Studio Monthly articles from June 2008

Studio Monthly archives from June 2008

Touch the screen.(editor's note)
June 1, 2008... As the economy rolls and dips along yet another unruly path, bargain deals can feel like potent shock absorbers, especially when you desperately need a new piece of gear. An on-camera sungun for around $300 and an interactive pen display for...

Motu's FireWire I/O box now in sync with Final Cut Pro.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... MOTU has just launched the V4HD, the next generation of the company's V3HD FireWire video I/O and converter box for Mac and Windows. The V4HD provides the same features as the V3HD, plus some notable new features, including support for a...

Hear a higher frequency.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... KRK Systems launched the second generation of their industry-standard Rokit monitor. The second generation Rokit incorporates serveral technologies from the company's VXT and E8B lines, including radically radiused edges along the front of the...

A more efficient SATA RAID connection.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... Sonnet Technologies announced the Fusion RAID Expander, which can connect up to seven Sonnet Fusion SATA RAID desktop or rack-mount storage systems to a single computer for faster performance and access to up to 56 terabytes (TB) of protected...

At the touch of a finger.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... FOR-A released the MPB-100VW Video Writer, which, first shown at NAB 2008, will also be featured at the company's booth at Info-Comm 2008 (Booth C2316). The Video Writer features a telestrator that responds to a finger's touch, allowing users...

No reservations.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... MusicBox has just launched a new music catalogue of never-released material from the archives of independent composers entitled Private Reserve. The catalogue offers 1,200 musical cuts across 11 dramatic categories, with each cut organized into...

Easy track access.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... Music 2 Hues has just completed a major renovation to its Web site, adding more than 1,000 music tracks and 500 SFX for instant online download in the download center's third and final site-building phase. Now customers can purchase individual...

Far-out sounds.(gear up)
June 1, 2008... Groove Addicts' new Groove Addicts Library contains unique themes that reach beyond standard genres. With more genre-within-genre specification, including a darktronica category, these tracks are available for download only. Another Groove...

Litepanels Micro: dramatic price drop, but inconsistent quality.(ROI reviews)
June 1, 2008... I've never been much of a "sungun guy." Most halogen camera-mount lights are blunt instruments at best--the equivalent of shining headlights into the eyes of a deer at night, and hard on batteries to boot. And mounting a light directly on the...

Wacom Cintiq 12WX: the price is right but the small size of this sturdy touch-screen poses practical production issues.(ROI reviews)
June 1, 2008... In 2001 Wacom revolutionized digital artistry with the introduction of the first Cintiq interactive pen displays. Though pricey the Cintiqs were popular because they allowed artists to draw directly on screen, thus more closely emulating...

Zaxwerks 3D Flag: makes waving an afterthought, especially in after effects.(ROI reviews)
June 1, 2008... I produce a number of politically-themed programs throughout the year and was considering buying Digital Juice's "International Flags" Jump Backs to use in my productions. While this may have filled my need for $99, I soon discovered that...

Create a network ID/glass bug in Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Final Cut Pro 6 projects.(how)
June 1, 2008... STEP 1 ACCESS DOCUMENT PRESETS IN PHOTOSHOP CS3 Access the document presets by navigating to the Photoshop top menu and choosing File, then New. In the Preset field, click the arrows to reveal the preset options and choose Film and...

More than a TV: improved LCD technology, first developed and deployed in consumer televisions, finally finds its niche in the professional monitoring and display market.(SPECIAL REPORT: MONITORS)
June 1, 2008... Consumer TVs are driving the LCD display market. That's both good and bad for video professionals. The good news? Everything is moving to 16:9. The bad news? The free ride where professionals and consumers could share essentially the same...

Deliver mixed media content to signage with Grass Valley MediaEdge.(train up)
June 1, 2008... STEP 1 MANAGE YOUR ASSETS Three simple tools are required to publish digital signage consisting of mutliple file types: A MediaEdge video distribution system with the new "DS" upgrade; an internal FTP site where content can be staged; and...

Streamline your quick time-based workflow with MetaCheater and Avid Media Composer.(train up)
June 1, 2008... STEP 1 CREATE A SINGLE FOLDER FOR ALL FILES Organization is key to any workflow, and that applies even more so to file-based workflows. The following steps are good for any QuickTime that contains timecode and/or tape name. If no tape...

Resident adviser.(hot house)
June 1, 2008... WHAT'S THEIR GIG? Post houses often pitch themselves as thriving megastudios who have struggled to retain their boutique atmosphere, allowing for intimate collaborative relationships with their clients. When this concept is floated by...