People visiting world-class broadcast exhibitions like the NAB Show and IBC are generally of two categories. One is searching for ideas. The other is searching for answers. Idea people like to ask subjective essay questions like “Do you think it will work?”

Broadcast engineers need objective scientific answers because we need to know how to make things work transparently. Our questions are more along the lines of “How do I make A work with B, or will I need to replace it all with C and what will it cost?” Engineering is not an opinion.

One of the more interesting effects of digital technology at broadcast technical exhibitions is that except to the most hair-splitting engineers, some of which claim the ability to hear the difference between speaker wires, the visual output of everything looks fantastic. Before digital video, a visitor could spend an entire show roaming the exhibit floor comparing the visual quality, features and new technology of cameras, or videotape formats, and many would leave the show with different conclusions. Digital TV products either work together or they don’t. Everything else is subjective.

Exhibits or Sessions?

In theory, today’s qualified potential visitors can stay home and use the internet and local sales people for research and purchasing. On the other hand, exhibits aren’t chat sessions, a website or a sales call. Nothing beats seeing the real deal with your own eyes while nearby experts are ready to answer your technical questions. It’s one of the main reasons engineers like technical exhibitions.

Booths and stands at exhibitions such as IBC and the NAB Show are always the main attraction. But behind the scenes, all the key technical leaders and engineering experts are gathered in one place to interact with customers. People at this level are often too busy to spend much time interacting with customers at their stands. They are more readily found on stage in front of an audience, in conference sessions discussing trends, leading edges and the future of the industry from their experienced perspective.

It’s not too early to begin planning for the mid-September IBC2018. Conference sessions can provide some of the most useful and specific planning information in the world, and nearly all the experts ask the audience for questions at the end of their presentation. It’s the best place in the world to ask an expert a question and to hear live answers to questions from others like yourself.

IBC Conference Programme Sessions

Broadcast engineers should all be interested in many of the IBC Sessions because without adequate revenue streams to pay for what it takes to make TV happen, it can become a hobby. In today’s marketplace, broadcasting a single channel over-the-air often won’t pay the bills. The best resource for industry insight is to hear new ideas and debate directly from industry leaders. You might hear a great new idea that could make your organization more money.

Besides the always-interesting keynote addresses on Sep 13 and 14, several IBC Sessions may be particularly interesting to visitors involved in cellular, IP and RF links and transmitters, as well as cutting-edge IP-based sports production.

On 14 Sep at 10:30 a.m., the track of “New Platforms: Innovators & Disruptors” sessions will open with a presentation from Maria Ferreras. She is the Vice President of Business Development for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) at Netflix, and she oversees all partnerships for Netflix in the region. An experienced international professional in the audiovisual business (pay-TV, OTT, Ad Funded) with proven industry leadership credentials. Maria joined Netflix from Google, where she worked for the previous 10 years as Director of Partnerships for YouTube for Southern Europe and Emerging Markets, shaping and growing the YouTube partnership ecosystem in key markets and looking after the Content Strategy for direct partners. A strategic thinker with exceptional business and leadership skills. Prior to Google, Maria was involved in successfully architecting, leading and implementing all the Audiovisual Services for Orange under the Jazztel brand (TV and Web). She has also served in several leadership and senior management roles for multinational companies such as Lycos, Orange and Telecom Italia.

On 15 Sep, the “Smart Connectivity + Multiplay Devices” track will cover the “Road to 5G,” and several case studies that are under currently in progress.

On 16 Sep, on the “Nextgen: Interactive & Immersive Experiences” track will be a 3:45 p.m. session titled “Tech Talks: Advances in Sport Production.” The capture and production of sports content is undergoing a major revolution/ the trend is for low-latency capture of players and balls, so that 3D game experiences can be generated (including photorealistic e-gaming), AI-based analysis can be undertaken, screen data can be overlain and commentary scripts can be generated automatically in real-time. Even biometric player data can be captured and analyzed. It will also discuss 3D audio, where beam-forming and array mics now allow on-pitch sounds to be separated from crowd noise. Latest trends will also include major sport event production using IP and SMPTE 2110 standards.

A session on 17 Sep at 12:15 p.m. is “What Broadcasters Can Learn from eSport,” presented by Michiel Bakker. Bakker is CEO GINX Esports TV. He founded the TV channel, which reaches 50+ million homes globally, delivering a mainly Millennial audience. The company recently welcomed UK Plcs Sky and ITV to its shareholder roster.

IBC2018 has both objective and subjective sessions scheduled the from day before exhibits open thru the day before the show closes. Each will include experts sharing valuable information. The specific sessions that offer the most value for you depends on your mission, and how you want to spend your valuable time at the show