to see what's out there. We're also interested to see the latest speeds of film recorders.
Justin Bergeron, CEO, HD Pictures & Post
We're looking for DI tools and some of the equipment to meet DCI standards. We'll be talking mainly with Discreet. We hear a lot about Lustre, and daVinci, which has been the leader in DI and color correction for years. Our minds are open to whatever tools are out there, whatever can do a great job and create a profit for our company. We'll also see the latest and greatest with Avid and Softimage. We're also great fans of Quantel products, so we'll be checking them out as well. We plan on bringing in an HD projector for DI, so we're interested in projectors and monitoring systems that will comply with DCI standards.
Rand Gladden, senior VP of digital and data development, Foto-Kem
We're certainly looking at anything to do with high-resolution or data-based cameras, to evaluate what kind of post production path we'd have to have in place to service that technology. We know Panavision is developing a next-generation Genesis that's more data-centric, for example, and there's a system called Red that is allegedly a high-resolution data-capture device. With regard to DI, we're looking at any new scanner or film recorder technology that increases efficiency. We're always looking for better storage solutions that are very protected and can service cross-platform requirements. Anything to do with asset-management technology—that is, efficient movement of data locally or internationally, is also interesting. And one problem with the entire DI process is long-term high-resolution data storage, so we'll be looking at anything in this area.
Leon Silverman, president, LaserPacific Media
This year's NAB will, as usual, feature a large array of press releases as well as, I understand, some technology. The press releases as well as the technology seem to be concentrated on two ends of the quality spectrum. I expect that there will be a significant focus on low-end, low-cost imaging devices and equipment that support desktop approaches and HDV quality levels. On the other hand, I expect that there will also be emphasis on high resolution, high-end, big iron, data-centric workflows, especially for the digital intermediate approach to feature films. I fully expect both the press releases and the presentations to minimize the complexity of today's workflow and overwhelming choices for filmmakers. What I am seeking at this show is to further understand how the dizzying array of choices in tools, techniques and technology can be seamless and straightforward to both the users of these technologies and to organizations such as LaserPacific.
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