TV TECHNOLOGY JAPAN -
Special Interview with the R&D team at AJA Video Systems - February 2024
Interviewee : Mr. Paul Turner, Manager, Product Management, AJA Video Systems
TVTJ : Could you tell us more about the industry trends that AJA’s R&D team is following and why.
Paul Turner : We’re tracking many developments across the media and entertainment (M&E) and proAV industries. In broadcast, the migration from SDI to SMPTE 2110 is progressing rapidly, and we’re starting to see more customers take the leap. At the same time, we recognize there’s no universal approach to IP, and that while SMPTE 2110 may make sense for one customer, it might not for others, which is why we’re also developing products around JPEG 2000, NDI, and Dante AV. It’s important to pay attention to these developments, so we can continue building IP video workflow products that ease the SDI to IP transition for our customers, whichever flavor of IP they choose to adopt.
Live streaming is another area of interest, especially as it’s moved into the mainstream the past few years. Since the pandemic, streaming has become part of people’s everyday lives from education to work, religious worship, sports, social media, and more. To this end, we’ve seen a huge uptick in the available streaming platforms, codecs, and protocols. The sheer volume of streaming options today can be overwhelming, which is why AJA is working to develop solutions like BRIDGE LIVE that make it easy to accommodate a broad range of them.
HDR is also a continuing focus. It’s quickly emerged as the new production standard and has vastly improved the quality of content we watch every day. On the flip side, however, it’s brought new workflow challenges. Our team is working to provide customers with HDR solutions like ColorBox that alleviate common pipeline bottlenecks and allow them to work as smoothly as possible. It’s a small but powerful tool that is helping DPs and lighting directors better visualize materials on-set, before the formal color process, making it easier to adjust looks earlier on in the production process.
TVTJ : What inspires the AJA R&D team to continue innovating?
Paul Turner : Our team is passionate about video and audio engineering and the technical aspects of production and post in many areas - including color science. We’re all invested in making reliable, super cool technology that lets our customers do what they do best without having to worry about the tech. We also enjoy seeing all the amazing things that our customers accomplish, and it inspires us to keep moving forward. Working closely with our customers, we’re able to identify new ideas to improve the products we’re actively shipping, and those ideas often turn into new products and features via firmware and software releases.
TVTJ : Could you describe the challenges your customers face in the field today and how they impact your R&D work.
Paul Turner : Across M&E and proAV, our customers are juggling more formats, codecs, and transport protocols than ever before. Many of them own equipment that, due to the fast-changing nature of our industry, is already falling behind the “state of the art.” Maybe they bought an expensive lens and SDI camera but find they need to start working with IP video. Replacing that setup could mean thousands of dollars lost, which is why we continue to look at these industry shifts, and work to make solutions that help people make the most out of their existing equipment while also taking advantage of emerging technologies.
TVTJ : How does the R&D team address the needs of so many different clients across the world, each with unique demands?
Paul Turner : We stay in close touch with our customers around the world, and with our teams in Asia and Europe. But, it’s not always the geographic differences our team must address, but rather, the differences that accompany the business verticals we serve. For instance, the challenges facing a broadcaster looking to establish a SMPTE 2110 workflow are very different from those a university or church faces in moving to a Dante AV pipeline. Whereas some clients may be focused on delivering the cleanest, highest quality picture in HDR and SDR, others may be looking to deliver a more compressed signal. Scope also varies from customer to customer and by region. For example, one broadcaster may leverage 10 cameras, while another may be using 100 or more, as we saw with a recent major US football broadcast.
TVTJ : What would you say are the AJA R&D team’s greatest strengths?
Paul Turner : Over the years, AJA has attracted a superb team of engineers who understand the ins and outs of audio and video engineering. They know what it takes to make a rock-solid platform and understand everything from baseband to IP. Their breadth of talent is truly impressive. Everyone who works at AJA is focused on media, and that braintrust is one of our greatest strengths. It’s one of the traits that has helped us secure customers ranging from NHK to FOX Sports and many others. We’re also proud of our number one tenet: develop reliable products. From the top of the company down, there’s an understanding that our technology has to work every time, without fail.
TVTJ : Looking to the future, what can we expect from AJA’s R&D team?
Paul Turner : While I can’t divulge what’s to come, AJA has some awesome technology in the works, and you’ll want to keep an eye for those developments on our what’s new page. If you’ll be at NAB, IBC, or InterBEE, you’ll also want to stop by our booth to check out our newest releases and updates, and chat with the team.
TVTJ : Thank you very much, Mr. Paul Turner !
Paul Turner
Manager, Product Management Department
Comments