Bridging the Gaps in Pro AV & Broadcast: Magewell with MVD’s Mike Nann
Magewell’s story from USB Capture to all-in-one production: how a user-first approach powers pro AV, broadcast, and streaming—plus where devices like Director One, Director Mini, and NDI converters fit in real-world workflows.
Marc Aflalo sits down with Mike Nann of MVD (Mobile Video Devices)—Magewell’s exclusive North American distributor—to trace Magewell’s evolution and what makes their gear stick in both broadcast/media production and pro AV. Mike shares his 25+ years in video tech (from Digital Rapids’ early Olympic streaming with Windows Media) and explains how Magewell moved from OEM engineering (2011) to its own lineup by finding and fixing the “gaps” between signals, software, streams, and screens.
You’ll hear how USB Capture popularized true plug-and-play ingest for HDMI/SDI; why the pandemic accelerated adoption; and how the company designs products around “technical invisibility” for pro AV—where the best gear disappears into the workflow—while still giving producers deep control. We dig into Ultra Stream appliances for one-button streaming, NDI encoders/decoders that automatically match displays, and feature-rich tools like Director One (and Director Mini) that scale from touch-friendly switching to Stream Deck/Companion control.
Mike also talks pricing philosophy (reliable, mid-range value), firmware-driven improvements shaped by customer feedback (including an active user community), and how Magewell weighs new tech like OMT (Open Media Transport): not chasing “first,” but shipping when the ecosystem is ready and reliability is proven. He closes with advice for AV entrepreneurs: know your strengths, partner smartly (examples: Teleycam cameras, Miri + Speedify bonding), and keep listening to users.
00:00 – Marc sets the stage: story over specs
00:36 – Meet MVD & Mike’s background (Digital Rapids, early Olympic streaming)
02:28 – Magewell’s shift from OEM to its own product lines
03:52 – USB Capture: true plug-and-play ingest for HDMI/SDI
04:50 – How the pandemic accelerated capture & conferencing use cases
05:23 – Bridging gaps across signals, software, and screens
06:48 – Broadcast vs. Pro AV: different needs, same UX focus
08:31 – “Technical invisibility” and the easy-button mindset
09:32 – Designing user-first—even for power producers
12:03 – Director One/Director Mini: touch workflow + pro integrations
13:54 – From UltraStream simplicity to deeper control when needed
16:11 – Competing on reliability, UX, and plug-and-play (not race-to-cheap)
17:37 – NDI converters that auto-match displays (EDID awareness)
18:24 – Pricing context: durable, mid-range value; long service life
21:13 – Firmware updates shaped by user feedback and community
23:35 – Evaluating OMT: benefits vs. ecosystem maturity
26:23 – Advice to builders: play to strengths, partner, listen
27:29 – Where to learn more: Magewell & MVD
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Magewell: https://www.magewell.com
MVD (Mobile Video Devices): https://www.mobilevideodevices.com
#Magewell #ProAV #LiveProduction
Magewell, MVD, Mobile Video Devices, Director One, Director Mini, USB Capture, UltraStream, USB Fusion, NDI encoder, NDI decoder, live streaming hardware, video capture, broadcast production, pro AV workflows, plug and play video, IP video, user experience, technical invisibility, Speedify bonding, Miri Technologies, Telecam cameras, OMT protocol, Open Media Transport, Montreal production, accessibility tech
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