Visitors' Voice Vol.3

On the final day of Inter BEE 2007, we interviewed a cross-section of visitors ranging across a variety of fields and different generations, from those who had only just started their careers to experienced "old hands", from people working in audio to those in video and broadcasting, to get their impressions of Inter BEE.

・Male (43yrs), working for a manufacturer of broadcasting & communications equipment (Tokyo)

"I'm involved with the development of broadcasting equipment. I've been coming here every year for the last several years to get information on the new products and latest trends in the field of broadcasting hardware with a close connection to the product development I myself am working on. This year too, a variety of new products and new technologies have been announced by different companies, and I have found it all very useful. Based on the information I obtain at this event, there are times when we actually consider buying something for our company. The venue is spacious and easy to look around, but towards the end I get tired so I'd like see some more places set aside for just sitting and resting."

・Female (30yrs), for a manufacturer of communications equipment (Shizuoka)

"I came to take part in the IPTV Summit. I'm on my first visit to this exhibition, and in the main venue too I have been mainly looking for IPTV-related information. I have been going around many different booths looking to see if there aren't any products or technologies that would be of use to our company when IPTV actually takes off. Also, I have a personal interest, not directly connected with my work, in video-related booths, so I'm gathering lots of information. I was particularly impressed by a demonstration of how they can combine video with 3D graphics for real-time distribution. It was really amazing!"

・Male (24yrs), working at a broadcasting station (Tokyo)

"Well, I've come here to collect information and reference materials on new products and technologies related to video and broadcasting. Since I work for a broadcasting station, I plan to check almost all the booths at the exhibition. I am not in charge of the large equipment, so I mainly collect information on the small stuff – for example, in the audio booths I look at microphones, while in the video booths I check out monitors, and so on. I'm making a list of things we could actually buy and use. There is no other event that brings together broadcasting and video-related equipment on this scale, so I'm making full use of this valuable opportunity to see new products, touch them, and learn about them."

・Female (27yrs), working for a video-related company (Shizuoka)

"My work involves camerawork for video production. This is my first visit to the exhibition, but I've made the journey in order to collect the latest information on camera equipment and video-related equipment. Having actually come here and seen it, I realize that there are manufacturers I had never heard about before, and that the technologies have progressed more than I had expected. I'm happy to have been able to obtain so much new information. However, the venue is larger than I thought, and now I'm not so sure that I will be able to see everything. I certainly want to visit all of the booths on my list, so I'm going to have to get a move on if I am to see them."

・Male (48yrs), working at a TV station (Osaka)

"At our company my job is media-related. I come to this exhibition every year, and this time I'm hoping to gather information about the latest tapeless trends. What I particularly look for in the different booths is IP-related products, such as IP encoders and decoders, and servers used for IP communications. Compared with last year, there are no blockbuster innovations, but I feel that they are making steady progress with the product technologies, and I'm glad I came this year. The information I collect at this event will, I hope, be of use to my company in deciding on what new equipment to purchase."

・Female (18yrs), working for a video production company (Shizuoka)

"I work as a shooting and production assistant at our company. I've come to the exhibition with my boss to study. I don't yet know much about the industry, so my boss has picked out a number of major video-related companies, and I'm going around them now to see what they have on display. But I also find myself inadvertently visiting the really neat-looking booths. On a personal level, what I'm interested in is video-processing software. The 3D software we use at our company is so slow at rendering that it's beginning to be a problem, so I'd be really happy if we could buy one of the new products being exhibited here."

・Male (35yrs), working at a production studio (Tokyo)

"I'm an engineer involved in recording and editing at a narration studio, and I've come here to the exhibition to find the latest information on digital audio. Mostly I've been visiting booths to look at software and equipment used for recording. Compared to last year, I have a feeling that the technology has made real progress. With products like these, you can't really tell how convenient they would be to use without actually getting your hands on them and listening to the recording quality. So for me this exhibition is a great opportunity to try out all sorts of stuff. I'm very keen to see that our company purchases user-friendly products. My impression this year is that the number of exhibitors has grown even larger, and it's great that I can gather even more information at one time. I hope Inter BEE goes on providing us with information on the cutting edge of the industry."

・Female (25yrs), working for a CATV production company (Yamanashi)

"I have general PA duties related to CATV production, and I've been interested in this exhibition for a while, but this is my first time to actually visit. As I walk around I’m particularly interested in finding the latest information on audio equipment. The manufacturers I'm interested in include Yamaha and Roland, and I will interview the staff at their booths. I want to ask about the features of their latest products and what sort of direction they see themselves going in. I hope to gather information that will be of use in making better programs in future, and I also want to give some thought to possible purchases of new audio equipment."

・Female (23yrs), working for an audio-related company (Tokyo)

"I work as a PA assistant at our company, which I have only recently joined, so I've come here to study on my own behalf. What I'm focusing on are trends in new products and new technologies, principally in audio-related equipment such as speakers. I think this is a great opportunity to be able to actually see and touch equipment that we don't use in our company, and products from top-tier manufacturers that I really don't come across in everyday work. Actually, I haven't told my company about visiting the exhibition. I'm hoping to study quietly by myself, become knowledgeable about the subject, and get promoted quickly so I don't have to go on working as an assistant."

・Male (29yrs), working in music production (Tokyo)

"I work in recording, and since I heard that manufacturers were exhibiting some great products here, I came along. Because of my job, what I want to check out thoroughly are the digital consoles. This must be about my fifth time to visit Inter BEE, and I get the impression that it's livelier than it was last year. There is just so much information available at Inter BEE. I find it very useful."

・Male (29yrs), PA work (Tokyo), and female, also PA work (Tokyo) for 4 years

"This is my second time at Inter BEE. The first was four or five years ago, and the exhibits have changed, making quite a different impression. I haven't been able to keep up with the latest trends, so for me it's a good chance to catch up. Because of my job, I’d like them to turn up the volume a bit." (Male)
"Yes, exactly. I'd like them to partition off the hall to exhibit PA-related stuff. The timbre of speakers varies from one manufacturer to the next, and I would like to hear those differences more clearly. Also, something I am interested in this time is of course the digital stuff. I want to know more about digital! When you're working, you know, it's pretty difficult to keep up with the latest information." (Female)

・Male (45yrs), working for a software manufacturer (Tokyo)

"I work on the production of audio-related web content, but this is my first visit to this event. The exhibits may not have a direct connection with the work I do, but I think this is an ideal opportunity to get to know the latest trends in broadcasting and audio. Right now, it's important for me to know about audio and industry trends – what sort of products are being used by professionals, and what sort of technologies are attracting attention – as this sort of knowledge is of use to me in creating Web content."

・Male (40yrs), working for a systems developer (Tokyo)

"I'm an audio-related systems engineer. The booths I'm looking at are mainly ones that exhibit professional audio-related equipment that has high relevance for my work. What I am paying close attention to are Yamaha's digital equipment and Hibino's speakers. Overall, compared to last year, the impression I get this time is that there are not really any major buzz topics. Last year technical progress was conspicuous and I think that there were more interesting products then."

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