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Matrox Announces Adobe CS5 Support on MXO2 Family for MacBook Pro and Mac Pro


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Posted by Marc Leitner
August 5, 2010

(Montréal, Canada—August 5, 2010) Matrox® Video Products Group today announced support for Adobe Creative Suite 5 Production Premium software with Matrox MXO2 I/O devices for Mac OS X. The key features of this new release include professional audio and video input and output with 10-bit hardware up/down/cross conversion and HDMI video monitoring with the unique Matrox calibration controls including blue-only. In addition, WYSIWYG support for Adobe Photoshop and After Effects is also provided.

"Users of file-based workflows will love the built-in color calibration tools on the MXO2 devices that turn their inexpensive HDMI displays into professional-grade HD monitors they can trust, even for color grading," said Wayne Andrews, Matrox product manager. "When they need to capture from analog or SDI sources, we have them covered too, with the new Matrox Vetura Capture application and the high-quality, highly-efficient Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame intermediate codec."

‘This release rounds out the Matrox MXO2 cross-platform story," said Alberto Cieri, Matrox senior director of sales and marketing. "We are the only I/O hardware manufacturer that can claim support for the three most popular professional editing applications: Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Avid Media Composer."

The entire family of Matrox MXO2 devices will be demonstrated at IBC 2010 in Amsterdam, September 10-14, on the Matrox stand 7.B29.

Key features of the Matrox MXO2 family for Mac with Adobe CS5 Production Premium

  • Convenient form factors for use in studio, on set, in the field, and in OB vans
  • Works with MacBook Pros and Mac Pros
  • Broadcast quality HD/SD video and audio input/output
  • Flexible support for leading codecs, file formats, cameras, and workflows
  • Matrox Vetura Capture application for fast capture to HD and SD codecs – highly-efficient Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame at up to 300 Mb/s and Apple Uncompressed
  • Matrox Vetura Playback application for convenient playback of H.264 and .mov files
  • Extensive application support including Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and After Effects
  • 10-bit HDMI input, output, and monitoring with calibration controls including blue-only
  • 10-bit realtime hardware up/down/cross conversion on capture and output
  • Three-year hardware warranty and complimentary telephone support

Availability

Matrox products are available from Safe Harbor at: http://www.sharbor.com/vendors/MTX.html. Adobe CS5 support for the Matrox MXO2 devices for Mac (release 2.1) will be available to registered users as a free download from the Matrox website in October 2010.

About Matrox

Matrox Video Products Group is a technology and market leader in the field of HD and SD digital video hardware and software for accelerated H.264 encoding, realtime editing, audio/video input/output, DVD/Blu-ray authoring, scan conversion, capture/playout servers, clip/still stores, and CGs. Matrox's Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, post-production facilities, project studios, corporate communicators, and videographers worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information visit http://www.matrox.com/video.


Apple Unveils New Mac Pros Coming August 2010


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Posted by Marc Leitner
July 27, 2010

This morning we saw an update to the Apple site, announcing new Mac Pros coming this August. Boasting the title, "Mac. To the power of 12," Apple is calling it the fastest Mac ever, with up to 12 cores of processing power. More information can be found at http://www.apple.com/macpro/.

Accelerated architecture.

Choose your cores: 4, 6, 8, or 12.

The new Mac Pro offers two advanced processor options from Intel. The Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor is available in a single-processor, quad-core configuration at speeds up to 3.2GHz. For even greater speed and power, choose the "Westmere" series, Intel’s next-generation processor based on its latest 32-nm process technology. "Westmere" is available in both quad-core and 6-core versions, and the Mac Pro comes with either one or two processors. Which means that you can have a 6-core Mac Pro at 3.33GHz, an 8-core system at 2.4GHz, or, to max out your performance, a 12-core system at up to 2.93GHz.

The single-die advantage.

Many multicore processors are composed of two separate dies, which means some cached data has to travel outside the processor to get from core to core. That’s an inefficient way to access information. Enter the Quad-Core and 6-Core Intel Xeon processors. Their single-die, 64-bit architecture makes 8MB or 12MB of fully shared L3 cache readily available to each of the processor cores. The result is fast access to cache data and greater application performance. Combine that with the other technological advances and you get a Mac Pro that’s up to 1.5x faster than the previous generation.1

Fast memory. And lots of it.

System memory is often connected to a processor through a separate I/O controller. But Intel Xeon "Nehalem" and "Westmere" processors feature an integrated memory controller. By connecting memory directly to the processor, the new Mac Pro processors have faster access to data stored in memory, and memory latency is reduced.

The integrated memory controller, along with fast DDR3 ECC SDRAM at either 1066GHz or 1333GHz, gives Mac Pro an increase in memory bandwidth over previous generations. More bandwidth allows for more data to be fed to the processor faster, helping each core spend its time processing data, not waiting for information to arrive. And Error Correction Code (ECC) corrects single-bit errors and detects multiple-bit errors automatically. That’s especially important in mission-critical and compute-intensive environments.

Power when (and where) you need it.

The Mac Pro features Turbo Boost, a dynamic performance technology that automatically boosts the processor clock speed based on workload. If you’re using an application that doesn’t need every core, Turbo Boost increases the speed of the active ones, up to 3.33GHz on a 12-core Mac Pro, and up to 3.6GHz on a 6-core system.

Up to 24 virtual cores.

The Intel Xeon processors support Hyper-Threading, which allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core. So, for example, a 12-core Mac Pro presents 24 virtual cores that are recognized by Mac OS X. Performance is enhanced because Hyper-Threading enables the processor to take better advantage of the execution resources available in each core.

Path of least resistance.

A bidirectional, point-to-point connection — called QuickPath Interconnect — gives the Intel Xeon processors quick access to the disk, I/O, and other Mac Pro subsystems. In dual-processor Mac Pro models, there’s a QuickPath Interconnect between the two processors as well. This connection acts as a direct pipeline, so processor-to-processor data doesn’t need to travel to the I/O hub first. It’s another way the Mac Pro boosts performance across the board.

Powerfully efficient.

The Mac Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer’s typical annual power consumption.

Faster than a speeding anything.

Even faster standard graphics.

All-new high-performance graphics cards from AMD make Mac Pro graphics technology faster than ever before. Perfect for motion graphics, 3D modeling, rendering, or animation, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory comes standard. It not only provides faster performance compared to previous Mac Pro standard graphics cards — it’s also faster than the top-of-the-line graphics cards in the previous generation.

Give your graphics a turbo boost.

For even more graphics horsepower, upgrade to the ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory. An ideal choice for the most demanding applications, this card features a wider memory bus and higher-performance GPU, resulting in faster performance compared with the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

Don’t keep those pixels waiting.

The foundation of the Mac Pro graphics architecture is the latest generation of GPUs connected to the system via a fast and wide PCI Express 2.0 16-lane bus. Couple that with Core Animation, Core Image, and Core Video technologies in Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The result is a graphics platform that allows applications to seamlessly tap into a teraflop of graphics power.

Graphics on display.

Every new Mac Pro graphics card features three display ports for maximum workspace flexibility. Two Mini DisplayPort outputs connect to a pair of Apple LED Cinema Displays with ease. And a dual-link DVI port connects a 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display or other DVI display. And with support for two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards in the Mac Pro, you can connect more displays — up to six total.

Store more.

Massive storage.

The Mac Pro comes with four 3.5-inch drive bays for an enormous amount of internal storage — up to 8TB when you install four 2TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s drives.1 Each bay provides its own independent 3Gb/s channel for fast access to data. And thanks to the cable-free, direct-attach installation system, adding (or replacing) hard drives is a surprisingly simple process.

Choose solid-state for ultimate performance.

New to the Mac Pro is the option to add up to four 512GB solid-state drives — or any combination of solid-state and hard drives.2 Solid-state drives have no moving parts and are capable of accessing data at speeds up to 230MB per second, which is up to twice the speed of hard drives. The result? Incredible performance on a range of data-intensive tasks, including up to 2x faster ProRes video encoding using solid-state drives compared with hard drives.3

Ready to RAID

For data protection and enhanced SATA hard drive performance, add the Mac Pro RAID Card with 512MB of RAID cache, a 72-hour cache-protecting battery, and hardware RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 0+1.2 A cableless connection and intuitive Apple software make it a snap to install this optional card. It’s the perfect solution for workgroup servers, video pros working with high-bit-rate assets, or anyone who wants to protect critical data.

Even without a RAID card, Mac OS X lets you stripe two, three, or all four drives — either solid-state or hard drives — in a RAID 0 array to increase performance and create a massive volume for tasks such as video editing; or create a RAID 1 mirror to protect digital media assets from a drive failure.

Double-layer burner times two.

Sure it’s great to have one 18x SuperDrive at your disposal, but think how much more productive you could be if you add a second optional SuperDrive. Imagine backing up your data to two double-layer DVDs at once. Or burning Aperture projects to one DVD, while importing music from a CD into your iTunes library. With two optical drive bays in every system, the Mac Pro lets you do exactly that.

Designed to be custom designed.

Expansion made easy.

The easy-access interior of the Mac Pro feels like the well-organized workstation it is. No rat’s nest of components here. You don’t need to turn the system on its side or struggle to reach into awkward spaces to make changes. Just remove the side panel for instant access to everything. Slide out the processor tray to add memory. Slide out drive bays to add storage. Slide a simple bar to change up to four expansion cards at once. And with plenty of I/O ports both front and back, you’ll have room for all your external devices.

Tool-less PCI.

When it’s time to upgrade, a quick slide of the retention bar frees up the four expansion card slots for easy access. Thanks to a thumbscrew PCI bracket, you can swap out cards without any tools. All four slots are PCI Express 2.0 for incredible performance. And since the graphics slot in the Mac Pro is double-wide, your graphics card won’t cover an adjacent slot.

Slide-in storage.

The Mac Pro comes with four 3.5-inch drive bays for an enormous amount of internal storage — up to 8TB.* For faster access to your data, you can also configure your Mac Pro with up to four solid-state drives. The bays are direct-attach and cable free, so it’s easy to add or remove drives. Just attach the drive carrier to a drive and slide the drive into place. There are no connectors or cables to contend with. Lock the drives with the side door latch, and you’re done.

Snap-in memory.

Install more memory in your Mac Pro in a snap. Literally. The easy-access interior lets you slide out the processor tray in one smooth motion, then simply snap new memory into place. You don’t have to dig around inside the computer or wrestle with wires or cables. The single-processor Mac Pro offers four slots that support up to 16GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM, while the dual-processor Mac Pro offers eight slots that support up to 32GB.

Front and back I/O.

There are plenty of places to connect external devices to your Mac Pro. You’ll find two FireWire 800 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and a headphone minijack right up front — where it’s more convenient to connect storage, multimedia devices, and high-speed peripherals.And there are even more ports on the back: three USB 2.0, two FireWire 800, optical audio in and out, analog audio in and out, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports.

For more information please visit http://www.apple.com/macpro/.


Apple Releases Safari 5


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Posted by Marc Leitner
June 8, 2010

(San Francisco, California—June 7, 2010) Apple® today released Safari® 5, the latest version of the world's fastest and most innovative web browser, featuring the new Safari Reader for reading articles on the web without distraction, a 30 percent performance increase over Safari 4,* and the ability to choose Google, Yahoo! or Bing as the search service powering Safari's search field.

Available for both Mac® and Windows, Safari 5 includes improved developer tools and supports more than a dozen new HTML5 technologies that allow web developers to create rich, dynamic websites. With Safari 5, developers can now create secure Safari Extensions to customize and enhance the browsing experience.

"Safari continues to lead the pack in performance, innovation and standards support," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Safari now runs on over 200 million devices worldwide and its open source WebKit engine runs on over 500 million devices."

Safari Reader makes it easy to read single and multipage articles on the web by presenting them in a new, scrollable view without any additional content or clutter. When Safari 5 detects an article, users can click on the Reader icon in the Smart Address Field to display the entire article for clear, uninterrupted reading with options to enlarge, print or send via email.

Powered by the Nitro JavaScript engine, Safari 5 on the Mac runs JavaScript 30 percent faster than Safari 4, three percent faster than Chrome 5.0, and over twice as fast as Firefox 3.6.* Safari 5 loads new webpages faster using Domain Name System (DNS) prefetching, and improves the caching of previously viewed pages to return to them more quickly.

Safari 5 adds more than a dozen powerful HTML5 features that allow web developers to create media-rich experiences, including full screen playback and closed captions for HTML5 video. Other new HTML5 features in Safari 5 include HTML5 Geolocation, HTML5 sectioning elements, HTML5 draggable attribute, HTML5 forms validation, HTML5 Ruby, HTML5 AJAX History, EventSource and WebSocket.

The new, free Safari Developer Program allows developers to customize and enhance Safari 5 with extensions based on standard web technologies like HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. The Extension Builder, new in Safari 5, simplifies the development, installation and packaging of extensions. For enhanced security and stability, Safari Extensions are sandboxed, signed with a digital certificate from Apple and run solely in the browser.

Pricing & Availability

Safari 5 is available for both Mac OS® X and Windows as a free download at http://www.apple.com/safari. Safari 5 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8 or Mac OS X Snow Leopard® 10.6.2 or later. Safari 5 for Windows requires Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista or Windows 7, a minimum 256MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor. Full system requirements and more information on Safari 5 can be found at http://www.apple.com/safari. The Safari Developer Program is free to join at developer.apple.com/programs/safari.

*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. All testing conducted by Apple in May 2010 on an iMac® 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Mac OS X 10.6.3, with 4GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmark based on the SunSpider 0.9.1 JavaScript Performance test.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.


Apple Updates MacBook Pro Line


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Posted by Marc Leitner
April 14, 2010

(Cupertino, CA—April 13, 2010) Apple® today updated the MacBook® Pro line with faster processors, powerful next-generation NVIDIA graphics and even longer battery life. The popular 13-inch MacBook Pro features the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor for up to 80 percent faster graphics and a groundbreaking 10-hour built-in battery.* The new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Apple's new automatic graphics switching technology that toggles seamlessly between powerful NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and energy efficient Intel HD Graphics processors.

"The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency."

All 13-inch MacBook Pro models now include faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 4GB RAM, a 10-hour built-in battery and the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor. With 48 processing cores, the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M is the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market, ideal for graphics intensive applications or high performance games. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two configurations: one with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 250GB hard drive priced at $1,199; and one with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 320GB hard drive priced at $1,499.

The new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models are up to 50 percent faster than the previous systems.** Using Intel's state-of-the-art 32 nanometer process, Intel Core i5 and i7 processors integrate the memory controller and Level 3 cache for faster access to system memory. Hyper-Threading technology improves data throughput by creating virtual processing cores, while Turbo Boost optimizes performance between the two processor cores, accelerating the system from 2.66 GHz to 3.06 GHz for intensive dual core tasks, and up to 3.33 GHz for single core tasks.

All 15-inch and 17-inch models include two graphics processors, the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M for peak performance and Intel HD Graphics for energy efficient operation. More than twice as fast as the GeForce 320M, the powerful new GeForce GT 330M provides incredibly smooth, crisp on-screen graphics for the most demanding 3D games, creative software and technical applications. Apple's automatic graphics switching determines which graphics processor an application needs and switches instantly between processors to deliver peak performance and long battery life. Tightly integrated hardware and software allow the new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro to deliver 8 to 9 hours on a single charge.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in three models: one with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 320GB hard drive at $1,799; one with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive at $1,999; and one with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive at $2,199. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive for $2,299.

The MacBook Pro glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites. All MacBook Pros feature bright, LED-backlit wide-angle displays with a broad color gamut. The 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a high resolution 1920 x 1200 display, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro is now available with an optional high resolution 1680 x 1050 display. Customers can also upgrade their MacBook Pro with new 128GB, 256GB and 512GB solid state drives.

As the industry's greenest notebook lineup, every Mac® notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed of recyclable materials.

Apple uses advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology to create a notebook battery that delivers up to 10 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge and up to 1,000 recharges.**** The built-in battery design results in less waste and depleted batteries can be replaced for $129 or $179, which includes installation and disposal of your old battery in an environmentally responsible manner.

All Macs come with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world's most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple's innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Pricing & Availability

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro, and 17-inch MacBook Pro are now available through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

  • 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;
  • 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;
  • 1066 MHz front-side bus;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
  • 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight® video camera;
  • two USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire® 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
  • SD card slot;
  • combined headphone/line in (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 63.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 60 Watt MagSafe® Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

  • 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;
  • 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;
  • 1066 MHz front-side bus;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
  • 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight video camera;
  • two USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
  • SD card slot;
  • combined headphone/line in (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 63.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 13-inch MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 320GB 5400 rpm or a 500GB 5400 rpm hard drive, a 128GB, 256GB or 512GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare® Protection Plan.

The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

  • 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
  • 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 256MB of VRAM;
  • 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight video camera;
  • two USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • SD card slot;
  • audio line in (analog/digital);
  • audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.53 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

  • 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
  • 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 256MB of VRAM;
  • 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight video camera;
  • two USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • SD card slot;
  • audio line in (analog/digital);
  • audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,199 (US), includes:

  • 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
  • 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 512MB of VRAM;
  • 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight video camera;
  • two USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port;
  • SD card slot;
  • audio line in (analog/digital);
  • audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 15-inch MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a high resolution 15-inch 1680 x 1050 display in glossy and antiglare, a 500GB 5400 rpm or 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB, 256GB or 512GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The 2.53 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,299 (US), includes:

  • 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200, glossy display;
  • 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
  • 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
  • integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 512MB of VRAM;
  • 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
  • a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
  • Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
  • AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
  • Gigabit Ethernet port;
  • iSight video camera;
  • three USB 2.0 ports;
  • one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
  • ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
  • audio line in (analog/digital);
  • audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
  • glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
  • built-in, 95WHr lithium polymer battery; and
  • 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Build-to-order options for the 17-inch MacBook Pro include a 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB, 256GB or 512GB solid state drive, antiglare display, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual- Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

*Testing conducted by Apple in March 2010 using preproduction 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo–based 13-inch MacBook Pro units with NVIDIA GeForce 320M and production 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo-based 13-inch MacBook Pro units with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M.

**Testing conducted by Apple in March 2010 using preproduction 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7–based 15-inch MacBook Pro units with NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and production 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo-based 15-inch MacBook Pro units with NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT.

***EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit http://www.epeat.net.

****A properly maintained MacBook Pro battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity during a lifespan of up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/battery.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, MacBook, Multi-Touch, Snow Leopard, iLife, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Apple Store, SuperDrive, AirPort Extreme, iSight, FireWire, MagSafe and AppleCare are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


AJA Teams with CineForm to Enable True Stereo 3D Output


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Posted by Marc Leitner
April 13, 2010

(Las Vegas NAB Booth Booth SL920, NV—April 13, 2010) AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, has collaborated with workflow solution developer CineForm to provide Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere and other Mac and Windows-based NLE and effects software users with a variety of unique ways to output stereoscopic 3D material using the AJA KONA 3 video capture card through CineForm's Neo3D software.

CineForm's Neo3D software delivers a comprehensive 3D editorial workflow, enabling users to create 3D QuickTime or AVI files that include temporally-aligned left and right eyes and edit 3D projects in real time with full frame rate playback to an external 3D monitor. With expanded support for Neo3D software, AJA KONA 3 enables direct play-out of discrete left eye/right eye images and/or a muxed 3D image. After making the appropriate selection in the CineForm Neo3D software, users with 3D-capable LCD monitors or 3D projectors can view stereo content by configuring the KONA 3 for stereo output via the AJA Control Panel application.

CineForm's David Taylor, CEO and co-founder, said, "The consumer appetite for 3D is just exploding. With that demand, the opportunities for 3D content creators are enormous - but so are their challenges. The need for efficient 3D editorial workflows is paramount, and it's exciting for us to work with AJA to extend the 3D viewing capabilities we designed with Neo3D to output and display through KONA, which is such high-quality hardware and a de-facto standard in so many professional workflows."

Nick Rashby, president of AJA Video Systems, said, "AJA's goal is to provide affordable, high-quality, reliable hardware for workflows that address all of the industry's needs. By working closely with CineForm we've enabled KONA 3 to support multi-platform stereo 3D output. It's a key component of AJA's stereo pipeline, with solutions for acquisition, edit and delivery of 3D material for broadcast and post."

AJA KONA 3 Mac software with support for CineForm Neo3D is planned for availability in May, with PC support coming Q3 2010, Both will be free downloads for all KONA 3 owners.

About CineForm

CineForm develops compression-based workflow solutions for film and video acquisition, post production, and archive applications. Offering the industry's highest-fidelity compression, CineForm software products are used by discerning film studios, television producers, and digital media artists to enhance their file-based workflows. CineForm products are available for both end users and OEM integrators, offer cross-platform compatibility, support most camera and file-based sources, and enable 2D and 3D editorial workflows with spatial resolutions up to 8K. For more information, please visit http://www.cineform.com.

About AJA Video Systems, Inc.

Since 1993, AJA Video has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface, conversion and Desktop solutions supporting the professional broadcast and post- production markets. With headquarters in Grass Valley, California, AJA maintains an extensive sales channel of dealers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website http://www.aja.com.


In Review: Class on Demand Complete TRAINING for Final Cut Pro 7


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Posted by Marc Leitner
April 9, 2010

If you are an editor like me you started with out a manual and learned how to edit on your own. You know you can edit and you feel that you have it down, don’t let your ego get in the way of becoming a better editor with Class on Demand’s Complete TRAINING for Final Cut Pro 7.

Instructor
Tom Wolsky is on the Board of Directors of the Digital Media Academy, for whom he is an instructor in Final Cut Pro at their Stanford University summer program. Tom is an internationally known guru on Final Cut and the author of five Final Cut instructional books. Having developed video journalism curriculum for Apple Computer, Tom also does professional development training and teaches in schools around the country.

As an instructor Tom’s knowledge of Final Cut Pro is so deep that he can train you completely in Final Cut Pro in 5 hours. Now to make it stick you will have to spend another 20 hours reviewing and using the tips and tools that he demonstrates. Right off the bat I learned 5 new shortcuts that will enhance my editing and make me more efficient as a cutter.

Lessons
Here is a list of the lessons that you will learn.

I can honestly say I learned something new in each lesson. Does that mean I didn’t know what I was doing prior to this awesome training DVD? No…maybe…actually not at all. I was stuck in my ways and it feels great to open up and get this training to help me move forward especially with a newer version of Final Cut Pro. Some of my favorite lessons were…

  • Trimming
  • Audio
  • Transitions
  • Multicam Editing
  • Compositing
  • Media Manager

The one lesson that blew me out of the water and is something I had no idea that Final Cut Pro offers is the iChat Theater. iChat Theater will allow you to broadcast your timeline or viewer to a client or anyone on the other end of the chat. It will also allow you to broadcast the timecode while playing your timeline as well as using the text or video chat feature to have complete interaction with your client. OUTSTANDING!!!

Insight
The lessons are on a DVD-ROM and packed with 5 hours of lessons and all the project and media files are supplied on the DVD-ROM. You can open the project files and follow along with Tom or you can sit back and watch and understand what is going on. Glad that they supplied the files but I probably won’t use them since I understand what is going on. If you use a single monitor while you edit, first of all why? Secondly, you will have a difficult time following along with the lessons and will be forced to watch the lessons without participating.

Being that the training is on a DVD-ROM you can’t play it in a DVD player. I understand why it has to be a DVD-ROM and not on a regular DVD. With 5 hours of lessons you would need 3 discs plus an additional disc for the media and project files. Maybe when Blu-Ray is the standard on computers they will move over to that format. The only reason I have a problem with it is if you have a single monitor computer but who edits like that these days?

Final Thoughts
This is by far the best training series that I have seen for Final Cut Pro. I’m a huge advocate for the Apple Pro Training Series but this is a step up from that and with the expertise of Tom Wolsky is hands down first-rate training. If you are serious about editing…meaning if you bought a Mac and Final Cut Pro this is an essential tool to have in your kit to make you a better, more efficient and even professional editor. Get this DVD now and thank me later.

Complete Training for Final Cut Pro 7 from Class on Demand is available now from Safe Harbor.


The entire Matrox MXO2 product line is cross platform - PC and Mac.


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Posted by Dennis Hoffman
December 2, 2009

The MXO2 product line provides interoperability with Matrox RT.X2 and Axio. Matrox MXO2 products include the Matrox color correction plug-in for advanced primary and secondary color control from within Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. Color corrected sequences created in the field using Matrox MXO2 products will playback in realtime when edited on Matrox RT.X2 and Axio systems. In addition, Matrox MXO2 products also support the Matrox 1440 x 1080 MPEG I-frame format so that footage captured with MXO2 products from various SDI, analog, and HDMI sources including AVCHD can be transferred to RT.X2 and Axio systems for realtime editing.

Key features of Matrox MXO2 LE, MXO2, and MXO2 Rack on the PC

  • Works with Windows 7 (64-bit), Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows XP (32-bit) laptops and desktops
  • HD/SD SDI, HDMI, HD/SD analog component, Y/C, and composite inputs and outputs
  • Genlock - SD analog black burst (bi-level) or HD tri-level sync
  • Unique Matrox calibration controls for 10-bit HDMI monitoring including blue-only
  • 10-bit realtime hardware downscaling on output
  • Professional audio inputs and outputs
  • Works with all the codecs supported by Adobe Premiere Pro including AVCHD, HDV, DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, and DV
  • Captures to HD and SD codecs - 8- and 10-bit uncompressed and highly efficient Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame
  • Includes Matrox A/V Tools, an easy-to-use application for fast capture/playback of audio, video, and still frames
  • File-based workflow support - XDCAM, XDCAM HD, XDCAM EX, P2, P2HD
  • RED workflow support
  • Works with Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 4.2 and provides WYSIWYG support for popular motion graphics, animation, and compositing applications
  • Also available with Matrox MAX technology for accelerated H.264 encoding with Adobe Media Encoder CS4 4.2
  • Three-year hardware warranty and complimentary telephone support


Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28, 2009


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Posted by Safe Harbor Staff
August 24, 2009

Apple today announced that Mac OS® X v10.6 Snow Leopard™ will go on sale Friday, August 28 at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. Snow Leopard will be available as an upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard® users for $29.

"Snow Leopard builds on our most successful operating system ever and we’re happy to get it to users earlier than expected," said Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. "For just $29, Leopard users get a smooth upgrade to the world’s most advanced operating system and the only system with built in Exchange support."

To create Snow Leopard, Apple engineers refined 90 percent of the more than 1,000 projects that make up Mac OS X. Users will notice refinements including a more responsive Finder™; Mail that loads messages up to twice as fast;* Time Machine® with an up to 80 percent faster initial backup;* a Dock with Exposé® integration; QuickTime® X with a redesigned player that allows users to easily view, record, trim and share video; and a 64-bit version of Safari® 4 that is up to 50 percent** faster and resistant to crashes caused by plug-ins. Snow Leopard is half the size of the previous version and frees up to 7GB of drive space once installed.

For the first time, system applications including Finder, Mail, iCal®, iChat® and Safari are 64-bit and Snow Leopard’s support for 64-bit processors makes use of large amounts of RAM, increases performance and improves security while remaining compatible with 32-bit applications. Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) provides a revolutionary new way for software developers to write applications that take advantage of multicore processors. OpenCL, a C-based open standard, allows developers to tap the incredible power of the graphics processing unit for tasks that go beyond graphics.

Snow Leopard is the only desktop operating system with built in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and it allows you to use Mac OS X Mail, Address Book and iCal to send and receive email, create and respond to meeting invitations, and search and manage contacts with global address lists. Exchange information works seamlessly within Snow Leopard so users can also take advantage of OS X only features such as fast Spotlight® searches and Quick Look previews.

Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard, the next major release of the world’s easiest to use server operating system, will also go on sale Friday, August 28. Snow Leopard Server includes innovative new features such as Podcast Producer 2 and Mobile Access Server and is priced more affordably than ever at $499 with unlimited client licenses. More information and full system requirements for Snow Leopard Server can be found at www.apple.com/server/macosx/.

Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard will be available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard on August 28 at Apple’s retail stores and through Apple Authorized Resellers, and online pre-orders can be made through Apple’s online store (www.apple.com) starting today. The Snow Leopard single user license will be available for a suggested retail price of $29 (US) and the Snow Leopard Family Pack, a single household, five-user license, will be available for a suggested price of $49 (US). For Tiger® users with an Intel-based Mac®, the Mac Box Set includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard, iLife® ’09 and iWork® ’09 and will be available for a suggested price of $169 (US) and a Family Pack is available for a suggested price of $229 (US).

The Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the program on December 26, 2009, for a product plus shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (US). Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate. Snow Leopard requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM and is designed to run on any Mac computer with an Intel processor. Full system requirements can be found at www.apple.com/macosx/specs.html.

*Testing conducted by Apple in August 2009 comparing prerelease Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard with shipping Mac OS X v10.5.8 Leopard on a shipping 2.0 GHz MacBook® system and a shipping 2.66 GHz iMac® system, both configured with 2GB of RAM. Performance will vary based on system configuration, network, file sizes, data sets and other factors.

**Testing conducted by Apple in August 2009 comparing 64-bit Safari 4 to 32-bit Safari 4 on prerelease Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard on a shipping 2.0 GHz MacBook system and a shipping 2.66 GHz iMac system, both configured with 2GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmarks based on the SunSpider Performance test. Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection, and other factors.


Apple Updates Final Cut Studio with More Than 100 New Features


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Posted by Safe Harbor Staff
July 24, 2009

Apple® today announced a significant update to Final Cut Studio® with more than 100 new features and new versions of Final Cut Pro®, Motion, Soundtrack® Pro, Color and Compressor. Final Cut Studio features Final Cut Pro 7 which expands Apple’s ProRes codec family to support virtually any workflow and includes Easy Export for one step output to a variety of formats and iChat® Theater support for real-time collaboration. Motion 4 includes enhanced tools such as 3D shadows, reflections and depth of field for stunning motion graphics and visual effects, and Soundtrack Pro 3 features new multitrack audio tools to streamline audio post production. Color 1.5 includes better Final Cut Pro integration and support for full color resolution, and Compressor 3.5 adds new features that make it easy to set up and customize your export options. At $999, the new Final Cut Studio is $300 less than the previous release and is also available as an upgrade for just $299.

"With 1.4 million users and 50 percent of the market,* Final Cut Pro is the number one professional video editing application," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The new Final Cut Studio includes more than 100 new features and dramatically expands Apple’s ProRes family of codecs so editors can work in the studio with the highest quality video or on location at low bandwidths."

Final Cut Pro 7, the latest version of Apple’s Emmy Award-winning editing software, includes new versions of Apple’s ProRes codecs to support virtually any workflow with the addition of ProRes Proxy, for offline and mobile editing at low bandwidth; ProRes LT, for general purpose editing; and ProRes 4444 for editing and visual effects at the highest quality possible. Easy Export allows users to continue working on projects while encoding is done in the background and the sequence is exported to YouTube, MobileMe™, iPhone™, iPod®, Apple TV®, DVD or Blu-ray. iChat Theater support allows real time collaboration by sharing Final Cut® timelines or individual source clips with iChat users anywhere in the world, even if they don’t have a copy of Final Cut Pro. Other new features include new speed tools to change clip speed with ease, alpha transitions to create dramatic effects using moving mattes, and native AVC-Intra support for the latest high quality Panasonic cameras.

Motion 4 extends award-winning, easy to use animation tools so video editors can quickly create everything from basic titles to animated credit rolls to stunning motion graphics. Enhancing 3D compositions is faster than ever with new customizable features that add point and spot lights to cast realistic shadows or turn any shape, video plane or paint stroke into a reflective surface. Motion 4 gives editors the flexibility to adjust the depth of field within a 3D canvas by selectively highlighting a single object or using multiple objects to create a racking focus effect.

Soundtrack Pro 3 adds powerful new audio editing tools including Voice Level Match which extracts volume information from the vocal content of one clip and applies it to another without altering any other audio content so editors can easily correct mismatched voice levels. An enhanced File Editor includes new tools to make sophisticated edits and fine tune volume adjustments by targeting specific frequencies such as the rustle of a paper or the bump of a desk without affecting dialogue. The new Advanced Time Stretch feature stretches and compresses audio with incredible precision using three Apple-designed algorithms or other algorithms available as third party plug-ins.

Color 1.5, Apple’s easy to use professional grading application, now works with a greater range of sequences and effects from Final Cut Pro and an integrated workflow allows editors to complete projects entirely within Final Cut Studio. New 4K support works natively with files from cameras such as the RED ONE and outputs directly to ProRes for HD or DPX for film. Expanded support for new high quality formats includes AVC-Intra, XDCAM 422 and ProRes 4444, for grading with the maximum amount of color information.

Compressor 3.5 makes encoding and delivering in multiple formats easier than ever with the ability to automatically detect QuickTime® settings and create an Easy Export template or a mini "droplet" on the desktop that automates specific Compressor actions. New, customizable sharing options make it easy to publish to YouTube and MobileMe, or export for iPhone, iPod, Apple TV and mobile phones. For the highest quality HD material, menu templates and encoding presets make it fast and easy to create Blu-ray discs. Final Cut Studio also includes DVD Studio Pro®, a powerful DVD authoring environment with drag and drop tools, on screen editing and real time previews.

Soundtrack Pro and Compressor are also available as part of the new Logic Studio®, allowing Final Cut and Logic® users to collaborate and share files.

Apple today also introduced Final Cut Server 1.5, the asset management and automation tool for Final Cut Studio. Final Cut Server 1.5 includes powerful new features like lightweight, offline editing with ProRes Proxy, production hierarchies to organize media, and support for still sequences to easily view and manage image sequences for graphics and effects workflows. Final Cut Server now includes unlimited client licenses and is available for $999 or as a $299 upgrade for existing users.

Pricing & Availability
Final Cut Studio is now available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US) and existing Final Cut Studio and Final Cut Pro users can upgrade for a suggested retail price of $299 (US). Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Studio can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutstudio. Final Cut Server 1.5 is now available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers and includes unlimited client licenses for a suggested retail price of $999 (US) and existing Final Cut Server users can upgrade for suggested retail price of $299 (US). Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Server can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutserver.


WEVA Partners With Universal Studios Florida For WEVA EXPO 2008 Tour


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Posted by Safe Harbor Staff
April 17, 2008

WEVA International has partnered with Universal Studios Florida Production Group to plan an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Universal Studios Production Facilities for professional videographers in conjunction with the WEVA 18th Annual Wedding & Event Video Expo, August 11-14, 2008. WEVA EXPO 2008, the wedding and event video industry's largest convention and trade show will be held at Orlando Grande Lakes Resort, just 10 minutes from Universal Studios Florida.

The largest working motion picture and television studio outside of Hollywood, Universal Studios Florida boasts 9 state-of-the-art soundstages, multiple broadcast studios, and more than 100 backlot sets. Numerous feature films (including The Waterboy, Matinee, and Parenthood) have been shot on the studio backlot.

Home to cable network’s Nickelodeon, Universal Studios Florida has hosted TV programs as diverse as The Ellen Degeneres Show; The Food Network's Emeril, Live!; The Steve Harvey Show; America's Most Wanted; Fear Factor; BattleBotsIQ and TNA (Total Nonstop Action). TNA, today's popular contemporary wrestling show, is taped in Stage 21 - (adjacent to the park).

This summer, WEVA EXPO 2008 attendees will have a rare opportunity to take an optional pre-convention, behind-the-scenes tour of Universal Studios that is being planned for Monday August 11, 2008 (starting early afternoon, ending before the official WEVA EXPO 2008 Opening Night Gala at 5:45pm).

"As announced at our NAB event this week, WEVA is already at work with the Universal Studios Production Group (USPG) designing a backlot tour that is ‘professional to professional’ rather than the standard ‘visitor’ version normally presented to park guests," relates Dan Argenas, WEVA’s Director of Association Communications. "Our goal is to offer WEVA EXPO 2008 attendees an inside view of state-of-the-art television and film production that’s up close and personal."

The WEVA and USPG teams are finalizing details of the tour, including ground transportation (private busses will depart from the JW Marriott). Watch WEVA.com for more news on the Universal Studios Tour and continuous updates on all WEVA EXPO 2008 Wedding and Event Video Sessions, EXPO 2008 Trade Show, and EXPO 2008 Special Events.

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