I like the depth of what my buddy Joel touches on...see below:?

Entertainment finds itself at several technological cross roads:
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A)? HD acquisition is penetrating further and further into daily production and more and more American have access to HD television even if they have not yet bought HD televisions. With Fox?s mandate for all television production (reality or otherwise) to be HD ready (either through up-conversion or HD acquisition) and several key cable networks (MTV,
Discovery) starting up HD channels, 2004 may be the first year where we can really say HD has been more then breaking technology.

B)? Non-Tape or Film based Recording technologies. While Tivo, Replay and DVD recorders are slowly trying to kill off the VHS machine from the home, Sony?s XDCAM (blueray DVD recording cameras), Panasonics ?P2? (flash ram recording camera) and Ikegami?s Editcam (hard drive recording cameras) are set to revolutionize tape based production and post production. While I would not dump my stock in Sony Media, one might take a cautionary look at the future effects of these technologies.

C)? 2004 was also the year that 24 frame progressive technology really penetrated tape based production and more shows were shot using a small handful of camera that recorded 24P footage to both HD and Standard Def tape. The ability to capture 24 frame footage without the burden and cost of film has been a major new tool for television production and will continue to give a new look to tape based production in the years to come.

D)? Lastly but not least, watch for big changes to continue to roll out of Japan for the next year or two as all the manufacturers revamp and discontinue any product that fails to meet the mandates of the Kyoto Accord. If you have been watching, a lot of technology that has been around for years has disappeared and or been replaced recently. Sony?s discontinuation of Betacam was partially based on the need to redesign all equipment to make it meet the lower lead requirements of the accord. This NAB I expect to see revamped versions of any technology that is older then 2-3 years with new versions. Canon lens that have an ?E? in the model number signify environmentally modified lenses with less lead and by the end of 2005 you will not be able to get any lenses that are not ?E? models. Most significantly will be the death of the picture tube, which is predicted to occur in the next 3-5 years. It is rumored that Sony and Panasonic will announce that almost all of their professional and broadcast picture tube products will be discontinued in the years to come.
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These and many other technological changes will continue to alter the landscape that the entertainment and media professionals are faced with on a daily basis. I agree that being well versed and prepared will grant an edge to both companies and individuals.
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One however should never forget that Technology should always play second seat to Story, Cast and Creative content. If you do not have a great story and a good cast of actors even the best of technology will not make your production succeed. Look first to the making your creative content the best that it can be and then make your vision come true with the right technology.
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Joel Ordesky?