Studio Monthly articles from March 2008

Studio Monthly archives from March 2008

Trading spaces.(editor's note)
March 1, 2008... Now that both Avid and Apple have pulled out of NAB, what's there for an editor to look forward at the show this spring? On the bright side, you won't get stuck in a sea of people as soon as you enter South Hall. But if you're a Final Cut or...

Breaking waveforms.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Tektronix announces a new value HD waveform monitor and rasterizer, the WVR5000, which supports both SD and high definition (HD). It operates on a standard 12v battery and is designed for field deployment with an LED backlit display. The...

Double capacity card.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Panasonic will release a 64 GB P2 solid-state memory card for its line of P2 HD and P2 solid-state camcorders and decks, double the 32 GB card it currently offers. The new card can store over four hours of DVCPRO footage (64 GB x 4 minutes per...

Switcher of all trades.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Broadcast Pix announced HD versions of its expanded Slate switcher family. The new product, which has the capacity to function as an integrated production system, includes switcher, CG, clip stores, still stores and monitoring, and seamlessly...

No noise in real time.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... FOR-A will introduce the DNE-2, a real-time video noise eraser, at NAB. The DNE-2 removes grain and dust noise from video that's been converted from film. It supports HD-SDI input and output and the following formats: 1080/59.94i, 1080/50i,...

Signals in the field.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... RF Central is introducing its RFX-PMR-II portable digital receiver at NAB 2008, available in both SD and full HD configuration. The rugged unit offers exceptional performance for portable links and is designed for easy and quick set-up for ENG...

Fast switch.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Focus Enhancements announced a new stand-alone HD video switcher, the HX1. The switcher has active loop-through on all inputs, as well as three dual HD-SDI outputs for program, preview and video effects monitoring. Its adjustable effects...

Create a racket.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Ikan has announced two major rack mount launches. The first, designed for multi-camera productions, is the RM 4-25, an all metal enclosed rack containing contains four 2.5 inch high resolution LCD panels with front controls, a single captive...

Two new versions of 3ds Max.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Autodesk has announced the latest version of 3ds Max, as well as a new version of Max that brings the best of VIZ, the company's architectural visualization software, together with a non-SDK version of the modeling and animation package. 3ds...

Ease of extension.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... A new jib from j michael media, LLC, the Type-S Jib, is the first in the company's Type-S Series product line. The Type-S Jib is a tripod-mounted compact jib arm that lets the operator boom the camera from ground level to maximum height and...

Levelpod no-cost upgrade.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Levelpod has been upgraded to support heavy professional camcorders like the Panasonic HVX-200, Canon XH-G1, Sony HVR-Z7U and the new Sony PMW-EX1. It now optimally supports higher maximum weight limit of 18 lbs, has a taller monopod that goes...

Fast processing power.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Linear Acoustic is announcing a new TV audio processor, the Aeromax 5.1-XL, at NAB. It's the first TV audio processor to feature built-in Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoding. The 5.1-XL comes equipped with a loudness controller, upmixer, and metadata...

Light Touch.(Spotlight on HD)
March 1, 2008... Wohler is announcing a new multi-channel video color monitor, the Touch-It Digital, at NAB. The unit is three rack spaces in height and installs into an industry standard 19-inch wide rack. It features dual high resolution color 7-inch LCD...

Digital Anarchy ToonIt! Hand-drawn style on a budget.(ROI reviews)
March 1, 2008... You can't miss it these days, whether on TV, in film or even in those airline safety videos we all watch before a flight--that popular effect that transforms a regular live-action shot into a line-drawn, highly detailed animation. Digital...

HP xw8600 eight-core workstation: more processing power, plus plenty of extra ports.(ROI reviews)
March 1, 2008... Your high-end workstation felt so fast a year ago. It was the best of the bunch, the fastest in the world--but maybe now you're itching for even more speed. How much difference would a new workstation make, running the fastest, shiniest,...

Harrison Digital Salvation MX: a powerful, real-time video mixer for live events.(ROI reviews)
March 1, 2008... Late last year, Harrison Digital Media released a light, affordable real-time video mixing system called Salvation MX that is specifically targeted at VJs, but so easy to use that just about anyone can pick it up quickly. Salvation MX is the...

Play with 3D space in Apple Motion 3.(how)
March 1, 2008... STEP 1 CREATE A NEW PROJECT Start by opening Apple Motion 3. If the Welcome screen appears, select Start with a New Project and then click Continue. In the Select Project Preset dialog choose Broadcast HD 720p from the presets pop-up...

Three ways to transfer Sony XDCAM content to Final Cut Pro.(how)
March 1, 2008... METHOD 1 (EXPRESS SLOT) AND METHOD 2 (USB CABLE TO CAMCORDER) STEP 1 CONNECT CABLES After shooting, remove the SxS card from camcorder and place it in the express slot of laptop; or Attach the camcorder (with the SxS card still...

Hollywood now serving Cajun: the heady mix of brand-spanking-new facilities, skilled local talent, and budget-friendly tax breaks makes a compelling case for moving your production to LA (Louisiana that is).
March 1, 2008... It may be the worst kept secret in Hollywood. Louisiana is now the third most popular region of the country for movie productions, after Los Angeles and New York. A total of 53 major productions were completed in 2007, including theatrical...

My CES revelation: forgoing NAB for CES this year, Bruce A. Johnson discovered just how many options his viewers now have.(issues)
March 1, 2008... As a television station employee, I've made the annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the National Association of Broadcasters convention each April for the last nine years. It's a spectacle that is enormous, rarely boring and always huge. It...

WDDG's inspired gameplay.(STUDIOS ON THE RISE)
March 1, 2008... WHAT'S THEIR GIG? On a foreboding block at the mouth of the Holland Tunnel in Manhattan lies World Domination Design Group. Two signs on the doors to their headquarters read: "Create" and "Destroy." Upon first impression, however, the...