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Wirecast Unveils AI-Powered Assistant & Competitive Pricing
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Matrox Video Launches KMLync: One Keyboard-Mouse for Multiple Systems
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Lawo Unveils IP Innovations at 2023 NAB Show in New York
Host: Philip Grossman, host and co-producer at Visionaries.
Wirecast Unveils AI-Powered Assistant & Competitive Pricing
Maria: Wirecast introduces an AI-driven Virtual Assistant in its latest version, offering real-time walkthroughs, technical guidance, and multilingual troubleshooting. Alongside, users can expect enhanced production tools like custom LUTs, video filters, and SRT features. New flexible pricing plans make these advancements more accessible.
So Philip, can you break this down for me?
Philip: It’s one of the things I find interesting. There are a lot of software-based applications now that enable you to do podcasting or television production, which in the past required very dedicated hardware. Computers today now have the necessary processing power, and I’ve slowly seen products like OBS and Wirecast add features and functions. This one’s sort of interesting in that it’s adding AI in a way that helps because most of the people who are running these pieces of software are one-man-band operations.
So, they’re adding features and functions to help the individuals run their production. They’re bundling a lot of things in. I think they’ve sort of made their pricing model more reasonable, but it’s definitely not outrageous. It’s a little over $300 a year, I believe—$350 for the full-fledged Wirecast Pro, which gives you a lot of features and functionality. So, it’s exciting to see. I don’t know if that means there’s going to be a lot more content available for people to consume. I don’t necessarily know if it means it’s going to be better content, but we’ll see. The issue of accessibility and pricing keeps coming up week in, week out. How is this a game-changer? Maybe in terms of pricing. So, you think about a piece of hardware that may cost you $2,000 or $3,000 to do the things that this does. This software is now doing it all, in a single source, on your laptop, and it’s going to make it more accessible to smaller organizations that are starting out.
So, like I said, it’s going to enable more content to be produced. Hopefully, it’s going to enable better content because those who have the skills but couldn’t get into it before now have the technology to enable them. But we’ll see. So, it’s exciting to see what each of these software manufacturers is coming out with.”
Matrox Video Launches KMLync: One Keyboard-Mouse for Multiple Systems
Maria: Matrox Video unveils the KMLync USB keyboard and mouse switch, allowing users to control multiple systems or Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM devices from one setup. Enhancing efficiency, KMLync offers seamless switching between up to four sources, supports large multi-monitor configurations, and declutters workspaces.
Please share your thoughts on this.
Philip: We’re always hearing that we need to do more with less, and KVM is a way to achieve that. You might have limited desk space but need to operate multiple systems. The KVM solution enables you to manage this efficiently. Although it’s not an earth-shattering change, it integrates seamlessly into their IP system. It combines KVM and IP KVM functionalities, providing additional flexibility for organizations to adopt these models and control more devices from a single spot, akin to being on the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise.”
Lawo Unveils IP Innovations at 2023 NAB Show in New York
Maria: At the 2023 NAB Show in New York, German tech giant Lawo will showcase an expanded IP portfolio, including the debut of a new product. Highlights include the HOME Apps with versatile media processing, the .edge SDI/IP Conversion platform, and the mc²/A__UHD Core/Power Core platform for live performances. Additionally, the diamond broadcast console offers future-proof radio broadcast solutions.
Lawo to Showcase Expanded IP Portfolio and Innovative Solutions at 2023 NAB in New York
So I know we don’t have Mary here today but can you talk a little bit more about this?
Philip: Certainly. Lawo has indeed come a long way, transitioning from a focus on IP in the audio domain to applying their expertise to video. They were among the first to compete with Imagine’s Seleno Network processor, launching products in the edge IO device and network platform categories.
Their approach to the next level is evident through their HOME Apps, which are exceptionally intriguing.
As we transition more toward IP, every computer has an IP set; thus, the necessity for dedicated hardware like their Edge platform or SMPTE standards is diminishing, although there remains a market space for them.
Lawo is progressing toward a pure software model, wherein processing is key. This shift enables unprecedented flexibility, allowing for UHD, multiview, or HDR processing based solely or primarily on software. In practical terms, it means a production can utilize UHD upconverting for one project and then repurpose the same server for multi viewing or other functions in the next.
This capability aligns with the industry trend of needing to do more with less. While I always say that eventually, you might end up doing less with less, this technology enables you to extend your capabilities and optimize your hardware. Hopefully, Lawo’s pricing will reflect a software-centric approach as opposed to hardware-centric. However, we will have to wait and see.”
Maria: That’s all the time we have today. Many thanks to our experts – Philip. And don’t forget to comment on the news we’ve discussed. See you next Monday at the same time!
360 Seconds. Broadcast News & Commentary
The weekly show, focusing on the latest products and solutions in the global TV and film industry, features insights and analysis from top experts. Released every Monday within the TKT1957 network, the program can be found on the YouTube channel, social media groups, and the tkt1957.com website. Engage with the content, view the episodes, and participate in the conversation by leaving your questions in the comments section.
Hosts: Philip Grossman, host and co-producer at Visionaries; Mary Ann Seidler, owner of First Light Media and consultant for multiCAM Systems and Telos Alliance; and Maria Kholodova, TKT1957.com.
The live broadcast took place on October 30, 2023. Production – TKT1957 LLC.
Media Partner – Cine Gear Expo.
The program can be watched every Monday at 19:00 UTC+4 by clicking on any of these links:
