OT: Just saying howdy from NAB

Have a few minutes before I host the ProMax Digital Cafe and thought I'd say howdy to all. NAB is a zoo as usual. Haven't had much time to see much. Blackmagic Design's On Air kicks butt. Moron proof so I can use it. Cant beat their $995.00 Decklink HD card either. Haven't seen the 17-inch MacBook. Will see it tomorrow at the SuperMeet which now looks to be a SRO Zoo.

G-Tech's G-Speed rocks my world. Will try and see more toys Thursday if I'm sober.

How-Dee!

I'm waiting to leave for the airport. I may see you before you read this!

Thanks for the update.

Thanx Mike...keep it comin' !!!

Signed,

One jealous dude



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

So what's new - just the Macbook? Or are there more things likely to be announced? Any sign of the rumours?

Nothing new from Apple. Kind of boring.
However, check this out:
[www.matrox.com]

Nothing new from Apple? 17" macBook pro with FW800. Ability to edit 2K res ON THE MACBOOK. Native XDCAM support, forthcoming 24P support for JVC (they had a working laptop that edited it natively at the JVC booth, but that was a "special" laptop with the "not yet beta" version of the software.

Michael hosted the ProMax event, and was his usual funny self. I give the best presentation award to the Adobe guy. And I am sorry to say this here of all places, but Avid impressed me. Nuff said.

Deb...hoing to meet you at the FCPUG Supermeet tomorrow, iffin you are headed this way...

Is anyone else as disapointed as I am that there is nothing new from Apple in the software department? Of course they just released the universal version but according to Jobs when he introduced the Intel Macs they had been building their aps to be ready for this switch for long time, and maybe I just missed the news but I haven't heard of any real inovation in the 5.1 release. Of course I'm not at NAB so maybe I missed something, but I'll agree with Shane, very impressed with Avid right now.

Keep me posted too ... on the updates especially. Thanks!

Whats impressed you guys about Avid? Do tell...





For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

I am also interested in what you guys at NAB see in the Avid booth. The more heat Avid turns up, the better FCP will be. I read software-only Media Composer ($4995), SDI Mojo among other things.

LET'S HEAR IT, PLEASE!

- Joey



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

MAN the meeting was fun

Mike you are a blast man

for me the avid wasn't spectaular

dropping frames like mad

now SmartSound and Adobe impressed me a bit


hope to win something tonight
CYA all there



David at Movies Rock in Toronto
[www.tofcpug.com]

I am not at NAB, but I must say that I too am impressed by what Avid has announced. Check out their new line of media composers:
[www.avid.com]

The software only version works on MAC and PC, includes real time pulldown removal over firewire, as well as all the things that Apple still hasn't cought up with - accurate and efficient media management, sophisticated color correction that lets you work with curves, the Marque title tool (blows away FCP titling), and especially Fluid Motion for speed changes (FCP has nothing like it). And performance disk storage is no longer so expensive since Avid bought Medea and is selling video Raid. Now I like FCP as much as the next guy, but $5,000 is a pretty good deal for what you get. I really think this changes things for anyone doing more than simple DV work.

Am I missing something here? 5K for Media Composer and it doesnt even come with a pony? Seems a bit expensive for what it is.

Nothing impressed me much about Avid. I'm not an Avid user so dont listen to me but doesnt Liquid support multiple resolutions on same timeline? So what if Express Pro does too.

I dunno

Mike,

NOTHING impressed you about Avid? The SDI Mojo is pretty big step for them. Software only MC is a HUGE savings (if you were an Avid user, you would see the value in this stuff).

Liquid is a Pinnacle leftover product (crap). It is not compatible with the Avid family of products - just the "Avid" name. Avid software does mixed formats in the same timeline (hello Apple...let's get on the ball with this feature - as well as "Fluidmotion".



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Have you ever tried fluidmotion on a clip with camera flashes going off in it? Very funky. Not that useful if you're trying to straight cut, but very funky.

I was hoping the FCP Extreme rumour was at least a little bit true. Or the Yak had gained a companion pony.

Mmm. Pony.

quote from the software only MC page:

"full-screen video output over DVI"

if AVID can do this with no extra Hardware, then i guess FCP could do it too...?

so we may see history repeating itself with regards to the Matrox DVI to Video box.

The RTMac was a great solution when it was the only one, but was edged out of its niche when FCP got more RT.

or am i misunderstanding what the avid is offering?

nick

The Matrox product is positioned for Quicktime based applications only. I saw the device at NAB and specifically asked them about using it with Avid and they didn't know if it would work and hadn't tried it. I kind of doubt it would work. It is a great product for FCP however, as you can get HD/SD SDI out of it with embedded audio using only a Powerbook. Saw it with my own eyes. Looked really nice. Don't try to play SD to the Cinema Display though, that wasn't good. You would want a regular NTSC monitor for that.

[NOTHING impressed you about Avid? The SDI Mojo is pretty big step for them. Software only MC is a HUGE savings (if you were an Avid user, you would see the value in this stuff).]

Gee, that IS interesting., ZZZZ.

No, really! Composer used to sell for like 100 grand, with dedicated hardware tweaked to make it usable, unless you forgot to add an UPS unit and fry the disk controllers and all that dedicated breakout hardware.

But it's swell, they're moving forward, with that dynamic timeline and all. (Why do I keep dropping off?)

- Loren
Today's FCP 5 keytip:
Set a Level keyframe with Command-Option K !

The FCP 5 KeyGuide?: a professional placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central:
www.neotrondesign.com

"Gee, that IS interesting., ZZZZ"


Avid is slightly better in some areas and if it becomes as cheap as FCP then yes, that is interesting.
Up until now AVID has been way to expensive to be competing with the lower level consumers currently using FCP.

I'd still much rather use FCP if Apple could fix the shortcommings with FCP however.



Johan Polhem
Motion Graphics
www.johanpolhem.com

I hear you, Johan. I have the latest Express Pro on my machine along side FC Studio and the new Avid stuff DOES sound interesting. I want to see how Apple counters with Steve Bayes at the Design helm.

C'MON, STEVE!!! MIXED REZ IN THE TIMELINE! FIX UP THAT INTERFACE! I can't wait for the next major upgrade.

- Joey

BTW: Loren has a highly technical way with words (Gee...ZZZZZ)



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Ah, don't listen to me; just being snide and cranky-- couldn't make it to NAB this year. I am just as comfortable stepping into an Avid room.

- Loren

Today's Xpress Pro 4.x keytip:
Tap Left Bracket for Trim Mode!

The XpressPro KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at
www.neotrondesign.com

Did I open a can of worms or what? I know this is an FCP forum, but I am an Avid editor too (they are just tools). Avid has a lot of new stuff I like...the color corrector is more powerful (3-way WITH curves), but if I add Color Finesse for $595, I have that...and cheaper than Avid. Mixed footage in a timeline...and not captured as the same codec (which Avid is known for) is a thing that many people want, and is impressive. Avid Mojo SDI...finally. I still think that Mojo is a joke in terms of what it offers vs cost. For the same price I can get a Kona 3 that does FAR MORE.

I miss the Animatte and Matte Keys and a few other things, but FCP still offers a lot of things I like, including manipulation of the timeline that is far faster than Avid. Export to Motion and Shake (which I am just beginning to use), superior audio editing within the editing application...and most of all, PRICE. YOu can do lots of things on both systems, but for similarly configured system you are still looking at FCP being half the price.

Half the price...similiar capabilities...no brainer.