Fast Forward Video Focuses on All-in-One Apps

By Carolyn Braff

Moving forward, Fast Forward Video (Booth N2819) is focusing its product development on all-in-one applications, rather than single equipment pieces that enable — and require — customized system integration.

“Rather than just having the recorder and then letting the system integrators piece everything else together for that particular application, we’re going to try to come out with products that are very application-specific, where everything is built in,” explains Harry Glass, VP of sales for Fast Forward Video. “It makes it easier for a sports team to just buy one piece because everything is included.”

To fulfill that promise, FFV has a yet-to-be-named concept product on display at NAB that puts a monitor, controller, recorder, and player all in one box. It allows frame-by-frame analysis and can reduce content to slow-motion.

“I can highlight anything I want in slo-mo, and not only does it play to the enclosed monitor, but I have an output so that it can play to any other monitor,” Glass says. “In this case, we have a small monitor connected, but it could also be a large JumboTron.”

Until the concept product gets the application-specific product announcements rolling, FFV is showcasing Swift superior workflow technology at the company’s NAB booth. Swift enables an operator to not only record and play back but also drag a Quicktime file into a timeline and start editing immediately.

Also on display is the Omega HD simultaneous play and record deck.

“Omega HD allows us to record a channel continuously and play any channel back, so referees or coaches could use it for sports analysis,” Glass says. “We’re showing a number of controllers because any controller can control our decks.”

Although the show floor was less crowded on Day 1 than in previous years, Glass believes that, when there are fewer individuals at the convention, the quality of those individuals tends to go up. “They’re able to spend more time at each booth because they’re not in the back of the crowd saying, ‘I can’t get there,’” he says. “I think, this year, the interest level is higher. The people that are coming are coming because they are interested; they’re not coming to kick some tires.”