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News » Camcorders a Safe Harbor blog Adobe Releases Creative Suite 4 Production Premium 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff September 23, 2008 Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 Production Premium, a complete solution for creative professionals who craft world-class video, audio, and interactive media — for delivery on-air, online, and on device. Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium offers unprecedented levels of integration across major new releases of its video, audio, design, and Web tools, including Adobe After Effects® CS4 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS4, Adobe Encore® CS4, Adobe Photoshop® CS4 Extended (see separate release), Adobe Illustrator® CS4, Adobe Flash® CS4 Professional, Adobe® Soundbooth® CS4 and Adobe OnLocation™ CS4 — now redesigned to natively support Intel-based Macs. "With new tools for creating searchable video content in Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, we’re opening up incredible opportunities for media professionals of all kinds," said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. "Imagine being able to create world-class content, distribute it online, and precisely target rich-media advertising based on the embedded metadata. These capabilities forge a new interactive media paradigm for distributing, differentiating, and monetizing content in ways that were not possible until now." Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium offers unique features for professional production. Powerful new Speech Search in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and Adobe Soundbooth CS4 uses spoken dialogue to make video searchable, significantly reducing the time spent searching for clips and creating rough cuts, and makes content searchable when delivered online. With deep XMP metadata support, the production workflow is simplified, resulting in online content that gives viewers new ways to interact with and search for video, while giving content owners new opportunities to track and monetize content. In addition, After Effects CS4 has enhanced support for Adobe Flash CS4 workflows providing new, powerful paths for creating compelling interactive content. With Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, Adobe strengthens its support for film and broadcast production, as well as extending its industry leadership in supporting efficient, tapeless, cross-platform workflows. Editors can work natively with RED, P2, XDCAM, and AVCHD without transcoding or rewrapping, giving them one of the fastest possible workflows to see what the camera captured without loss of fidelity. Adobe OnLocation CS4 enables the capture of DV, HDV and DVCPROHD footage directly to disk and offers powerful on-set clip annotation and metadata editing, then couples with Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 for a streamlined editorial workflow. For final output, Adobe Creative Suite 4 has powerful workflows for large and small screens, efficiently exporting to film, DVD, Web DVD, Blu-ray disc, the web and mobile devices. "At Disney Online we marry our world-class content with cutting-edge technology to create top-quality, high-impact guest experiences," said Eric Freeman, vice president of Technology, Disney Online. "We rely heavily on Adobe solutions to support the creation and distribution of our content and the new features of Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium will further enhance our ability to deliver innovative offerings to our guests." The Adobe Creative Suite 4 product line, which includes Adobe Creative Suite Design editions, Adobe Creative Suite Web editions, Adobe Creative Suite Production Premium and Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection (see separate releases), offers access to online services* to creative professionals and developers who work and collaborate online. Adobe ConnectNow, a service of Acrobat.com, can be accessed from InDesign® CS4, Illustrator CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver® CS4, Fireworks® CS4, and Acrobat® 9 Pro, allowing real-time collaboration with two colleagues or clients. Designers can also share color harmonies with Adobe Kuler™, which is now accessible from within InDesign CS4, Illustrator CS4, Photoshop CS4, Flash CS4 and Fireworks CS4. Other online resources include: Adobe Community Help for technical questions; Resource Central for accessing video and audio product-related news and tutorials, as well as Soundbooth scores, sound effects, and other stock media; and Adobe Bridge Home, a customizable resource for tips, tutorials, news and inspirational content. With a searchable library of more than 450 dynamically updated device profiles from leading manufacturers, Adobe Device Central CS4 (see separate release) enables users to easily test mobile content designed using many of the Creative Suite 4 products. Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium for Mac OS X on Intel® based systems and for Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Vista® platforms is scheduled to ship in October 2008 with availability through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/go/gn_store . Estimated street price for the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium edition is US$1699. Prices for upgrading to Creative Suite 4 Production Premium from CS3 will be US$599 and from previous versions will be US$799. For a limited time, licensed customers of any version of Adobe Production Studio are eligible for the US$599 upgrade price. For more detailed information about features, upgrade policies, pricing, and international versions please visit: www.adobe.com/creativesuite . Safe Harbor Announces New Tutorial for Matrox RT.X2 Users 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff August 4, 2008 Safe Harbor Computers, a leading supplier to professional videographers, today announced the release of "HDV & Blu-ray for the RT.X2," hosted by Jeff Pulera. This DVD, aimed at all levels of RT.X2 users, provides over 90 minutes of unique instruction on the steps, tips, and tricks necessary to maximize an HDV-to-Blu-ray workflow in the RT.X2. Highlights include: The technical details of HDV and Blu-ray Supported HD formats and ingest procedures The proper workflow for using HD with your RT.X2 Monitoring options including downconversion Mixed-format editing and aspect ratio conversions Encoding options and settings for Blu-ray Blu-ray menu creation using Encore and Photoshop About the Instructor Jeff Pulera is a professional videographer with 15 years experience. He also works for Safe Harbor Computers, sharing his knowledge and real-life editing experiences with their customers. His company, Digital Vision Productions, specializes in corporate, event and wedding videography. The author of many tech reviews and articles, Jeff is widely known throughout the industry as the "Matrox guru." Pricing and Availability "HDV and Blu-ray for the RT.X2" is available exclusively from Safe Harbor Computers. Suggested retail is $49.99 For more information or to order, please visit www.sharbor.com. Panasonic Announces Solid-State AG-HMC150 AVCHD 1080 Camcorder 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 18, 2008 At NAB 2008, Panasonic added a powerful, new camcorder to its AVCCAM professional line – the handheld AG-HMC150. Building on the phenomenal success of the highly popular DV tape based, standard definition AG-DVX100 camcorder, the affordable HMC150 blends professional 1080 and 720 HD production capabilities and enhanced quality recording (at average 21 Mbps/ Max 24Mbps) with the simplicity and familiarity of SD card, digital still camera workflow. With an exciting range of professional-level features and a sleek, compact design, the HMC150 can record hours of high-quality 1080 and 720 HD images onto solid-state SD and SDHC memory cards, at lower bit rates than current HDV compression formats. This new model offers an enhanced quality mode at average 21 Mbps (Max 24Mbps) that moves quality up even further. The AG-HMC150 camcorder utilizes AVCHD, the industry’s newest long GOP compression standard based on MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 high profile encoding (the same as Blu-ray HD players). AVCHD provides a near doubling of bandwidth efficiency and improved video performance over the older MPEG-2 compression used in HDV formats and standard definition DVD players. AVCHD high definition recordings look clean and clear, even during fast motion, reducing the image degradation or dropout associated with HDV. Highest-Quality, Full HD Recording Designed to be used in a variety of budget conscious production applications, the HMC150 records stunning high definition in four recording modes – PH mode (average 21 Mbps/Max 24Mbps), HA mode (approx.17 Mbps), HG mode (approx.13 Mbps) and HE mode (approx. 6 Mbps). It captures full horizontal resolution 1920x1080 images at its PH, HA and HG recording modes. The camera can also be set to capture 1280x720 images at PH mode. At its 6 Mbps record mode, it captures 1440x1080 HD images for extended HD recording at its lowest bit rate. The HMC150 supports a range of HD formats, including 1080/24p, 1080/60i and 720/60p. This mainstream, production-level camera features native 16:9 progressive 1/3" 3-CCD imagers, enhanced by a high-performing digital signal processor with 14-bit A/D conversion and 19-bit processing. Its 13X Leica Dicomar zoom lens offers a 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle setting (the widest in its class), a 72mm diameter, and a cam-driven manual zoom. The HMC150 provides auto or manual operation of focus and iris, and automatic optical image stabilization (O.I.S.) to ensure stable, smooth and precise shooting. It also features a range of selectable gamma functions including Cine-like gamma, making it well suited for cinema-like video production. Extra-Long Record Times With the HMC150, videographers can capitalize on the cost advantages, reliability, and widespread availability of SD and SDHC memory cards. Using just one 32GB SDHC card, users can record three hours of full pixel 1920x1080 video and audio at PH mode, four hours at HA mode and 5.3 hours at HG mode. In the HE mode, the camera can record up to 12 hours of 1440x1080 HD content – all on a single 32GB SDHC card. Panasonic also offers a variety of other SD and SDHC card sizes with Class 6 performance including 16GB, 8GB, 4GB, 2GB and 1GB. Easy HD Playback on a Growing Number of Affordable Consumer Players Content shot on the HMC150 can be played back directly on a wide range of widescreen flat panel displays, and front and rear-screen projectors, directly from the camera. Unlike HDV tapes, SD cards with HD content can be inserted into and played back on a growing number of affordable playback devices including Blu-ray players (like Panasonic’s DMP-BD30), the Sony PlayStation 3, and some new Panasonic plasma displays as well as computers with an SD card slot using applications that play AVCHD files. Using NLE software, content can also be edited and rendered in various formats and delivered on a wide range of media. Currently, AVCHD is supported by over 30 companies and implemented in numerous camcorders, NLE systems and consumer HD playback devices. Professionals can instantly transfer content from the HMC150 camcorder to Mac or PC computers with an SD/SDHC card reader or by connecting the camcorder directly via its USB 2.0 interface. Other standard interfaces on the camera include HDMI out, component out (mini D terminal), composite out, remote jacks for zoom, focus iris and start/stop functions. The camera’s 3.5-inch LCD monitor displays content in thumbnail images for quick viewing. The HMC150’s professional audio connections include XLR two-channel audio input (48V phantom power) with mic/line select, manual two-channel audio level VR and RCA audio out jacks. The camera offers waveform monitor display and an array of recording functions including time/date stamp, pre-record, shot marker, Index, time code/user bits and metadata. Panasonic’s AVCCAM camcorder line-up brings the benefits of solid-state recording to budget-conscious professionals. Like digital still photography, recording onto SD/SDHC cards offer a fast and simple, file-based workflow with ultra-reliable performance and resistance to shock, vibration and extreme temperatures and weather. SD and SDHC memory cards are inexpensive and widely available and can be reused repeatedly. Since AVCHD records video as digital data files, content can be transferred and stored on affordable, high-capacity hard disk drives (HDD) and optical storage media and transferred to future storage media as technology advances. The HMC150 will be available this fall at a suggested list price under $4,500. DV MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES 2008 NAB BEST OF SHOW WINNERS 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 17, 2008 Digital Video (DV) magazine, published by NewBay Media, announced its Best of Show awards today at the 2008 National Association of Broadcasters Convention. NewBay Media's Broadcast & Video Group of products, which also includes Videography magazine, DV Expo and the Creative Planet Community of websites, is uniquely poised to recognize the full spectrum video technology. A select panel of engineers, production and post professionals and editors joined the magazine staffs to judge the Best of Show awards for each publication. The Best of Show Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the advancement of the art and science of video technology. These awards include the Videography Vidy Awards, the longest-running NAB awards program; and the DV Black Diamond Awards, which launched in 2007. "To receive an award, a technology is evaluated by our panel of editors and industry experts," says NewBay Media Broadcast & Video Group Vice President of Sales Eric Trabb. "The winning technologies reflect innovation and engineering excellence." The award winners are as follows: Audio-Technica AT2020 USB Microphone Blackmagic Design Video Recorders Cartoni Status Pro Head DSC Labs Advanced Guide to Digital, Film and Television Production EDIROL F1 Digital Field Recorder Indie-Dolly Systems Universal Dolly Innovision DV Probe JVC MR-HD200 Litepanels Micro Matrox MX02 Media Services Movie Stick MOTU V3HD Panasonic AG-HMC150 AVCHD Prompter People Mic Light Rosco LitePad HO Sachtler SOOM Sonnet Technologies Fusion F2 RAID Sony PMW-EX3 T-Jib T-Slide VariZoom Zero Gravity 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. Sony Unveils PMW-EX3 Camcorder and XDCAM EX Technology at NAB 2008 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 16, 2008 The expanding family of Sony’s XDCAM EX™ video production technology now includes new models that increase the benefits of a solid-state workflow. These include the PMW-EX3 camcorder, the PMW-EX30 deck, and the PHU-60K professional hard-disk unit. Sony is also unveiling a prototype 32 GB version of the SxS PRO™ solid-state memory card. "These new products significantly upgrade solid-state production, while continuing the series’ heritage of ExpressCard technology – the new standard of PC card interface," said Bob Ott, vice president of professional and optical products for Sony Electronics. "Now, users have access to an enhanced workflow and greater functionality, plus all the benefits of the original XDCAM EX camcorder, including superb full HD 1920 by 1080 image quality without spatial offsetting." The PMW-EX3 camcorder features similar functionality to the PMW-EX1, but it allows user to make lens choices depending on the nature of their project, through its interchangeable lens system. The PMW-EX3 camcorder features gen-lock and timecode in/out for multi-camera operation. For use in a studio configuration, model RM-B150/B750 remote controllers will adjust basic camera parameters such as gain, iris, white balance, pedestal, and gamma through the 8-pin remote connector on the PMW-EX3 camcorder. The PMW-EX30 model is Sony’s first solid-state memory recorder/player. The 1080i/720P switchable unit has an HDMI digital connection for use with an external monitor. It has HD-SDI in/out, making it ideal for recording live HD content, as well as dubbing to other formats. The deck can also be used as an SxS PRO card reader/writer, and for feeding content to existing HD and/or SD non-linear editing systems. Specifically designed for use with XDCAM EX camcorders, the PHU-60K hard-disk unit is a 1.8-inch, 60 GB external storage unit with an USB 2.0 interface. Users can achieve approximate recording times of 200 minutes in 35 Mbps HQ (high-quality) mode and 260 minutes in 25 Mbps SP (standard play) mode. When attached to a camcorder, the hard-disk unit functions just like an SxS PRO card, with thumbnail views available on the LCD panel of the PMW-EX1 or PMW-EX3 camcorders or PMW-EX30 deck. Sony’s unique CyberCapture™ technology allows clips to be recorded at a stable transfer speed, leading to fewer frame drops under challenging conditions such as extreme temperatures or vibrations and shock. A new "dumping" system is used to protect the HDD from a 1.5m drop, and buffer memory is used to allow recording immediately after powering on. Also, a salvage function enables restoration of content damaged by battery/cable disconnection or accidental powering down during recording. A 3-D G sensor and the buffer memory allow for stable recording. When the G sensor detects that the unit is being dropped, the head of the HDD is immediately parked to protect the HDD. The content is temporarily stored in the buffer memory and then restored in the HDD when it is operating again. Approximately 12 hours of continuous operation are possible on a small size BP-U30 battery. 32GB SxS PRO Memory Card Sony plans to introduce a 32GB SxS PRO memory card later this year. One 32GB SxS PRO memory card will record 100 minutes of full HD 1920 by 1080 video at 35 Mbps, and 140 minutes of 1440 by1080 video at 25 Mbps. Pricing will be announced at a later date. Clip Browser Version 2.0 The Clip Browser software that ships with each XDCAM EX camcorder at no additional charge is expected to be upgraded to version 2.0 this summer. Enhancements will include the capability to use XDCAM EX content within a DV editing workflow. Optional plug-in software separately under development for Clip Browser 2.0 will export XDCAM EX files on SxS memory cards to Professional Media discs, allowing XDCAM HD optical disc products to seamlessly interoperate with content shot by the XDCAM EX camcorder. Other optional plug-in software under development for Clip Browser 2.0 will enable XDCAM EX files to be viewed on a range of portable consumer devices or to be uploaded to video sharing web sites. Non-linear editors can deliver higher-quality footage and accelerate the post production process by editing XDCAM EX files natively. Major NLE vendors have solutions that support a true file-based workflow with XDCAM EX files without the need for transcoding. Adobe is announcing native support for XDCAM EX through its Adobe Premiere® Pro CS3 video editing and production software. Also, this summer, Avid’s non-linear editing systems are expected to fully support 35Mbps HQ (high quality) mode at 1920x1080/60i and 1280x720/60p. The new XDCAM EX products are expected to be available in the third quarter of 2008. Matrox Announces New RT.X2 LE 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 14, 2008 Matrox® Video Products Group today announced that the new Matrox RT.X2 LE realtime HD and SD editing platform is now available through a worldwide network of authorized dealers. Priced at $1,095 US in North America (£649, €895), Matrox RT.X2 LE is a ¾-length PCIe card with a professional breakout box. It is designed to work with Adobe® Premiere® Pro CS3 or Adobe Creative Suite® 3 Production Premium. "The demand for HD video production is set to skyrocket now that HD televisions are in widespread use and Blu-ray has won the battle of the distribution formats. There has never been a better time for corporate communicators, event videographers, project studios, educational facilities, digital filmmakers, and video enthusiasts to get into HD," said Alberto Cieri, Matrox sales and marketing director. "HDV and P2 cameras are affordable and the new Matrox RT.X2 LE card dramatically reduces the cost of a high-performance HD editing system. Not only is the price of the card itself lower than ever, it also fits into a low cost desktop system." "The new Matrox RT.X2 LE card for Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and Adobe Production Premium CS3 delivers substantial benefits for customers," said Hart Shafer, senior product manager at Adobe. "RT.X2 hardware combined with our software gives customers accelerated editing of full-quality, full-frame-rate video, export to DVD, Blu-ray, QuickTime, Adobe Flash and other media formats, and extra productivity with WYSIWYG graphics and realtime downscaling of HD projects for SD delivery." The Matrox RT.X2 product line will be demonstrated at NAB 2008 in booth SL320. Key features of Matrox RT.X2 LE Matrox RT.X2 LE extends the capabilities of the Adobe CS3 software with many important benefits. Realtime, mixed-format, multi-layer workflows that combine HD and SD material from analog and digital sources Realtime Matrox Flex CPU effects - color correction, speed changes, chroma/luma keying and many more Realtime and accelerated Matrox Flex GPU effects - 2D/3D DVE, blur/glow/soft focus, shine and many more Extensive camera support including many new models from Canon, JVC, Panasonic, and Sony Native HDV 1080i, HDV 1080p, HDV 720p (JVC ProHD), Panasonic P2 MXF 720p, and MPEG-2 4:2:2 I-frame HD editing Native DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, Panasonic P2 MXF SD, and MPEG-2 4:2:2 I-frame SD editing Realtime playback of 32-bit MPEG-2 I-frame AVI files with alpha in HD and SD Realtime mixed-format multi-cam Realtime high-quality downscaling for analog SD output from an HD timeline Accelerated export to Blu-ray, DVD, multimedia formats including Flash Video, and Adobe Clip Notes WYSIWYG for Adobe After Effects, Bridge, and Photoshop, Autodesk Combustion and 3ds Max, eyeon Fusion, NewTek LightWave 3D, and Windows Media Player with dynamic Alt+Tab switching Composite, Y/C, HD/SD analog component input and output Panasonic Announces Six New Additions to P2 HD Lineup 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 14, 2008 At NAB 2008, Panasonic Broadcast reinforced its leadership in solid-state high definition video production with another doubling of card memory capacity, and new key additions to its line of P2 HD solid-state products. Foremost among these announcements is long anticipated introduction of two new advanced P2 HD VariCam™ camcorders. The fully solid-state VariCam 3700 and VariCam 2700 build upon the unrivaled legacy of the VariCam HD Cinema Camera, globally recognized as the industry’s premier digital cinematography acquisition tool widely used to create major films, documentaries, television shows, and national commercials. Providing evidence of the worldwide success and momentum that P2 is enjoying, Panasonic announced that it has delivered more than 80,000 P2 HD/P2 units worldwide with over 840 television networks and stations having adopted the solid-state recording format. In the U.S., the ever-growing list of television stations, groups, and networks converting to P2 includes KABC, Barrington, Cordillera, Cox, Cowles, Dispatch, Entravision, Fisher Broadcasting, Fox, Freedom, Gray, Griffin Communications, Journal, Liberty, McGraw-Hill, Media General, Meredith, Morgan Murphy, Nexstar, Quincy, Raycom, Sinclair, Univision, Waterman, Weigel and Young Broadcasting. These next-generation P2 HD VariCam camcorders, VariCam 3700 (model AJ-HPX3700) and VariCam 2700 (model AJ-HPX2700), represent a synergistic pairing of Panasonic’s popular solid-state recording technology and unique VariCam features and capabilities. These new 2/3" Native HD resolution models greatly advance digital filmmaking with features including master-quality, full-resolution 10-bit 4:2:2 AVC-Intra 100 recording; variable frame rates in one-frame increments; HD-SDI output of 23.98PsF/24PsF; and a multi-gamma function including Film-Rec for the prized VariCam look closely matching the color and response of film stocks. Other P2 HD announcements at NAB 2008 include the fully solid-state AG-HPX170 P2 HD handheld camcorder; a 64GB P2 card (model AJ-P2C064) that provides unprecedented high definition recording capacity; and the AJ-PCD35 Express Card, a new five-slot P2 solid-state memory drive with an ExpressCard interface that increases simultaneous access to P2 content on ExpressCard-equipped notebook or desktop computers. "With these forward-looking introductions, Panasonic is bolstering its position as the industry leader in solid-state video production," said Robert Harris, Vice-President of Marketing, Panasonic Broadcast. "In addition to independent frame recording, full-production quality HD, exceptionally-reliable solid-state operation, unrivalled flexibility and a faster file-based IT workflow, the ‘beauty of P2 HD’ now encompasses the creative flexibility and unique look that VariCam users have treasured." The new flagship model of the P2 HD VariCam line, the VariCam 3700 offers full native 1920x1080-pixel acquisition and independent frame recording with 10-bit/4:2:2 sampling. The HPX3700 2/3" 2.2 megapixel 3-CCD camera also offers a 4:4:4 RGB dual-link live output to deliver pristine images ideal for composition of visual effects even while recording. Tailor-made for feature films, television episodic and commercial production, the VariCam 3700 records in full-raster 1920x1080 resolution in AVC-intra 100, and records in AVC-Intra 50 and DVCPRO HD as well. Its variable frame rate function has a range from 1fps to 30 fps in 1-frame increments, and it is equipped with three HD-SDI outputs (dual-link plus monitor). The VariCam 3700 is backed by Panasonic’s five-year limited warranty* and will be available fall 2008. A fully solid-state implementation of the highly-regarded DVCPRO HD VariCam, the VariCam 2700 offers 2/3" native HD resolution 3-CCDs and produces cinema-quality, independent frame, 1080 and 720 images with 4:2:2 10-bit sampling in AVC-Intra 100. The camera also supports recording in a more bandwidth efficient AVC-Intra 50 compression as well as the ubiquitous DVCPRO HD. Designed for sports, documentaries, independent films and other projects where versatility is essential, the VariCam 2700 offers intuitive operation with advanced gamma setting, variable frame rates (from 1 fps to 60 fps in 720p mode), as well as two separate HD-SDI outputs. The VariCam 2700 is also backed by the industry’s leading five-year limited warranty* and will be available fall 2008. A tool designed for professional media producers, the AG-HPX170 solid-state handheld camcorder enables high definition and standard definition recording, the widest zoom lens in its class, and a HD-SDI interface for connection to baseband production and distribution infrastructure, all in a lightweight 4.2-pound body. Building on the phenomenal success of the AG-HVX200, the HPX170 is equipped with three new premium 1/3-inch CCDs and a high-performance digital signal processor with 14-bit A/D conversion and 19-bit processing to deliver broadcast-quality, independent frame recordings. The HPX170 offers a 13X Leica Dicomar zoom lens with a 28mm wide-angle setting (the widest in its class), and a 20-step frame rate selection in 720p mode for variable-speed shooting in the 12fps to 60fps range to acquire fast- or slow-motion in-camera effects. The HPX170 is backed by Panasonic’s five-year limited warranty and will be available fall 2008. Incorporating these new premium quality 3-CCD imagers and the 28mm zoom lens of the new HPX170, is the latest version of the popular HVX200, the HVX200A. Offering both the advantages of P2HD solid-state variable speed acquisition and a mini DV tape mechanism, the HVX200A is ideal for producers and educational institutions that are transitioning from an older standard definition, tape based infrastructure to file based, high definition production. Quickly outpacing the storage capacity of tape and disc-based systems, the new AJ-P2C064 64GB P2 card can hold more than four hours of DVCPRO footage (64 GB X 4 minutes per GB), or more than two hours of DVCPRO50, AVC-Intra 50 (64 GB X 2 minutes per GB) or 64 minutes of AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD. With five 64GB P2 cards installed, an AJ-HPX3000 P2 HD camcorder can record for 5.3 hours in AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD (6.6 hours in 1080/24pN) and 10.6 hours (13.3 hours in 24pN) in AVC-Intra 50 or DVCPRO 50. The reusable 64GB P2 card is ideal for long-form production and other applications that require long record times, and is scheduled for initial deliveries in fall 2008. The AJ-PCD35 Express Card P2 memory card drive provides professionals with a faster, more convenient file transfer workflow with the latest generation of ExpressCard computers. The external P2 memory drive can transfer data from up to five P2 cards, making content immediately available to nonlinear editing systems and servers. The PCD35 plugs easily into a laptop or tower computer’s PCI Express card slots, is compatible with Windows XP and Mac OS X, and features DC operation via its AC adaptor. The AJ-PCD35 will be available later this year at a price similar to the current AJ-PCD20 drive that offers USB 2.0 and IEEE1394 connections. These new P2 HD products join an existing line-up that includes: the AJ-HPX3000 2/3" native 1080p shoulder-mount camcorder featuring three 2/3" high-density 2.2-million pixel CCDs to acquire master-quality, full-raster 1920 x 1080, 4:2:2 10-bit images using the built-in advanced AVC-Intra codec; the AJ-HPX2000 2/3" shoulder-mount camcorder with three HD native resolution 2/3" imagers to record pristine quality video in more than 30 HD/SD formats, and offers AVC-Intra capability as an option; the AG-HPX500 2/3" shoulder-mount camcorder, a highly affordable, full 2/3"camcorder recording in more than 32 HD and SD formats; the AG-HVX200A 1/3" 3-CCD Handheld P2 HD/DV camcorder, now featuring improved progressive 3-CCD imagers, a DSP that increases sensitivity while lowering noise and smear, and a new 13X zoom lens; the AJ-HPM110 P2 Mobile field recorder featuring six P2 cards slots for unmatched recording times in intra-frame DVCPRO HD/50/25 and DV formats, as well as optional master-quality, full-raster 1920 x 1080 10-bit, 4:2:2 AVC-Intra recording; the AG-HPG10 P2 Gear, a one-pound, battery-operated, two P2-slot unit providing viewing, backup recording, file management, and HD-SDI bridging of P2 recorded content; and the five-slot AJ-PCD20 internal/external drive providing easy access to and high-speed transfer of P2 content via USB 2.0 or IEEE1394 to a desktop or laptop. Focus Enhancements Previews New FS-5 at NAB 2008 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 14, 2008 Focus Enhancements, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCSE), a worldwide leader in media management and ultra wideband (UWB) wireless technology, has announced that it will showcase its soon-to-be released, ultra-portable FS-5 Direct To Edit(R) (DTE) recorder at NAB 2008 from April 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth SL2605. Designed for use with popular DV and HDV cameras, FS-5 introduces a groundbreaking and unique new technology for tapeless acquisition. FS-5 advanced features provide users with the ability to quickly and efficiently log custom metadata wirelessly via a laptop, smartphone or other WiFi capable device while recording media. Users will be able to select metadata formats that are compatible with different nonlinear editing (NLE) systems as well as media asset management systems such as Focus Enhancements' award-winning ProxSys(R) solution. "With Direct To Edit Technology, we revolutionized the acquisition process by making it possible to record in a number of different native NLE file formats that can be used directly in popular NLE systems," said Matt McEwen, director of product alliances for Focus Enhancements. "Now that tapeless workflow is becoming the media acquisition standard, users are seeking a flexible means of easily adding metadata, that is compatible with their editing and asset management systems, to their content. We believe our FS-5 addresses those needs by merging content creation and content management in a new way to allow for easy media identification making the end-to-end workflow seamless for broadcast and video production groups." In addition to unprecedented metadata capabilities, new features and capabilities include: Increased Direct To Edit file format support with the addition of MXF HDV 720p30 and 1080i 50/60 support for Avid NLE systems 50% weight reduction and a 60% reduction in size when compared to the entry level FS-4 model New rugged and lightweight 1.8" disk drive technology utilizes the UDF file format New low-power and fan-less design utilizes a 3-hour (record time) removable Li-Ion battery pack Newly designed user interface and menu system feature an easy to navigate scroll wheel and 320 x 240 color backlit LCD display for menu and status viewing USB 2.0 interface for fast computer mounting and connection of accessories Wired or optional Wireless network capabilities The FS-5 will complement the Focus Enhancements family of video production products that enable video pros to go from acquisition to editing with unparalleled speed, efficiency, and reliability. Compatible with most HDV and DV camcorders and editing software, the company's Direct To Edit video recording technology converts the output from camcorders or VTRs to a NLE format and records to disk via FireWire. By combining DTE Technology with advanced caching and disk recording, camcorders paired with Focus Enhancements DTE recorders ensure that shots are never missed and critical footage is always ready to edit instantly. Pricing and Availability A 100GB version of FS-5 is expected to be available in Summer 2008 for a suggested price of $2,195 (US). For more information, please visit www.focusinfo.com. Focus Enhancements Adds FS-100 250GB Recorder to Direct To Edit Model Lineup 0 Posted by Safe Harbor Staff April 14, 2008 Focus Enhancements, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCSE), a worldwide leader in media management and ultra wideband (UWB) wireless technology, has announced that it has added a 250GB model to its FS-100 line of Portable Direct To Edit(R) (DTE) recorders for Panasonic P2 users. The new FS-100 250GB model offers over 11 hours of recording in 720p24PN mode, 9 hours in 720p25/30PN mode, or 4.5 hours in full frame rate 720p/1080i DVCPRO HD mode, setting a new standard for long record times for P2 users. "Ultra-long continuous record times are now even more economically viable, as our FS-100 250GB offers a stellar 4.5 hours of continuous record time at the full DVCPRO HD 100Mbps/ 60frame data rate," said Mark D'Addio, VP of business development for Focus Enhancements. "At a recording cost of a mere $11 per Gigabyte, FS-100 250GB offers incomparable capacity-to-cost advantage to Panasonic DVCPRO HD P2 camera owners on long-format shoots." The new FS-100 250GB model joins the lower capacity 100GB and 160GB models. All models offer: Support for both P2 and QuickTime file formats Support for 720p PN record modes, which more than doubles the DVCPRO HD record times PN variable frame rate (VFR) recording, which delivers stunning slow motion and fast motion effects QuickTime Reference Movie support, which enables long record sequences to appear as a single file Pricing and Availability The FS-100 250GB model is available now at Safe Harbor for an MSRP of $2,795 (US). For more information, please visit www.focusinfo.com. « Newer posts Older posts »

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