As 2020 comes to a close, AIMS can look back on a series of significant achievements in promoting a standards-based IP infrastructure for professional media. We also can look ahead to future success under the experienced leadership of our 2020-2021 board of directors.
Re-elected to their positions, AIMS Board Chair Michael Cronk, Deputy Board Chair Steve Reynolds, and Chief Financial Officer Andreas Hilmer will continue their leadership roles along with new board members Terry Holton and Andrew Starks. Holton and Starks have contributed enormously to the success of AIMS, working with colleagues to leverage virtual events and remote training to continue AIMS’ delivery of much-needed educational content on using standards to achieve interoperability in the IP environment.
AIMS took part in — and even hosted — virtual events that have changed the way the industry views trade shows, educational programs, and technical conferences. We participated in both the AES Show Fall 2020 Convention and the 2020 NAB Show New York, using those virtual platforms to continue in our mission despite limitations on travel and gatherings. We also produced our first virtual interactive event: IP Oktoberfest.
Like the conventional in-person IP Showcase events traditionally held at major trade shows, the AIMS IP Oktoberfest virtual event was dedicated to the goal of facilitating the industry’s transition from SDI to IP — and it was a resounding success. Our three-day online event drew more than 350 participants from more than 30 countries!
During the AES Show Fall 2020 Convention at the end of October, four AIMS members collaborated to present “Interoperability Standards for IP Media Networking,” as part of the virtual technical program. Terry Holton, Andreas Hildebrand, Nicolas Sturmel, and Claudio Becker-Foss tackled interoperability from a variety of angles to give attendees a comprehensive look at how current standards pave the way toward smart, effective, IP-based workflows. During the convention, we also partnered with AES in presenting the first in a new series of AoIP Summit events.
We most recently hosted a booth (A4) at SMPTE 2020: “Game On”, an interactive and immersive remote technical conference experience that ran Nov. 10-12. Our booth offered on-demand video sessions from experts from within AIMS, as well as an array of white papers and other educational resources.
Although we’d much rather meet in person with friends and colleagues from across the industry, we are pleased with the positive response to our presence at this year’s virtual events. Our IP Oktoberfest actually gave people a real chance to reconnect and catch up. Even more important, our event and AIMS booths at other events ensured that industry professionals had ongoing opportunities to learn from the experts and ask vital questions about media over IP and related technologies, standards, and workflows.