IBC 2011 Q&A: Tom Lattie, vice-president product management, Harmonic

Tom Lattie, vice-president product management at Harmonic, spoke to DTVE to discuss the company’s plans for the show.

What has been the most significant development in pay TV technology since last year’s IBC?

The acceleration of multiscreen services. Not only the proliferation of connected devices and maturity of multiscreen ecosystems, but also the aggressive deployment of full-fledged services in many markets.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing the industry?

As exciting new multiscreen services increase in popularity, the challenge for the industry is figuring out the right models for monetisation that encompass new, existing and incremental services.

What trends do you expect to emerge from this year’s IBC?

We expect to continue seeing a trend towards function collapse  across the content creation and delivery chain. Whether it’s embedding advanced encoding and storage technology in cameras, baseband audio and video processing in compression devices, or set-top box capabilities into televisions, the industry continues to focus on simplifying workflows.

What will you be highlighting at IBC?

We have a great set of demos this year addressing multiscreen production, processing and delivery. We think this market is vitally important to the future of television, and we at Harmonic are very excited to be enabling these cutting-edge services demanded by consumers.

What are your main goals for the next 12 months?

We’ve expanded our portfolio with new solutions in active storage and video servers. We’ll be working to create more synergy between our various product lines, and we’re also expecting to see more integration as a result.

Do you have any IBC survival tips?

Stay hydrated!

Harmonic will be exhibiting at IBC on Stand 1.B20