Disc risk
The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Carlise Newman
For Bob Kames Jr., growing up in the entertainment industry meant that one day he would have to choose on which side he wanted to work.
He made the decision to work on the production side and is reaping the benefits today.
Kames' company, UPI Interactive, has recently added digital versatile disc (DVD) development to its list of interactive services and is one of the first video development firms in the state to install a Sonic DVD authoring system and offer it as a service to clients.
"Any business that uses videotape at present is a target for DVD," Kames said.
Digital versatile discs, known by some consumers as digital video discs, are high-density compact disc formats. They initially were designed for consumers, used to store music, films or software with more visual and audio clarity than the videocassette.
The discs are considered to be the new wave of video technology. Experts in the industry say every household will soon have a DVD recorder instead of a videocassette recorder to watch movies. DVD recorders are sold in stores now, as are computers with DVD capability.
UPI Interactive is banking on the business world's acceptance of DVD as a medium for training and advertising. The firm can record information on DVDs for businesses, similar to making videos.
Companies may choose DVDs over videocassettes for a number of reasons. They are much clearer, visually and audibly; they can store more information than videocassettes; and eventually, DVDs will have recording capabilities like videocassettes.
Kames' entry into the world of video production and technology came from growing up with music and television. His father, Bob Kames Sr., produced "Bob Kames Family Room," a family variety television show, for 17 years. The family also was heavily involved with music. Bob Kames Sr. owns a music store, and both father and son play piano and organ.
Kames helped his father by playing piano on the television show, but eventually tired of it and began working in the control room, helping to produce the show.
"Eventually, my interest in how things were done won over my interest in music," Kames. said.
Kames started up his video development company in 1982, the same time his father decided to cancel the show because television time was becoming too expensive. His father's involvement did not stop there, however. Kames Sr. assisted in developing a DVD-run piano, which is now featured in JCPenney stores where he previously played the piano.
The piano, set in a kiosk, allows shoppers at the store to use a touch screen to select music, which in turn controls the piano to play it. JCPenney is a recently acquired customer of UPI.
Another client is Instrumentarium Imaging Inc., a medical imaging products manufacturer in Milwaukee. UPI created DVDs for training and development of products, as well as a video explaining the firm's products.
"Eventually, everyone will have to switch to DVD. It's simply a better product, and everyone wants the best," Kames said.
Interest in DVDs started in 1992, when the first discs were released for consumers as movie videos.
"I knew then that DVD would become much bigger as a product for businesses because of its worldwide format," Kames said.
Companies such as Instrumentarium want a product that could be used internationally. Videos cannot be used in every country, because videotape recorders vary considerably. DVDs can be used in any DVD player or recorder that is manufactured.
Other video production companies in Milwaukee agree that DVD will eventually become a big part of the video development industry, but it may take a few years.
"DVD gives you much more versatility and clarity. Still, it's a matter of getting the hardware," said George Liberatore, president of Midland Video Productions Inc. in Milwaukee. "Not all companies have the hardware that allows them to play DVD, and therefore neither will customers."
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