Video News

Reprinted from an Adobe Systems press release:

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Encore DVD, a professional DVD authoring application that extends the Adobe digital video product line. Adobe Encore DVD software lets professional videographers, DVD authors and independent producers create sophisticated, multi-language DVDs with stunning interactive menus, multiple audio tracks and subtitles. Adobe’s latest video application combines an integrated authoring environment; a flexible, creative design interface; and unrivalled integration with Adobe Photoshop, the most widely used application in DVD authoring.

Adobe will debut the product during its keynote Super Session at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) tradeshow on Monday, April 7th in Las Vegas.

“Adobe Encore DVD opens the door for video professionals to take advantage of powerful DVD features and deliver their video projects in the format embraced by both consumers and professionals,” said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital Imaging and Video Products at Adobe Systems. “By integrating Adobe Encore DVD with applications critical to the authoring process–Photoshop, Adobe Premiere and After Effects–we have created a superior DVD authoring environment that will enable our customers to take their work to the next level.”

Adobe Encore DVD includes a comprehensive set of design tools and a powerful menu editor, adding a new level of creativity to the DVD authoring process. The integration between Adobe Encore DVD and Photoshop allows users to edit menus, without flattening or re-rendering Photoshop files that make up the menu backgrounds for the majority of professionally-produced DVDs. Changes are instantaneous, easily reversible, and save hours of production time. The sophisticated menu designer also provides access to Photoshop text design tools–to edit, style and align text within the project window.

Getting started with Adobe Encore DVD is straightforward and intuitive with pre-designed button and menu styles that incorporate motion and still backgrounds. A simple interface within Adobe Encore DVD provides full control over navigation, allowing authors to specify playback behavior for their DVDs. A customizable library palette lets users save their favorite button and background designs for future use. In addition, Adobe Encore DVD automatically creates chapters from recognized marker points in Adobe Premiere and can import After Effects AVI files to create motion menu loops.

“Our research indicates the DVD authoring market is exploding this year with a CAGR of 391%. Adobe’s introduction of Adobe Encore DVD couldn’t come at a better time,” said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research, a leading multimedia market research firm. “By incorporating professional-level control with entry-level functionality, Adobe is positioned to fill the needs of professional videographers at either end of the spectrum, allowing virtually anyone to create and burn their own professional DVDs.”

Flexible Production Environment
Using a familiar Adobe interface and project timeline, users can combine video, audio and subtitles with up to 8 tracks of audio and 32 subtitle tracks. An efficient project management system keeps everything organized and allows users to track a project’s structure; sort and find specific elements; and apply global changes to projects. Before burning a DVD, users can view their work in the integrated project preview window to check the navigational design for broken and orphaned links.

Adobe Encore DVD offers the highest degree of playback compatibility with support for all recordable DVD formats including DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW and DVD-RAM. It also provides integrated video and audio transcoding, which automatically converts video source files to MPEG-2, audio source files to Dolby Digital and optimizes file compression. For more control, professionals have the option to manually adjust the settings to their own specifications.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Encore DVD for Windows XP is expected to ship in the United States in the third quarter of 2003. The estimated street price is US $549. Adobe Encore DVD will be available for purchase from Adobe.com, retail outlets and Adobe certified resellers. Information regarding international pricing and support policies is available on the Adobe website at www.adobe.com .

Reprinted from a Final Draft press release:

Final Draft Inc., makers of the top-selling screenplay software Final Draft, announced today the availability of Final Draft AV Version 2- an upgrade to their self-contained, full-featured script processor specifically designed for dual-column, audio/video scriptwriting. It retails for US$199.00 from Final Draft, Inc. at (800) 231-4055 or International +1.818.995.8995. Final Draft AV Version 2 is available in Windows and Macintosh format as well as an electronic version (downloadable). Registered users may upgrade electronically at no charge or receive a boxed product for $29.00.

>Final Draft AV Version 2 combines powerful word processing with a variety of industry formats in one self-contained, easy-to-use application. The dual-column, audio-visual script format is used by writers, producers and directors who create commercials, corporate videos, documentaries, music videos, radio spots, news, infomercials, speeches, corporate presentations, etc. Besides the ability to keep columns aligned, Final Draft AV Version 2 also includes a customizable header and footer, a full-featured spellchecker and thesaurus, import and export capabilities with Final Draft and other word processors as well as 100% cross-platform compatibility.

System requirements:

Macintosh:

Reprinted from a Datavideo press release:

Datavideo Corporation announces that it is now shipping SE-800, the only moderately priced four-DV-input mixer/switcher that provides full professional operation with four simultaneously available video and audio inputs, plus an auxiliary audio input.

The SE-800 gives complete creative and production control whether it’s used in an online - streaming video business meeting, a televised live meeting, or a local cable-access news broadcast.

Producers can now shoot, mix and edit their video, all within the DV25 format while controlling the SE-800’s dissolve, chroma key and more than 50 built-in effects with its full-size keyboard.

And of course special video effects such as mosaic, picture-in-picture (PIP), strobe, paint/posterization, cut and fades, zooms and wipes are included and can be easily programmed into the SE-800’s 30 playback function keys.

An RGB color processor and a color corrector is built into each input of the SE-800.

“Customized settings can be easily saved in memory so producers and editors can quickly fine-tune the video output as they switch between inputs and formats,” announced Jack Lin, President and CEO of Datavideo Technologies Co. Ltd.

The SE-800’s built in format converters manage any combination of up to four simultaneous analog and digital audio and video inputs and outputs.

Its dual-channel time base corrector (TBC) with YUV 4:2:2 frame synchronizers are designed for composite, S-video (Y/C) and component (YUV) input/output assuring stable and high quality video images from any source.

The SE-800 can also serve as a sync reference for analog cameras, video projectors and scan converters.

“Datavideo has the only switcher that offers four-input pure digital multi-DV switching and it gives us the ability to synch external audio to video tracks perfectly too…everything about it is solid and very reliable,” says Rich Rubin, professional pilot and producer at Professional Video Systems.

SE-800 data includes an SDI input/output port (for serial digital video) that can connect to an optional graphics card enabling real time video overlays of titles and graphics and titles that are generated from a linked PC.

Included with the SE-800 is a rugged carrying case, a 115/240 VAC power supply and four 6/4 DV adapters.

MSRP $4500.00 FOB Whittier, CA

Datavideo’s new SE-800 is available nationally through professional audio/video distributors.

Reprinted from an ItWorks press release:

ItWorks recently released the CALIBUG–a pocket USB tool that can generate as many as 100 video test patterns. The CALIBUG also turns any PC or laptop equipped with Composite/YC video outputs into an NTSC video test signal generator: rivaling those that cost thousands of dollars.

Designed with input from a team of video professionals (including a former TV station Chief Engineer and a Multimedia Producer), the CALIBUG is a complete set of video reference tools, measurement aids, video and audio tests, and multimedia content designed to help you tune your NTSC composite video system to its full potential. All this, plus the convenience of having a device that clips onto your belt or slides into your pocket to take anywhere!

Key features of the CALIBUG include:

Reprinted from a WGBH press release:

Version 2.01 of the Media Access Generator (MAGpie)–
free, do-it-yourself captioning, subtitling and audio-description
software for digital multimedia developed by the CPB/WGBH
National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)– is now available
to download at http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie/

By adding captions, subtitles and audio descriptions to Web-based media, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, multimedia specialists, publishing companies or service providers enable full access to millions people with hearing or vision loss, as well as speakers of other languages in the US and abroad. Captions added to multimedia presentations ensure that the audio components are accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Audio descriptions provide access for people who are blind or visually impaired by adding narration that describes the visuals, including action, scene changes, graphics and on-screen text. Descriptions can also assist students with learning disabilities by reinforcing through audio what the user is watching on the screen.

Using MAGpie 2.01, authors can add captions and audio descriptions to the most popular media platforms: Apple’s QuickTime, RealNetworks’ RealPlayer and Microsoft’s Windows Media. MAGpie is friendly to those who are new to multimedia, educators and even to young users. MAGpie 1.0 was released in early 2001. New features greatly expand the software’s capabilities and ease of use.

MAGpie 2.01 features:

Reprinted from a DVLine press release:

DVLine has begun offering a new version of its ProLaptop line that is the first in the country to offer ATI’s 9000 Mobility display at 128MB. The card provides for lightning quick redraws under the most demanding applications. The 128MB display is available on models up to 3.06GHz providing adequate capability to run applications such as Avid Xpress, Pinnacle Edition 5 and Vegas+DVD. The new graphics chip will speed up everything from After Effects to 3DS Max to Boris.

“We have always sought the perfect portable, but up until now they have just been underpowered. With our new models, you get internal storage up to 180GB, DVD-R/RW and more. With the new 128MB graphics adapter, we have scaled the last hurdle in achieving desktop performance in a mobile editor” says Kenneth Bell; founder of the company. “Further, when combined with the internal DVD burner, you can edit on location without having to bring external drives and DVD burning devices which ultimately limited portability”. Finally, the DVLine ProLaptop series comes equipped with a huge 16.1″ display empowering the creative producer to use their full toolset.

The new models are immediately available at www.dvline.com and can be configured according to a customer’s specific needs, including Sonic Foundry Vegas+DVD, Pinnacle Edition 5, Avid Xpress DV and Adobe Premiere. Pricing starts at $2600.00 for a base model.

Reprinted from a Canopus press release:

Today at CeBIT Germany, Canopus Corporation, makers of award-winning digital video editing products, announced EDIUS, the highly anticipated nonlinear editing platform for use with the company’s acclaimed DVRex RT and DVStorm line of editing solutions. EDIUS delivers unprecedented productivity and flexibility by offering unlimited video and audio tracks, unlimited graphics and title layers, the ability to transition between multiple video tracks, voiceover recording, 3- and 4-point editing for even greater flexibility, multi-format conversion capabilities and realtime output - all in a fresh graphical user interface that makes it easy to create powerful, professional video and audio content.

New Interface Design for Greater Productivity
EDIUS breaks new ground in editing productivity and workflow with a fast intuitive user interface. Its floating window design makes workspace customization easy, especially in dual-monitor setups, and features dual or single preview windows, drop-down definable buttons for a clean, less-cluttered interface, time code and audio level overlay displays, as well as timeline, Bin, effect selector and realtime waveform and vectorscope windows. This new interface provides editors with instant responsiveness when maneuvering through the most complex timeline projects while handling dozens of clips.

“EDIUS was designed with our customers in mind to ensure the highest standard in quality, speed, flexibility and most importantly, stability. We listened to our customers and studied their needs to create a completely new editing engine that will meet their needs now and in the future,” said Canopus founder and CEO, Hiro Yamada.

Powerful Realtime Video Effects
EDIUS integrates Canopus’s proprietary effects technology to provide editors with an advanced level of artistic creativity. EDIUS offers 27 realtime video filters, including White/Black Balance, Color Balance, High Quality Blur and Region. In addition, there are realtime Chroma Key and Luma Key capabilities for use in compositing. EDIUS also features a fully customizable 2D/3D Picture-in-Picture effect. All effects in EDIUS are easily adjustable and may be combined to produce hundreds of customizable effects.

EDIUS also includes Xplode for EDIUS and EDIUS FX, Canopus’s advanced realtime 2D and 3D video effects engines. These effects packages feature harness the power of Canopus Effects Technology to create stunning, professional-quality video transitions. With more than 40 transition groups to choose from, each with customizable options and numerous presets, Xplode for EDIUS and EDIUS FX provide enough power for even the most demanding video editor.

Extensive Realtime Titling
EDIUS is capable of unlimited simultaneous realtime titles and graphics layers. The motion and opacity controls in EDIUS allow users to stack multiple title layers for greater creativity. EDIUS’s Title Motion Filter effects include Blur, Dissolve, Slide, Wipe and Laser. EDIUS also includes Inscriber(r) TitleExpress(tm) to quickly and easily create polished, high-quality video titles. Editors can choose from more than 170 pre-designed titling templates, then simply type in their own text. In addition to templates, editors have the freedom to generate their own titles.

ProCoder Technology for Quick Multiple-Format Export
The output quality of a completed video project is just as important as the editing process. EDIUS addresses this by providing fast, high-quality, multiple format export capabilities with technology featured in Canopus’s highly acclaimed conversion software package ProCoder. ProCoder LE - EDIUS Edition lets users rapidly export to MPEG-1, MPEG-2, QuickTime RealVideo and Windows Media formats, in addition to Canopus’s own DV AVI format.

Pricing and Availability
EDIUS supports Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional and will be available in May 2003 from Canopus and its authorized dealers. The suggested retail price of EDIUS is $599. Until August 31, 2003, the company is offering EDIUS at a special introductory price of $299.

Spectra WF17 Special Offer
For exceptional dual-monitor performance, Canopus is offering the Spectra WF17 Dual-Monitor Special for $399 (offer ends August 31, 2003). Featuring the Nvidia GeForce4 MX 460 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR SDRAM running at 550MHz, Spectra WF17 provides fast, steady performance. The Spectra WF17 is an ideal solution for the ultimate EDIUS editing suite.

Reprinted from a Focus Enhancements press release:

FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. (NASDAQ SC: FCSE), a worldwide leader in video production and conversion technology, today announced that its digital disk recording solution has been chosen for use in JVC’s professional line of DV camcorders. The solution was based on FOCUS Enhancements’ unique Direct To Edit Technology (DTE) and will be marketed by JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY under the name DR-DV5000, the first DTE-capable recorder that mounts between a camcorder and battery system.

“We have been working with FOCUS Enhancements to develop the best DV recording solution and are very pleased with the end result,” said Juan Martinez, national product marketing manager for JVC Professional USA. “By incorporating FOCUS Enhancements’ DTE Technology, we were able to create a total solution that meets the growing needs of our broadcast and professional customers.”

DTE Technology is FOCUS Enhancements’ proprietary recording process that enables the recording of video, audio and time code directly to removable, FireWire disk drives. For the first time, edit ready clips are immediately available to the non-linear editing (NLE) system in their native file formats including RawDV, AVI Type 1, AVI Type 2, Matrox AVI, Canopus AVI, QuickTime and Avid DV-OMF. This eliminates the capturing process, saving a videographer up to 25 hours a month1. DTE Technology was the developing ground for FOCUS Enhancements’ current line of FireStore DV disk recorders, which offers the same time saving benefits as the DR-DV5000.

“We are extremely pleased that JVC has chosen DTE Technology and the DR-DV5000 for its DV disk recording solutions”, said David O’Kelly, vice president of business development with FOCUS Enhancements. “It is truly a testament of our ability to develop technologies that meet today’s market needs.”

The DR-DV5000 is designed to mount between the camcorder and battery system on JVC’s full line of Professional DV camcorders. It can record up to four and half hours on a single drive (based on a 60 GB capacity) and comes with retro loop and time lapse recording. Other features include multiple control modes, powerful disk utilities, playback modes, infrared remote control with wired and serial remote control options, and a small, lightweight enclosure that mounts directly to a camcorder’s battery plate. When mounted directly to the JVC GY-DV5000 camcorder, a single connector interfaces to the DR-DV5000 and provides enhanced integration.

Availability and Pricing
The DR-DV5000 will be marketed and distributed by JVC Professional as an option to its line of Professional DV camcorders. Customers can also purchase an optional user-configurable DR-DV5000 0GB FireWire hard drive enclosure. Both will be priced and available through the JVC Professional worldwide distribution network in Q2 2003. Additional information can be found on the JVC Professional website at http://pro.jvc.com or on the FOCUS website at http://www.focusinfo.com.

Reprinted from a SoftNI press release:

SoftNI Corporation, pioneering developers of subtitling solutions, today introduced a new series of subtitling solutions for the major NLE systems, starting with NLE-Titler for Adobe Premiere.

The new NLE-subtitling modules are integrated with SoftNI’s Subtitler Suite, an all-purpose subtitling solution that lets users rapidly compose and time subtitling files that comply with all international standards. The new NLE-Titler-AP module exports the subtitles as high quality, anti-aliased bitmaps, formatted for Adobe Premiere. The plug-in lets users import and automatically place the subtitles with correct timecodes onto the Premiere timeline. When the video is rendered, the subtitles are burnt in as a permanent part of the video image.

SoftNI President José M. Salgado said, “Our new NLE-Titler-AP initiates a series of releases that will cover all major NLE platforms. It provides a top-quality, convenient, cost-effective way to respond to the fast-growing demand for subtitling. Surprisingly often, NLE users still create subtitles very laboriously in-house, using a CG, or the basic titling utilities that are included with most NLE’s, neither of which address subtitling’s unique requirements.”

“Universally, post and corporate producers have been looking for a better way. Similarly, subtitling companies have needed a way to prepare high-quality subtitles in NLE format. We are very pleased to meet the needs of thousands of Premiere users and subtitling firms by adding NLE-Titler-AP to our versatile Subtitler Suite.”

Reprinted from a MainConcept press release:

MainConcept, a leader in multimedia technology, today announced that it has released MainActor 5 for Windows. The new software is a completely re-engineered version of MainConcept’s flagship video editing software, adding a variety of professional capabilities.

The new application includes features from the previous version of MainActor (including the extremely popular background rendering), plus new additions including: