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SYPHAnews - 29th August 2003
Welcome to SYPHAnews - a free newsletter designed to keep you up-to-date
with nonlinear audio and video, and digital video camera news, as well
as developments at http://SYPHAonline.com.
We will deliver this service to you every month - unless there is some
major news we think you should know about sooner. To unsubscribe, please
follow the instructions below.
New at SYPHAonline.com
STOP PRESS!! The International Broadcasting Convention 2003 is almost
upon us and we look forward to meeting those of you who are attending
- our stand will be in media alley between halls 8 - 9/10.
We are putting the final touches to the all-new DAW Buyers Guide in readiness
for its pre-IBC launch - every entry is being updated - so watch out for
a newsflash announcing that it's live.
We would also like to welcome Adobe as a Bronze sponsor of the NLE Buyers
Guide and the DAW Buyers Guide.
Camera news
JVC Introduces Hand-Held Professional HD Camcorder
into European Market
JVC has announced the JY-HD10E professional hand-held camcorder with complete
HD recording capabilities. Designed to allow programmes to be produced
on a limited budget, the single 1.18 million pixel-CCD professional camcorder
can record at various resolution modes, including 720p, and will output
both 720p and up-converted 1080i signals. Recording is performed using
native 16:9 from the CCD with an MPEG-2 HD compression algorithm, directly
onto standard-size Mini-DV cassettes. The camcorder also incorporates
a standard 4:3 mode with DV compression of MPEG-2 at 480/60p or 480/60i,
and offers realtime up and down-conversion - allowing the flexibility
of shooting in HD and then playing back HD recordings on any display device
with component inputs. Other features include a manual switch for the
optical image stabiliser system, still photo capture, two audio XLR connectors,
and an IEEE-1394 interface for connection to D-VHS or a PC for simple
downloading, editing and archiving. The camcorder comes complete with
a high definition lens, and is bundled with NLE software for frame-accurate
MPEG-2 editing. Third party software is also available to allow HD signals
to be edited using Adobe Premiere 6.5. See http://www.jvcproeurope.com
JVC Offers Time and Cost Savings with Focus Enhancements
JVC Professional Products Company has announced the availability of the
Focus Enhancements FireStore DR-DV5000 portable disk recording module
exclusively through JVC Professional Products Company dealers. JVC is
offering a special US$500 rebate to customers that purchase the JVC GY-DV5000U
camcorder together with the FireStore DR-DV5000 from now up to 26 September
2003. Focus Enhancements specifically designed the FireStore DR-DV5000
for the JVC line of professional DV camcorders. The DR-DV5000 offers significant
productivity gains in video post-production and NLE applications with
its Direct To Edit (DTE) technology. This records edit-ready video in
native NLE file formats directly to internal or external hard drives.
The DR-DV5000 mounts onto the JVC GY-DV5000U and connects though a 52-pin
connector, allowing seamless communication of video input, power and status
information between the devices. See http://www.jvc.com/pro
DVS Supports Panasonic Varicam
DVS has announced that version 2.6 HD software now supports the variable
frame rate of the Panasonic AJ-HDC27 Varicam HD film camera. The disk
recorders HDStationPlus and HDStationRGB, the on-set capturing system
DVS CineControl, and the realtime editing workstation Clipster all now
recognise the active frames of the 60fps transfer, and store only these
active frames, allowing for slow- and fast-motion capturing. The DVS systems
filter out the redundant data and thereby greatly reduce the overall amount
of material stored, thus saving costs in storage and transfer times. The
variable frame rate feature was developed by Panasonic to allow both slow-
and fast-motion sequences to be recorded using frames rates from 4 to
60fps. The new DVS software supports ANC metadata, allowing timecode information
to be stored via an HD-SDI link with the video data in DPX-file format.
This seamless data transfer allows footage to be viewed on the user interface
during playout. See http://www.dvs.de
nNovia Ships QuickCapture
nNovia has announced that it is shipping QuickCapture, a portable IEEE1394
DV-to-disk recorder. Compact and lightweight, QuickCapture can be worn
on a belt with the included belt bag and battery, or purchased with Anton
Bauer Gold Mounts and attached directly to a camera. It is available in
40GB, 60GB and 80GB models, providing up to 6 hours of total recording
time for NTSC or PAL material. QuickCapture completely supports both SBP-2
and AV/C protocols, allowing it to be connected directly to DV cameras
as well as to computers and standalone editing systems. It can be operated
as a VTR, or as a directly-connected disk drive containing 'edit-ready,
render-free' AVI Type-2 material. When connected to a DV camcorder, QuickCapture
allows source material to be organised in 'bins,' thus reducing or eliminating
the need for traditional written logs. All of the clips contain camera
timecode, and drop marks can be added for quick reference or rough cut
editing during the recording process. QuickCapture is available for immediate
delivery, and pricing begins at under US$1000. See http://www.nNovia.com
nNovia Introduces QuickCapture A2D
nNovia has announced the introduction of QuickCapture A2D. Aimed at professional
videographers, QuickCapture A2D offers tapeless recording from analogue
or digital sources, IEEE1394 connectivity with 'edit-ready, render-free'
AVI Type-2 material, and playback of source material in either analogue
or digital formats. QuickCapture A2D is also an analogue/digital media
converter, allowing source material in one format to be output in the
other. Compact and lightweight, QuickCapture A2D is wearable or can be
camera-mounted, and offers all of the standard features of the nNovia
QuickCapture product, including complete support for both SBP-2 and AV/C
protocols, up to 99 'bins' for 'organise as you acquire' convenience,
and compatibility with both computer-based and standalone editing systems.
With its analogue-to-digital conversion feature, QuickCapture A2D also
bridges the gap between legacy analog camcorders and monitors, and digital
video equipment. QuickCapture A2D is planned for October 2003 delivery.
Pricing begins at under US$1400. See http://www.nNovia.com
NLE news
Apple Updates Final Cut Pro to 4.0.1
Apple has released a 4.0.1 update to Final Cut Pro. The new version provides
performance improvements and enhancements in several key areas, including
changes to the Trim Edit window; increased render speed; more-effective
use of match-frame against split edits and speed-adjusted clips; and improved
performance on trimming track-gaps. The update also adds video updates
in the Canvas while Range Checking is on; the use of selected font for
text generators; and more-accurate filter-keyframe positioning when using
Media Manager on clips with speed changes. Print to Video and Edit to
Tape now maintain audio transitions, 2kHz audio-capture functions properly,
and 24p-format sequences playback accurately with audio. The new version
also has improved detection of timecode breaks for many cameras, and addresses
iMovie 3.0.3 importing issues. Updates for Compressor, Soundtrack, Cinema
Tools, and LiveType are also available. See http://www.apple.com
Pinnacle Announces Interoperability with Macromedia
Flash MX Professional 2004
Pinnacle Systems has announced interoperability between Pinnacle Liquid
and Pinnacle Edition high-end editing solutions and the new Macromedia
Flash MX Professional 2004. Using Pinnacle's XSend functionality, Liquid
and Edition users can seamlessly publish clips and projects as Flash video
objects for enhancement with content and interactivity targeted specifically
for the Web. The Pinnacle XSend-to-Flash Video plug-in automatically converts
clips and sequences directly into the Flash .flv format for immediate
enhancements in either Macromedia Flash MX, Flash MX 2004 or Flash MX
Professional 2004. The Pinnacle XSend-to-Flash Video plug-in will be available
as a free download from the Pinnacle website from 12 September 2003. See
http://www.pinnaclesys.com
Leitch Ships Version 8.2 of dpsVelocityQ and dpsVelocity
Leitch Technology has announced that version 8.2 of its dpsVelocityQ multistream
NLE and dpsVelocity dualstream NLE is now shipping. dpsVelocityQ 8.2 and
dpsVelocity 8.2 sport a new interface featuring flexible interface customisation
options, timeline picons, a new colour scheme and the EyeCon View. EyeCon
View continuously displays the picons and individual clip timecode of
all visible layers based on the current playhead position, providing constant
visual reference for all layers on the timeline while scrubbing and aligning
clips, and making it easy to precisely align specific frames across layers.
Other new features include native file export to Leitch servers, support
for Windows Media Format version 9, Direct Show audio plug-in access directly
in the timeline, and support for the forthcoming specially-priced Interoperability
option featuring AAF and OMF import and export. Version 8.2 also incorporates
over 100 enhancements in direct response to user feedback. See http://www.leitch.com
Aurora Extends Special Summer Pricing For IgniterX
Aurora Video Systems has announced that it will extend its 'Summer Sale'
of up to fifty percent off the usual price of the IgniterX series of video
capture/editing solutions, up to 30 September 2003. During the Summer
Sale, IgniterX Pro and IgniterX SDI systems are available for US$2999.
IgniterX Pro supports Betacam, Betacam SP, analogue I/O of Digibeta decks,
and other high-end DVCAM decks without the need for transcoders or adapters.
IgniterX SDI is designed for capture and playback of SDI video into Final
Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere, as well as monitoring of broadcast graphics
with Adobe After Effects or Discreet combustion and an SDI-capable monitor.
The IgniterX Studio editing system for Final Cut Pro is being offered
for US$3999. This combines all the features of IgniterX, IgniterX Pro,
and IgniterX SDI, and enables native capture of any professional format
at the highest image quality, without requiring converters or patches.
A new dongle-only version of the SDI Option (without breakout box) is
available for US$999. See http://www.auroravideosys.com
MainConcept Releases Preview Version of MainActor
5 for Linux
MainConcept has announced the release of a Linux preview version of its
MainActor 5 video editing software. MainActor 5 Linux Video Editing will
offer substantially the same features as MainActor 5 for Windows, although
not all features are implemented in the preview version. The Linux preview
does include transitions, effects, filters and a titler. It also features
DV support including DV-AVI Type 1 export, and supports most popular video
and image formats, such as BMP, JPEG, GIF, TIFF and TGA. The release version
of MainActor 5 for Linux will be available in Q4 2003. It will include
MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 support as well as MPEG-1/2 export. It will also contain
additional modules such as DV capture. Developers can write a wide variety
of add-on modules for the MainActor 5 plug-in API using the SDK available
from the MainConcept website. See http://www.mainconcept.com
ADS Unveils PYRO Professional with Full Versions
of Adobe Software
ADS Technologies has unveiled PYRO Professional, a complete hardware/software
solution for capturing, editing and authoring high-quality DVDs on the
Windows platform. Aimed at corporate video producers, event videographers,
educators, and dedicated hobbyists who want an end-to-end DV-to-DVD solution,
PYRO Professional speeds up the workflow of DVD content development by
combining an OHCI-compliant IEEE-1394/FireWire realtime capture card with
full versions of Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Encore DVD and Adobe Audition.
PYRO Professional is scheduled to begin shipping 15 September 2003, with
an MSRP of US$499. See http://www.adstech.com
Canopus Announces DVStorm2 Ultra Bundle
Canopus Corporation has announced the DVStorm2 Ultra Bundle, which combines
the Canopus DVStorm2 realtime editing solution and its Storm Bay breakout
box with Adobe professional software, including Adobe Premiere Pro for
nonlinear video editing, Adobe Encore for DVD authoring and Adobe Audition
for professional audio editing. When using the new DVStorm2 Adobe Premiere
Pro plug-in, users can preview and output both native Premiere Pro effects
and Canopus effects simultaneously in realtime. With Adobe Premiere Pro,
DVStorm2 also delivers five simultaneous realtime video streams and unlimited
title and graphics layers. DVStorm2 provides realtime colour correction
with waveform/vectorscope, variable speed control, DV chroma key, auto
white balance, region filter, and more. The DVStorm2 Ultra Bundle will
be available for a suggested retail price of $1299. See http://www.canopus.com
Automatic Duck Offers Avid and Final Cut Pro Translation
for After Effects and Boris RED
Automatic Duck has announced the release of Automatic Duck Pro Import
2.0. Available for both Windows and Mac OS X, this new translator offers
all of the functionality of the company's Automatic Composition Import
(ACI), ACI DV, and ACI FCP software products, plus additional features.
Acting as a plug-in to Adobe After Effects or Boris RED 3GL, Automatic
Duck Pro Import 2.0 allows the complex translation process, that once
took hours or even an entire day, to be completed in seconds. Edited sequences
can be seamlessly imported, complete with keyframed effects, from Avid
editing systems and Final Cut Pro 3.0 into After Effects or Boris RED.
New features include translation of more Avid effects; translation of
audio levels and keyframes from Avid and Final Cut Pro into After Effects;
and AAF import including translation of Avid locators into After Effects
and RED. Users of ACI and ACI FCP who purchased before 1 May 2003 can
upgrade to Automatic Duck Pro Import 2.0 for US$195. Automatic Duck Pro
Import 2.0 for After Effects and Boris RED is shipping for US$495. See
http://www.automaticduck.com
DAW news
Emagic Offers Logic Platinum 6.2 on the Power Mac
G5
Emagic is offering the first Logic version optimised for Apple's new 64-bit
flagship personal computer, the Apple Power Mac G5. Due for release on
the same day as the G5, the update to Logic Platinum 6.2 will be available
as a free download to registered owners of Logic Platinum 6.x. Users will
experience a dramatic increase in both speed and performance, with the
ability to work on noticeably larger projects than ever before, including
more software instruments, audio tracks and effects plug-ins. Audio applications
will benefit from the new G5 Frontside Bus, especially when large amounts
of audio data must be streamed, or moved in memory, and Logic Platinum
6.2 also includes special performance optimisations for Power Mac G5 models
with dual processors. See http://www.emagic.de
Steinberg Ships Studio Case
Steinberg, The Audio Group of Pinnacle Systems, is now shipping Studio
Case. This is a suite of virtual instruments combined with Cubase technology
to form a complete music production software package, all in one box and
at one low price. The Studio Case delivers five creative virtual instruments
based on Steinberg technology and Cubase SE - a streamlined version of
the latest Cubase SL and SX digital audio sequencers. Virtual instruments
include Virtual Guitarist EE SE, Groove Agent SE Virtual Drummer, The
Grand SE Piano, D'cota SE Synthesizer, and HALion SE Sampler. The package
contains over 700MB of sounds, is upward-file-compatible with Cubase SL,
SX and Nuendo, works on Mac OSX and Windows 2000 or XP, and offers 24-bit/96kHz
audio quality. The Studio Case is designed to offer the entry-level computer
musician all the software needed to begin making music. It also serves
existing Cubase users as a Virtual Instrument system with VST System Link
support. The Studio Case has a retail value of US$599.99 and is available
at Steinberg dealers for a special bundle price of US$299.99. See http://www.steinberg.net
M-Audio Announces Acquisition of Evolution Electronics
M-Audio has announced the 100% acquisition of Evolution Electronics, a
UK-based manufacturing company of USB MIDI keyboards and controllers.
M-Audio has acquired all Evolution products, software, and intellectual
property rights, along with all other assets and liabilities of the company
in exchange for an undisclosed sum. The transaction makes M-Audio the
largest supplier of USB MIDI keyboards and controllers in the world. See
http://www.m-audio.com
Digigram Adds 'PC codec mp3' Option for PCX and LCM
Sound Cards
Digigram has released a new optional mp3 codec for its PCX and LCM card
range. 'PC codec mp3' improves the performance of mp3 playback using Digigram
PCX/LCM cards, by allowing a larger number of mp3 files to be decoded
simultaneously. The new codec also allows recording of mp3. Available
through Digigram OEM development partners, PC codec mp3 launches an mp3
codec that runs on the host computer's processor. Encoding and decoding
of mp3 files is performed on the host CPU, with mixing performed on the
sound card. One single codec can manage mp3 coding and decoding for multiple
sound cards installed in the same PC. PC codec mp3 will work with the
following Digigram sound cards: PCX22v2, PCX442, PCX822v2, PCX924v2, PCX924-Mic,
PCXpocketv3, PCXpocket440, PCXpocket240, and LCM440v2, as well as with
the discontinued models PCX22, PCX440np, PCX821np, PCX822np, PCX924, and
LCM440. A separate PC codec with MPEG Layers I, II, and mp3 features for
the Digigram miXart 8 range is also available. PC codec mp3 will not work
with the Digigram VX-range of sound cards. See http://www.digigram.com
Creamware Files For Insolvency
The management of CreamWare Datentechnik GmbH has filed an application
for protection from creditors with the district council in Bonn, Germany.
The business of CreamWare GmbH will remain in full operation and the Company
will maintain its full staff of 55 employees. The Company plans, in collaboration
with the insolvency administrator, to secure and maintain all operations
on a long-term basis. A preliminary insolvency plan that builds on continuing
all business activities and satisfying current creditors is currently
under examination for feasibility. According to management, the Company's
booked sales and manufacturing utilisation is better than average. The
application was filed due to the software for the Noah synthesizer being
delayed until May, while the Noah hardware was already in full production
since March 2003, so causing unforeseen financial strain on the Company.
The Noah synthesizer product, which is now available and shipping, has
already provided respectable sales. The Company and the preliminary insolvency
administrator are currently concentrating on securing supplier agreements
and existing relationships. See http://www.creamware.de
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IBC
2003
The Event for
Content Creation, Management and Delivery
12-16 September
RAI Amsterdam
Digital
Hollywood
29 September -
1 October 2003
Directors Guild of America Building,
Los Angeles, USA
SATIS
2003
21-23 October 2003 Porte de Versailles, Paris
ETA
Entertainment Technology Alliance
29-30 October 2003 Bryant Park Hotel,
NYC, USA
SBES
Sound Broadcasting Equipment Show
26-27 November 2003
ExCeL, London Docklands
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