While the integration of new media and conventional television has been a growing component of the last several installments of the U.S. National Association of Broadcasters conference and trade show, at this year's event (April 22-27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center), it's bigger than Regis.

The multimedia industry has exploded since last year's show, with online vendor iTunes now selling TV episodes for two bucks a pop, and practically every U.S. network and movie studio signing broadband distribution deals.

Digital production and distribution will be reflected in NAB2006's MultiMedia World conferences, which include the Digital Cinema Summit, highlighted by keynotes from movie director James Cameron and John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners.

Elsewhere, Phil Corman, a director at Microsoft TV, is slated to deliver a keynote at IPTV World entitled "Television's Promise Fulfilled," while the MoTV: Mobile Video and TV forum will feature talks about mobile standards, content and other wireless issues, and the Web and Mobile Development Conference will offer a series of comprehensive new media-related workshops.

Rounding out MultiMedia World is the MPEG Industry Forum and ISMA Advanced Video Services from Broadband to Wireless forum.

The Podcasting Summit (April 22-23) is a separate but related two-day training event for those interested in taking advantage of this upstart form of on-demand entertainment.

Meanwhile, Frank Dangeard, chairman and CEO of French conglomerate Thomson, and Jeremy Allaire, founder and president of TV-on-the-web outfit Brightcove, will speak in NAB's Super Sessions. Dangeard will discuss technologies for digital media distribution, while Allaire will address what broadband means to broadcasters.

With the U.S. broadcast industry regulated by the Federal Communications Commission to shut down analog signals by 2009, the continuing evolution of HD products and solutions will be front and center at this year's conference. Top camera manufactures will return to wrestle for attendees' attention on the show floor, with companies such as Sony offering an array of HD cameras in various budget ranges (see story, p. 16).

Sony will also display its launch of 4K digital projectors. There is considerable buzz surrounding 4K product heading into NAB, as production and post outfits take bold steps with the beyond-HD format.

"I think 4K is really hitting its stride in the film production market," says Patrick Myles, spokesperson for Waterloo, ON-based DALSA Corporation, manufacturer of the 4K Origin camera. DALSA is concentrating almost all of its marketing efforts on personal demonstrations for top-end directors of photography in Hollywood, and thus will not be on the show floor. However, footage captured on the Origin camera will be used in a number of 4K post-production demonstrations at NAB.

"We're very focused on moving 4K post-production forward," Myles adds.