SVG Sit-Down: Grass Valley CEO Andrew Cross Examines AMPP's Power, Evolution The long-time leader in hardware aims to be tops in software, too By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - 11:14 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Grass Valley had its own hall at IBC, and one can see why. The suite of applications and software making up the Grass Valley Agile Media Processing Platform (AMPP) continues to expand, and that requires space to show them in action. And then there are the hardware-based solutions that continue to be a big part of the Grass Valley portfolio. All told, at IBC Grass Valley rolled out 11 new products, 24 new applications for AMPP, and 80 new features for the platform. Grass Valley CEO Dr. Andrew Cross sat down with SVG during the show to discuss what it all means and what lies ahead for Grass Valley customers and the industry.
Grass Valley's Dr. Andrew Cross: We are going to build AMPP as an infrastructure that we let everybody use.
It has been three years since IBC 2019, and a lot of companies have been transformed. Can you encapsulate all the changes at Grass Valley?
Cross: What is new about us is that we've become a leader in software technology. And nobody should take that for granted: Microsoft has gone from Windows to Azure. We've always been in hardware, but we are now an expert in software. And everything you've seen here at the show is doing real-time processing in software. We've got almost all our products in software, and that is a fundamental shift and one that is very hard for companies to make.
That's what is different. But here's what's not different: we understand that hardware still plays a role, and we are not looking to be a leader in software to replace hardware. We want to be a leader in software and hardware. And we are probably the only company that truly can be a leader in both. I think that that is important because it's like Apple: they represent 75% of all the money made in the cellphone market, but, if they had just made hardware, they would be 50% of the market, and, if they just made the software piece, they would be Android. It's the fact that they can combine to be the best of both.
I think that that's what Grass Valley is becoming and needs to become. We clearly have become experts in software. We also understand software is great where things like computers get commoditized, because it is just far easier to use GPUs and CPUs for certain things.
The Grass Valley LDX135 camera with global shutter debuted at IBC 2022.
But certain parts of broadcast hardware have not been commoditized and won't get commoditized because they're not just general-purpose markets. If you can be good at both, that can make you truly unique in the market. I think that that's something that only we can do.
If someone comes to you and asks, Which way should I go, hardware or software? Is there a delineation on what workflows work best one way or the other?
Cross: I don't think they're distinct; I think they help each other. There are certain things where you are in a facility, and you can't avoid having some kind of routing right now. It might be SDI routing now, but even then, if you are running a big show, you're going to do it on a control service, even if it's software doing some of the video processing. That is why there are two sides to it in just the same way I couldn't use a cellphone if wasn't running an OS. You need both pieces, and they need to come together.
What's new here at the show in terms of products?
Cross: I can give you an answer, but what we have here is more than the sum of the parts. We've got great new features in our switchers that combine multiple hardware switchers to generate up to 16 mix effects; we've got the LTX 135 camera that is amazing; and we have AMPP management, which now has NMOS integration. All of those are huge, but the fact that it's all built on one platform and all works together is the real story. Our platform now allows you to have your cameras in one part of the world and the production gallery in another with IT management in the cloud. That's the real story here.
How to do you introduce AMPP to someone unfamiliar with what it can mean to their operations?
Cross: We're talking with all the tier-one broadcasters, so I do think they get the concept. They are all asking about cloud-based workflows, and they get it. But what they're worrying about, legitimately so, is what this big change means for them. How does this change the technology? How do you do this without risking the business? How do you do it to grow the business and try new things without risking the old things? What kind of events is it worth doing it in? And what is it? Those are really good questions. A lot of [the broadcasters] are running POCs and tests.
Grass Valley AMPP Edge provides on-premises I/O and processing power.
But a lot of them are now going to air as well. It is kind of astounding that every customer meeting covers next-generation platforms and the next-generation workforce, how they interact with hardware, and how private cloud can be used to augment shows, capabilities, and allow people to work remotely.
You hear a lot of discussion about private vs. public cloud. How do you simplify those concepts?
Cross: I say cloud because then everybody understands what I mean. The real revolution is simple: affordable compute running software. Cloud is just affordable compute running software somewhere else. And here you can have an affordable compute running locally, and that has become cheap enough that you can do anything you need.
How are the conversations you are having different for European broadcasters from other broadcasters?
Cross: My instinctual answer i
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
SVG Sit-Down: Grass Valley CEO Andrew Cross Examines AMPP's Power, Evolution The long-time leader in hardware aims to be tops in software, too By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
