 |
NAB 2006 Wrap-Up...
What a week it was! We rolled into Las Vegas to give away another 10,000 magazines from our booth near Apple and Avid. During the expo, we gave away over 8,000 of the magazines and used the rest to send to some of those who had subscribed online after the mailing date cut-off. So many dropped by the booth to talk with us about the new magazine and we want to thank you all for your kind words about the site and the new magazine. We truly appreciated the time that so many of you took to visit with us.
We asked our leaders what they saw at NAB 2006 that they felt was newsworthy and here are some of the show's vote-getters...
Ron Lindeboom reports that: Avid rolled out a new even more tightly integrated workflow and project management system called Avid Interplay, a system that manages files, versions and revisions across a wide range of applications using metadata to speed the interaction across workstations and personnel. Avid's strongest selling point has always been it's project and media management functions and this takes that strength to new and far greater levels. Quite impressive. I didn't have any time away from our booth but the Noise Industries team came over to our booth and wanted to show me their new Factory Tools AVX plug-ins for Avid editors and I must say that I was extremely impressed.
Not just another set of plug-ins, these guys really have taken it to the next level by giving users the chance to reprogram their plug-ins on the fly to write new plug-ins for your set that use the values you just set. They are also very fast. Though I didn't have time to swing by their booth at NAB, I have been getting to know the new SmartSound Sonicfire Pro 4 with its new Mood Mapping™ technology. Quite impressive. SmartSound has made a leap in functionality with v4 that is every bit as impressive as the original SmartSound was when it first appeared a decade ago. They won three awards for v4 at NAB 2006, that didn't surprise me at all. Hitachi's new announcement of the Hitachi perpendicular drive technology was also impressive and will give users up to 10x the storage on the same sized drives as we have today.
Walter Biscardi (FCP team) reports that: SyncVUE was my pick of the show. Realtime client reviews of projects from anywhere in the world, in perfect sync suddenly opens up the world to my business. Clients don't have to travel here, I don't have to travel to clients, we can work together from anywhere with an internet hookup. Kona 3's new Cross-Convert feature is a tremendous new feature, especially for shops like ours where most of our HD is shot with the Varicam in 720p, though our shows need to be delivered to the networks in 1080i HDCAM. The Kona 3 allows me to continue working in a 720p workflow and then master out to 1080i HDCAM in realtime.
Aanarav Sareen (Premiere Pro team) said that: In spite of all the hype about the RED and Silicon Imaging cameras, I would have to say the most useful thing I saw the was the GridIron X Nucleo Pro. Background rendering in AE? A dream come true for many users!
Timothy Duncan (Convergent Design team) said that: My #1 pick of NAB was GridIron X Nucleo Pro! Everyone, both Mac and PC users, can use this incredible product and it's priced nicely.
Aharon Rabinowitz (Adobe After Effects team) said that: I was very impressed by GridIron X Nucleo Pro. Very cool. Excellent product.
Scott Anderson (Arizona FCP Users Group team) said that: The Bebob Foxi focus/iris controller for the HVX-200 was my show pick. Finally, a repeatable zoom control for an electronic lens! I like the ability to mount it either on the tripod handle like a studio configuration, or to mount it on rods for cine-style focus pulling. The $465 retail price doesn't hurt, either.
Greg Mulvey (Adobe Encore DVD team) said that: My favorites were Creative Cow Magazine! (Who are we to argue with Greg!) Matrox MXO that uses the DVI output from your Mac computer or laptop and converts it to broadcast-quality video for previewing. GridIron X Nucleo Pro. For After Effects users, the Maxon MoGraph Cinema 4D Module is quite remarkable.
There are many other picks that are found in the Creative Cow podcasts below, give them a listen!
CreativeCOW's Podcast episode 33:
• A Look at the Cow's Visit to NAB 2006, with Ron Lindeboom
• A Talk with Steve Jennings, sfx artist, Combustion user, founder Grasshorse Animation Studios
 In episode 33 of the CreativeCow.net podcast, host Franklin McMahon (left) talks with Ron Lindeboom about the introduction of Creative Cow Magazine at NAB 2006, the roll-out of three new Creative Cow Master Series titles, some of the happenings at NAB 2006 and much more. Ron and Franklin discuss the week's news and look at what's going on in the industry as the smoke clears from NAB 2006. Also on the show, special guest Steve Jennings from Grasshorse Animation Studios talks about his work, projects, Autodesk Combustion and more....
To Log-On To Episode #33 of the CreativeCOW podcast:
http://www.creativecowcast.net
|
 |
After Effects
1970's TV Effect Without Using Plug-Ins
Call it his love for everything old, or nostalgia or whatever, but G. Allen Stewart loved how the old color tube cameras handled light and color. He loved how the images seemed to be 'scanned-lined', the blacks were crushed and noisy, so G. Allen Stewart went on a quest for the perfect plug-in to create that effect. He was never satistied with the result, so here's his recipe for his ''make like 1970's TV effect.'' |
 |
After Effects
Inside Look at HDR and 32 BPC
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow leader Andrew Kramer gives us a practical look at HDR Imagery and 32-bits per channel inside of After Effects 7.0. |
|
|
|
HOT INDUSTRY NEWS:
Seagate Hard Drives Enable Silicon Imaging SI-1920HDVR, World's First Digital Cinema Camera With Direct-To-Disc Recording
It's not quite Brad and Angelina, but the relationship between Seagate and the Entertainment Industry gets stronger every day. Seagate Technology , the world's leading manufacturer of Consumer Electronics hard drives, announced today that its 2.5-inch hard drives will provide the storage for the Silicon Imaging SI-1920HDVR, the world's first digital cinema camera with 10-bit Cineform RAW™ direct-to-disc recording.The SI-1920HDVR delivers unprecedented image quality, 10-F stop dynamic range, IT-friendly connectivity, battery powered operation and up to four hours of continuous shooting on a hot-swap 160GB USB 2.0 cartridge. Designed with the independent filmmaker in mind, the SI-1920HDVR encompasses a new paradigm in camera acquisition and recording technology. Expose and record at 1080/24/25/30P or 720P up to 72fps in a raw "digital negative" format using its embedded dual-core PC architecture. Then edit the raw footage over a LAN connection, as each shot is taken. Or, remove the hard drive cartridge and produce dailies, create special effects, and edit full-resolution HD content directly from disc; all without the need for a time-consuming ingest process from tape.
MORE
Equilibrium Announces Audio-Video iKit for DeBabelizer Pro 6.1/Server for Automated Video Editing and Compression for High-Volume Media Delivery
New Audio-Video Interface Kit empowers you to automatically edit, optimize, compress and convert QuickTime, Windows Media, MPEG-4 video for fast, high-quality delivery on iPod, 3G Phones, Sony PSP, Archos Media Player, Web streaming, WMA/WMV and more with a drag and drop on the Desktop Client Application or Workgroup Server for high speed environments
Equilibrium, the leading provider of automated media production and delivery solutions for the desktop, workgroup and enterprise, today announced the availability of the Audio-Video Interface Kit for Equilibrium® DeBabelizer® Server, which expands the Server product into a complete Audio/Video Processing solution. Simultaneous with the A/V iKit release, DeBabelizer Pro 6.1 and the Server version now have QuickTime 7 support and MPEG-4 AAC encoding capability. Now anyone can quickly and easily repurpose all their video for optimal delivery on the web and portable media players with a drag and drop on their desktop. MORE
Harris Corporation Announces Record Demand for Leitch HD Conversion Portfolio
Leitch X75™HD multiple-path converter/synchronizer, NEO™ XHD™ series, and 6800+™ and NEO™ platforms continue to gain momentum among broadcasters worldwide
Harris Corporation today announced that its comprehensive Leitch high-definition conversion portfolio continues to gain momentum in customer acceptance, as demonstrated by the recent surge in worldwide sales during the company's third fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2006, which saw Leitch product sales increase significantly over the previous quarter.
MORE
Editshare launches ESA - Extreme Scalable Architecture
EditShare, the pioneer of cross platform collaborative editing and shared media storage systems, today announced EditShare ESA - a new architecture that allows customers to increase their storage to hundreds of terabytes and beyond. All EditShare systems will include ESA starting with Version 4.0 which begins shipping late May 2006. MORE
Savannah Christian Church Installs FOR-A VPS-700 1 M/E Digital Switcher
Easy-to-Use VPS-700 GINGA Switcher Aids Production of Videotaped Sermons
FOR-A's VPS-700 GINGA one mix/effect digital switcher has quickly proven itself as a staple among Savannah Christian Church's new range of video production equipment. Systems integrator Stage Front Presentation Systems installed the VPS-700 GINGA at Savannah Christian Church in February and is currently integrating the entire system. The church's volunteer staff is now using the switcher to route broadcasts of sermons onto display screens throughout the church.
MORE
TriCaster PRO™ Wins NAB Award for Innovation in Media
NAB Attendees Pick TriCaster PRO as Top Product
NewTek, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading video and 3D animation products, was recently presented with an NAB AIM Award for the company’s new TriCaster PRO™ portable live production system.
MORE
ATTIK, Umlaut and Spy Post Bring Stills To Life In Compelling Campaign For Scion
For a striking new Scion campaign San Francisco-based companies Spy Post and Umlaut brought hundreds of digital stills to life using innovative post-production techniques.
MORE
Raycom Expands Roll-Out Of Panasonic DVCPRO P2
Panasonic Broadcast announced at the NAB convention that Raycom Media, Inc. has purchased DVCPRO P2 camcorders and drives valued at more than $2.2 million. Raycom announced its decision to convert to P2 last May. With the purchase of this additional P2 solid state memory equipment, news operations at 21 Raycom stations will utilize DVCPRO P2 by the end of this year. MORE
Adobe Hosts First Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Roadshow for Creative Professionals
Four-city Tour Spotlights New, Must-have Features in Flash Professional 8
Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the first Macromedia® Flash® Professional 8 from Adobe® Roadshow designed to provide creative professionals an overview of the benefits of Flash Professional 8. The free, four-city tour kicks off in Los Angeles in May, before heading to San Francisco, Chicago and New York.
MORE
TMPG Introduces MPEG Editor 2.0 Software
Versatile New Addition to the TMPGEnc Brand Offers a Faster, Easier Way to Edit DVD, DVD-Video Recordings, and High-Definition Video
TMPG, Inc., the company that makes digital video easy, is about to make it even easier. The newest addition to its TMPGEnc product line, MPEG Editor 2.0, is a video editing software package that offers a variety of advanced features, along with a wizard-like interface, which combine to make digital editing faster and easier than ever before. The product will be available for download on the company’s website beginning May 10, 2006, with an MSRP of $59.95.
MORE
New products from Music 2 Hues
Music 2 Hues released today new additions to its Flagship Series production music line.
MORE
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic On-Air
The First Affordable Live HD Television Production Studio
At NAB, Blackmagic Design announced Blackmagic On-Air, a new software application that runs exclusively with the popular Multibridge Extreme to enable live, on air mixing, editing and capture. MORE
Blackmagic Design Announces Multibridge Pro Conversion and Editing Solution
At NAB, Blackmagic Design announced Multibridge Pro, their newest breakout box-based HD/SD editing solution with PCI Express. MORE
Blackmagic Design Announces DeckLink HD Extreme
Blackmagic Design announced at NAB DeckLink HD Extreme, the world’s first PCIe HDTV capture card to feature both SDI and analog connections combined with full HD and SD compatibility, and released at a retail price that's the same as current SD-only products.
MORE
BBC Motion Gallery Debuts Search Widget for Mac OS X
Motion Gallery customers will have immediate search access to the entire online archive directly from the Mac desktop
BBC Motion Gallery, the footage licensing arm of BBC Worldwide, today announced the availability of a customized Dashboard widget for Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger" that will enable users to quickly search online archives without launching a Web browser.
MORE
Wexler Video to Purchase 25 XDCAM HD Camcorders
New Optical Camcorders to be Outfitted with Canon Lenses
Wexler Video is purchasing 25 of Sony’s new XDCAM™ HD optical disc camcorders. The camcorders will be equipped with Canon lenses.
MORE
G-Technology, Inc. Introduces G-SPEED™
New 4 GBit Fibre Channel Storage Solutions support Multi-stream SD and Uncompressed HD Workflows with RAID 6 Data Protection
At NAB 2006, G-Technology, Inc. unveiled its new G-SPEED storage solutions featuring a 4Gbit Fibre Channel interface and RAID 6 technology specifically designed for content creation applications. MORE
IRIDAS at FMX/06 in Stuttgart
FrameCycler DI and SpeedGrade HD to head a full slate of applications
IRIDAS, an industry leader in uncompressed playback and non-destructive color grading technologies, will be at FMX/06 in Stuttgart, May 3 - 6, 2006. The Munich-based software developer will present a full line-up of products, including the new high-end FrameCycler DI review application, and a preview of SpeedGrade HD, a new color correction application.
MORE
Toyota Prado 'Ice Sculptures' Hits The Road With Visual Effects By Animal Logic
A graceful, gliding four wheel drive made of ice was needed for Toyota Prado's latest television commercial, ‘Ice Sculptures' directed by Bruce Hunt through @radical.media.
Animal Logic created the 3D computer-generated ice car and carefully choreographed its movement as it glides across various road surfaces, verging on being out of control. Armed with extensive reference supplied by Hunt, Animal Logic Technical Director, Clinton Downs spent weeks upfront developing the look of the ice car giving it a realistic, frosted look complete with internal cracks and crumbled edges.
MORE
Rackmount Cabinet Update Announced for 25U Noise Reduction Enclosure
GizMac Accessories Upcoming 25U XRackPro2 Noise Reduction Enclosure Rackmount Cabinet
GizMac Accessories LLC, designer and manufacturer of noise reduction enclosure rackmount cabinets, announces new information on their XRackPro2 25U Noise Reduction Enclosure rackmount cabinet.
MORE
Nvidia Expands Suite Of High-Quality Rendering Software And Releases Free Version Of Gelato Renderer
Offers Two Versions of GPU-Accelerated Software for High-Performance Rendering
NVIDIA Corporation , the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today announced it is making the process of high-quality rendering affordable with two new versions of Gelato software, the company's premium rendering solution for digital content creation. MORE
New Videotek PTM-305 from Harris Corporation Receives Broadcast Engineering Magazine's Pick Hit Award
Harris Corporation today announced that its new Videotek® PTM-305 handheld, personal test monitor has received Broadcast Engineering magazine's Pick Hit Award, the industry's longest-running new product technology awards.
MORE
Effections for Fusion 5 released
RE:Vision Effects releases Effections, a bundle of plugins for use within Fusion 5.
MORE
Wexler Video Invests $2.5M in Avid Postproduction Solutions
Investment significantly expands Wexler’s fleet of Avid editing and shared-storage systems
Avid Technology, Inc. today announced that Wexler Video – a leading equipment and services provider to the Hollywood production and postproduction community – has purchased $2.5 million in Avid nonlinear editing and shared-storage solutions.
MORE
Alabama PBS Network Selects Hitachi HD Production Cameras
In preparation for its transition to HDTV next year, Alabama Public Television took delivery of three Hitachi SK-3010P HDTV cameras, which they began using in March for a multitude of high-quality, local television broadcasts.
MORE
|
For more industry news, visit the COW News & Press Releases forum at:
http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_view_posts.cgi?forumid=105
|
|
|
|
|
podcast report and interviews from NAB 2006
