AV Video Multimedia Producer articles from May 2003

AV Video Multimedia Producer archives from May 2003

MAC aficionado turned PC enthusiast: profile of The Orphanage. (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... As a loyal Macintosh[R] aficionado, the last thing visual effects creator Stu Maschwitz thought he'd ever do was to replace his sexy Mac dual-800 G4 computer with a Microsoft[R] Windows[R]based workstation. After all, he'd been on a Mac since...

In defense of real time. (Real Time).
May 1, 2003... EARLY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 9, I turned on the television in my hotel room at NAB. I was still recovering from three long days of press conferences and booth appointments, and I was groggily contemplating the two days I had left to go. On...

Focusing on acquisition: DV cameras and accessories at NAB 2003. (Production).
May 1, 2003... WHILE THERE WERE SEVERAL announcements from Sony and Panasonic regarding cameras based on media other than tape, on the NAB show floor there were two big-news DV tape cameras shown: the Panasonic AF-SDX900 and JVC's new JY-HD10U HD camcorder....

Outside the box: Macromedia pushes Flash beyond the Web browser and onto the laptop. (Post-Production).
May 1, 2003... WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO TRAVEL on business with just your handy laptop, or better yet, just your handheld organizer of choice--and never have to worry about Internet access? Say you need to access the corporate portal before a meeting, but are...

Heavenly touch: touch-panel technology gets better and easier to navigate. (Presentations).
May 1, 2003... IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT touch panels lately, you may be surprised. The technology has progressed exponentially over the past few years. These sleek touch-sensitive panels can now handle full-motion video, integrate seamlessly with PowerPoint...

Measuring ROI: how do media departments show that they make financial sense? (Smart Media Business).
May 1, 2003... JUSTIFYING THE EXISTENCE OF A media department is an ongoing task for the media manager. The task can be easier, however, if you have solid measurements that your boss and the accounting department can understand and evaluate. What does your...

Move it: choosing and using Flash to benefit your clients' sites. (Winners' Circle).
May 1, 2003... Flash for the Real World Christopher Grotke BY NOW, EVERYONE KNOWS HOW the Macromedia Flash plug-in makes it possible to bring innovative interfaces, interactivity and crisp animation to your Web projects- everyone, it seems, except...

Panasonic. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... First, a coda to our Tapeless Recording coverage in the April issue: PANASONIC (www.panasonic.com) stunned us all with the announcement of a new camera prototype based on solid-state recording media "No cassette, no disc, no motor, no laser,"...

Sony. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... SONY (http://bssc.sel.sony.com), for its part, noted that its much-anticipated optical-disc system has a transfer rate four times faster than consumer DVD and a life expectancy of about 30 years. The new system integrates with existing...

Ikegami. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... IKEGAMI (www.ikegami.com) showed its new HDK-79E high-definition portable camera, a companion to its HDK-790E studio/field camera.

Thomson Grass Valley. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... THOMSON GRASS VALLEY (www.thomsongrassvalley.com) introduced its M-Series iVDR, a combination touch-screen VTR, digital storage and removable media system that can store up to 64 hours of DV-25 material. Thomson says it intends the new VDR to...

Broadcast Pix. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Newcomer BROADCAST FIX (www.broadcastpix.com) showed its impressive--and affordable--Broadcast Pix Studio, a live video-production system featuring 10-bit 4:2:2 picture quality and solid on-air operation. What's great about this one-person...

Canon. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... CANON (www.usa.canon.com) showcased its new J22ex7.6B e-IFxs lens, a wide-angle portable lens with a number of advanced digital control features. "This is the best SD lens we've ever made. It just sparkles," says Gordon Tubbs, assistant...

Global Streams. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Yes, remember Trinity? Those of you still using one know that GLOBAL STREAMS (www.globalstreams.com) bought Play's legacy system at version 2.4 and now sells it as GlobeCaster 4000 and 8000. Current Trinity users can make the software-only...

Newtek. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... NEWTEK (www.newtek.com) announced that its forthcoming Toaster release, VT[3], will ship with a full copy of NewTek's LightWave 3D included. Those who purchase NewTek's VT[2] between now and when VT[3] is released (no exact ship date has been...

Apple. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... One heavily discussed announcement at NAB was APPLE's (www.apple.com) Final Cut Pro 4, expected to ship in June. The software will scale the number of real-time video streams and real-time effects to the processor's speed. In addition to...

Avid. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Meanwhile, AVID (www.avid.com) sent its own shockwaves through the industry with the announcement of its new DNA engines that power a new line of editing and finishing systems. The systems scale from the Avid Xpress Pro with Avid Mojo, which...

Sonic Solutions. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... SONIC SOLUTIONS (www.sonicsolutions.com) debuted Scenarist 3, its professional DVD authoring system for commercial DVD title production. Sonic also announced that its Reel DVD LE will be bundled with Avid's Xpress DV version 3.5 PowerPack, as...

Apple. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... APPLE also announced a new version of its composiring and effects software Shake. With Shake 3, Apple is letting users harness the Rendezvous component of OS X for more efficient rendering. Shake Qmaster looks at a network to identify render...

AJA Video Systems. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS (www.aja.com), known for its close work with Apple in developing the Kona video capture cards for OS X (see the review of the latest Kona-SD card on page 44), introduced Io. Rack-mountable, yet suitable for a desktop, Io can...

Boris FX. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Bundled in the Xpress Pro is BORIS FX'S (www.borisfx.com) OpenGL 3D DVE, found in Boris RED 3GL. The addition of OpenGL to the company's effects software accelerates the package's 2D and 3D effects. The RED engine also provides standalonge...

Media 100. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... MEDIA 100 (www.media100.com) showcased version 2.0 of its 844/X effects and editing system. Dubbed The Finishing Release, it features new color-correction, matte design and rotoscoping tools.

Discreet. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... DISCREET (www.discreet.com) launched its closely guarded 2K color-grading system, lustre. The company also gave the first public showing of cleaner XL, the Windows version of its cleaner mastering software.

Leitch. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... LEITCH (www.leitch.com) unveiled some impressive improvements to the software for its dpsVelocityQ and dpsVelocity NLEs. One such improvement is the addition of EyeCon View, which shows a thumbnail-size moving image alongside each timeline...

Canopus. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... CANOPUS (www.canopus.com) announced a brand-new NLE, Edius. Users will be able to work with an unlimited number of video and audio tracks, as well as unlimited graphics layers. Intended for use with Canopus DVRex RT and DV Storm hardware, the...

Accom. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... ACCOM (www.accom.com) expanded its line of DVEs with Dveous/MX, a futureproofed version of the Dveous. While the MX is available in several versions, all include at least one channel of ND, allowing producers create real-time effects in both SD...

Ulead. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... The Studio Quartet suite of applications from ULEAD (www.ulead.com) underscored the multi-application approach that many content-creation software makers are taking. The package bundles Photoimpact 8, COOL 3D Studio, MediaStudio Pro 7, and DVD...

Sonic Foundry. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... SONIC FOUNDRY'S (www.sounicfoundry.com) MediaSite live combines conventional editing tools with streaming Web-based capability aimed at the increasing demand for rich media presentations and the need to archive and distribute them on the...

Artbeats. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... ARTBEATS (www.artbeats.com) announced at the show that it is shipping 30 new stock-footage collections, including a number of high-definition and CG titles. Subjects range from locations (such as San Francisco and London, both of which are...

Alias/wavefront. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... ALIAS/WAVEFRONT (www.aliaswavefront.com) announced a new version of its Maya 3D software. Expected to ship this month, Maya 5 presents greatly expanded rendering options: a hardware renderer, the Maya software renderer, mental ray for Maya, or...

Softimage. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Only five months after the release of version 3.1, SOFTIMAGE (www.softimage.com) showed version 3.5 of its SOFTIMAGE/XSI 3D animation package. It will be available in June for beta testing. It will list for $6,750. The division of Avid also...

For-A. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... FOR-A (www.for-a.com) showcased a new version of its digiWarp virtual studio system, the digiWarp-EX II. New features include enhanced masking and chromakeying tools. The company hopes the new lower price of $30,000 will appeal to smaller...

Inscriber. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... INSCRIBER (www.inscriber.com) showed v.1.1 of its InfoCaster system, a software-only package for creating interactive content for digital signage. It will ship in May for $2,750. A network manager, which lets you link your InfoCaster media to...

Media Sonic. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... MEDIASONIC (www.mediasonic.com) introduced iMediate, a suite of media networking tools for scheduling and playout of interactive content for a video network. The product is expected to ship in June.

Laird Telemedia. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... LAIRD TELEMEDIA (www.lairdtelemedia.com) introduced the new LTM-PROBAY system, a slide-in, bidirectional DV converter to put inside your new Apple G4 or PC computer. The kit will ship in June for $1,495.

Studio Network Solutions. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... STUDIO NETWORK SOLUTIONS (www.studionetworksolutions.com) showed SANmp, which lets workstations with different OSs concurrently access a SAN.

Snell & Wilcox. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... SNELL& WILCOX (snellwilcox.com) launched UpCaster, a compact, low-latency HD upconverter for use in broadcast transmission and in live production.

Barco. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... BARCO (www.barco.com) introduced the iQ Pro G500, the latest in its iQ line of intelligent projectors. It features up to four picture-in-pictures, 5,000 lumens and an 800:1 contrast ratio.

Mediamixer. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... BIZNEWS24 (www.mediamixer.com) introduced its Media Mixer at the show. At its core, the $1,495 Media Mixer is a very simple-to-use, drag-and-drop tool for assembling Web and CD-based presentations. What makes Media Mixer stand out is how easy...

Virage. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... In addition to releasing new versions of its long established core products such as the VideoLogger, VIRAGE (www.virage.com) demonstrated its new version of VS Webcasting. The Java 2 Enterprise Edition framework of VS Webcasting 3.0 suits it to...

Microsoft. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... MICROSOFT (www.microsoft.com), of course, had its own Windows Media news at NAB. Microsoft's latest version of Windows Media, version 9, offers an enhanced codec that results in a 20 percent improvement in audio quality and a 15- to 50-percent...

Commandsoft. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... One bit of storage news is sure to please users of Transoft storage systems, a product line once sold by HP. Jim Wolff, the original designer of Transoft FibreNet, started his own company, COMMANDSOFT, (www.commandsoft.com) and his own software...

Medea. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... MEDEA (www.medea.com), known for its desktop RAID systems, began shipping StreamRAID, which is aimed at, but not limited to, streaming applications. This RAID is available in 12- and 48-drive versions, both equipped with Hitachi Deskstar...

Hugesystems. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... HUGE SYSTEMS (www.hugesystems.com) gave demos of its SanStream shared RAID storage arrays. The SanStream 480 GB 6-port copper rack unit lists for $7,449. The company also lowered prices on its HugeMediaVault MAX and DUALMAX product lines at the...

Restoring classics: car companies drive head-on into digital asset management.
May 1, 2003... Since television signals first went on the air, the Big Three auto manufacturers have ranked among the top advertisers in the United States. Year after year, they churn out vast volumes of TV spots, theatrical and print ads, corporate training...

All for one: Polycom unifies the single-box videoconferencing experience. (Special Report: VideoConferencing).
May 1, 2003... If you haven't followed the evolution of Polycom and videoconferencing in the past few years, you may be surprised by all the changes. There has been massive consolidation in the industry "Basically we're down to two major vendors: Polycom...

Oregon Episcopal School enhances learning experience with canon products. (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... CHALLENGE Free students from note-taking so they can focus on what the teacher is saying and demonstrating. SOLUTION Use Canon digital camera and projector to display materials and notes, which are downloaded to computer for...

Teletraining Institute improves distance learning techniques using Sony's e-learning solutions. (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... CHALLENGE Find the right tools to equip a distance--learning training center for maximum efficiency and optimal educational value. SOLUTION Rely on video, audio and conferencing systems from Sony Electronics. The Teletraining...

Spcialty video supply service education with latest products from Pinnacle Systems. (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... CHALLENGE Supply schools with the technology that best meets the needs of today's media-savvy students. SOLUTION Establish a relationship with Pinnacle Systems, a leading provider of video editing and content creation solutions,...

Card shark: AJA Video Systems' Kona-SD SDI capture card. (Test Patterns).
May 1, 2003... Summary: Feature-rich SDI capture card for use with Final Cut Pro Target Users: Videographers, editors and producers Platforms: Mac OS X (including 10.2) AS THE BATTLE FOR NONLINEAR-editing customers continues to become more...

Set to impress: Matrox's RT.X100 Xtreme system and parhelia graphics card. (Test Patterns).
May 1, 2003... Summary: This editing system features real-time processing but is DV-only; the Parhelia card is a pure winner Target Users: Multimedia producers, editors and directors Platforms: Windows AS CPUs CONTINUE TO IMPROVE in speed and DV...

Hewlett-Packard. (Tool Wise).
May 1, 2003... The HP Workstation xw4100 is a low-cost workstation (starting at $799) with features like ECC memory, 2D and 3D OpenGL graphics choices and ISV certification. The newest model in the xw series, the xw4100 features the new Intel 875P...

Telestream. (Tool Wise).
May 1, 2003... Telestream's MAPreview is a system for capturing, organizing, searching and reviewing multiple live video feeds. It is the first product based on Telestream's next-generation Media Application Platform (MAP), which integrates Microsoft's...

RE:Vision Effects. (Tool Wise).
May 1, 2003... RE:Vision Effects' Twixtor 3.0 lets you speed up, slow down or frame-rate-convert your image sequences. Twixtor synthesizes unique new frames by warping and interpolating frames of an original sequence employing RE:Vision's proprietary tracking...

Lighthouse Technologies. (Tool Wise).
May 1, 2003... Lighthouse Technologies' new LVP1050 has a pixel pitch of 10 mm and 5,000 nits of brightness. The tight pixel pitch allows closer viewing distances, making the LVP1050 suitable for a wide range of applications. It features Lighthouse's M4...

Introducing lowel fluo-tec studio fluorescent. (Product Showcase).
May 1, 2003... * Dimmable (via internal DMX or manually) & Non-Dimmable models. * Accessory IR Remote-Control handheld for DMX dimming w/out console. * ETL/CSA or CE approved models with new state of the art electronics. * Ten models for 2 to 8...

Pulling a no-show? (The Last Word).
May 1, 2003... ANOTHER NAB HAS COME AND GONE. IT'S ALMOST like Christmas: For months, or even a year, everything leads up the occasion, and then, before you know it, it's over. As always, during the show, vendors ask me, "How's the show going for you?"...

Pinnacle. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... PINNACLE (www.pinnaclesys.com) introduced its Palladium Store, a family of networked storage systems for broadcasters and corporate video producers. The company says it is the first SAN built expressly to meet the bandwidth and storage...

Adtec. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Of interest to the business-media producer working with satellite, ADTEC (www.adtecinc.com) displayed among its new products the edje-L. This rack-mountable unit received schedules and commands via satellite and plays MPEG-2 video back locally...

VBrick Systems. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... Having just released the VBXcast network video appliance in February, VBRICK SYSTEMS (www.vbrick.com) announced a complement, VBXcasting Service. The service provides bandwidth so that VBXcast users can stream MPEG-4 video to unlimited users on...

Optibase. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... OPTIBASE (www.optibase.com) unveiled a new version of its MGW product. The MGW 2000 transmits video or live television over an IF network and is ideal for corporations and financial institutions that require up-to-the-minute information....

Digital Fountain. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... DIGITAL FOUNTAIN (www.digitalfountain.com) showed its Transporter Fountain hardware. The device sends media across any network at speeds considerably higher than those of FTP The transmission is secure and uncompressed, so the recipient sees an...

Focus Enhancements. (Post-NAB Report).
May 1, 2003... FOCUS ENHANCEMENIS (www.focusinfo.com) demonstrated the recently shipped CD-HD Video Processor, which, at $995, scales progressive or analog video for display in 480p, 720p, 1,080i or 1,080p.