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Telestream acquires live production and streaming specialist Vara Software

2008-08-28T19:53:00Z

Nevada City, Calif., August 27, 2008 – Telestream, the provider of Flip4mac, Episode and FlipFactory content repurposing and workflow automation products, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of European-based Vara Software Ltd., a privately-held company. The acquisition adds the products, technologies and employees of Vara Software to those of Telestream, Inc., a privately-held US-based company. Vara Software brings successful, award-winning live production and streaming products to the Telestream product family. The acquisition expands Telestream’s reach beyond encoding-based media workflow solutions for leading broadcast, media and entertainment companies to include powerful tools for real-time creation and distribution of video content over the Web for a broad range of businesses.

Vara Software provides real-time production tools, including webcasting, screencasting and rich media presentation products for entertainment, corporate communications, education and training. Webcasting allows companies to reach large, dispersed audiences by distributing content over the Internet, either live or on demand. Screencasting combines screen captures, video recordings and audio narration to provide cost-effective software training and sharing of computer desktop activity over the Internet.

“Vara Software is a highly-regarded, award-winning company that has been recognized by industry leaders such as Apple, Inc.,” said Dan Castles, CEO of Telestream. “The ability to quickly capture live events, create and distribute content for Internet-based content delivery is experiencing explosive growth. We believe the live element is going to be even more important going forward. While Vara Software products currently target individual users and departments within larger organizations, the technology is well suited to easily migrate to enterprise-level solutions.”

The acquisition moves Telestream into the real-time production end of the digital media supply chain. Vara Software products are an ideal fit for the millions of Telestream Flip4Mac Windows Media component and Episode desktop encoder users who might benefit from these powerful yet easy-to-use video production tools. Telestream is well positioned to leverage this innovation for its higher-end enterprise-level applications. The company also plans to leverage its existing technologies to add greater value to Vara Software products.

According to Frost and Sullivan’s “World Internet Media Streaming Platforms Market” study (2007), the worldwide broadband subscriber base has increased to nearly a third of a billion and is forecast to grow to well over half a billion in 2012.

“The growth of high-speed Internet connections around the world, including in small and home offices, makes it easier to access high-quality video and audio content live or on demand,” said Mukul Krishna, Global Director for Digital Media at Frost and Sullivan. “This has led to accelerated use of streaming media applications such as webcasting and screencasting. We predict that increased broadband penetration will continue to be a key driver for these applications.”

Vara Software adds 3 new products to Telestream’s portfolio
Wirecast ($449-$548) is an advanced live webcasting application for Mac or Windows that combines multiple video cameras, movies, desktop output, audio tracks, images and titles to make striking webcasts that can be streamed live or archived for later broadcast. Live Earth, which delivered on-demand footage to more than 10 million simultaneous viewers on MSN.com in July 2007, was powered by Wirecast.

ScreenFlow ($99) is a professional screencasting application for Mac users that simultaneously captures desktop screens, video camera, microphone and computer audio elements, and then allows users to add and edit recordings and publish finished videos to websites or weblogs. Screenflow is the recipient of two Apple Design Awards. This innovative product will bring thousands of new customers per month to the Telestream family.

Videocue ($89) is a toolkit that allows Mac users to write and record speeches that include video capture of the presenter, on-screen viewing of the script, plus the ability to add movies, images and titles for rich media presentations. This enables users to quickly and easily pre-record presentations for publishing to websites.

Vara Software products are available for immediate purchase at http://www.flip4mac.com. Wirecast is also available through Teletream’s worldwide desktop resale network. Telestream will officially introduce Vara Software offerings at the International Association of Broadcasters Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam, September 12-16 in Stand 7.C19. More information about Telestream is available at http://www.telestream.net.

wondertouch releases significant feature enhancements for particleillusion for MAC OS X product line

2008-08-28T19:46:00Z

ST. LOUIS (August 27, 2008) - wondertouch™, a leading software developer of high performance particle effects creation tools, today announced that new versions for its particleIllusion™ 3.0 and particleIllusion SE line of product offerings on the Mac® OS® X are now available. The updates to particleIllusion 3.0, wondertouch’s industry standard, full-featured standalone particle effects application, and particleIllusion SE, the company’s introductory version, gives digital content creators working on Apple’s advanced operating system more ways to quickly and easily create complex effects: explosions, smoke, fire, sparkles, motion graphics backgrounds, space effects, creatures, and abstract artistic effects. The new changes and enhancements are available to current wondertouch customers free-of-charge.

According to Alan Lorence, president of wondertouch, today’s updated versions provide particleIllusion users on the Mac platform access to the same feature enhancements already updated in particleIllusion products on the Windows platform; made available last December.

“wondertouch continues to provide cross-platform tools that are reliable and flexible and allow our customers to stay ahead of the competition,” said Lorence. “The fact that this update provides significant enhancements to such a mature version of particleIllusion—free-of-charge—illustrates the level of support and commitment that our customers have come to rely upon.”

Vincent MacTiernan, principal and visual effects artist at Extreme Digital Productions, a New York City-based specialist in high end 2D/3D graphics and effects for television and film projects, has been using particleIllusion for the past three years on various high level projects, including HBO/Lovett Productions, Too Hot Not Too Handle: A Global Warming Primer and The History Channel special: Last Stand of the 300. As a particleIllusion 3.0 beta tester on Mac OS X, he’s used the software to create show opens, animations and motion graphics backgrounds for the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360 as well as for the RAW Politics segments (including animations) for Tom Foreman’s This Week In Politics.

“Working on a fast paced news program requires graphics and animations to be turned around very quickly and the updated features in particleIllusion are convenient and boost workflow tremendously. The new particleView search engine feature makes finding the thousands of emitters in the particleIllusion library much easier—no more wasting time looking for new emitters—and with the AutoUpdate feature I can now look up and even update/download the emitter types I need for a specific project on-the-fly. Since the emitters install in the same place, you never lose track of where they are located. The real-time render is also extremely fast and considering the complexity of some of the emitters it’s always amazing to watch.”

Highlights of particleIllusion 3.0.7 and particleIllusion SE 2.0.2 for Mac OS X

particleIllusion is widely regarded as one of the most artist-friendly tools for creating complex particle animations. New features and enhancements include:

* Integrated Rendering (particleIllusion 3.0 only; not available in SE) – tighter integration with pIllusionRender, wondertouch’s standalone renderer, allows for automatic rendering of HD and other large-format output, saving time and enhancing workflow. (Previously, large-format output had to be saved in particleIllusion then loaded manually in pIllusionRender.)
* Mac OS X Leopard compatibility – full compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard”, as well as continued compatibility with OS X 10.3 and 10.4.
* Emitter Library AutoUpdate - provides an easy way to check for, download, and install the particleIllusion emitter libraries that are provided free-of-charge by wondertouch each month.
* particleView Search Engine – particleView, wondertouch’s emitter viewer application, features a new search engine to help users find particle emitters within the vast particleIllusion library collection which currently numbers over 2500 emitters for particleIllusion 3.0 and over 2000 emitters for particleIllusion SE. (particleView is installed with both particleIllusion 3.0 and SE, and is also available as a free download from the wondertouch website.)
* Quick Load Library – this new function, added to particleIllusion SE 2.0.2 and enhanced in particleIllusion 3.0.7, makes switching between particleIllusion emitter libraries faster and easier.
* Bug fixes – a long list of issues have been addressed in the latest versions of particleIllusion, providing customers greater stability and enhanced confidence in adding particleIllusion into the production pipeline.

Pricing and Availability

Registered owners of particleIllusion 3.0 and particleIllusion SE can download updates free-of-charge from the wondertouch website, http://www.wondertouch.com or by contacting info@wondertouch.com.

Canon U.S.A. announces the introduction of the new EOS 50D digital SLR camera

2008-08-28T19:35:00Z

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 26, 2008 – With the demand for digital SLR cameras reaching unprecedented levels, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is answering the call with the announcement of the next evolution in advanced amateur digital SLR photography, the EOS 50D Digital SLR Camera with 15.1 megapixel resolution and Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor. Designed to offer extraordinary quality and image control for the advanced photographer with a passion for the art, the Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR camera includes an expanded ISO range, improved noise reduction, and in-camera photo editing features. Canon has loaded the EOS 50D camera with a number of enhancements and some trickle-down technology from Canon’s professional Digital SLR cameras, as well as a new Creative Auto Mode (CA) that gives users more creative flexibility to make image setting adjustments conveniently without the need to be a photo expert.

Canon has built upon the success of the popular EOS 40D model – which will remain in Canon’s line – with the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera. Expected to be the camera body of choice for advanced amateur photographers this holiday season, the Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR camera carries over the EOS 40D’s 14-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion process for smooth tones, and also includes enhanced noise reduction, especially at higher ISO ranges which will help bring those romantic nighttime shots into greater focus and clarity. Capable of shooting 6.3 frames per second (fps), the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera is ideal for shooting everything from beautiful night landscapes to fast-action sports.

“Advanced amateur photographers blur the line between the hobbyist and the professional, looking for professional features and capabilities in their equipment that will allow them to capture that awe-inspiring image. Canon is constantly striving to provide these shooters with the most advanced imaging technology, like the new EOS 50D Digital SLR camera, to fuel their passion for photography, and help them achieve their creative potential,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

Improved Image Quality
The EOS 50D Digital SLR camera’s 15.1-megapixel CMOS APS-C size image sensor has been improved thanks to the use of newly designed gapless microlenses over each pixel to reduce noise and expand sensitivity up to ISO 12800. The faster processing speed of the camera’s DIGIC 4 image processor contributes to the fast 6.3 frame-per-second (fps) continuous shooting capability (for bursts of up to 90 Large/Fine JPEGs or 16 RAW images on a UDMA CF card), to give shooters the tools they need to capture that perfect moment in perfect clarity.

The Canon EOS 50D camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 3200 in 1/3-stop increments, along with two high-speed settings – H1 and H2 – of ISO 6400 and ISO 12800, respectively. Along with a wide ISO range, Canon gives shooters more tools to help maximize clarity and color. The EOS 50D Digital SLR camera offers multiple levels of noise reduction during high-speed shooting. Users can choose from one of four settings– Standard/Weak/Strong/None – to help reduce digital noise that can result from poor lighting conditions.

As part of the camera’s internal image processing, the Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR camera conducts peripheral illumination correction, which automatically evens brightness across the image field, making an image of a blue sky even toned throughout, a function previously accomplished through post-processing software on a personal computer. Thanks largely to the DIGIC 4 processor, this automatic adjustment can be made in-camera during shooting with JPEG images or corrected in post-photoshoot processing with RAW images through Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, which is supplied at no extra charge.

Helping to ensure each picture’s subject is clearly visible, Canon’s enhanced Auto Lighting Optimizer analyzes the brightness of subjects and automatically adjusts dark images so that they appear brighter, perfect for subjects in shade or in backlit situations. The Auto Lighting Optimizer on the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera has been updated not only to optimize images while they are being taken, but can also optimize images post-capture, during playback, to help ensure the subject of each image does not appear too dark. This is especially helpful when an amateur photographer uses the camera, because post-capture enhancement can help maximize image quality without the need of a computer.

A significant upgrade to the Canon EOS 50D camera is its large, clear 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen which features 920,000 dot/VGA resolution, four times the pixel count of the EOS 40D camera’s screen, for better clarity and color. To help show off those fantastic shots, the EOS 50D camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV. The EOS 50D recognizes the needs of today’s photographers, and the faster processing speed of the DIGIC 4 processor helps support UDMA cards for faster writing of image files.

The camera is also equipped with a high-performance viewfinder featuring 0.95x magnification and the same high-performance Autofocus (AF) system as the EOS 40D camera with nine cross-type sensors for accurate target subject acquisition with lenses possessing maximum apertures of f/5.6 or faster and a high-precision diagonal center cross-type AF point that’s effective with f/2.8 and faster lenses, helping photographers ensure better focus of their targets. The AF Microadjustment feature, originally introduced last year with the Canon EOS-1D Mark III professional digital SLR camera, has also been added to the EOS 50D for maximum control over focusing precision.

Canon Gets Creative For Advancing Amateurs
Canon is taking steps to give advanced amateurs more flexibility with a new “CA” Creative Full Auto setting on the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera’s mode dial. This new setting goes a step beyond Full Auto, by allowing users to make adjustments before shooting while still in an Automatic mode, without needing to know the meaning of technical terms such as aperture, shutter speed, etc. In this mode, the camera menu on the back screen spells out options in common language for average photo enthusiasts, allowing them to “blur the background” or “lighten or darken the image.” These easy-to-comprehend image options will help amateur photographers improve the shots they are capable of taking, while helping them learn new techniques. When in the new CA mode, users will be able to adjust flash settings, brighten or darken images, blur the background, set the camera’s drive mode, and select a picture style directly on the camera’s LCD screen.

Better Live View
For photographers who prefer to frame their shots using the camera’s 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen, Canon has improved the Live View function of the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera to include “Quick Mode AF,” “Live Mode AF,” and “Face Detection Live Mode AF” that detects up to 35 individual forward-looking faces for better focus and clarity when taking group or portrait shots. The camera’s Quick Mode AF setting flips the mirror down and carries out regular phase-detection autofocus, while the Live Mode AF and Face Detection Live Mode AF use the camera’s CMOS image sensor for contrast detection autofocus. Two detailed grid displays have also been added to Live View shooting as optional settings for easier composition.

Two Small RAW Formats
In addition to the RAW and JPEG image capture modes that photographers are accustomed to, the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera now offers more manageable resolution settings and file sizes with two sRAW recording formats, sRAW1 and sRAW2. At the sRAW1 setting, resolution is 7.1 megapixels with a file size that is approximately 25 percent smaller than a standard 15.1 megapixel RAW image. With the sRAW2 setting, resolution is 3.8 megapixels at less than half the file size of a standard RAW image, retaining all of the flexibility and creative possibilities associated with full-size, conventional RAW images. The EOS 50D is the first Canon Digital SLR that allows the use of RAW and sRAW settings in Basic Zone as well as Creative Zone shooting modes, even further improving the camera’s flexibility.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit for the Canon EOS 50D has also been upgraded and now includes a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance. The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses ultrasonic vibrations to shake dust particles off of the low-pass filter in front of the sensor each time the camera is powered up or shut down. The second part of the system includes a software component where sensor spots are mapped and saved as Dust Delete Data that is attached to the image file for removal during post processing using Canon’s DPP software.

Pricing and Availability
The EOS 50D is compatible with the full lineup of Canon EF lenses as well as the Company’s ever-growing line of affordable EF-S lenses created specifically for Canon Digital SLRs with APS-C size image sensors. The Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR camera is scheduled for October delivery and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated selling price of $1,399.00*. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated selling price of $1,599.00*.

New EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens
Canon has answered the call from advanced amateur photographers looking for a solid all-around lens with the introduction of the new EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens. With an incredible focal length range equivalent to 29-320mm in the 35mm format, the new EF-S 18-200mm lens will make an excellent addition to any camera bag, and it gives shooters a great lens to capture both standard as well as telephoto images. The new lens features Canon’s built in Optical Image Stabilization system which gives the equivalent effect of a shutter speed roughly 4 steps faster, for better image clarity, even in shaky shooting conditions. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.45m/1.5 ft. at all zoom settings, this new lens should prove to be ideal for those situations where swapping lenses isn’t an option. An ideal complement to the EOS 50D SLR camera and all other EF-S compatible EOS SLR cameras, the EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens is scheduled to be in stores this October at an estimated selling price of $699.00*.

Wonderdog Media produces Pacific Northwest medical news network with Panasonic AG-HVX200 P2 HD

2008-08-28T19:28:00Z

SECAUCUS, NJ (August 25, 2008) – Wonderdog Media (Tacoma, WA), one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier digital video production companies, has made Panasonic’s solid-state AG-HVX200 P2 HD camcorder its mainstay acquisition tool since early 2006. The award-winning facility specializes in corporate and commercial video, and is dedicated to serving non-profits such as CARE International and Habitat for Humanity.

Co-founder/producer/Director of Photography Scott Gribble is currently spearheading a large-scale project, shot entirely with the HVX200, establishing a medical news network for up to 232 local physicians’ offices. Wonderdog is producing a dozen 30-minute, commercial-free episodes for the new network, called the Northwest Physicians Medical News, premiering this October. The custom content ranges from interviews with area doctors shot against green screen to healthful cooking segments to location profiles of 911 first responders. The medical news show will be played back from a CompactFlash media hardware player output to plasma and LCD displays in the doctors’ waiting rooms.

HVX200 assignments current on Wonderdog’s roster also include a 30-minute episode of City Limits Fishing, a hit fishing show that airs on the Versus Network; magazine news segments shot for the “Montel Williams Show”; and documentary coverage of a Tacoma air show that will be broadcast on Comcast’s On Demand digital cable network.. The Wonderdog principals—Gribble and his co-founder/wife Olga M. Gribble—have shot several narrative features and shorts with the HVX200: one of these projects, An Army of Two, recently won the Grand Jury Award at a regional 72 Hour Film Competition; and Scott Gribble was the DP on a full-length feature, Keep Your Day Job, Superstar, just hitting the festival circuit.

Gribble routinely outfits his HVX200 with Redrock Micro’s M2 Cinema Lens Adapter, which enables 35mm lenses to be used with the camcorder. He does all editing on Avid Media Composer V.3.0.

“At the time the HVX200 was coming on the market, I was ready to supplement my big broadcast camera with HD gear so I could offer high-definition shooting options to my clients,” Gribble said. “The HVX200 came up on top in all my research, and I was sold on its 720p native frame rate recording and off-speed capabilities.”

“Shortly after I purchased the HVX200, my larger camera broke down and I didn’t bother fixing it,” Gribble continued. “I’ve been shooting with the P2 camcorder on a daily basis ever since.”

The DP recently began shooting with a 32GB P2 card; previously, he’d used a combination of 8GB and 4GB cards. “Now I can shoot a whole day on one card,” Gribble said. He praised P2 for being a “green” medium, small and infinitely reusable, and the overall format for its ease-of-use on location.

“We want to run an eco-friendly business, and shooting exclusively with a tapeless format has certainly reduced our overall carbon footprint,” Gribble noted. “And not incidentally, removing tape from the shooting equation has saved us a lot of money.”

Prior to introducing the 32GB P2 card into his shooting, Gribble would offload cards into an AJ-PCS060G P2 Store Drive, outputting via USB 2.0 to a PC loaded with Avid Media Composer (he uses the P2 Store less now that his need to recycle cards has been reduced by the larger-capacity P2 card). He creates multiple folders for different segments, mirrors his content for back-up, then drags and drops MXF files into Media Composer.

Deliverables vary from assignment to assignment, ranging from DVDs to flash media to analog videotape and more.

“I really feel that the HVX200 lets me offer our clients exhaustive production options, regardless of their end product,” Gribble said. “Everything is in the camera.”

For more information about Wonderdog Media, visit http://www.wonderdogmedia.com

Century adds lens accessories for Sony HVR-Z7U

2008-08-22T14:28:00Z

Schneider Optics introduces a full array of professional Century HD lens accessories to complement Sony’s HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270OU camcorders. These 72mm lightweight optical attachments provide high resolution image clarity, while enabling the camera to go wider, reach further, and move in closer than the lens alone will allow.

New Century accessories for the HVR-Z7U include the .6X HD Wide Angle Adapter (#HD-06WA-Z7U), Fisheye HD Adapter MKII (#HD-FEAD-Z7U), .3X HD Ultra Fisheye Adapter (#HD-FE3X-Z7U), and 1.6X HD Tele-Converter (#HD-16TC-Z7U).

Produced by the top maker of professional add-ons, Century Pro Series HD lens accessories employ state-of-the-art optics for high-resolution images with low distortion, and superior contrast edge to edge. Multi-coated glass elements provide sharp images free of unwanted distortion or chromatic aberration. Units are equipped with a bayonet mount for quick and sure installation and removal from the front of the camera lens.

U.S. MSRP starts at $490.00. For more information on Century accessories for popular DV, HDV, and broadcast cameras, contact: Schneider Optics, 7701 Haskell Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91406, telephone (818) 766-3715; fax (818) 505-9865; http://www.schneideroptics.com

Maxon delivers fully loaded Cinema 4d R11

2008-08-12T19:26:01Z

MAXON Computer, a leading developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, today unveiled CINEMA 4D Release 11 (R11), the next generation of its highly acclaimed 3D animation software suite. The super-charged release is packed with advanced capabilities that deliver dramatically improved ease of use and workflow, image quality and integration into any production pipeline. CINEMA 4D R11 highlights include a non-linear animation system, new global illumination render engine and dramatically improved render speed. Customers also benefit from the powerful Projection Man matte painting system, developed by MAXON for Sony Pictures Imageworks, support for the COLLADA file format and CineMan — a RenderMan-compliant tool that connects to Pixar’s industry-leading rendering solution. Additionally, multiple improvements were made to MAXON’s popular texture painting toolset BodyPaint 3D Release 4. All of these capabilities and more serve to underscore MAXON’s ongoing and deep commitment to helping 3D digital artists further advance creativity and control.

“MAXON has spent the last 20 years developing some of the industry’s most advanced 3D software technologies; continually raising the bar for 3D animation software excellence,” said Harald Egel, CEO and co-founder, MAXON. “CINEMA 4D R11 is no exception. This release contains the next-generation features our customers worldwide have come to expect from MAXON.”

Expanded integration options, new workflow tools and boosts in performance for both PC and Mac users sit at the heart of the new release. On average, rendering speeds are now more than twice as fast as the previous version. CINEMA 4D R11 also boasts an all-new Cocoa-based architecture supporting 64-bit processing under Mac OS X Leopard. “We are pleased that MAXON has created the CineMan connection to Pixar’s RenderMan directly from within CINEMA 4D,” said Chris Ford, Business Director - RenderMan at Pixar. “Now, MAXON customers can benefit from Pixar’s Academy Award-winning rendering technology featured in Ratatouille, The Incredibles and many others.”

“Our customers told us what they needed and we listened,” said Paul Babb, president and CEO of MAXON USA. “This exciting new version is as ideal for the novice as it is for the power user who wants to produce compelling imagery in today’s fast-paced environments.”

CINEMA 4D Release 11 Highlights:

The list of capabilities and enhancements that comprise the new CINEMA 4D R11 is extensive; with each element designed to provide ultimate control to enhance the professional 3D modeling, texturing, animating and rendering process:

- Non-Linear Animation

Move beyond the keyframe. Animation Layers and Motion Clips tools let users easily build, layer and loop discreet motions containing hundreds of keyframes in complex hierarchies.

- Completely New Global Illumination

Take advantage of the most current algorithms and computer hardware with the all new easy to use Global Illumination engine. This technology delivers heightened flexibility to achieve ultra-realistic results with a minimum of setup time, even for animations.

- BodyPaint 3D

New tools for painting rich, detailed textures onto a 3D model as well as an improved workflow are part of this major upgrade to the popular 3D painting application. The improvements facilitate even tighter integration into industry-standard painting pipelines with brush import, WACOM tablet support, PSD format enhancement and more.

- Improved Rendering Speeds

Tremendous optimizations in multithreading and CPU efficiency offer dramatically improved rendering speeds. Overall render quality has been greatly enhanced as well. New parameters make it possible to create even more realistic glass materials.

- Support for 64-bit on Mac OS X

CINEMA 4D R11 is the first comprehensive 3D package completely re-engineered to take full advantage of the Mac OS X 10.5 release. As a native 64-bit Cocoa application, CINEMA 4D can be used in 64-bit mode to utilize greater RAM resources so you can build and render more complex projects. All 64-bit processors are supported. Users can easily switch between 32-bit and 64-bit mode to suit their individual needs.

- Projection Man

Leverage the same powerful matte painting system originally developed by MAXON exclusively for Sony Pictures Imageworks and recently used to create such blockbuster features as Hancock, Speed Racer, Beowulf and Surf’s Up. This formerly exclusive toolset enhances workflow and makes it easy to create and patch the mattes. Tight integration with Adobe Photoshop and MAXON BodyPaint 3D simplifies editing and manipulating extensive digital mattes and even fully immersive 3D environments.

- CineMan

Power users can easily render CINEMA 4D projects utilizing Pixar’s RenderMan Pro Server, or other RenderMan-compliant engines including 3Delight and AIR through support for the RIB format.

- COLLADA Support

R11 now supports COLLADA, an open standard XML-based format that facilitates the transfer of 3D assets between applications. Exchanging scenes with other 3D applications is now easier than ever for diverse digital content creation production pipelines.

- Customer Friendly

An online update mechanism ensures users always have access to the latest updates and enhancements. A new license server technology helps corporations, studios and schools maximize and manage their investment.

- Additional Features

CINEMA 4D R11 also boasts optimized render control settings, animation ghosting, a doodle tool and support for 3D Connexion devices (Mac and Windows). For a complete list and description of all the exceptional elements that comprise this new feature-rich version of CINEMA 4D, please visit http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/new_e.html.

Extensive CINEMA 4D R11 tutorials and demonstrations can be found on the MAXON USA. 24/7 education and training resource site, Cineversity.

Availability

CINEMA 4D Release 11 is expected to ship September, 2008. For pricing and upgrade information, please visit www.maxon.net.

HP Brings DreamColor Accuracy to Mobile Power Users

2008-08-12T04:50:00Z

Today at SIGGRAPH 2008, HP expanded its DreamColor technology portfolio with the introduction of a powerful mobile workstation – the HP EliteBook 8730w Mobile Workstation with DreamColor Display – that offers professionals exceptional color accuracy.

In addition, HP introduced the HP EliteBook 8530w Mobile Workstation, the HP EliteBook 8530p Notebook PC, a custom calibration kit for the now-shipping DreamColor LP2480zx Professional Display, and two additional high-performance displays to meet the demands of a new generation of visual computing customers.

“Mobility is becoming increasingly important to our most demanding, power-user customers,” said Stephen Dewitt, senior vice president, Personal Systems Group – Americas, HP. “HP is delivering on creative professionals’ most exacting computing needs by enabling power users to take their highly tuned graphics workstations with them wherever they go.”

Mobile workstations for the ultimate creative professional

Designed for the most sophisticated graphic-intensive applications, the new HP EliteBook 8730w is the only mobile workstation on the market to offer a 17-inch diagonal HP DreamColor Display, which offers over 16 million colors, a significant improvement to the 260,000 available colors on traditional notebook PCs. The notebook also offers an Intel® quad-core processor,(1) 8 gigabytes (GB) of memory(2) and NVIDIA’s next generation of Quadro FX cards with up to 1 GB dedicated video memory.

The HP EliteBook 8530w and HP EliteBook 8530p add professional graphics capabilities in a convenient mobile format, making the notebooks ideal for extreme power users in fields such as animation, video production, broadcasting, photography, design and engineering. Both systems include a 15.4-inch diagonal display, Intel CoreTM 2 Duo processor(1) and 8 GB of memory.(2) Additionally, HP EliteBook 8530w supports Intel quad-core mobile processors.(1)

Incorporating the latest mobile technologies and engineered to meet multiple durability tests, the EliteBook series features the HP DuraCase, a visually appealing, brushed anodized aluminum exterior combined with a magnesium alloy chassis designed for maximum protection to keep the PC looking good, longer.

Delivering on DreamColor display technology

The HP DreamColor LP2480zx Display, the world’s first affordable, color-critical display, was developed through a first-of-its-kind technology collaboration between HP and DreamWorks Animation SKG. The 24-inch diagonal HP DreamColor liquid crystal display (LCD) provides a range of more than 1 billion colors in a 30-bit, LED-backlit widescreen display.

The new HP DreamColor Advanced Profiling Solution, now shipping as an option, allows users of the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Display to custom calibrate color settings beyond the built-in factory pre-sets. The solution includes a customized DreamColor colorimeter and calibration software.

The DreamColor Display becomes even more powerful when combined with the new generation of 30-bit graphics accelerator cards – such as the ATI FireGL™ V7700 – for the most advanced application performance and visualization beyond 3D. The ATI FireGL V7700 delivers true 30-bit color, enabling never-before-achieved color palette ranges. When the display is combined with a 30-bit card, the user can both generate and display content using the full pallet of more than 1 billion colors, providing unrivaled color accuracy and the smoothest color transitions.

Widescreen displays for workstation users

The new HP LP2475w 24-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor and the HP LP2275w 22-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor are designed for workstation users who appreciate an expansive presentation for graphics, video and data projects. With high-resolution onscreen presentation, the monitors also offer a 1,000:1 contrast ratio(3) and extra-bright screens.

The LP2475w holds a sharp resolution at 1,920 x 1,200 and has a 102 percent color gamut; the LP2275w has a resolution of 1,680 x 1,050 with a 92 percent color range. Both displays have wide viewing angles and feature height adjustment, tilt, swivel and 90-degree pivot rotation – including a built-in HP Quick Release stand that enables wall and arm mounting for panoramic presentation. Both displays also meet stringent ENERGY STAR® guidelines and are EPEAT Silver registered.

Pricing and availability(4)

The HP EliteBook 8730w Mobile Workstation is expected to be available later this month at the starting U.S. list price of $1,699. The HP EliteBook 8530 series is expected to be available in September starting at $1,499.

The HP LP 2275w 22-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor is available today and the HP LP2475w 24-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor is expected to be available in North America in September for estimated starting U.S. street prices of $459 to $649, respectively. The HP DreamColor Advanced Profiling Solution is now available for Microsoft Windows® users for a price of $349. It is expected to be available for Macintosh users in September.

More information is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/go/SIGGRAPH08.

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

(1) Dual/Quad Core is a new technology designed to improve performance of certain software products. Not all customers or software applications will necessarily benefit from use of this technology. 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel 64 architecture. Processors will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on hardware and software configurations. More information is available at http://www.intel.com/info/em64t.

(2) Maximum memory capacities assume 64-bit operating systems. Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit) supports 4 GB (with Microsoft 32-bit, the amount of usable memory will be dependent upon system configuration. It may be less than 4 GB); 32-bit Linux can support up to 8 GB.

(3) All specifications represent the typical specifications provided by HP’s component manufacturers; actual performance may be higher or lower.

(4) Estimated U.S. list prices. Actual prices may vary.

Red Giant Software releases Magic Bullet Steady

2008-08-11T15:06:00Z

Red Giant Software, with popular products Magic Bullet, Knoll Light Factory and Trapcode, today launched Magic Bullet Steady, a new tool to remove camera shake, jitter, and noise. Magic Bullet Steady is a plug-in for users of Final Cut Pro 6 and After Effects CS3 (Mac and Windows). The stabilizer function removes unwanted camera movement which can be distracting and disturbing to viewers. Magic Bullet Steady is also included in the newly updated Magic Bullet Suite 2008.

Magic Bullet Steady offers powerful algorithms which analyze the video, detect motion, and apply one of four filtering modes. The result is a smooth, stabilized motion that preserves camera pans and other desired movements while eliminating jarring shake. A second filter removes noise and other low-light artifacts. Priced at $199, Magic Bullet Steady is available for purchase from Red Giant Software.

Highlights

Stabilization
Camera movement and tough shooting conditions can cause distracting, jerky motion; and film sprocket damage on old footage can cause gate jitter and weave. The Stabilizer feature uses a software-based 2D translation to repair this type of footage in near real-time.

Noise Reduction
Too often, noise reduction means everything gets very blurry. Not so with Magic Bullet Steady. It uses spatial and temporal data to work out true image values, and customizable settings give you control over block size. Adjust the optional detail protection feature to find the right results for your desired output.

Blistering Speed
Compared to the built-in stabilization features in After Effects or Final Cut Pro, Magic Bullet Steady yields great results in record time.

For more information, visit the Magic Bullet Steady page.

Why to Buy

Use instead of a Steadicam on small projects
Add sophistication to amateur or archival footage
Faster than built-in solutions available in the host applications

Pricing and Availability

Magic Bullet Steady is available now for $199 USD and supports After Effects CS3 on Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X. The software also runs in Final Cut Pro on Mac OS X. This software is included as part of the updated Magic Bullet Suite 2008.

About Red Giant Software

Red Giant Software LLC is a San Francisco-based company that develops professional tools for digital video production. Products are available as plug-ins for popular video editing and effects applications including After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Premiere Pro, and Avid. All tools are based on production-proven technology developed by visual effects veterans.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

IRIDAS to Showcase DualStream and Real-Time RAW 2.0

2008-08-11T15:01:00Z

IRIDAS will demonstrate the latest in playback color correction technologies, including RealTime RAW 2.0 and DualStream at this year’s SIGGRAPH exhibition.

All current FrameCycler and SpeedGrade products include Real-Time RAW 2.0 which supports:

ARRI D21
Cineform RAW
DALSA Origin
Phantom HD and 65
Silicon Imaging
Weisscam HS1 and HS2

IRIDAS will be located in the PNY Booth #747. Stop by and ask for Steve Crouch for a demonstration.

AJA Gets Into the Game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

2008-08-09T04:46:00Z

Grass Valley, CA (August 8, 2008) - AJA Video, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, announced that a slate of international AJA customers are using the company’s KONA 3 video capture and playback cards and FS1 converters to facilitate international broadcasts of the Summer Olympic Games in Bejiing. Facilities include China Central Television (CCTV, China), a major Japanese broadcaster, Televisa (Mexico), Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co., Ltd (BOB) and Applied Electronics who is building custom broadcast transmission studios at the Olympics for YLE (Finland) and SVT (Sweden).

KONA 3, AJA’s top-of-the-line uncompressed capture cards for SD, HD, Dual Link HD and 2K for PCI Express (PCIe) Apple Mac Pro systems, are in wide use at the Olympics. Mexico-based Televisa is using 30 KONA 3 cards as part of their Olympics broadcast editorial workflow. A key Japanese broadcaster has also installed multiple KONA 3 capture cards as has CCTV. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and the International Olympic Committee have integrated KONA 3 cards into the production pipeline for the creation of “The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Official Film.” A time-honored Olympic tradition, the film will be included in a permanent collection maintained by the Lausanne-headquartered International Olympic Committee.

AJA’s FS1, the universal HD and SD, audio and video frame synchronizer and converter, is being employed at the games by both BOB and systems integrator Applied Electronics. BOB has a number of FS1s installed at the National Stadium, or “The Bird’s Nest,” where they will be used for signal distribution, including during live coverage of the opening ceremony. Systems integrator Applied Electronics built broadcast transmission studios for YLE (the national broadcaster of Finland) and SVT (the national broadcaster of Sweden) for installation at the international broadcast center in Beijing. Applied Electronics installed over 60 FS1 converters as an audio format embedding and de-embedding solution for both networks.

Digital Anarchy sells Visual Effects and 2D Animation product line

2008-08-04T19:39:00Z

San Francisco, CA — August 4, 2008 — Digital Anarchy, known for its high quality creative software in both the broadcast and Photoshop markets, has announced today the sale of their full video product line to Red Giant Software. For seven years, Digital Anarchy has made a name for itself by delivering innovative software for visual effects, video editing and 2D animation in the film and television industry. Effective Monday, August 4th, the company will transfer sales and support of 12 plug-in products for host applications that include Adobe After Effects, Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid systems and Autodesk systems.

This asset sale will allow Digital Anarchy to focus on their other core market, Photoshop plug-ins for photographers and digital artists. Since 2004, the company has released tools that help professional and hobbyist photographers to uniquely create a fully digital portrait studio. The company has recently focused on software that provides custom graphic effects, and plans to release new innovative products by the beginning of Q4 2008. Digital Anarchy is also considering development for related host applications like Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture.

Jim Tierney, president of Digital Anarchy, said, “We have been a leader in the After Effects and related markets since 2001, but have decided to focus on the Photoshop and digital photography markets. We’re excited about some of the opportunities there and are looking closer at current customer needs. Developing more creative and productive technology to service the wide variety of Photoshop artists and digital photographers is an important part of our strategy moving forward. In making this decision, it was important that we find a company who would take excellent care of our current film/video customers, and we think Red Giant Software is that company.”

Photoshop Products Kept; Video Products Sold.

The sale of its video products will not affect Digital Anarchy’s Photoshop customers. Digital Anarchy has retained its full Photoshop product line and will continue to provide the quality software and support that the company is known for. These Photoshop products are: Primate Chromakey, Backdrop Designer, Knoll Light Factory, and Texture Anarchy. All sales and support questions for Photoshop products should be directed towards Digital Anarchy at http://www.digitalanarchy.com .

Digital Anarchy has sold the following video products: 3D Assistants, Data Animator, Anarchy Toolbox, Geomancy, Psunami Water, Text Anarchy, ToonIt!, Microcosm, Color Theory, PlasmaFX, Chaos Stock and Knoll Spark Pack. Already a recognized video plug-in company, Red Giant Software has rebranded and reissued some of the Digital Anarchy products, and pulled others off the market temporarily for future re-release. All sales and support questions for video products should be directed towards Red Giant Software at http://www.redgiantsoftware.com . Existing Digital Anarchy customers will be fully supported for product upgrades, updates and changes.

Alioscopy to showcase its award-winning 3DHD-40 autostereoscopic display

2008-08-04T19:24:00Z

SAN DIEGO, CA, Aug. 4, 2008, Alioscopy ® USA, a leader in 3D display technologies, today announced it will introduce its new, state-of-the-art, 3DHD-40 autostereoscopic (no glasses required) 3D LCD display technology at SIGGRAPH 2008- the leading international conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques, taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 11-14, 2008.

The 3DHD-40, developed and manufactured by Alioscopy, features a highly specialized lenticular lens that boasts unmatched quality, clarity and depth. The system also supports real-time capabilities that enable viewers to interact with content for a truly immersive experience. Artists can easily create 3D content with leading 3D software applications such as Autodesk® 3ds Max®, Autodesk® Maya®, Softimage® XSI®, MAXON CINEMA 4D and NewTek Lightwave 3D® and render it out for display on the 3DHD-40. Alioscopy’s 3D display technology was recently honored at InfoComm 2008 with Insight Media’s “Best Buzz” award- a top honor bestowed each year to those products or technologies that were new and exciting and generated the most “buzz” with analysts, press and conference attendees.

NewBlueFX bursts into Mac market

2008-08-04T19:01:01Z

LA JOLLA, CA (August 4, 2008) – NewBlue, Inc. today continued its widening rollout of video effects plugins by unveiling a host of new offerings for Apple Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express. Users of this popular video editing software for Intel-based Apple Macintosh computers can now enjoy 893 presets and 71 effects plug-ins encompassed in 7 distinct and competitively-priced NewBlueFX plug-in collections, designed to enhance the video editing experience. The release follows the company’s progressive launch of video fx plugins for the Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Avid Xpress Pro, Avid Liquid, Corel VideoStudio, Pinnacle Studio, Sony Vegas, Thomson Grass Valley Edius product lines.

Among the NewBlueFX plugin collections released for Apple Final Cut Pro v5.1 and higher and Apple Final Cut Express 3.5 and higher are 7 VideoFX collections and 5 AudioFX collections, including NewBlue 3D Effects, NewBlue 3D Transformations, NewBlue Art Blends, NewBlue Art Effects, NewBlue Equalizers, NewBlue Essentials, NewBlue Film Effects, NewBlue Motion Blends, NewBlue Motion Effects, NewBlue Production Tools, NewBlue Scrubbers and NewBlue Sound Benders. This release comes on the heels of the Final Cut-compatible debut of NewBlue Cartoonr, the company’s free cartoon look plugin available at http://www.newbluefx.com/cartoonr.

Known for their ease-of-use, clean design and immense variety of video and audio techniques, NewBlueFX provides video editors Hollywood-style techniques at accessible prices. Unlike many other available effects on the market, NewBlueFX integrate seamlessly into their host video editor, including Apple Final Cut Pro.

Explains Melissa J. Grey, NewBlue’s chief strategic officer, “Releasing NewBlueFX for Apple Final Cut Pro represents the culmination of a year-long product rollout. We are thrilled to enter the Mac market and count Final Cut Pro among the vital editing platforms we support.”

Among the NewBlueFX plug-in collections released for Apple Final Cut Pro are seven VideoFX collections, including NewBlue 3D Effects, NewBlue 3D Transformations, NewBlue Art Blends, NewBlue Art Effects, NewBlue Film Effects, NewBlue Motion Blends and NewBlue Motion Effects.

Adobe Systems and CCTV International announce strategic relationship

2008-08-04T18:43:01Z

SAN JOSE, Calif., USA and BEIJING, China—August 4th, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced a strategic relationship with CCTV International Networks Co., Ltd.(CCTV.com) to deliver the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games’ coverage through the Web. The coverage will be delivered to millions of sports fans in mainland China and Macau through the “Olympic Network TV Station”, CCTV.com’s next-generation online experience based on Adobe® Flash® and Flex® technology. CCTV.com owns the online video rights to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games for mainland China and Macau. With thousands of hours of competition video available on CCTVOlympics.com , the Olympic Network TV Station will allow sports fans to view the Olympic sports, athletes and country teams of their choice.

“We are pleased to partner with CCTV.com to bring immersive, interactive Web experiences to millions of sports fans,” said Jim Guerard, vice president and general manager, Dynamic Media. “Thanks to Adobe technologies, including Adobe Flash and Adobe Flex, CCTV.com’s Olympic Network TV Station will bring the drama and excitement of the games to the Web.”

“Over the past year, we’ve developed new media platforms based on the most advanced Internet technologies,” said Wang Wenbin, general manager for CCTV.com. “By teaming up with Adobe, we can provide sports fans and consumers an engaging online experience for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and beyond. We chose to partner with Adobe because Adobe technologies enable us to deliver a compelling Web 2.0 experience consistently to people across platforms.”

The Olympic Network TV Station, CCTVOlympics.com , will deliver viewers with:

- An unprecedented Web experience created with Adobe Flex and delivered via Adobe Flash technology, which includes Olympic results, statistics, comprehensive bios, rules and expert analysis from CCTV’s Olympic media team, as well as social networking features that will enable fans to share aspects of their Olympic experience with friends.

- 5,000 hours of on-demand protected streamed video content (3,800 hours of worldwide broadcast

Olympic Games video and 1,200 hours of CCTV’s own video) including full event replays, highlights, features, interviews and encore packages.

Besides the Olympic Games, CCTV.com and Adobe will pursue other initiatives to develop new media based applications leveraging CCTV.com’s brand and content and Adobe’s advanced technology platform.

Red Giant Acquires Digital Anarchyvi

2008-08-04T16:53:00Z

from Final Cut User:

San Francisco, CA, August 4, 2008 – Red Giant Software, with popular products Magic Bullet, Knoll Light Factory, and Trapcode, today announced that it has agreed to acquire the video plug-in portfolio of Digital Anarchy, a San Francisco-based plug-in developer. Digital Anarchy is known for its high-quality creative software for broadcast designers and 2D animators. The acquisition will add six new products to Red Giant Software’s roster, which will be repackaged under Red Giant Software’s own product names.www.digitalanarchy.com

These new products make Red Giant Software a one-stop shop for plug-ins, with over 30 plug-in packages for Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Avid. Users can now turn to Red Giant to create a wide variety of effects, including particles, keying, color correction, lighting, cartoon effects, look creation, animated titles, and ultra-realistic water. Several of Digital Anarchy’s former products will distributed free of charge, including PlasmaFX, Color Theory, and Microcosm Codec. These free products will be introduced later in 2008.

The six new tools include PlaneSpace (formerly 3D Assistant Lite/Pro), a 3D layer animation tool; Datamator (formerly Data Animator), which creates and animates charts and graphs in 3D space; Psunami (formerly Psunami Water), a photorealistic water and wave generator; ToonIt (formerly Toon It!), which creates cartoon-style art from video footage; and Knoll Light Factory Spark, a version of the popular lens flare generation tool especially for advanced Autodesk platforms.

Jim Tierney, president of Digital Anarchy, said, “As I looked to exit the video plug-in business to fully concentrate on our photography/Photoshop products, I approached Red Giant Software to help ease the transition for our users. Red Giant Software is recognized in the industry for taking care of its customers with a solid record for support and marketing. It was important to find Digital Anarchy’s film/video users a good new home — Red Giant Software fits that bill.”

Sean Safreed, owner of Red Giant Software, said, “This is an exciting milestone for our company. We entered the plug-in market nearly six years ago, and we are now are one of the largest providers of tools to production professionals. We are dedicated to providing innovative tools for broadcasters, film designers, and independent filmmakers, and Digital Anarchy’s video toolset expands our palette. We look forward to providing Digital Anarchy film/video users and future customers with the best support and on-going updates to these new tools, and we’re already working on updates and compatibility enhancements.”

Digital Anarchy will continue to publish plug-ins and filters for Adobe Photoshop. For more information, visit http://www.digitalanarchy.com.

Frequently Asked Questions: For more product information, visit:www.redgiantsoftware.com/featured-news/da-faq/