NAB Success For The Vitec Group

With another memorable show under their belt, the Vitec Group came to NAB ready to unveil new cutting-edge advancements. Bringing together some of the most respected, sought-after brands in the industry, the Vitec Group stormed the floor with significant product launches aimed at improving the workflow and experience of their users.

Going forward for the rest of 2017, we got some insight from Richard Satchell – VP and General Manager of iconic brands including Autoscript, Autocue, Sachtler, Vinten, and OConnor – as he reflected on the company's performance at NAB 2017 and what we can expect down the road.

Overall, how was NAB for the Vitec Group? We understand you launched quite a few new products during the show.

It was an exciting NAB for us this year, complete with successful new product launches that received fantastic responses from both our peers and end users. In particular, Autoscript unveiled their new Intelligent Prompting solution that incorporates an IP-based workflow so broadcasters can prompt from virtually any location, removing the need for video cables altogether. As a big first step for the broadcast industry, we were thrilled to accept TV Technology's "Best of Show" Award this year for Intelligent Prompting.

Along with Autoscript, Litepanels launched their new and improved Astra and Sola professional LED lighting range. Following the quality and popularity of the Astra 1x1 panel, the next-generation Astra 3X and 6X LED lights now feature a 50% increase in output with a decrease in power consumption. In addition, the daylight-balanced Sola 4+ and Sola 6+ Fresnel lights incorporate new, highly rated LEDs that produce greater output than their predecessors.

Also this year, Anton/Bauer received a welcomed response for their new LPD Discharger – a dedicated discharge unit capable of discharging up to four 90 Wh batteries in three hours or less. The LPD helps rental houses and traveling production crews ensure compliance with IATA regulations regarding Li-ion batteries, which now must be charged to less than 30 percent of their rated capacity when transported as air cargo.

Ultimately, it was a busy and rewarding NAB for us and the general feedback from the industry has been overwhelming. So we plan on continuing that momentum for the rest of 2017.

What key trends do you embrace in order to stay ahead of the curve?

More and more, the amount of content being produced and consumed is increasing exponentially and will continue to do so. Because of this, broadcast-quality equipment is becoming ever more accessible to a wider set of content creators and that crucial realization fuels the innovation behind our products.

For example, we built on the success of our popular Vantage compact robotic head with the launch of the new Vinten μVRC controller (microVRC). The μVRC controller is a modular tool that gives users the ability to leverage Vinten's award-winning robotics, including the Vantage compact robotic head, at a fraction of the cost. This gives everyone from small studios and parliaments to concert halls and houses of worship access to the benefits of robotics, including broadcast-quality movement and unmatched flexibility in content creation.

Which Vitec Group brands can we expect to see new improvements from at IBC in September?

IBC 2017 is going to be a big one for all of our brands. Not only will we be showcasing everything that we launched at NAB, but we also have a few more surprises in store for our customers. This year, customers can expect to see innovative developments from Sachtler, Vinten, and Litepanels, as well as further new introductions from Autoscript and Autocue. So make sure to come visit the booth in Amsterdam and keep an eye out for details beforehand.

www.vitecgroup.com

This article is also available to read in the latest edition of Broadcast Film & Video here, page 50.

(JP/LM)