IBC starts in a little over two weeks from now, so there is still time to register. Always the place to assess the future directions of the electronic entertainment industry may take; IBC2010 is going to be particularly fascinating as different technologies vie to be the next major development. Stereoscopic 3D has deservedly grabbed the headlines, but beyond that are the subtle but far-reaching developments brought about by 24/7 high-bandwidth connectivity and social media as presented in the new Connected World area. Then of course, there's Super Hi-Vision, with its eye-popping resolution and ear-popping audio. What does the future hold? In three weeks, those who have attended IBC2010 will have a good idea.
Free Entry via Exhibitor Tickets
While the free registration period for IBC2010 has now ended, many manufacturers are offering their customers tickets for the show - and these remain free for the whole duration of IBC, saving you $60 on the entrance price to the exhibition. Many even have buttons that will take you straight through to the registration process on their websites, making attending IBC quick, simple - and cheap! Check out the Exhibitor List for the full list of companies exhibiting at the show.
Training at IBC
IBC and FMC are pleased to extend a 20% reduction to the cost of attending all of The IBC Digital Media Training Workshops. This promotion is made possible by sponsorship support from Platinum Sponsors Avid and Adobe. In addtion, we are pleased to be able to offer a single session pass to Stephen Rivkin's keynote, Oscar nominated editor of Avatar. Sessions are focused and practical, run by a single-presenter, and are geared at providing intermediate to advanced users with the skills they need on the tools they use.
Super Hi-Vision Comes of Age
Super Hi-Vision answers the question: what next after HD? It has 16 times more resolution, being 7680 pixels wide by 4320 lines high, at 60 progressive frames a second. And if the picture is all embracing so too is the sound: 22.2 audio channels, including super-woofers front and back, speakers set at three heights, and a centre channel directly above the viewer. This is a serious format too, not just a distant technological fantasy. New for 2010 are practical full-resolution cameras, one of which will be sending live pictures back over fibre to IBC from the centre of Amsterdam. And, as well as in the theatre with its high brightness projectors, you can also see Super Hi-Vision on special 58" diagonal plasma screens with 0.33mm pixel pitch for an incredibly detailed, seamless view.
Awarding the Brightest Best
Held on Sunday September 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium, the IBC Awards Ceremony is one of the highlights of the show. Awards are presented to the worthy winners of the Innovation Awards, the Exhibition Design Awards, the Conference Awards, the Judges Prize, the Special Award and, of course, the International Honour for Excellence. This year that prestigious prize is conferred on Manolo Romero, the managing director of Olympic Broadcasting Services, for his work in bringing leading edge innovation to bear on creative and communications challenges, and helping make the Olympics such a vital viewing experience. The IBC Awards are free to attend for all at the show and an unmissable part of the whole IBC experience.
Investigating d-cinema
The IBC Big Screen, with its state-of-the-art digital projection and audio systems, not to mention 1,700-seat auditorium, is the perfect place to investigate the latest developments in d-cinema. Presentations this year come from Arri, who will showcase the latest in LED lighting and its head-turning Alexa digital camera; Assimilate, who will be demonstrating real-time Scratch workflows; Christie, P+S Technik, and others. The IBC Big Screen schedule has all the details, while stereo 3D screenings of Toy Story 3, courtesy of Buena Vista International and produced by The Walt Disney Company's Pixar Animation Studios, and Avatar (Special Edition), courtesy of 20th Century Fox International and by kind permission of Lightstorm Entertainment, will showcase exactly what the modern cinema environment is capable of delivering
Journey Round the Connected World
The new Connected World has merged the Digital Signage, Mobile TV, and IPTV zones together into one area, to allow visitors to see exactly how content will be created and shared across multiple devices and platforms in the future. Look out for the free Armchair Revolution sessions, three sessions that will provide in turn an overview of the current and emerging landscape, a look at the devices and networks that are shaping it, and finally the new business models for the new patterns of consumption. TelecomTV, the official media sponsor and the exclusive online TV partner to IBC2010, will also be supporting and contributing to sessions in the Connected World Hub.
Examining Connections in the Conference
The Conference is, of course, also looking closely at the emerging Connected World. Connected TV: The new deal between content and devices, for example, looks at the implications of taking the television and permanently connecting it to the internet. Chaired by David Docherty. chairman of the DTG, as the synposis says "Many view the connected TV landscape as a game changer and this year, as new devices begin to retail and new services are added, is only the beginning". Also extremely pertinent is the session How to protect your premium content in the connected era. Keynoted by Abe Peled, chairman and CEO of NDS, this will show how to bolt the stable door now - not when the connected horse is disappearing over the horizon.