products for video and post professionals | (800) 544-6599 | customer service | your account | order status | your cart Workstations View all » MXO2 Family Mac Pro Server Media Composer EDIUS System Final Cut Adobe CS5 Categories View all » 3D Animation Audio & Music Software HD Video Hardware Ministry Software NLE Software Video Encoder Hardware Video Streaming Hardware Manufacturers View all » Avid Blackmagic Design E-on Software IKan LaCie Luxology Maxon Pixologic Sorenson Media ViewCast Specials Special Prices Clearance Center Coupon Codes Academic Discounts Rebate Center Featured Products Events View all » 2012 NAB Show SIGGRAPH 2012 IBC 2012 Blogs News » Product Spotlight » Tutorials » Matrox Announces Upcoming Public Beta Release for Apple Final Cut Pro X Maximize Benefits of Avid Open I/O with Bluefish444 12 Bit Video I/O Cards Livestream Integrates with NewTek TriCaster Nikon D4's Clean Output Makes Atomos Ninja The Perfect Partner VoluMedic OG Offering Reduced Pricing of Volume Rendering Plug-In for LightWave

News » Avid a Safe Harbor blog Matrox Announces Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid Media Composer 5.5 0 Posted by Marc Leitner February 17, 2011 (Montréal, Canada—February 17, 2011) Matrox Video Products Group today announced support for the newly released Avid Media Composer V5.5 editing system. Matrox MXO2 Mini turns a user’s HDMI screen into a professional-grade video monitor with unique color calibration tools. The small, lightweight, external box is ideal for file-based workflows in studio, on set, in the field and in OB vans. It provides HDMI, analog component, S-Video, and composite output and cross-platform support for Macs and PCs, laptops and workstations. Users can also take advantage of the Matrox Vetura Capture application for quick and easy capture to Avid DNxHD or other popular Avid-supported codecs. Media Composer V5.5 adds support for new 720p and 1080p workflows with Matrox MXO2 Mini including the ability to select PsF or true P output in 1080p modes. "We spearheaded our openness initiative with the Matrox MXO2 Mini and this decision has proved very fruitful. This platform has given Avid Media Composer release 5.0 an excellent HDMI monitoring tool for digital workflows," said David Colantuoni, Director, Product Management, Avid Technology. "In addition, our new release of Avid Media Composer 5.5 brings new format and frame rate support and unique H.264 delivery options with Matrox MAX technology. Our continuing relationship with Matrox is a benefit to our mutual customers." "Avid's support of Matrox MXO2 Mini was the talk of NAB and IBC 2010, giving Media Composer users a very cost-effective HD monitoring solution at just $449," said Wayne Andrews, product manager at Matrox. "But that's not the only benefit of Matrox products for Avid users. The version of Matrox MXO2 Mini with the built-in MAX H.264 encoding accelerator option at just $849 lets Mac users deliver H.264 files for the web, iPad, iPhone, and other mobile devices, directly from Media Composer at speeds up to five times faster than software alone, without sacrificing quality. Matrox MAX even lets them deliver directly from Media Composer up to three times faster than other popular encoders." Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid Media Composer V5.5 will be demonstrated at NAB 2011 in the Matrox booth SL2515. Key features of Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid Media Composer Turns an HDMI screen into a professional-grade video monitor with unique color calibration tools Small, lightweight, external box for use in studio, on set, in the field, and in OB vans Cross-platform support – Mac and PC; laptops, desktops, and workstations HDMI, analog component, S-Video, and composite output Stereo RCA and up to 8 channels of HDMI audio output Three-year hardware warranty and complimentary telephone support Matrox MAX option for lightning fast H.264 encoding directly from Media Composer on the Mac Price and availability Matrox MXO2 Mini and Matrox MXO2 Mini with MAX are available from Safe Harbor at http://www.sharbor.com/vendors/MTX.html. Driver versions 5.1 for PC and 2.2 for Mac will be available to registered users as free downloads from the Matrox website to coincide with Avid’s software release. 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. Avid Expands Open Workflow Innovations with New Productivity-Boosting Solutions 0 Posted by Marc Leitner February 15, 2011 BURLINGTON, Mass.— Avid® (NASDAQ: AVID) today underscored its leadership position in open media production solutions with the introduction of new versions of its flagship editing systems—Media Composer® version 5.5, NewsCutter® version 9.5 and Symphony® version 5.5—in response to customer requests for increased third-party hardware support, enhanced "in the box" functionality, and more open, collaborative workflows with added control integration and format flexibility. New features include: Support for AJA Io Express input and output interface, offering increased options between accelerated Avid hardware and cost-effective third-party solutions when using Media Composer and NewsCutter systems Improved search capabilities and the new Avid PhraseFind powered by Nexidia phonetic searching add-on option to streamline clip and project management, speeding editorial and simplifying the dialogue editing and logging process EUCON™ support for integration with Avid control surfaces—Avid Artist Control, Artist Transport and Artist Mix devices—delivering greater flexibility for effects, audio and transport manipulation Increased performance with Panasonic AVC-Intra material with the new Avid Nitris® DX AVC-Intra video accelerator Native support for Sony HDCAM SR Lite, providing high-quality, file-based media transfer of this popular tape-based format over a GB Ethernet connection to reduce costly deck usage, and increase the workflow flexibility and productivity with this format•Enhanced Smart Tool functionality for direct transition manipulation within the timeline, enabling "on the fly" editing. "The new AJA support is paramount and just proves Avid is committed to giving us customers what we’ve been asking for," said Jon Mauldin, director of operations and technology, Fotokem. "Adding support for a third-party hardware device that is so popular with users of other platforms is a direct message about Avid’s open, mixed environment. This started several versions back in Media Composer and continues to expand with the latest iteration bringing even more flexibility and choice." Increased Hardware and Control Device Support—More Open, Expanded Workflow Options Media Composer version 5.5 and NewsCutter version 9.5 both support the popular AJA Io Express, a cost-effective video input and output interface. This adds to the previously announced support for Matrox MX02 Mini monitoring hardware (in Media Composer version 5). Editors can also now leverage Artist Mix, Artist Control and Artist Transport control surfaces (formerly from Euphonix) to handle media transport, and audio and effects parameters within Avid editing systems. The fine adjustment controls and physical interfaces (e.g., sliders) of these external controllers are ideally suited for customers working with projects that require extensive audio manipulation. Additionally, taking advantage of Avid Nitris DX expandability, customers can now benefit from real-time capture and increased playback streams of Panasonic AVC-Intra material, significantly boosting productivity and accelerating workflows with this process-intensive format. Expanded AMA, Smart Tool and Search Capabilities—Increase Productivity with Streamlined Editorial New editorial capabilities in Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony editing systems include: Avid PhraseFind powered by Nexidia add-on: enables better storytelling by instantly finding clips within Media Composer bins using the same Nexidia phonetic indexing engine in Avid ScriptSync®. The new "type-to-find" interface taps indexed audio material—any word or phrase—for expedited retrieval without a script or transcript, accelerating editing across all program types by finding the right take fast Sony HDCAM SR Lite format support via Avid Media Access (AMA): provides an innovative workflow, developed in conjunction with Sony, allowing tape-based HDCAM SR material to be handled as files over a GB Ethernet network connection. This offers greater deck efficiency and savings to ease collaborative workflows by streamlining footage into a shared storage environment for content sharing with other editors Smart Tool enhancements: bring expanded editorial power within the box, offering direct timeline control of transitions as an alternative to using separate transition tools Expert search: improves generic search capabilities, allowing customers to easily find material using text-based searching in fields and across bins on local or shared storage Additional Features to Meet Customer Needs—Faster Audio/Video Collaboration with Pro Tools Compatibility and Integrated Broadcast Workflows with New Playback Options Media Composer is now compatible with Pro Tools® hardware for greater workflow flexibility, including audio capture and monitoring of Media Composer projects through Pro Tools hardware and voice-over recording into Media Composer to enable faster collaboration between sound and picture departments New playback options for audio routing and mixing improve broadcast workflows for tighter newsroom and station integration. Broadcasters now have increased flexibility to route audio signals when sending material to air, meeting multiple delivery demands for picture content with a variety of associated audio tracks, such as mono, stereo or surround Pricing and Availability New versions of Media Composer, Symphony and NewsCutter will ship in the first quarter of 2011. Pricing for Media Composer Academic version 5.5 starts at $295 USMSRP for educational institutions and students (student versions include four years of complimentary upgrades from the date of software activation – see www.avid.com/studentupgrade for details), and $2295 for the professional version. Additionally: PhraseFind starts at $495 USMSRP, including one language of choice, with further language packs available for $149 USMSRP each. PhraseFind is currently available in U.S. English, U.K. English and Latin American Spanish. Customers purchasing PhraseFind from the Avid store will be eligible for a complimentary upgrade to Media Composer 5.5 The Avid Nitris DX AVC-Intra accelerator is bundled with new Symphony systems, and also available as a user-installable upgrade to existing Avid Nitris DX hardware customers Support customers are entitled to preferential savings and should check with local resellers or Avid Support online.For more information on pricing, upgrade options and features, visit: www.avid.com. About Avid Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world—from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid’s most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer, Pro Tools, Interplay®, ISIS®, VENUE, Oxygen 8, Sibelius®, System 5, and Pinnacle Studio™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, del.icio.us, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube; connect with Avid on Facebook; or subscribe to Avid Industry Buzz. Avid Introduces Bold New Live Performance and Recording Solutions 0 Posted by Marc Leitner January 14, 2011 (Booth #6700) ANAHEIM, California) (NAMM Show Avid® (NASDAQ: AVID) introduced a series of new live performance and recording solutions for independent musicians looking to take their digital audio creations to the next level. The new tools—which include the M-Audio® Venom® virtual analog synthesizer, Torq® 2.0 DJ software, the Eleven® Rack Expansion Pack and new Mbox® family options—deliver innovative, professional features and flexible, open workflows so artists can create distinctive and compelling audio, in the studio or on stage. Venom: New Virtual Analog Synthesizer Brings Unprecedented Sound Options to Customers of All Skill Levels Merging Avid’s expertise in virtual instrument development and keyboard design, the M-Audio Venom synthesizer delivers an aggressive take on the emulation of classic analog synthesis—combining the warm sound and character of vintage keyboards with the intuitive control and workflow advantages of modern digital processing to provide cutting-edge sound options to musicians of all skill levels. This new entry into the synthesizer market represents a dramatic departure from traditional virtual analog keyboards with the following features: Extensive sound design capabilities—allow customers to create distinctive sounds using 41 oscillator waves and 53 drum sounds sampled from renowned vintage keyboards. Users can add realism to their mixes with a DSP-induced oscillator drift, and additional sound complexity with a 12-voice polyphony with three oscillators per voice, as well as 16 modulation routings. Full-sized keyboard and ergonomic design—enables customers to comfortably create music and play using a 49-note, full-size, synth-action keybed and intuitive top-panel controls. Included Vyzex Venom software editor—provides a clear visual representation of all synth settings and parameters so users can arrange sounds into banks, rename patches, save backups on their computers and collaborate with other users. Users can also mash up multiple patches and create new hybrid sounds with the built-in patch collider. Built-in USB audio/MIDI interface—gives customers the ability to record audio from instruments, mics or other sound sources, or process external audio using Venom onboard effects and filters, without the need for additional audio interface hardware. Compatibility with Pro Tools and third-party recording solutions—opens up workflows so customers can work directly with Pro Tools®, Pro Tools M-Powered™, Pro Tools SE and or third-party DAWs, including Ableton Live, Propellerhead Reason, Apple Logic and GarageBand, forming a powerful, all-in-one music creation, mixing and recording solution. Torq 2.0—Next-Generation DJ Software Delivers Open Platform for Creative Performance and Production Rebuilt from the ground up by Avid’s acclaimed software development teams, Torq 2.0 is a high-performance solution featuring advanced professional features and new flexible workflow options for creative DJ performance and real-time remixing and production. New features in Torq 2.0 include: Four virtual decks with EQ, level control, headphone cueing and crossfade—enable customers to play four tracks at once to create unique, complex and dynamic mixes. Traq Morph™ technology—patent pending innovation blends music tracks in exciting new ways by intelligently applying audio effects during crossfade. Open, flexible workflows—provide DJs with the flexibility to use the software with M-Audio Xponent® and Conectiv® DJ and third-party hardware, or stand-alone without any hardware at all. Updated user interface and database—gives users the ability to sort through tens of thousands of tracks, including Apple iTunes Store libraries, to quickly create distinctive mixes. 13 built-in effects and VST effect support—enable customers to reinvent sound by stacking up to four simultaneous built-in effects and one VST effect per deck, allowing for up to 20 effects at once. Advanced recording options—empower DJs with the ability to capture their entire performance with an integrated performance recorder for distribution or editing. As a result of ReWire, they can also create, mix and record with Pro Tools or third-party DAWs, bringing their DJ performance to the studio environment. Eleven Rack Expansion Pack: Expanded Guitar Amp Emulation, Vocal and Bass Workflows and Effects The Eleven Rack Expansion Pack, a software add-on option for Avid’s award-winning Eleven Rack guitar amp and effects processor, provides a series of new features and enhancements to the system, including: New guitar and bass amp effects emulations—deliver users an expanded sonic palette with 19 new guitar amp and effects emulations, including an all-new bass amp/cabinet simulation that invokes the sounds of legendary bass tones. Parametric EQ and studio compressor channel strip effects—allow customers to easily capture vocal and instrument performances using new channel strip-style signal processing. Dynamic stereo delay—provides customers more options to enhance their sound, create custom effects and widen their guitar tone with full ducking, panning and filtering control on delay feedback. Speaker break-up emulation—re-creates the natural distortion characteristics heard when turning up an analog amp with speaker breakup emulation added to all amps. New Mbox Family Options: Portable Personal Recording Systems Now Available With or Without Pro Tools Following on the heels of the Pro Tools version 9 launch in November 2010, Avid is now offering Mbox recording solutions bundled with Pro Tools 9. The new bundles—Pro Tools + Mbox Pro, Pro Tools + Mbox and Pro Tools + Mbox Mini—give musicians and engineers the ability to turn their Mac or PC into a portable recording, mixing and production studio using the industry’s most popular DAW for an Avid-advantaged workflow. For the first time ever, customers can also opt to purchase the Mbox Pro, Mbox or Mbox Mini as a standalone recording interface for use with their favorite third-party audio software. This flexibility enables customers to design a workflow that best suits their needs. Pricing and availability Venom is available today starting at $599 USD. Torq 2.0 is available for a free trial download today at http://www.avid.com/torq2trial. Torq 2.0 will be available worldwide via digital download on February 8, 2011 for $249.99 USD. The boxed version of Torq 2.0 will be available later in Q1. The Eleven Rack Expansion Pack will be available worldwide on March 22, 2011 for $99 USD via the Avid Web store only. Pro Tools 9 is available from Safe Harbor at http://www.sharbor.com/vendors/AVI.html. Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid Editing Systems Now Shipping 0 Posted by Marc Leitner June 10, 2010 (Montréal, Canada—June 10, 2010) Matrox® Video Products Group today announced that Matrox MXO2 Mini™ is now available for the newly launched Avid® Media Composer® V5 and NewsCutter® V9 editing systems. Matrox MXO2 Mini turns a user’s HDMI screen into a professional-grade video monitor with color calibration tools including blue-only. The small, lightweight, external box is ideal for file-based workflows in studio, on set, in the field and in OB vans. It provides HDMI, analog component, S-Video, and composite output with cross-platform support for Macs and PCs, laptops and workstations. Key features of Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid Media Composer Turns an HDMI screen into a professional-grade video monitor with color calibration tools including blue-only Small, lightweight, external box for use in studio, on set, in the field, and in OB vans Cross-platform support – Mac and PC; laptops, desktops, and workstations HDMI, analog component, S-Video, and composite output Stereo RCA and up to 8 channels of HDMI audio output 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound monitoring on the HDMI output Compatible with Avid Media Composer V5 and Avid NewsCutter V9 Three-year hardware warranty and complimentary telephone support Price and availability Matrox version 1.9.2 software for Mac OS and Matrox Mtx.utils version 2.2 for Windows provide support for Avid Media Composer V5 and Avid NewsCutter V9. The Matrox software is available as a free download from the Matrox website for registered owners of Matrox MXO2 Mini and Matrox MXO2 Mini with the MAX H.264 encoding accelerator option. 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. NAB 2010 New Product Announcements 0 Posted by Jeff Pulera April 20, 2010 Post-NAB wrap up providing you with new products featured at Safe Harbor! Matrox Matrox MXO2 Mini for Avid provides HD Monitoring on Avid® Media Composer® V5 and NewsCutter® V9 editing systems. MXO2 Mini includes an HDMI display calibration utility for accurate color grading. This small, external solution provides output via HDMI, component, S-Video, and composite video, with cross-platform support for Macs and PCs, laptops and workstations. Grass Valley ADVCmini is perfect for Mac users wishing to capture and preserve their home camcorder videos, with 3D Y/C separation for cleaner conversions than competing products in its price range. Composite and Y/C video inputs are provided along with stereo audio, and captured videos may be edited with iMovie or Final Cut Pro. Connects to the Mac via USB, which also powers the device. USB and A/V cables included. Shipping in May with an MSRP of $149, with a PC version expected to ship in July. Black Magic Design Deck Link Duo features two independent SDI capture and playback engines built into the single card with a 4-lane PCI Express connection. This affordable HD/SD-SDI capture card has 10-bit SDI capture and playback, plus RS-422 deck control and reference input. Ship Date - June 2010 DeckLink HD Extreme 3D features single and dual channel SDI capture and playback for both regular 2D and new 3D stereoscopic workflows! Includes dual link 3 Gb/s SDI, HDMI, and analog component, composite, and s-video connections, with 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 color. Includes AES and analog balanced audio, 16 channel SDI audio, genlock and deck control. Supports video formats up to 1080p60 with up, down and cross conversion, plus built in SD/HD internal keyer. Now Shipping! Intensity Shuttle is the world’s first 10 bit HD/SD editing solution for USB 3.0 Windows computersFeatures 10-bit HDMI, component, composite and s-video capture and playback. Powered from the USB 3.0 connection, Intensity Shuttle requires no external power supply. Ship Date - May 2010 UltraStudio Pro is a broadcast-quality SD/HD capture and playback solution for USB 3.0 computers. With USB 3.0 running at a massive 4.8 Gb/s, UltraStudio Pro can handle uncompressed 10 bit HD video with the maximum possible real time effects! Ship Date - May 2010 HDLink Pro 3D DisplayPort is the first SDI monitoring solution for deep bit depth DisplayPort monitors. Supports full 3D stereoscopic and HDMI 1.4 in both 4:2:2 and 4:4:4. Perfect for SD, HD and 2K monitoring. Supports 1.62 and 2.7 Gb/s DisplayPort monitors with 1, 2 and 4 lanes, as well as DVI and HDMI monitors with an adapter (not included). Ship Date - June 2010 UpDownCross Mini Converter provides an easy way to convert between SD and HD video formats. Includes full up, down, and cross-conversion, as well as full NTSC/PAL standards conversion. Ship Date - June 2010 H.264 Pro Recorder encodes video from professional broadcast decks to H.264 files for websites, YouTube™, iPhone™ and even iPad™. Ship Date - July 2010 Pocket UltraScope - Get all the features of UltraScope on your laptop, with a miniature pod that converts 3 Gb/s SDI to the computer’s USB 3.0 connection. Automatically detects between SD, HD and 3Gb/s HD-SDI video standards, and is powered from the laptop battery via the USB 3.0 port so you don’t need a power source when on location! Ship Date - June 2010 iKan VX7 7" HD-SDI LCD Display offers portable monitoring for video cameras and DSLR video, with HD-SDI, HDMI, Component, and Composite inputs to suit any need. Has 1024x600 resolution, with features like moveable Pixel to Pixel view, Underscan, Overscan, and Blue-only modes. Flexible power options include Sony, Panasonic or Canon camcorder batteries (your choice of adapter) or AC (adapter included). Anton Bauer and Sony V-mount power kits optional. Uses all BNC connectors for reliable connectivity. VX9 8.9" HD-SDI LCD Display offers the same great features of the VX7, with a larger screen, NTSC/PAL compatibility, side by side Freeze Comparison split screen, and S-video input. Analog signals are pass-thru, and HD-SDI downconverts to component. VX-series displays have LED backlighting for blacker blacks and improved contrast. ¼-20 threaded mounting holes on all four sides. Adobe Adobe Production Premium® Creative Suite® 5 offers unprecedented editing performance for SD, HD, 2K, 4k, and beyond! Coded for 64-bit systems exclusively, CS5 can access gobs of ram to improve editing and compositing in Premiere CS5, Adobe CS5, Photoshop CS5, and more! The new Adobe Mercury Playback Engine offers GPU-accelerated performance using select NVIDIA Quadro FX cards, providing multi-layer realtime editing with effects. Experience editing without rendering with Premiere CS5! CalDigit HDPro-24 is a blazing fast 24 drive hardware RAID solution, with support for 24 SATA-II 3Gbs drive modules, providing hardware RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 and JBOD support. Sustained speeds of over 1,600MB/s can be achieved with RAID 50 protection. The 4U rack mount system features an intuitive LCD display and LED status lights. It has 3 hot swappable load bearing power supplies, and even the built-in controllers are removable/upgradeable. The HDPro-24 is designed to run 24/7, with no downtime. SuperShare is a revolutionary solution to the traditional SAN. Based on direct connect PCIe technology, the CalDigit SuperShare is an extremely fast hardware solution that allows users to access a pool of shared storage simultaneously. This effective collaboration makes sharing CalDigit storage solutions easy, fast and affordable. CalDigit AV Drive is one of the most uniquely designed single drive systems on the market. Itfeatures the first dual interface with USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 connectivity, with speeds over 140MB/s.The CalDigit AV Drive is the first USB 3.0 device for the Mac, all in a sleek and compact design. NewTek TriCaster TCXD850 is designed to meet the most demanding HD production requirements. This 22-channel HD/SD live production switcher can work with eight external sources, eight virtual/mix channels; new live HD virtual sets and advanced matte generation; overlay with rotation, positioning and scaling in 3D plus animated effects; HD live streaming; increased media player capabilities, and multi-view monitoring of all inputs and outputs. TriCaster TCXD850 at US $24,995 is the latest addition to the NewTek HD portable live production family. This durable rack mount system provides the highest quality, 32-bit floating point with 4:4:4:4 video processing. TriCaster TCXD850 accepts video in all common video formats and sources, including HD-SDI, SDI, component, Y/C, and composite. Two network inputs deliver graphics from LiveText, presentations from a PC or Mac® using iVGA or other computer sources to the switcher or overlay channels. Use any combination of either embedded digital, AES or the 16 balanced analog XLR audio inputs to bring in microphones, stereo or quad line level sources. HDMI and VGA program outputs for projector (IMAG) or other monitoring applications. 36 hours of 1080i recording capacity can be extended by using the three removable drive bays. Ship Date July 15th, 2010 TCXD850 is an NAB 2010 AWARD WINNER DV Magazine - Black Diamond Award | Videography - Vidy Award | TV Technology - STAR Award MOTU HD Express HDMI video interface provides HD and SD video capture and monitoring for Final Cut Pro on the Mac and Premiere Pro on the PC. The unit connects via PCI Express adapter card for workstations, or ExpressCard/34 adapter for laptops. Capture uncompressed, 10-bit full- raster video via HDMI, SD/HD component, S-Video or Composite. Compressed formats also supported, including ProRes for Mac and DVCProHD for PC. Full 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound monitoring is available via 8 RCA jacks, with S/PDIF digital I/O also provided. The hardware features a front panel headphone jack with dedicated volume control. The HD Express HDMI is now shipping for Mac OS X, with Windows support coming soon. Avid Avid Media Composer 5 will offer compatibility with the Matrox MXO2 Mini external device for low-cost HD monitoring on the PC and Mac, with HDMI, component, S-video and Composite output. New features include native support of QuickTime video (Apple ProRes and H.264 files), AVCHD import, and native access and editing of the 4:2:2 MPEG-2 media from the new Canon cameras. Buy Media Composer 4 after April 12 and get a free upgrade to Media Composer 5 when it ships. Avid Raises the Bar: Increases Format Support, Openness and Speed 0 Posted by Marc Leitner April 13, 2010 Media Composer, Symphony and NewsCutter answer customer requests for native RED, QuickTime, Canon XF workflows; Low-cost third-party hardware support and RGB 4:4:4. NAB (Booth #SU902), LAS VEGAS, April 11, 2010—Raising the bar on format flexibility, openness and speed, Avid® (NASDAQ: AVID) today introduced new versions of its industry-leading editing systems: Media Composer® (v5), NewsCutter® (v9) and Symphony™ (v5). New features include: Native support for popular industry formats including RED, QuickTime and Canon XF—eliminating timely transcode, re-wrap and log and transfer processes for customers. Support for Matrox MX02™ Mini monitoring hardware, which is ideal for customers looking for a low-cost external monitoring solution that enables field editing and simplified client screening sessions. HD-RGB finishing capabilities that empower customers to maximize their budgets by keeping high-end finishing work in-house. Avid Media Composer Nitris® DX now offers Dual Link HD-RGB support, allowing customers to digitize RGB 4:4:4 material from video sources like Sony® HDCAM SR™. A new RGB player and full-effects processing support provide greater precision for color, keying and effects work, satisfying the demands of the highest quality productions. Multi-channel audio support and an array of new usability enhancements to the interface. Expanded Format Support—More Flexibility and Choice for Customers Avid Media Access (AMA) enhances productivity by offering support for the most popular file-based formats, eliminating the need for customers to transcode, re-wrap, log and transfer media. New formats natively supported in Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony editing systems as a result of AMA include: QuickTime: Allows customers to directly edit any media that plays in the QuickTime player, including the Apple ProRes codec and .MOV files generated by DSLR cameras such as the Canon 5D and 7D. Additionally, customers have the ability to import from devices that natively record and generate QuickTime and ProRes files like the AJA Ki Pro or Omneon Spectrum Server. Content can then easily be shared between Avid and third-party applications. RED: Provides direct access to .R3D footage, including full metadata preservation, allowing customers to work with full quality media throughout the entire production process. Additionally, RLX and RSX files are supported for high-fidelity color management and images are scaled to HD frame sizes for TV production. New Canon XF codec: Delivers support for the newest Canon camcorder, introduced today. XDCAM proxies: Offers access to proxy video and high-quality audio files, enabling customers to make more informed creative decisions in the offline edit and easily link back to full resolution XDCAM clips to complete projects.Additionally, Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony systems now allow customers to work with the popular AVCHD format. Additional New Features in Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony Improved audio effects and multi-channel audio support: Delivers the ability to apply hundreds of real-time audio effects with support for Real-Time Audio Suite (RTAS) audio plug-ins, providing customers with more creative and corrective audio options within Avid video editing systems. Additionally, stereo timelines can now be treated as one channel/layer, easing handling and increasing available timeline real estate. Enhanced user interface: Offers a new timeline Smart Tool, featuring "drag and drop" audio and video elements as well as editing and trimming features for direct manipulation of clips in the timeline, providing customers with more choice in the way they work. Pricing and Availability Media Composer, Symphony and NewsCutter software will be available on June 10, 2010. For educational institutions and students, Media Composer v5 is just $295 USMSRP. Beginning June 10, 2010, students with academic versions of Media Composer software (versions 4 through 5) will qualify for complementary upgrades for four years from the date of software activation. For more information on pricing and features visit: www.avid.com. Avid Announces New Editing and Production Asset Management Solutions 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff September 14, 2009 Avid® (NASDAQ: AVID) today introduced new versions of its Media Composer® (4.0), Symphony™ (4.0), NewsCutter® (8.0) professional editing software and Interplay® (2.0) production asset management system. Reinforcing Avid’s commitment to providing open and flexible solutions, these new offerings enable broadcast and post production professionals to lower production costs and enhance their productivity by: Eliminating timely transcode processes with the capability to mix and match different frame rates and resolutions in an open timeline within the same project. Expanding native support for file-based media with the addition of industry-leading formats such as Panasonic AVC-I and Ikegami GFCAM. GFCAM support is a result of Avid Media Access (AMA). Empowering production teams to become more efficient by extending workgroup capabilities to the Wide Area Network (WAN) - allowing journalists, producers and assistants to work with media at any time, from any location. What Customers are Saying Emmy® and A.C.E. Eddie winning editor Steve Cohen has beta tested Media Composer 4.0 and said, "My first experience with AMA was eye-opening, largely because it's so trivially simple: no logging, no digitizing, no importing is required. Clips appear in a bin magically, with all the metadata available and ready for cutting. The fact that it's possible on a laptop with no extra hardware is also very impressive. And Avid's Mix and Match is one of those features that's so well designed that it's completely transparent. You simply edit as you would with any other material and the Media Composer does the right thing automatically, adjusting the speed as needed, without rendering." Industry Standard Editing Tools - Fast, Reliable, More Native Formats Media Composer (named the preferred tool for acclaimed editors by the American Cinema Editors (A.C.E.)), Symphony and NewsCutter software now offer customers a wide array of new features designed to streamline the production process including: Improved Stereoscopic 3D editing: Enables customers to view 3D material side by side in addition to over/under - ensuring greater accuracy of editing decisions and a wider choice of cost-effective monitors for stereoscopic viewing. Monitoring HD and SD cross-and-down converted formats from 1080p24 masters: Enables customers using Mojo DX or Nitris® DX hardware to view HD material on an SD monitor, eliminating the need to incur additional hardware costs. Panasonic AVC-I encoding support: Allows customers to deliver final masters in Panasonic’s AVC-I format while working natively in the Avid editing system from acquisition to final delivery. Mac support for Pro Tools® Video Satellite: Offers customers the ability to work with Mac or PC when using Media Composer as a video satellite with Pro Tools systems to deliver frame-accurate, synchronized and full resolution monitoring of video. Mix and Match capabilities: Provides customers with the flexibility to use media sources of different frame rates and resolutions (SD and HD) in the same timeline - eliminating external transcoding and time-consuming frame-rate conversions. Avid Media Access (AMA) enhancements: Delivers native support for the popular Ikegami GFCAM 100 mb/s format. Customers can now directly access GFCAM media, including full metadata, and begin their work immediately without transcoding, copying or re-wrapping the material. New Production Suite updates: Include new versions of Boris Continuum Complete, Sorenson Squeeze and SmartSound SonicFire Pro to provide customers with more creative possibilities and media delivery options. Production Asset Management – Extending Flexible Anytime, Anywhere Collaboration With more than 600 Interplay sites deployed worldwide, Avid has enhanced its industry-leading production asset management solution by delivering the most significant update of the product to date: Interplay 2.0. The new version empowers broadcasters and post facilities to extend collaborative productions beyond the four walls of a facility - enabling customers to consolidate production operations as well as manage and contribute to projects when working remotely. Lower bandwidth streaming proxies enable Interplay workgroup members to work with media at anytime from anywhere, using a qualified Mac or PC with a 1Mb/s Internet connection. Highlights of Interplay 2.0 include: WAN Workflow with Interplay Access: Enables journalists, producers and editors to remotely search and work with media assets across multiple workgroups – no longer requiring them to return to the edit suite/news station to assemble stories. A new streamlined interface allows users to browse, log and shot list media in three unique viewing modes, via a single screen, and easily toggle between views -ultimately offering more time savings and reduced production costs. Additionally, station groups will now be able to consolidate functions by increasing the range of material available for users to share across geographically-dispersed newsrooms. Final Cut Pro (FCP) workflow support: Offers check-in and check-out of FCP media with project links as well as media and metadata conversion of FCP-to-Avid and Avid-to-FCP projects - providing customers with more platform flexibility.Interplay Delivery: Simplifies a previously time-intensive process of media transfer by offering a one-step transfer of materials such as subclips and shot lists. Interplay Transcode with new mixdown capability: Enables users to mixdown full audio and video sequences while transcoding to a specified output format, simplifying downstream processes such as archiving or publishing to formats such as mobile, the Web or digital signage. Pricing and Availability Media Composer, Symphony and NewsCutter systems will be available on September 30. Interplay 2.0 will be available on September 16. Media Composer 4.0 is just $295 USMSRP for educational institutions and students. Beginning September 30, 2009, students with academic versions of Media Composer software (versions 3.5 through 4.0 purchased on or after March 1, 2009) will qualify for complementary upgrades for four years from the date of software activation. For more information on qualifications and availability, please visit www.avid.com. WEVA Partners With Universal Studios Florida For WEVA EXPO 2008 Tour 0 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. Avid Delivers Ultimate HD Editing Experience With Next-Generation Systems 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 16, 2008 Avid Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVID) has unveiled a new family of professional digital video editing systems that offer greater speed, responsiveness, reliability and price-performance – delivering an exceptional HD editing experience to media professionals. The new lineup, which includes next-generation versions of Avid® Media Composer® (v3.0), NewsCutter® (v7.0), and Symphony™ (v3.0) software, as well as new hardware configurations, Mojo DX and Nitris® DX, maximizes real-time performance for customers by intelligently using all available computing bandwidth to evenly disperse the processing of video and effects across the entire system. The result is an extremely fast and responsive HD editing experience that provides greater creative freedom and flexibility to end-users. The increase in power and performance of Avid’s new editing systems is the result of an architectural design that tightly integrates Avid software and hardware with the CPU, host graphics card and PCI Express connection, to create a high-bandwidth, high-performance effects engine. This design eliminates the lag time in responsiveness that users often experience when working with HD material during the editorial process. "For any project we begin, we need to know that our tools are going to help us work as fast as we can think and get the job done under budget, usually with intense deadlines," said Dave Ballard of LAB 601, Inc., a beta tester of the new Media Composer Nitris DX. "Lots of products boast the latest bells and whistles, but if the tools don’t allow us to perform flawlessly in high-pressure situations, none of the bells and whistles matter. The creative process can grind to a halt the moment that technology prevents us from trying something new – on the fly. Speed and performance rank at the top of any wish list for editors. I need a system that responds to the way I want to work and allows me to work more freely. The Media Composer Nitris DX is faster than any other Media Composer I have worked on in the past, and has been rock-solid reliable and flexible in all of our daily workflows." Avid’s Next-Generation Editing Systems Avid’s new editing lineup offers a range of new capabilities designed to enhance the HD editing process, including: Real-time output of all major SD and HD formats, which eliminates the need for rendering with the Avid DNxHD® codec; customers will experience greater responsiveness during the output process. A real-time effects architecture that closely ties multi-core CPU, GPU and PCI Express hardware into a single high-performance pipeline that increases the speed of the HD editing experience. Improved codec and file-based format support including:Native support for "Thin Raster" formats including DVCPRO HD and XDCAM HD; with real-time output with multiple streams of HD; Native editing support for AVC-I, which will be supported in 50 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s formats, via the same Avid workflow as P2/DVCPRO HD; Sony XDCAM-EX (requires Sony Clip Browser software – currently available only on Windows); and JVC 23.976p and 25p HDV codecs Support for Mac Leopard OS and Windows Vista 32 and 64 bit operating systems. A SubCap™ visible captioning tool for adding subtitles, with the import and export of EBU-N19 formats. MetaFuze™, a new tool designed for quickly merging single-frame files (such as DPX and TIF) from film scanning or CGI systems into a single media clip on the Windows platform. MetaFuze enables users to create Avid DNxHD 36 files from DPX or TIF masters and use the files during the offline edit in a DI workflow – with final conform taking place on a DS system. A real-time multi-window timecode burn-in tool, which enables customers to simplify the screening process by burning multiple timecodes and sequence information onto a video and superimposing the timecode over the picture during output and playback. Blu-ray output with new Avid DVD by Sonic™ which makes it easier for PC users to create high definition DVDs. XML export for sequences via Avid FilmScribe which enables all source and record side metadata to be exported as XML, including change notes. With this feature, transforms can be applied to create EDLs (e.g., scan lists, ASC color metadata, etc). "This news represents another milestone in how Avid continues to drive ‘New Thinking.’ Our customers have told us that quality, performance and value are the most important characteristics in any product or solution. We’re glad to say that this new suite of offerings reflects these priorities," said Kirk Arnold, executive vice president and general manager of Avid Video. System Configurations, Availability and Pricing The new HD systems are expected to be available in Q2 2008 and will offer exceptional price-performance, with flexible hardware configurations designed to meet a range of professional production needs. In addition, both the new Media Composer and Symphony configurations are qualified to run on Mac OS X Leopard and Windows XP and Vista platforms, and NewsCutter configurations are qualified for Windows XP and Vista. All Media Composer and NewsCutter systems offer the same software toolset across their respective configurations – with additional capabilities coming from different hardware options. These configurations include: Media Composer software – For independent or mobile film and video editors looking for a portable offline editing solution with support for file-based editing – priced at $2,495 USMSRP. Media Composer Mojo DX – Ideal for small studios, production companies or customers looking to do on-location work – offering standard digital SD and HD I/O - priced at $9,995 USMSRP. Media Composer Nitris DX – Geared towards post production facilities or anyone looking for a full feature edit bay – offering analog and digital I/O with Avid DNxHD encode and decode – priced at $14,995 USMSRP. Customers can also purchase configurations with an 8 core MacPro or HP xw8600 workstation starting at $21,995 USMSRP. Symphony Nitris DX – Now available on both the Mac and Windows systems and ideal for online finishing facilities looking for all the features of the Media Composer plus secondary and relational color correction and universal mastering – priced at $35,995 USMSRP including an 8 core MacPro or HP XW8600 workstation. NewsCutter software – News editing software ideal for field, tapeless and networked news environments – priced at $4,995 USMSRP. NewsCutter Mojo DX – Ideal solution for full-featured suite-based news editing with real-time multi-format playback and effects and standard digital SD and HD I/O – priced at $19,995 USMSRP including an 8 core HP xw8600 workstation. NewsCutter Nitris DX – Geared towards news operations looking for all of the options of NewsCutter with comprehensive analog and digital I/O with Avid DNxHD encode and decode – priced at $24,995 USMSRP including an 8 core HP xw8600 workstation. Boris FX Ships Final Effects Complete 5.0 for Avid AVX 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 16, 2008 Boris FX, the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, announced that Final Effects Complete 5.0 for AVX (FEC 5 AVX) is now shipping. This is the third release in the FEC product family that also included FEC 5.0 for AE (shipping since February 2008) and FEC 5.0 for FxPlug (shipping since March 2008). FEC 5 AVX adds support for Avid editing and finishing systems based on Avid’s proprietary AVX 2.0 plug-in interface running on Mac and Windows platforms. "Final Effects Complete has been a long-time favorite of Avid editors, affording organic looks and increasing the production value of many high profile projects," comments Boris Yamnitsky, founder and president, Boris FX. "This latest release breathes new life into the legendary Final Effects Complete package with all of the modern amenities of AVX 2 as well as features transplanted from FEC’s sibling - BCC 5 AVX." Final Effects Complete 5 for AVX is an update to FEC 4 AVX. FEC 5 AVX adds new support for 16 bit-color processing, AVX 2 real-time (RT) filters, native on-screen controls, multi-processor acceleration, Universal Binary support on Macintosh, and several new wipe transition filters. Hundreds of factory-installed presets provide quick starting points for new effects. FEC 5 AVX is fully compatible with FEC 5 AE for Adobe After Effects and FEC 5 FxPlug for Apple Final Cut Studio. Individual filter presets can be saved and loaded across all NLEs and platforms for seamless, open-architecture workflow. New FEC 5 AVX filters include: Blur Dissolve: organic blur transition with apply modes and glows Lens Wipe: zoom in with a lens effect Rain Wipe: transitions using rain drops to wipe image Griddler Wipe: zoom in with a griddler effect Pin Wipe: ctransition with a 4 corner pin effect Slant Wipe: transition with a slant effect Spherize Wipe: spherize and undistort to complete transition FEC 5 AVX Workflow Highlights Host Support: Avid Xpress Pro, Avid Media Composer, Avid Symphony, Avid NewsCutter. Universal Binary: supports Intel and PowerPC Macintosh computers Supports Avid's Advanced Keyframing Mode EZ Parameter display mode: view most commonly used parameters Smart Parameter mode: view modified parameters only Multi-processor acceleration boosts production speed Boris Motion Tracker and PixelChooser borrowed from BCC allow users to selectively apply filters to specific areas of the image, greatly extending the compositing power of Avid editors. Multi-processor acceleration boosts production speed New FEC Native Parameter UI sports new control groups, contextual controls, on-screen widgets, custom controls and many other improvements. All parameter options are now readily available as native parameters without a need to open modal dialog windows. Load and Save Presets feature allows users to exchange effects on all supported hosts on Windows or Macintosh. The built-in Electronic Help system provides comprehensive information to maximize productivity. Pricing and Availability FEC 5 AVX is available today through the Boris FX worldwide reseller channel including Safe Harbor for an MSRP of $895.00 new or an upgrade price of $295.00 for existing FEC AVX users. FEC 5 AVX is also available as part of the Boris Box Set which includes all Boris products for an MSRP of $1995. For more information, please visit the Boris FX web site at http://www.borisfx.com. « Newer posts Older posts »

About This Blog Safe Harbor's 3D, video and post production news blog offers you the latest announcements and updates from the industry. Subscribe in a reader Subscribe by email Add to Technorati Favorites Newest Posts Matrox Announces Upcoming Public Beta Release for Apple Final Cut Pro X Livestream Integrates with NewTek TriCaster Nikon D4's Clean Output Makes Atomos Ninja The Perfect Partner VoluMedic OG Offering Reduced Pricing of Volume Rendering Plug-In for LightWave Major New NVIDIA CUDA Release Helps Accelerate Scientific Research With GPUs Tags 3D Animation   3D Plugins & Effects   Accessories   Accessories - Camera   Adapters and Splitters   Add-ons - Avid   Add-ons - Edius   Add-ons - Final Cut Pro   Add-ons - Lightwave   Add-ons - Premiere Pro   Add-ons for TriCaster   Adobe   Adobe (Licenses)   AJA   Apple   Atomos   ATTO Technology   Audio & Music Hardware   Audio & Music Software   Audio Libraries   Avid   backup Power Supplies (UPS)   Bella Corporation   Blackmagic Design   Bluefish444   Books   Breakout Boxes   Cables   Cache-A   CalDigit   Camcorders   CineForm   Class on Demand   Computers   Contour Design   Control Surfaces   Craft Animations   Cubix   Digieffects   Display Cards   Displays - LCD   DVD and Blu-Ray Hardware   Electric Crayon Studio   E-on Software   Expansion Chassis   Firewire Cards   Graphics Tablets   Grass Valley   G-Technology   Hard Drives - External   Hard Drives - RAID   Hard Drives - SATA   Hash, Inc.   HD Video Hardware   HDD Recorders   Hewlett-Packard   Host Controllers   IKan   Image Processing Software   Image-Object-Animation Libraries   Jog-Shuttles   Keyboards and Mice   LaCie   Liquid Dream Solutions   Luxology   Lynx   Matrox   Maxon   Media Player Hardware   Memory   Ministry Software   Motu   Multimedia Authoring Software   NewTek   Next Limit   NLE Plugins & Effects Software   NLE Software   Noise Industries, LLC   Operating Systems   Painting & Illustration Software   Pioneer   Pixologic   PNY   Power Supplies   Production Switchers   Safe Harbor   Signal Processing & Distribution   Singular Software   Sonnet   Sony Creative Software   Sorenson Media   Speakers   Tape Drives   Telestream   Tutorials DVD/CD   Video & 3D Utility Software   Video Capture Cards   Video Converters   Video Encoder Hardware   Video Equipment   Video Streaming Hardware   ViewCast   VoluMedic-OG   Wacom   Warranty or Support   Web Tools Software   Wondertouch by GenArts   WTools3D   XLNT Idea, Inc.