Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) have rapidly changed how people consume and engage with content and information. Technological advances in television, streaming media, and telecommunications have changed the industry and worldwide audiences. Visionary thinkers have advanced the TMT industry in recent decades. Matjaz “Matt” Vidmar, a pioneer in television, streaming media, and telecommunications, is one of these leaders. His work has enhanced technology and changed global media delivery and consumption.
Matjaz Vidmar was born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, on August 30, 1962, where he began his career in technology and media. His childhood and education in Slovenia set the stage for a career spanning multiple countries and sectors. Vidmar had excellent skills in economics and electronics, which would shape his career. He studied economics and electronics in Ljubljana to prepare for the complicated intersections of technology and business.
Vidmar’s education solidified his business mentality. While a student, he started Eastern Europe’s first privately owned advertising business, Video Art Studio (VAS). Private business, especially in media, was unusual in the region, making this a courageous and bold initiative. However, the success of VAS showed Vidmar’s ability to identify and seize opportunities, a trait that would define his career. Early exposure to the problems and possibilities of operating a firm in a fast-changing world gave him significant experience for his future.
Matjaz Vidmar traveled to London in 1986 to get media experience, changing his career. This shift put Vidmar in the center of a vibrant media sector with potential for development and innovation. His first important position was at Gold Video Production, where he became famous. In 1988, he directed Buckingham Palace’s Royal Garden Party, demonstrating his accuracy and ingenuity in high-profile projects.
To further his career, Vidmar joined CFC (now Framestore), a prominent electronic film post-production and VFX movie effects company. Vidmar helped CFC pioneer visual effects, winning two Academy Scientific and Technical Awards. He showed his ingenuity at CFC, especially in a new sector. His experience then shaped his approach to technology development and business, notably in television and streaming media.
Matt Vidmar founded Connexion Exports in 1991 after his early accomplishments. The business pioneered low-cost CG workstations for broadcast and DTP. Connexion Exports’ primary product, the groundbreaking 64-bit graphic workstation ‘X-System Alpha-64,’ established industry standards. This breakthrough was significant as the broadcast and publishing industries transitioned from analog to digital technology, and demand for high-performance visual solutions increased.
Connexion Exports’ Crown Jewels artwork was a highlight, airbrushed onto a 72-meter-long, 4-meter-high oil canvas. This artwork surrounded The Jewel House in the Tower of London during its 1994 refurbishment, demonstrating the company’s adaptability and perfection. This project raised Connexion Exports’ profile and established Vidmar’s reputation as an inventor who can accomplish complex, large-scale projects. His career would be driven by his ability to combine cutting-edge technology with innovative ideas in TMT.
Vidmar’s business drive flourished in television and streaming. In 1997, he established ON-AIR Systems, which became OASYS in 2012. “Channel-in-a-Box” was the first ‘Integrated TV Playout Video Server’ with playout automation, interactive CG, vision mixing, and shared video storage by ON-AIR Systems. The television industry was transformed by this breakthrough, which streamlined multi-channel network TV procedures and cut operating expenses. “Channel-in-a-Box” became the global broadcasting standard within five years.
The success of ON-AIR Systems laid the foundation for Vidmar’s next streaming media innovation. His 1999 “Xtreme IPTV™,” a complete platform for IPTV service delivery to broadband consumers, was the first known TV streaming solution. The first commercial installation of Xtreme IPTV™ in Mumbai in 2000 was a critical milestone in advancing OTT video services. This revolutionary invention awarded Vidmar the “NASSCOM First Prize for the Most Innovative Technology Company” in 2000, demonstrating its worldwide significance.
Xtreme IPTV™ set the groundwork for OTT video services’ financial success and showcased the possibilities of internet-based content distribution, transforming the media sector.
Vidmar led media change in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The debut of “Xtreme IPTV™” revolutionized content distribution and consumption, including introducing new technology. Internet streaming was unique in a period when conventional broadcasts dominated. Vidmar’s idea connected conventional TV broadcasting to the internet’s potential, launching the streaming revolution.
“Xtreme IPTV™” was a strategic effort that foresaw the change toward digital and on-demand programming, not merely a technological feat. Vidmar helped broadcasters move to the digital era by delivering a comprehensive IPTV service delivery solution. Mumbai’s first commercial installation showed the platform’s resilience and rising demand for such technology. Vidmar’s career is defined by his ability to predict market demands and build technologies to meet them before they become widespread.
Vision Group, formed by Matjaz Vidmar in 2005, became a TMT powerhouse. Vision Group had headquarters in London, Dubai, and Ljubljana. It included many private technology firms that concentrated on media and telecommunications. The group included Connexion Broadcast, Vision Fibre Media (sold in 2014), Playout247™, and Vision247™. These firms helped Vision Group push media technology frontiers and develop creative solutions to meet industry demands.
Vision Group pioneered cloud-based broadcasting with the introduction of XtremeOVP™ in 2006. The XtremeOVP™ successor to Xtreme IPTV™ advanced OTT and cloud broadcasting capabilities significantly. The platform offered ‘Channel-from-the-Cloud,’ ‘Catch-up-TV,’ and ‘Forward-TV,’ which gave broadcasters more flexible and user-friendly content delivery options. Modern streaming services need these capabilities, which became the industry standard.
Vidmar took another risk by acquiring Ljubljana-based IPTV middleware R&D firm Fora d.o.o. in 2012. This strategic acquisition sought to improve Vision Group’s development skills and push IPTV and OTT service limits. The following year, Vidmar launched Perception TVCDN™, the first end-to-end ‘Unified CDN/OTT/IPTV Platform-in-a-Box.’ This platform revolutionized intake, streaming protocol re-warping, time-shift recording, live and VOD streaming, and content distribution into a single system.
Perception TVCDN™ won many honors for its revolutionary video distribution strategy, swiftly gaining industry prominence. It solved several broadcasters and content providers’ problems, including sustaining high-quality video feeds across devices and networks. The platform’s success established Vidmar’s status as a TMT pioneer and showed his ability to foresee and meet industry demands with cutting-edge solutions.
Matt Vidmar began advising and consulting in technology M&A as his career grew. He was sought after as a consultant due to his telecom, media, and technology expertise and innovation track record. Using his industry expertise, Vidmar advised on project feasibility, finance, and development plans, especially in the context of developing technology and new market prospects.
Matjaz Vidmar led with strategic vision, technical skill, and innovation. He wanted to set industry trends and push the limits. This proactive leadership style allowed him to foresee market demands and provide realistic, forward-thinking solutions. Matt Vidmar’s contributions to television broadcasting, streaming media, and telecommunications technology characterize his TMT legacy. His work has shaped media production, distribution, and consumption. He pioneered technologies including “Channel-in-a-Box” and Perception TVCDN™, which established industry standards and continue to change media and telecoms.
Vidmar continues to build Perception Group and increase its TMT impact as Chairman and Strategy Director. His plans include developing the Perception TVCDN platform and introducing new products and services to improve cloud-based broadcasting and streaming. Vidmar’s commitment to innovation and quality will continue to shape media technology for years.
Matjaz Vidmar’s career shows how innovative leadership can change a global sector. His contributions to the TMT industry have enhanced technology and changed media and telecoms thinking. Vidmar’s entrepreneurial endeavors, innovations, and strategic leadership continue to shape media and technology.
Published by: Martin De Juan
