CONNECTING AT CES 2023: 5 NEXT BIG THINGS TO WATCH FOR THE MEDIA AND VIDEO PRODUCTION INDUSTRY

January 27, 2023 by Oscar Lazaro

As the dust of CES 2023 settles, it is worth unpacking some of the hottest topics and trends related to the media and video production industry. From the latest prosumer cameras to cutting-edge connectivity technology, the future of media and video production is looking more promising than ever.

Growth of creator prosumers

One of the most evident trends witnessed at the event was the increasing adoption of professional-grade equipment and techniques by creators and content producers: many product demonstrations and presentations focused on multi-camera setups, advanced audio recording and mixing, and real-time video editing and streaming. As expected, creators now require more professional tools and production methodologies to keep up with their audiences’ growing demand for engaging, high-quality live content. In this light, we here at NDI spoke with many creators at the show who were actively seeking powerful new hardware and software tools for advanced audio and video production, packaging and delivery.

Increasing tech vendor interest for the creator economy

This topic was not lost on technology vendors, both professional and consumer-grade, who clearly came to the expo with the goal of reaching into the creator economy. An increasing number of companies launched new products and services specifically tailored to the needs of this booming industry. From Logitech’s new companion app for the Mevo ecosystem supported by NDI, allowing content transfer without the need for hardware, to the beefed-up, NDI|HX-enabled PTZOptics Studio Pro webcam, designed for live streamers, content creators could find new exciting products and solutions, both in the software and hardware fields.

The world continues going wireless

Wireless and WIFI-connected technology was also a hot topic at CES 2023, with many companies introducing new products and services that allow for faster and more reliable wireless connectivity. With the continued mass rollout of 5G networks and the workflow flexibility enabled by lower-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity , wireless technology is maturing, making it easier for creators to produce and stream content from anywhere, to any audience. It seems increasingly clear that consumers and pros alike are clearly ready and willing to start throwing away all those messy cables as more and more device connectivity goes IP over wireless.

AR/VR still a work in progress

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies were also popular topics of discussion at CES 2023 – with countless conference sessions and vendor booths focused on this space. From gaming to education and healthcare, the potential use cases for this technology are endless – and growing- albeit still far from being universally adopted. An impressive number of companies showcased their latest efforts in this field, including new HUDs (head-up displays), smart glasses, authoring software, real-time graphics engines, and immersive content. There were also many demonstrations of adjacent technologies such as haptic feedback systems, advanced motion tracking, and new display technologies that are already making virtual experiences more immersive and realistic. While the adoption of AR/VR technology hasn’t taken off quite as quicky as many had assumed (or hoped), it’s clear that AR and VR will play a leading role in shaping the future of media and video production and consumption.

The video over IP revolution

Lastly, the growth of connectivity and content distribution over IP was evident everywhere at CES this year. It was fascinating to see the many new IP-based video cameras, switchers, converters, and encoders that offer improved flexibility and more elegant workflows through standard network and internet connectivity. Video over IP technology is a game changer when it comes to flexibility for workflows in the media and video production industry – not least because of the obvious implications for moving large chunks of the production pipeline to the Cloud and/or through real-time collaboration between remote locations.

Overall, CES 2023 provided an inspiring glimpse into the future of media and video production, where creativity and connectivity are the keywords to keep monitoring in the coming years.