1986: Zaxcom is founded by Glenn Sanders. After working in post-production and seeing the need for a more efficient workflow, Glenn creates the first Time Base Control System (TBC) System for video editing. The TBC System becomes an industry staple and wins the Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award in 1990.
1992: Zaxcom begins pioneering equipment for the professional audio industry introducing the DMX1000, a full feature digital audio mixer for post-production.
1995: Arria, a 6-channel digital mixer, is introduced. Arria expands in 1998, becoming the Arria HD, an 8-channel expandable digital audio mixer for high definition edit suites and live applications.
1996: Glenn Sanders, President and Howard Stark, Chief Engineer, design, develop, and manufacture the Deva, the first 4-channel portable hard disk recorder, changing the landscape of location sound recording.
1997: Zaxcom invents PreRecord and MARF two industry changing features incorporating them into the Deva II. PreRecord keeps incoming audio in an internal buffer allowing you to record up to 10 previous seconds of audio prior to hitting the record button and Mobile Audio Recording Format or MARF is an ultra-stable, lossless fault-tolerant format that keeps your audio safe up to the moment of power loss or premature card removal. A version of PreRecord has been adopted in nearly every recorder in the professional market today.
1999: Digital mixers Cameo LRC and Cameo SV are released.
2002: Zaxcom introduces Digital Wireless to the audio industry. It marks the first time Digital Modulation is used in a professional bodypack wireless system. At the time the industry thought it was nearly impossible to transmit and receive nothing but 1s and 0s. We’re proud of work, producing results that sound like a hard-wired microphone without any distortion or transmission artifacts.
2003: Zaxcom invents acoustic control of a wireless transmitter. Initially through tones that feeds the transmitter via the connected microphone.
2003: At the 75th Annual Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents a Scientific and Engineering Award to Glenn Sanders and Howard Stark for the concept, design, and engineering of the portable Deva Digital Audio Disk Recorder. The plaque reads:
“This innovative design employs advanced hard disk recording technology and digital audio techniques for use in both production and post-production recording applications.”
2003: Zaxcom moves from Midland Park, NJ to their current facility in Pompton Plains, NJ.
2004: Zaxcom introduces the Deva IV and Deva V. They boast an intuitive color touch screen, an optional internal DVD-RAM drive, and can record up to 10 tracks of audio. Stereo ENG wireless was also released. For the first time you can transmit two channels of audio using one transmitter and one receiver, making the perfect bag to camera link.
2005: Zaxcom invents its patented Digital Recording Wireless and ZaxNet with the TRX900 bodypack transmitter. The TRX900 is a first of its kind transmitting crystal clear audio while simultaneously recording a timecode stamped full resolution audio file to an optional internal micoSD card. With ZaxNet, the TRX9000 can be controlled remotely, adjusting the frequency, preamp again, transmitter RF power, and replay audio.
2006: Zaxcom releases the Mix-12 Control Surface, a mixing panel for the Deva IV or Deva V and its second generation Digital Recording Wireless.
2010: NeverClip is introduced which incorporates two separate analog to digital converters working in conjunction with each other to give you an unprecedented dynamic range where audio may never clip. The extended dynamic range is done so without the use of distorting limiters and compressors.
2016: Zaxcom is honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with an Engineering, Science & Technology Award for Digital Recording Wireless. Zaxcom is proud to be the only company awarded an Emmy for a wireless microphone product.
2017: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards Zaxcom with a Science and Technology Award for Digital Recording Wireless.
2019: Nova is born becoming the first mixer-recorder of its kind featuring 16 recording tracks and the ability to receive up to 8 channels of transmitted audio thanks to its optional built-in slot receivers. Nova sets new standards in size, weight, and functionality.