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(Page 2 of 2 pages for this article < 1 2) Mikey on the scene - blogging the MacWorld SF 2009 Keynote LiveI’ll be at the keynote, typin’ away… Filed under:
Color 1.0.4 Released - Red fixesPart of Pro Apps Update 2008-05 Filed under:
Beware 10.5.6 upgrade, 2007 Mac Pro ownersDoes Funny-Not-Ha-Ha Things To PCIe Configs Filed under:
Rant on The Death of Indie Film as a Business ModelTRULY Indie Filmmaking is deader than fried chicken, financially Filed under:
Red updates Scarlet/Epic specs - “Mo Bettah”...and a sweet deal for Red One owners UPDATED Filed under:
TRULY native Red support in Final Cut Studio…finally!Well, rewrappered QTs - as native as P2 is… Filed under: *VIDEO* • Cameras • Post Production •
Red’s new approach - modular digital stills and motion cameras - 8 new modelsEIGHT new cameras announced today from Red - new lenses too! Filed under:
Some additional Red Event: Ted Schilowitz, Red’s “Leader of the Revolution” gave a talk on the Fox lot today, here’s my notes- showing new stuff, screening new footage, screening the reel from the 4K reel (we’re watching HDCAM SR 1080p) LOTS OF NEW STUFF - Che, very little left over from original reel “for a young company that doesn’t really know what we’re doing, we seem to know what we’re doing” “I’ll probably get some stuff wrong...the organizational part will come later” “All specs subject to change, count on it” “we’re a development company, we like to sell stuff, but at our core we like to build stuff...anything we do at any point in time is subject to change” Luke from Apple and Michael from Plaster City originally said they’d never hit the price point and specs - keep your eyes open shipping for 1 year, all over the world, to 67 countries, less of a traditional company, more of a ride (more of a roller coaster) -2 years development to frutition to shipping it in mass -not afraid of that dynamic, to ride the razor’s edit -the first year, Ted had renders of what the Red will be -the first Red “One” was a wooden box with a bunch of boards, had a slice of a sensor -Guerilla, The Argentine, Game, The Informatnt, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Knowing all shot on Red Soderbergh shot in the jungle with the pre-release cameras -Game by the Crank guys is in post, a couple of thousand effects shots -The Informant shot with Matt Damon on Red, The Girlfriend Experience shooting on Red -BARD stars Michael Douglas is in final DI and testing -have a filmout we might get to see -BARD shot on 6 Reds -Knowing shot in Australia with 7 Reds, Alex Proyas directed, Nicolas Cage - all of these could have shot 35, shot Red instead, even at that budget level -(Donnie Darko 2) -small screen - tons of commercials shot on Red SO, IN DEVELOPMENT: SPECS AND DATES ARE SUBJECT TO DRASTIC CHANGES. COUNT ON IT AND YOU WON’T BE DISSAPOINTED (so dates will slip) Scarlet, Epic, the DSMC system DSMC = Digital Stills and Motion Cameras Scarlet and Epic were announced Scarlet little sister, Epic big brother Epic was to be a 5K sensor around $40K, could step up from Red One went back to drawing board, felt that wasn’t a big enough step forward a system all based around DSMC system the brains are about the same size epic isn’t that much bigger is just the brains stills camera that shoots motion, a motion camera that shoots stills Red One wasn’t a video camera, was a still camera that shoots motion - pushign that to the nth degree - learned about what works - is a RAW progressive frame making machine -over 2 trillion possible configurations -3K, 5K, 6K options -have a range of cameras, all living inside the Scarlet (or Epic) bodies -the first two use 2/3” sensors -the two differences: one is a fixed 8x zoom, the other has interchangable mounts (C, Red minimount, and something else) - 1-120 fps -the lenseless is $2500, the fixed lens don’t have a price point yet -fixed lens biased towards the wider 5K camera is 14MP, is S35 sized 1-30fps the FF35 is 1-30fps, 6K will have a 24MP sensor many of the configs imply configuring as a digital still camera that can shoot video as well -the fixed lens (image 121) - the back piece comes off and remote it from 100 feet away -the lens itself can do zoom, focus, and iris electromechanically -the tactile feel of manual focus is possible too -122 - in cinema mode with this thing -123 - the handle itself can mount stuff, put addl 12V batteries -an IO module slides int ethe middle, (DO THESE SLIDE/LOCK TOGETHER, BOLT TOGETHER, OR WHAT?) -new electronic super high res viewfinder in 124 - what res? - can use the existing LCDs and stuff on this as well - so 720p -the left side module is swappable for CF, SSD module, keep being updated and modified -is a self contained shooting unit, no tethering required -a lot of the Red accessories connectable -126 - the lineup, the fixed lens model is a little deeper -targetting for “a little less than a year” -the reel was at Redcode 28 or 36, these devices have more advanced Redcode - go Redcode 42-this is on the Scarlet S35 and the FF35 are 7K and 12K Red is between 10 and 11 stops Monstro 13 stops Redmount is their electronic mount -the only sacrifice for Scarlet is frame rate (limited to 30fps for S35 & FF35) -5, 6, & 9K Epic is 5K, 6K, and 9K S35 is 5K 1-100fps FF35 Monstro 6K 1-100 fps 9K 1-50fps 645 Monstro this is really for the high end pro market note the bricks (brains) get bigger -132 - has the same controller that works on both sides - can have TWO of them - one for asst, one for operator (Scarlet could live this way too) -133 - center of gravity is in an interesting place - can grow in and out as neccessary -134 - two batteries and module -135 - a Scarlet here, but Epic could be there too up to Redcode 225 (asked the frame rate thing, the counting way is different from the Red One) -Epic is now 28K for 5K 1-100fps, can trade in for $10K to get Epic, for FF35, is 6000x4000, $35K 9K is 1-50fps, is medium format (137) - 65MP images at 50fps, can be cinema or stills, shoot billboards - doing sports or fashion to pull a high quality moment in time - -Chris shoots both - (guy next to me) -the wheels are off - can go up to ultra ultra hi res -617 - if 645 was vistavision, 617 is about 2.5x times Imax, 261MP, Redcode 500 -16 bit, 13 stops, digital imax on steroids - AND CAN SHOOT IT HANDHELD -shoots 25fps at that res -accessories move forward -LENSES -electronic lenses, their own mount for it -stabilization - can’t answer yet 152 - Red mini mounts - tiny lenses -my bloody valentine shot 3D with Reds with a mirror rig -talk to Stuart about the interocular on the 3D rig -Nike Fincher spot, shot on 6-7 Reds, Rock Paper Scissors, (shot in part on my Red!) -10 OR 12 episodic shows around the world shot on Red, expect to see more of it for TV, to find more efficient ways of delivering post on ProResHQ -Leverage and 26 Miles shot on Red for TV -Michael Cioni from Plaster City two different ways to edit (native with reference movies) or with transcoded ProRes files
-Avid pathway as well
-Plaster City is data centric -make sure everyone has a little taste on all this can be done as quickly as a taep or film based workflow -For Final Cut Pro, can transcode yourself - both Leverage and 26 Miles transcoded to ProResHQ -adapting HD for working with Red - DNxHD stuff -Red & Avid, can telecine if you want via Scratch - datacine in realtime with color correction to tape for traditional workflows -DNxHD can capture as high res DNxHD 115, output for color correction, nuking assembly and reconform -can work with one light or best light dailies, is good enough for air -still have the ability to go to RedRAW to reconform -FCP/Avid/Premiere - can offline, can possibly do realtime -transcoding does NOT have to be 30x realtime, can be as fast as realtime -two workflows with Final Cut - working with native _M files - good for checking things on set or single stream editing, good for limited storage capacity -working nativel without rendering, these are 1Ks files, aren’t sufficient for broadcast -transcoding to ProRes lets you work full size (or DNxHD in Avid) - in Labor Pains, was transcoded to DNxHD with a one light color correction to tape, captured in - is GOOD ENOUGH FOR SCREENING AND AIRING -Pussycat Dolls video shot on Red, the source photography was a challenge -10-25TB of data comes in a week -there are a lot of facilities getting good at Red, to transcode into something you’re already working with -can expand the worlfow you already have into every lab - people think you can’t bridge it into other workflows, LUKE FROM APPLE - preview of work on stuff currently under development -159 - using a new plugin for Color, editing the proxies, grade with RAW controls (using native 4K files) -can output 2K ProRes or DPX (or uncompressed or whatever) -(NOTE FOR ME - CAN RECONFORM FROM PRORES TO NATIVE TO COLOR CORRECT NATIVE?) -editing realtime 2K sequence (this is new) -plugin in color Log and Transfer into FCP 163 164 - disk to disk copy, moving native files, no transcoding 2K downrezzed on the fly from the source 4K -all the Red camera metadata, mapping into the QT header file, -if working with FCServer, can use that metadata to sort/sift -can search based on timestamp for afternoon shots -all the metadata is searchable (this maybe in the new version due soon!) -all metadata -is NOT a reference file, is a freestanding QT file, no longer needs to reference the RAW source footage anymore (hooray!) -in FCServer, simulating a multi-user workflow, can check it out to the desktop, can open it up, have a sequence built from that wrapped R3D material brought in through log and transfer -working with it as you work with the material, without transcoding -he’s scrubbing - don’t see any raltime playback! -this can all happen in parallel - as soon as Log & Transfer has done it, is visible in Final Cut Server or anything - instantly available -very easy to do -what is the plugin called - the Red Plugin for Log & Transfer from Red - when available? “Very soon” -RAW to linear etc. - ask Luke about it offline -his demo is Final Cut 6.0.5, BTW (I think, went by quickly) -(transitions show better in this version in Color) -in the Primary room, there is a Red tab in the Primary room, lets me alter the Red parameters on the RAW in a non-distructive way - manimpulating the 12 bit source - -can render out to whatever you want as usual from there -a short by Russel Carpenter (Titanic etc.), is almost done, is about 14 minutes -going back to see some nature footage -Mike (??) from Adobe - Adobe CS4 - an update to CS4 (free) will let you look at 4K Red in After Efects and Premiere without any transcoding - 8 bit out of Premiere, 32 bit float etc. out of After Effects, all see the 4K natively, can play 1K natively realtime, is a global setting to downconvert to 1K ro 2K - some Vista workstations are getting 2K playback -works on PC and Mac -expect a lot of good stuff
Q&A:
QUESTIONS:
no reflex viewing option for the high end - that is their way
NO REFLEX VIEWING - resolution and match it to concept of cinematography and photography, different from an SLR, expect folks to use high res viewing devices -most of the optical finder (new finders will be higher res down the road) conversation went away -frame rates and resolutions -the DSLRs like D90 and 5D mark 2 are different Rodney Charters asks - adding bit depth is a big part of it, the brains are more advanced than the Red One, we’ll see the results of that - most important to us is dynamic range (what they hear from DPs) -credit for Red One - details online - if going to Epic, get a full credit of $17,500 - IF YOU WANT to keep the Red, you get 12% discount off any Scarlet you want to buy -demand will be high for the new stuff, Red One owners get priority status -a number of ways owners will get benefits -higher frame rates - as you window down, get higher frame rates -won’t get higher frame rates on Scarlet, on Epic for sure, as go down in res, go higher in frame rate - the 6K and 9K at 100 or 50 fps, can shoot full res at full rate -5K and 6K will be the sweet spot for large screen work -for current Red One owners, will probably have a wait list program, but haven’t detailed all that yet - keep watching reduser and red.com -these new bitrates for codec - tweaked from current - working on new ways to get hgher res and appropriate bandwidth to catch that resolution -there is NOT a one to one correlation to what they are doing today - is a complicated matrix -R3Ds file structure - Redcode is the heart of their effort, Redcode as a wavelet based form will be the basis for the future, but how to net that down for post and delivery will be shown later. Don’t think the current R3D is the end game - if they can get more res at the head end, will pay off later. No reason to gate the top end to worry about where the home (user resolution) is -sensitivity - likely more sensitive than Red One, but aren’t talking about it yet. Bet that everything across the baord -ALMOST complete compatibility across Epic - there’s a step-up ring to get to the thicker form factor - other than that, pieces to work across both lines -electronically - the accessories are cross compatible -moving from body to body and swapping sensors - the answer is probably, but don’t know yet, that hasn’t been discussd yet -storage capacity stays the same, so recording duration goes down (good question Jim Mathers) -ride the tech wave as it evolves - so expect bigger/faster over time -recording options are still yet to be determined -uncompressed stillls? Don’t see that as their future - when see the Redcode results, will quiet them the way the uncompressed outputs and - in the end, the orders were in the single digits for the uncompressed version - if it makes sense, there’s enough demand and biz model, but they are happy with the wavelet as the future - was great in gen 1, will get better in gen 2 -existing Red drives WILL work on future stuff - for 3K Scarlet yes, but under certain configs won’t be fast enough -PL CAN be put on the FF35 stuff, WILL be able to do anamorphics -most popular Epic? FF or S35? FF is $35K, isn’t much difference in price, that small price bump is worth it for the coverage and frame size and stuff -FF35 WILL work with traditional anamorphics - aspect ratio for FF35 -1080p multiple outputs on Epic? - YES! FF35 is full frame 4x3 sensor 2nd pass notes - the difference is the frame rates between scarlet and epic 3K can do midlevel stills with it 5K & 6K use much larger sensors, can do 1-30fps for motion picture stuff, are ultra high res cameras close to 14MP for 5K, 24MP for 6K QUESTION - HOW DO THE BRICKS INTERCONNECT/LOCK TOGETHER? more dynamic range than Red One, using DNRX technology -existing reel & stuff is at Redcode 28 & 36, the new stuff goes up to Redcode 42 -with 13 stops - getting into the ballpark with Red One, Monstro is getting close to film’s dynamic range -can have TWO remotes - one for assistant and one for operator -handheld with bigger LCD -will have newer CF modules, will have SSD modules, etc. YES can put PL mount on the 6K FF35 there’s a swiss company that makes a 617 format camera that shoots 1fps for something 2.5x bigger than IMAX doing up to 25fps on this unit is 261MP camera digital still camera that shoots movies 3K @ 2/3” they have mini-Red mount lenses, from 6.5 to 75mm they specifically designed it longer rather than wider - viable for 3D New workflow options for Red announced from Apple, Adobe, & Avidmore goodies from the Red announcements today Filed under:
Red Drops the (Specs) BombEpic, Scarlet, DSMC = pile of Lego blocks Filed under:
“The Conversation” Conference starts today in SFI’ll be speaking there tomorrow 1:30-3pm Filed under:
QuVis Wraptor to export your own DCI DCP (that’s theatrical digital file package)$699 Compressor plug-in lets Final Cut Studio users export Digital Cinema Package Filed under:
Bloggage - I’ve got my own Nikon D90 on the wayI’ve ordered one of the Nikon D90 cameras for myself Filed under:
Nikon D90 vs Red’s Scarlet - Specdown!Does the Nikon D90 pose a threat to (the specs only of) Red’s Scarlet? Filed under:
Nikon D90 - nice DSLR that also shoots HD videoNikon’s new stills camera shoots nice 720p movies Filed under:
iSee4K - MUST HAVE iPhone/iPod Touch app for Red One usersPerfect little app calculates DoF, FoV, frame rates, storage, etc. Filed under:
HEY! Apple releases ProRes for WindowsFree ProRes Decoder for both Mac & Windows Filed under:
Red One Geekery: Real World Info on RedcodeEverything you wanted to know about shooting Redcode, but were afraid to ask - Part 1 Filed under:
Making Movies Now - bigger, sometimes better, definitely riskierWhy moviemaking is getting bigger, sometimes better, but definitely more dangerous Filed under:
Couple bits of awesomenessRed Build 16 and Ben Buttons trailer Filed under:
The very, very serious problem with democratization of technology in moviemakingLA Times article on tough times for indies Filed under:
WOW. Reason to want to make movies“The Fall” - most gorgeous trailer....ever? Filed under:
Panavision & Canon videos on “Demystifying Digital Camera Specifications”7 part video series talks about how to understand how digital images are made and work Filed under:
Top 5 Things at NAB ‘08Filed under: NAB 08 •
Red One News - Builds, Lenses, AccessoriesBuild 16 news, new lenses & details, new Pro Accessories Filed under: NAB 08 •
Red Ray - 2+ Hour 4K playback for under $1000…from a burnable DVD4K from Red cameras or Red Ray DVDs play back at 4K, 2K, 1080p, 720p, or SD resolutions Filed under: NAB 08 •
Red Scarlet - 3K for $3K…at up to 120fps....and sometimes 180 fps Filed under: NAB 08 •
Red’s new Epic camera - 5K RAW, 100fps, $40KI thought he said “Red Effin’” - that woulda worked fine for me Filed under: NAB 08 •
Blogwad - press releases of interest for NAB 2008Here’s a bunch of PR material on things that sounded kewl Filed under: NAB 08 •
Long, AWESOME interview with James Cameron about shooting 3DFiled under:
Mike’s Notes from Saturday’s Digital Cinema SummitPanel on 3D moviemaking Filed under: NAB 08 •
Mike on the scene at NABCheckin’ it all out Filed under: NAB 08 •
Red “Mythbusting” VideoTed shows off how 4K footage can be dropped into a timeline for 2K offline editing Filed under: Cameras •
Crimson - third party Red application to help with workflowCrimson allows you to round trip FCP-Redcine-FCP - Hallelujah! Filed under:
Quick update - Red One now shoots 2K at 120 fps - sample includedShooting 120fps is FUN! Filed under:
Personal update - I’m moving to Los AngelesTime to get where the going’s doin’ Filed under:
Red One Unboxing - Part 1Pics and details of what you get when your Red One arrives Filed under: Cameras •
...and at last you’ve extricated a Red. Here’s some more pictures of that: Right side:
Back:
Left side:
Front:
Front/top:
They’ve changed the PL mount since the first 100 (really beta) cameras:
and in the back they’ve added a protective couple of nub/flanges to protect the joystick - BIG improvement:
I’ll do another article on differences between the first 100 and the currently shipping production models, that’ll take some space itself. Recent conversations also indicate that tests done with the beta cameras are so different than what is or will be soon possible that those earlier tests just aren’t very valid any more. Hmm. Next up - lets look into the accessories: Blu-ray Won - What’s Next For…OK - Blu-ray won. Now what? Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, etc. Filed under: Hardware •
THE SIZE PROBLEM There’s plenty of folks that haven’t even made the leap to high def yet. Anecdotally, the family friends I was staying with in Los Angeles this week (retired folks in their 60s and 70s) still have a regular SDTV, no HDTV. The husband was reading about HD DVD’s demise, and asked what it was all about. He then asked if HD DVD discs would play in his existing uprezzing DVD player. Nope I said. What about Blu-ray? Nope as well. I then explained he’d have to buy a new TV set (HD of course), then a $300-$500 Blu-ray player, and THEN he could see something better than DVDs (he watches on a 32 or 36 inch set from about 12-15 feet away). Ex-military that he is, I shant print his response to that. And I don’t think that is an unusual circumstance for a lot of people who aren’t techheads like you and me (and by any definition, you are a propeller beanie boy/girl if you’re reading this). First they have to know something is better, then they have to want it, then they have to be able to afford it. We (you and I) typically run that loop a lot faster than most. But I don’t think high def content, delivered in ANY fashion, is going to really take off until BIG HDTVs get CHEAP. If you recall from this chart I posted with permission from Carlton Bale quite some time back, you can’t even eyeball the difference between 480p (DVDs) and 720p (the lesser HD resolution) from 12 feet away until you get a set over 50 inches. Since most HDTVs presently in homes are 37 or fewer inches across, and if typical viewing distance is 8-10 feet at best...most folks won’t be able to tell the difference, or at least a meaningful difference. My prediction - not until 50+ inch sets of 720p or more get under $1000 will the curve start to move meaningfully for HD. And that will also require a cultural shift - look at your parents’ and older friends’ attitudes (your friends who aren’t movie fanatics - so let us presume that is your relatives in the Midwest). My parents, my parents’ friends, they all want the TV AWAY - it lives in a cabinet with the doors closed when not in use. HDTVs, by nature of their wide aspect, don’t live well in those environments unless you have a HUGE piece of furniture. Good, as in large, HDTVs want to sit out by themselves in the viewing room, with a heavy duty “Look at ME!” attitude. Patterns are changing rapidly, fortunately, but they are starting from a place that doesn’t lend itself to seeing the difference between SD and HD due to size and viewing distances. By the time you get up to a 60” set (as I bought), you can REALLY see the difference between SD adn HD. SD DVDs look really good, high def looks fantastic. But as with many things economic, Good Enough is Good Enough. Until you have the disposable income and the desire, most won’t make the jump. And until a BIG set is CHEAP - say 50 inches for $600 - a lot of people aren’t going to invest in HD. So, I’d expect Blu-ray sales to remain non-spectacular until sets big sets get cheap - then wait for the perception-not-reality gap to catch up some months later when folks first realize big sets are actually cheap, then see the difference Blu-ray makes, then mull it over, THEN buy, perhaps waiting until the next big sales event. MICROSOFT Rumors are floating that Microsoft may have a Blu-ray add-on for Xbox360 as early has May or June. While I’m sure it smarts for them, as they helped develop the interactivity layer, HD DVD is, as the cops used to say upon arrival on particularly gruesome car crash, “DRT” - that’s short for Dead Right There, no need to check for vitals. So Microsoft has to face that reality (as well as Toshiba). And the reality is that their game system has no viable high def disc player. Two options there - they can either go with the winning format, or start to seriously push for skipping right past optical discs and going for downloadable movies (which still have to get stored SOMEWHERE, and portability and long term archival issues are still a pain). If they can get the Xbox360 movie download stuff working seamlessly and interchangeably with Windows PCs, then they have a fighting chance. Chance, not victory. ADOBE Adobe is sitting pretty right now - they decided long ago to offer Blu-ray authoring capabilities with their Creative Suites for video, and they are well positioned now that Blu-ray is the only high def optical disc format of note. With tight integration between Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, Flash, and Encore, and the super gravy bonus of being able to author to Flash as well as DVD or Blu-ray, the capability for businesses to author content once and deploy online, SD and HD discs is GREAT. Meanwhile.... AppleTV Take 2: New Software, Same HardwareFiled under: Hardware •
The maximum resolution for video content is 1280x720. That’s 720p, right? That’s HD, right? Well...barely. All the movies you’d buy in HD on Blu-ray or HD DVD are 1080p - that’s 1920x1080. And since all movies are 24p, the whole 60p vs 60i argument is moot - 1080p knocks blisters into 720p - it is 2.25 times as many pixels, so more than TWICE the resolution of 720p. Yep - that means HD DVD and Blu-ray (and HD DVR usually) should be twice as sharp as AppleTV content. Next part of the HDTV picture - frame rate. AppleTV can do 720p. The broadcast spec for 720p is 60 fps (frames per second). Surprise! AppleTV is rated for a maximum of 24fps at 720p resolution - so it can’t do broadcast frame rates. Egads, that’s bad. So what can it do? If you want to run higher than 24 fps, it has to drop resolution lower. The maximum frame rate it can do is 30fps for H.264 encoded video (we’ll come back to codecs) at 960x540. So that’s only 1/4 of the number of pixels of true 1080p. Lame. And as far as framerate goes, that is STILL half the temporal resolution of eithe of the HD resolutions - 720p is 60 progressive frames per second, and 1080i is 60 fields (half frames, every other horizontal line) per second. For starters, this means that if Apple wants to sell you any broadcast TV show that was aired or produced at 60i or 60p, they have to cut the resolution to 1/4 the original pixels, the cut the framerate in half....so you’re getting 1/8 as much information as you coulda/shoulda. Not so spiffy. Last year, when Blu-ray and HD DVD players were selling for $600 and up, AppleTV’s position make some financial sense. This year, with HD DVD as a format going down fast * with half of one wing left and both engines aflame, chucking players overboard at $100 a pop at WalMart...that’s not hugely compelling anymore. Blu-ray players are dropping fast too - as low as $310 (just checked Amazon)...Apple doesn’t compete there. And then there is the datarate - all three (HD DVD, Blu-ray, and AppleTV) can use the highly efficient H.264 codec. IF my VERY quick and dirty Google based research is right, here’s the maximum datarate for combined audio and video:
Blu-ray: 54 megabits/sec (40 of it video max) at 1080 resolution
Eww. Umm...yeah. That. You can see the crunchiness of AppleTV HD encoded content more than you can in HD DVD and Blu-ray content, and it isn’t a surprise why, when you can have up to eight times the datarate available. So AppleTV pictures look crunchier than Blu-ray and HD DVD...and they always will unless the datarate limitation changes substantially...which I doubt, since the GPU and CPU of the AppleTV aren’t terribly high powered. Then there is the issue of formats - AppleTV ONLY supports H.264 files, and only within the above constraints, and only openly encoded files or Apple Fairplay DRM encoded files (and only files your particular machine is authorized to play, at that!) No Flash, no MPEG-2 from a DVD. No Amazon Unbox or anybody else’s downloadable DRM’d movies, either. Hmm. The interesting question is to see whether the market for video content (movies & TV shows anyway) will follow audio’s path - will fast and low quality beat slow and high quality? The next question is that of content - Apple’s new rental agreements means there will be a (claimed) total of 1000 movies available for rent. That probably exceeds the number of titles available on HD DVD and Blu-ray (I have NOT done my research on that attribute, basing that on walking the shelves at Fry’s today - so somebody bust me with accurate numbers if you have them! It is 4am as I write this...) All this said, however, I think the rental model will give Apple a push with AppleTV, Big Time. While Blu-ray and HD DVD deliver a vastly superior picture, and XBox360 downloads are superior in quality, and Amazon Unbox is a product of Amazon...Apple being Apple (with their marketing skill, clout, and 18 billion in cash and no debt) will rule the roost of digital downloads this year and probably for a few more. Of course, that may be King Poop of Dukey Mountain in comparison to DVD sales and rentals this year, but what about in 5 years? Apple is the only player (so to speak) in this market that can deliver a digital file over the Internet that will play on Mac, PC, set top box (Apple’s own AppleTV), iPod and iPhone (although regretably not all at same time). Nobody else can come close to that, with the marketing muscle to not only promote it heavily and nationally but also the muscle to get ALL the major studios to agree to make their content available. And that alone will make Apple the winner in this field. Suddenly, I don’t feel so bad about Apple’s stock plunging from 200 to 130 over the space of a few weeks. Apple’s real competitors, at this point in time, are Blu-ray, Netflix, Amazon, and pay-per-view. Blu-ray offers vastly superior quality, but if Apple’s plans hold, Blu-ray won’t have as much rentable content available (through Netflix, for instance). But you have to go to the store to buy/rent, or wait for Netflix to deliver. Netflix offers a huge library of DVDs, Blu-ray and HD DVD movies with a 2 day delay. iTunes has a more limited library, but faster access. XBox 360 movies? Nobody knows about it, too little content, and Microsoft isn’t pushing it hard enough nor getting enough press about it. Too bad for them, the picture quality is superior. I see the real competitor to Apple in this space is Pay-Per-View. Content is limited but trendy and up-to-the-minute. The audio/video quality is better, the access is even faster than iTunes, the cost is higher (pay for what you get), and, significantly, millions of set top boxes already offer this feature. I’d never, ever utilized the HD pay-per-view service until the past month or so, to watch Next, Hostel Part 2 and other late night, I’m-bored-and-want-junk disposable movies. Perhaps it was the iTunes rental model that legitimized in my own mind, I don’t know. The interesting thing will be in a week (or two) when I can update my existing AppleTV and have the choice between them - which will I pick? -mike * After recently upgrading my laptop, the old drive is heading for the AppleTV, once the new software is out and somebody publishes a How To on the software shenanigans involved in...oh man, I don’t even want to describe the general steps. Suffice it say, if the girlfriend’s away for a full day some weekend, that’s what it’ll take....or several evenings of watching TV with computer guts and a laptop in front of me...like I have that kind of spare time on my hands right now...digress digress digress. And by the way, this and the Macbook Air might both seem to read as “How does this product blow? Let me count the ways....” articles. I’m not going to be all negative on this sight, these were just topics I wanted to discuss, so they ended up here. Fret not - I’ll hae plenty of effusive Apple praise soon enough, I’m sure - I still loves me my iPhone, Macbook, and Mac Pro, don’t you worry... ** ...and the HD DVD group is spending $2.7 million for a SuperBowl ad whilst the format crumbles in both studio and consumer favor - “Burn, Rome, burn! Yeeeeehaaaaaaaa!!!!!!” OK, one more tidbit to think on - once the rental market is up and going...how do we hook into iTunes to do rental indie content, or pay-per-view podcasts and indie movies, etc.? How do indies get their content in there? MacBook Air: Why it isn’t for UsFiled under: Editing •
Video Out:
Lust Factor
In Conclusion
My historical resistance to the Reality Distortion Field right after MacWorld is usually about as strong as a junkie’s in a coca field. But not this time. With too few benefits and too high a price for what I’d be willing to pay, I’m going to sit this one out. Without even scratching at my forearms unconciously, or even sweating profusely late at night. As much as I hate to say it (and the nose drive from Apple’s stock value from 200 to 130 ** in the last few weeks attests as well), I think Apple has delivered the Cube 2.0 - small and elegant, but underpowered, underexpandable, overpriced, and not very broad market appeal. With at least FireWire400, a dedicated Ethernet port, and a replaceable battery, I could live with it - but it lacks all of these, so No Can Do. Add a 2.5” drive mechanism, audio in port (yep lacks that too), and a 2.2 GHz processor, it’d be an excellent successor to my MacBook. Speaking of Do Not Want - check out the price to get all the technical marvels. To get what I’d want - a 1.8 GHz model with the solid state drive, SuperDrive, AppleCare, Ethernet adaptor, and the Apple Remote (NOT included!) - it will set you back just under $3500. OUCH. There will be well heeled road warriors who will adore this machine, and it’ll be great for them - but I’m not one of them, and you probably aren’t either. To be fair, this machine was absolutely not designed for the demands of video editing - it is intended for a different audience, who may receive it more warmly than I. But… In the end, for our video purposes, it is what they call it - just a bunch of Air - and not much at that. -mike
For more information, Engadget has an excellent selection of detailed articles about the MacBook Air. That is, until PVC ramps up to full speed and I’m back from vacation. * Now, if my girlfriend needed a new machine, she who doesn’t do video, doesn’t do iTunes, and doesn’t take a ton of pictures...IF she decided to spend that much money, an Air would be PERFECT for her needs - lightweight,stylish, WiFi only for connectivity, a web box and photo sifter only. It is all horses for courses, my friends… **Disclaimer - I own some Apple stock...which I wish I’d sold at 200, durnit.... Let’s Play “20 Questions” About Red Drives…Filed under: Hardware •
Question 11.) If spun down, how long to spin up and get “speed”? (doesn’t apply - never spins down) Question 12.) If it ever spins down, is there a setting as to how long to wait until it spins down? (doesn’t apply - never spins down) Question 13.) What firmware build is required to use Red Drive? Answer: Recommended firmware now is build 13 – I’ll have to check to see how far back we go to support the drive Question 14.) Oh - relating to question 4, can you record at higher framerates on Red Drive as opposed to CF? Such as any higher framerates under 2K, specifically? Answer: Should be able to get to higher frame rates than 75fps with the RedDrive – experimenting now on that - stay tuned (mikenote - so I guess that means watch what happens in the next few builds - 14-15, and perhaps beyond, to see if they can squeeze more performance out of it) Question 15.) ...or will that be a Red RAM feature? (Ted didn’t answer this one....hmmm.....) Question 16.) Speaking of which, how far out is Red Flash Drive? Answer: At least a few months
Question 17.) and what’s the capacity- still 64GB, or is that still up in the air?
Question 18.) Will it be able to push the 2K fps any higher as earlier suspected? Answer: Probably. I/O is the bottleneck, not the sensor itself Question 19.) Red Drive availability - are they shipping in bulk, or trickling out? Answer: Coming out in small numbers for the next couple weeks, should be shipping at full speed some time in Feb (mikenote - my client with a camera in the first batch got his, somebody else got 8 units delivered already) Question 20.) Since I’m about to get my camera (#417, got the “head’s up” email last week), will I get a Red Drive with my order, or are you still catching up? Same applies for other Red Ones about to ship, is the nature of that question. Answer: You will probably get a Red Drive with your order. Brent and the customer service team can update you on that. (mikenote - I’m delaying receiving my Red (torture!) while I’m out of the country, will get it delivered once I’m back, but signs are looking good) So that’s what’s up with Red Drives. If you have any more questions, post them as comments and I’ll forward them in a batch to Ted. Some more information/thoughts of my own:
Red Drive Pros:
Red Drive Cons:
Which to get? Both. Depends. In cinematic style shooting, there will be times to go CF (steadicam, critical non-repeatable shots, or when low weight is paramount), and times to go Red Drive (sitdown interview on sticks, most shoulder mount non-critical, non-physically aggressive camera work). Some shooters may shoot CF always (steadicammers), some may shoot Red Drives always (stick shooters on non-critical subject matter). Oh, and another tidbit to make up for the non-questions above - you CANNOT record simultaneously to Red Drive and CF, nor can you transfer from CF to Red Drive as a backup (too bad). The Red One is very much an erector set - you can build whatever device you need for the day. Knowing which bits to have to build out what you’ll need is one of the many Red related matters that I consult on. -mike * (although we recorded a mostly sky shot for about 6 minutes once - Redcode RAW is variable bitrate, so things like full frame wide shots of mountains covered with trees with fine leaves will tend to result in higher data rates and lower record times; shooting smooth dunes with blue skies would result in lower data rates thus longer record times) (Page 2 of 2 pages for this article < 1 2) 
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ProVideoCoalition Liveblogging the MacWorld 2009 KeynoteMikey on the scene - blogging the MacWorld SF 2009 Keynote LiveColor 1.0.4 Released - Red fixesBeware 10.5.6 upgrade, 2007 Mac Pro ownersRant on The Death of Indie Film as a Business ModelRed updates Scarlet/Epic specs - “Mo Bettah”TRULY native Red support in Final Cut Studio…finally!Red’s new approach - modular digital stills and motion cameras - 8 new modelsNew workflow options for Red announced from Apple, Adobe, & AvidRed Drops the (Specs) Bomb“The Conversation” Conference starts today in SFQuVis Wraptor to export your own DCI DCP (that’s theatrical digital file package)Bloggage - I’ve got my own Nikon D90 on the wayNikon D90 vs Red’s Scarlet - Specdown!Nikon D90 - nice DSLR that also shoots HD videoAdvertisements |
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