Technology Expert Profile

Peter Symes

Manager, Advanced Technology, Grass Valley Group

Peter Symes is Manager of Advanced Technology for the Grass Valley Group with responsibilities that include strategic planning, intellectual property, and technological liaison. In the latter role he represents the Grass Valley Group in many organizations including the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He is currently Engineering Director, Television for SMPTE.

Symes holds patents and is the joint recipient of Emmy awards for the architecture of the digital picture processor. He is a Senior Member of IEEE, a Fellow of SMPTE, and in 1997 was appointed a Tektronix Fellow.

Symes has written and presented numerous papers at industry conferences, and recently authored a book, Video Compression, published by McGraw Hill in April 1998.

Symes received his Bachelor of Science degree with honors in 1967 and began his career in television in the engineering department of the British Broadcasting Corporation. He worked in product management for Philips and Central Dynamics before joining the Grass Valley Group in 1983.

Symes' current focus is on the transition to digital television, in the USA and around the world, with a particular emphasis on affordable solutions for high-definition television.