We saw lots of great stuff at NAB this year, but you don't have to take our word for it! Check out these videos and pictures from our own Peter Schneider, aided and abetted by the illustrious Danny Michael, CAS. Bonus illuminating commentary from Pete included!

NAB 2015 - Ambient WiFi Master Lockit from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

It was exciting to see Ambient’s Clockit Network and Timecode Systems’ Blink protocol mature into a full range of products.

Ambient showed their Master Lockit with WiFi (release date TBA, $1337), finally bridging the ACN with computers and tablets not just on the local network, but cloud servers located anywhere on the internet.

NAB 2015 - Timecode Buddy from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Timecode Systems showed the :wave (release summer 2015, ~$1300), another “bridge” device that interconnects Sound Devices recorders (demonstrated on the 788T) with WiFi and their Blink protocol. They also demoed Denecke’s WiFi and Blink-enabled TS-TCB slate (expected release May 2015, $1650). I love the LED matrix on the Denecke slate allowing arbitrary metadata to be displayed.

Both systems allow the integration of a “Set Area Network” - devices wirelessly connected around the set, including recorders, slates, cameras, lenses, DIT workstations,  and even script supervisor’s notes - with a “cloud” based server  allowing the production office  and post production personnel to access metadata from the set in real time.

Crucially, as Ambient’s Klaus Grosser points out, “Considering that the sound mixer [is usually in charge] of sync, we think it appropriate to have that hub on the sound cart most of the time.” It's an interesting evolving role for the sound department and seemingly the future of mainstream film and television production.

The big news from Zaxcom was the Deva Thirty-Two (expected release late 2015, price TBA). Interestingly, calling it a Deva is a bit of a misnomer because it’s really a standalone digital mixer. The Deva part (i.e. the part that records) is an optional card! It’s also important to note that the GUI for the mixer/recorder is controlled by a computer. Glenn has said it can be a MAC or a PC, either user or dealer supplied.

Rounding out the Zaxcom booth was the Oasis (expected release June 2015, ~$3500) and Nomad Touch (expected release June 2015, $200 for software & cable, tablet sold separately<) which both use a Windows tablet, freeing them from Apple’s walled garden of WiFi connectivity and allowing a reliable hardwired connection using a relatively inexpensive tablet. 

The other theme of the show (at least in terms of the sound department) were the number of carts being shown! Sound Guy Solutions (in the Zaxcom booth), Stickman Sound (in the Sound Devices booth, pictured at left), showed interesting carts for larger recorders and mixers, while PortaBrace and Orca showed hybrid case/cart solutions (PortaBrace Tackle Box release & price TBA; Orca ORCART expected release July 2015, $629) geared towards bag mixers that would normally be forced to carry a cart’s worth of gear over their shoulder. PortaBrace also showed a new military-inspired tactical vest for sound recordists (release & price TBA).

NAB 2015 - Sennheiser/Apogee Lavaliers from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Both Sennheiser and Shure showed lavalier microphones designed to plug directly into iOS devices  Sennheiser teamed with Apogee for their A-D converters (Sennheiser ClipMic digital expected release May 2015, $199; Sennheiser MKE 2 digital expected release June 2015, $499); Shure’s solution is more flexible with headworn and XLR devices as well as lavalier mics (Motiv digital microphones, expected release Summer 2015, $69-$199).

NAB 2015 - Sennheiser AVX Wireless from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Sennheiser’s AVX wireless system (expected release June 2015, price TBA), geared towards videographers is the next generation of G3 wireless, and a possible glimpse into one possible future for wireless mics. Operating at 1.9 GHz, and exclusively using rechargeable batteries, the receiver is scarcely larger than an XLR connector. Frequency and input sensitivity can be automatically set by the AVX system which monitors and updates as the situation changes

NAB 2015 - Sennheiser Esfera from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Sennheiser also showed their Esfera surround microphone system (available now, $6995.95). A stereo pair of small microphones (thus keeping it manageable for the sound department) that can be manipulated into a full surround field in post production using their proprietary decoding hardware (no mention of a future software decoding solution).

NAB 2015 - Zoom from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Big news from Zoom is the F8 recorder with 8 channels...and...TIME CODE! No price announced but knowing Zoom’s other products, it will be very competitive!

NAB 2015 - Audio Limited from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Audio Ltd showed their all digital 1010 wireless system (expected release Sept 2015, price TBA). It’s a wideband design and its modulation allows for a very dense and efficient use of RF spectrum.

NAB 2015 - Lectrosonics SSM from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

Lectrosonics fooled almost everyone, after announcing their SSM transmitter (expected release Q3 2015, $1410) on April Fools' day, by actually showing it! It is tiny and, interestingly, uses a rechargeable camera battery for power and a 3-pin LEMO for audio input. It is also a wideband design.

NAB 2015 - MozeGear from Gotham Sound on Vimeo.

MozeGear showed their Papi mic preamp and power module (expected release September 2015, ~$499), good for cameras lacking a proper preamp.

Sound Devices showed the SL-6 wireless receiver interface (expected release June 2015, $1295 until 4/30, reg. $1496) for the 688 recorder (available now, $5449 until 4/30, reg. $5749). Most interestingly, they showed that the RF input has a selectable front end filter which should dramatically improve the unit’s selectivity (and therefore range).

Prices for the Video Devices Pix-E Monitors (expected release Summer 2015, $1195-1595) were announced - very competitively priced, and the units themselves felt solid and easily at home on a camera.

Yamaha announced their new TF series of consoles (expected release Spring 2015, $2,499.99-$3599.99) - priced and with a feature set between the Yamaha 01V and the QL-1.

That's it from NAB 2015! As NAB Elvis would undoubtedly say, "Thank yew verramuch!"