The Future of Media Previewed at IBC 2015

The 2015 International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) will take place once again in Amsterdam. The conference from 10-14 September 2015 and the exhibition 11-15 September 2015. The 2015 show will be an important platform for new technology demonstrations in immersive audio. British semi-conductor ARM is awarded the International Honor for Excellence 2015.
 
The world’s leading Electronic Media and Entertainment Event continues to get bigger and better every year and IBC 2015 is expected to once again attract large numbers of visitors and exhibitors. Recognized as the the most international event for the electronic media and entertainment industry - in parallel with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention held in Vegas every April - IBC takes place in Amsterdam in September every year.

Multiple initiatives are turning the IBC convention increasingly attractive to the industry, focusing on converging media technologies and business models in Broadcast, IT and Telecoms - increasingly in the management and multiplatform disciplines, of all forms of electronic media content.

Audio exhibits, most of them concentrated in Hall 8, include a unique combination of radio technology suppliers, microphone manufacturers, recording and production solutions, including ENG systems and many unique companies in the areas of communication and wireless transmission, apart from the most important studio technology manufacturers. For those interested in learning about the latest trends in audio streaming and digital radio, including multichannel and binaural distribution, the Amsterdam show is indeed a valuable opportunity.

Both Dolby and DTS have already confirmed they will be promoting key technology demonstrations at IBC 2015, trying to get ahead on the race for the audio formats in future broadcast standards. Targeting the transition to Ultra-high definition (UHD) in terrestrial broadcasting, cable networks and satellite, Dolby will be pushing its new AC-4 codec, while DTS wants to show its DTS:X technology, both competing with the MPEG-H Audio Alliance TV System headed by Technicolor and Fraunhofer IIS. Obviously, while the debate for future standards is ongoing, all companies will try to promote those same technologies among content producers, which make also an important part of what the IBC show is about.

Over 1,700 key international suppliers provide an unrivaled environment for over 55,000 attendees from more than 170 countries to connect across countries, technologies and industry sectors. For 2015, the newly constructed Amtrium will be a stunning addition to the 14 Halls of exhibits. IBC will also be introducing the IBC Launch Pad, for first-time IBC exhibitors who will be shining a spotlight on the mega-trend toward IP based infrastructure and software tools which are transforming the industry.

IBC 2015 will also be deploying Touch & Connect technology: a valuable networking tool which will be free to all visitors, enabling them to instantly acquire and exchange contact information and exclusive content. Complementing the Conference and Exhibition, there will be Industry Insights conference sessions; IBC Content Everywhere Europe conferences; the Future Zone exhibits; and the IBC Awards Ceremony. Focusing on the very latest developments in digital cinema, the IBC Big Screen Experience will take place in the RAI’s auditorium, which will be equipped with the very latest cutting-edge cinema technology including Christie 6P 2D and 3D laser projection and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

IBC International Recognizes ARM
The International Honor for Excellence 2015, the highest honor IBC bestows, this year recognizes a technology – and the company behind it – which has been a key enabler in the transformation of the media industry. The award goes to ARM, the company behind the processors in virtually all smartphones and tablets.

It is sobering to realize that the iPhone is barely more than eight years old, yet it and the products that followed have transformed the way we view media. That we can drive realtime, high resolution graphics and videos on a device in the palm of our hand, with a day’s battery life is a remarkable technical achievement.

This was made possible by ARM’s specialization, reduced instruction set computing (RISC). Today, around one-third of all intelligent electronic devices have ARM technology inside, thanks to its development and continuing research. In turn, the creative, commercial and technical future of the media industry depends upon these mobile devices.

Simon Segars, CEO of ARM, says “We see an exciting future for the broadcast and entertainment industry as evolving technology brings new revenue streams, diversity in consumption and seamless viewing experiences across all devices.”

“But getting there will require effort, as technology must be delivered in the most cost, capacity and energy efficient way so companies remain as sustainable as they are innovative,” he added. “ARM designs intelligence that enables industry to create the content, refine it in production and get it on to everyone’s screens, and we will fully support the sector in this next phase.”

The world’s first commercially successful RISC processor was launched 30 years ago by Acorn Computer Group. In 1990 the work on which Acorn and Apple were collaborating was spun out into a new company, Advanced RISC Machines or ARM. By 2002 a billion ARM RISC cores were made; by 2013 that had grown to a staggering 50bn.

The International Honor for Excellence is awarded by the IBC Council. “For pioneering, enabling and innovating the most advanced RISC technology, IBC is pleased to present its 2015 International Honor for Excellence to ARM,” states Peter Owen, IBC Council Chair. The award will be presented during the IBC Awards Ceremony, which takes place in the RAI Auditorium on Sunday 13 September at 18:30.
www.ibc.org