Wednesday, April 16, 2008

About Our NAB Coverage

Nearly every writer for PVC was at NAB this year.  That means that we had great coverage of the event, but the good stuff is coming still.

In the magazine days, you could expect to see full coverage of NAB in the month or two following the event...once the magazine would print and be mailed.  Internet time has reduced that to up-to-the minute postings where possible.  For us at NAB, expect the really good stuff to come after we’ve had a chance to digest and come up for air.  Most of us are collecting thoughts, images, and data to post thoughtful pieces over the next few days and weeks.  Stay tuned.

NAB 08 • (0) Comments • • Permalink

Monday, April 14, 2008

Killer Camera Support From Sachtler

I spent some time today at the Sachlter booth checking out the Artemis vest and support – ACT 2.  I enclosed a press release after the jump, but here’s what caught my attention:

• Build quality seems top quality
• Carbon Fiber, Carbon Fiber, Carbon Fiber!
• This sucker was built on a vibration table to optimize its ability for quick motion and no flex
• New internal electronics to handle the higher wattage camera systems such as RED
• Revised vest ads to breathability and flexibility

While I don’t have a need for one of these slick items, I still want one…

Press release after the jump:

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Hardware •
NAB 08 • (2) Comments • Most recent comments by: Scott Gentry, Sproketz, • Permalink

Monday, April 14, 2008

Petrol Bags

Clever Rain Covers From Petrol

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post – I’m a bag person.  Today I stopped by the folks at Petrol and got a glimpse of some of their newer products.  Lucky for me my checkbook was elsewhere.

Prior to leaving for NAB, I was looking for a back that I could walk the floor, quickly pull out my video camera, microphone, etc and start shooting.  But I also needed my Nikon D300 in case I needed to get a few great shots.  Oh yeah, and I almost forgot, I need my computer to post during the show if necessary.  Petrol has such animals, and more.  While the bags got my attention, a slick rain coat for my camera kept my attention.

Rain slickers tend to be very good form fitting products you buy for specific camera models.  What if you want to add a Matte Box?  You’re out of luck likely.  Similarly if you’d like to share slickers across different cameras, you’ll find they don’t fit.  Petrol’s newest is pretty slick indeed.  While not form fitting, it attaches to the hot shoe to stabilize it, but it’s got velcro to wrap where necessary.  Clever idea really.

Full press release after the jump:

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NAB 08 • (1) Comments • Most recent comments by: Jeffrey, • Permalink

Sunday, April 13, 2008

NAB Exhibits Start Tomorrow

Between meetings, booth appointments with vendors, and the crowds, I expect to update NAB news as available.

The conferences for Sony and Panasonic were interesting, but not very exciting.  I’m not talking about the new product introductions like the Sony EX3 or the Varicam 3700, I’m talking about listening to the marketing speak.  Here are some points gleaned from each conference.  Do with this data what you will.  Likely nothing…

Panasonic:
80,000+ P2 units worldwide
Fox has taken to P2 in a big way, and moving Fox News to P2HD worlwide
P2HD is the official recording format for the Beijing Olympics
P2 will double in Capacity every year
Majority of P2 repairs fixed within 24 hours.  That’s impressive actually.
Panasonic Broadcast has shown 6 consecutive years of revenue growth.
Panasonic is going “Green” with a plan to reduce CO2 emmissions by 300,000 tons by 2010

Sony:
Survivor will adopt Sony XDCAM HD for next year
Academy Awards, Indie Racing, SuperBowl and more shot on Sony HD
Ellen Degenerous moving to Sony HD
Sony is working to develope a recycling program for electronic equipment as their “Green” move.

NAB 08 • (0) Comments • • Permalink

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Tech Tidbits to Assist Your Business

At PVC, I’m the business guy.  While I’d like to consider myself a writer, anyone that has ever copy edited or even read my work knows otherwise.  As a Publishing exec. for the last gazillion years, that’s not necessarily a good thing.  Without great writers, and great copy editors, ultimately you get lack-luster prose like this.  However, I can supply some interesting business solutions based on history.

There’s an old saying, “on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”.  Translated, if you’re projecting an image of a large company via your website or marketing materials, then no one needs to know you’re a one man shop, or a small business.  Here are some great tools and some personal advice on how to move your production/post business forward.

GotVmail.com
For a small monthly fee, you can project a much larger image when your clients or prospective clients call your phone or 800 line.  For a base of $10 dollars a month, or roughly 2.5 Venti Lattes at Starbucks over 30 days, you can have a virtual PBX system.  You know, “welcome to Company “X”, if you know your party’s extension, please enter it now.  To dial by last name, please press 5”.  For only $10 you can sound like a large company.  We have an 888 number for vendors and potential advertisers.  We’re a small company, but we can sound like a big one when clients or potential clients call.

You can have extensions forwarded to your staff, or to mailboxes.  If you’re a company of one, forward the extensions to different mailboxes and you sound like a much larger entity.  If you’ve got employees or contractors, this allows them to get their calls wherever they are.  Forward to their main line, cell phone or all.  One cool option is that you can also create an extension that simply acts as a marketing piece.  “If you’d like to learn more about PVC, please press 707.  Then your pre-recorded informative piece plays.  Hint: Use you’re better half, or the GotVmail talent to record your messages.

GizmoProject.com
Combine GotVmail and GizmoProject and you have the makings of a decent phone system.  At PVC, we use a GizmoProject number as the main line.  Think of Gizmo just like Skype, voice over IP and that’s exactly what it is.  Plus more.  I’ve signed up for Skype, and prefer GizmoProject. 

(0) Comments • • Permalink

Friday, April 04, 2008

Bias in News Reporting

While in college and majoring in broadcasting (of all things), I spent a great deal of time learning about the bias of News reporting.  In summation, we learned that personal biases will creep no matter how hard you try to avoid them.

While PVC is not a forum for Political banter, nor should it be, I have been astounded by the mainstream News bias in the election coverage which has run amok.  CNN, I am afraid to say, seems to have gone off the deep end (in perhaps my biased opinion).

I often keep the News on throughout the day and Jack Cafferty ends up on my screen more than I’d like to admit.  He can be cranky, and cranky can be good.  While I may not have made up my mind the direction I am likely to go for the election, Jack and the crew at CNN seem to have made up theirs.  Staurday Night Live may have hit the nail on the head with their skit throwing the toughest questions to Hillary and the softballs to Mr. Obama. 

I am heading down this path for one simple reason - Today I reposnded to Jack Cafferty’s blog -here-, and watched somewhat anxiously to see if they’d allow the post.  You see on his CNN driven blog, your comment awaits moderation before being posted. 

I can be cranky too Jack, but this post wasn’t as cranky as I would have preferred to be honest.  I pointed out that despite CNN’s continued “reporting” cry for Hillary to end the race (am I showing bias against CNN?), that she is losing the popular vote and quickly losing the Super-Delegate vote - she is actually beating Mr. Obama in perhaps the most critical way...the Electoral College.  Sure we aren’t at that point yet, but lest we forget that the Dems won the popular vote 7 years ago, yet lost the election to the current sitting President based on that fine thing called - say it with me now....the Electoral College.  In my post I asked CNN and Jack specifically, to recall history, and note that in the states that Hillary has won, had we been counting Electoral votes, she’d be President.  CNN however seems to be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy in a most different direction.  I am more than a little miffed my un-cranky (perhpas admittedly biased) post has not made his blog and was “moderated” out.

That got me thinking about PVC (yeah a stretch I know it - but I’m on some sort of a roll here), and what would we pull from comments and what we’d keep.  Turns out we have pulled some comments already.  Why?  Because they were clearly flaming without facts, and under fictitious names and email addresses.  We have no problem dealing with cranky, as long as it’s backed with facts.  We also request that if you’re going to flame, be prepared to not stand behind a fictitious email address and want to hold a valid discussion on the topic.  That’s what comments are for no?

We are attempting to make this a true community site.  It’s written by a variety of the best writers, and we’re always looking for more voices.  Those voices can be as PVC writers, bloggers, forum members, commentors, or simply emails.  Be cranky if you have to be, but not for cranky-sake.  If you feel we are too bias, tell us.  We won’t moderate your comment out.  Jack are you listening?

(3) Comments • Most recent comments by: Scott Gentry, rich, Ajit, • Permalink

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

RED wiki Launched

Yeah, yeah, I promised in my last post that I would only have one RED post.  I lied.

After a request for a RED Wiki, we threw one together here!

What’s in it so far?  Nothing.  This will be an experiment to see if the community can fill this up with valuable information, no flame wars, no exaggerations, etc.  If we can get a valuable tool working, we all win.  If no one adds to it...we’ll remove it.  It’s up to you.  And Mike, and Adam and Art I guess.  Graeme Nattress want to contribute?

Cameras • (0) Comments • • Permalink

Monday, March 24, 2008

My Only RED Post

RED as Telecine

Like this site needed just one more RED post.  While perusing one of my favorite sites today, engadget, I came across this article about RED being used as a Telecine:

As if the much-hyped RED ONE camera didn’t have enough going for it already, it looks like it could soon be put to use for a slightly unexpected but most welcome task: capturing Super 8 film. That’s apparently possible thanks to what’s described as a “pre-prototype” rig that employs a RED ONE camera and a Moviestuff Workprinter XP system which, thanks to a direct interface to the RED’s GPI input, should allow you to do up 30 single frame captures per second in the RED’s 4K mode. As the On Super 8 blog points out, however, there’s still some “optical wizardry” needed to sit between the RED and the workprinter, but we’re guessing those Super 8 die-hards should be able to take care of that little detail before too long.

That’s the last RED post from me…

Cameras • (0) Comments • • Permalink

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