I had heard talk for a while of a Best of DVX100 DVD coming out at some point (produced by Panasonic).
This was confirmed recently by Panasonic themselves.

While I don't know much about the projects that are on it I do know of two for sure.

1. November - the well known Digital Cinematography winner at Sundance
2. Art History - a project that I directed/wrote.

Footage from both those projects (and I suspect all the others that will be on the DVD) will be shown at the Panasonic stand at NAB later this month.

Here's a link to the press release about this from the Art History official website

http://www.stealart.com/press/arthistory_nab2004.pdf

Thanks guys

Nick

Pioneer has announced a new technique for optical storage that allows them to go to 50GB per disc. The story says "Blu-Ray", but since this is not a blue LASER, I am not sure if that is really true. Read the short note at The Inquirer.

Pioneer 50GB optical news at The Inquirer (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=15131)

Edit - giggling... I just noticed they called it a disk too. Will tell the ed.

I went to a screening of Novemeber helld here in L.A. it wasn't that bad, Nick's film also "Looks" pretty darn good as well, congrats!

I haven't seen a single frame of it as yet...

nick

Yeah at the screening they were complaing about not having a distributor yet, it's kind of a risky movie but it should eventually find it's way at least to dvd.

P's
Nick

I'm not sure how much of a "breakthrough" this is. The Register reported last month that Sony is preparing a dual-layer, single-sided Blu-Ray recorder deck to ship by the end of 2004. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/26/sony_preps_50gb_nextgen_bluray/

Best wishes,
Len Feldman
Riverbend Entertainment

Watch for your local ABC affiliate camera people and see if they are using any new cameras, news has it (no pun intended) that they are beta testing a new camera, only info is it's "blue something", probably blue-ray format.

This is an anamorphic adapter designed to be used with existing HD equipment to create a 2.35:1 (cinemascope) image. Not that it helps us much, but still pretty neat, huh?

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=GENERIC&newsId=20040412005211&newsLang=en&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view

Plus, according to the press release, they're showing six new HD primes and an HD zoom. I don't recall Canon's Broadcast Video Lens division having so many new products out at once. Here are their various NAB press releases:

CANON RECEIVES COMPTIA CDIA+ INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_cdia.html)

CANON EXTENDS ADVANCED e-IFxs/HDxs TECHNOLOGY (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_eifxshdxstech.html)

CANON INTRODUCES TWO NEW HD LENSES FOR THE STUDIO (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_hdstudiolens.html)

CANON ENHANCES REMOTE CONTROL LENS SERIES WITH NEW HDTV/SDTV ADDITIONS (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_nabremotecontrol.html)

CANON DEBUTS NEW ENG/EFP LENSES FOR HDTV AND SDTV (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_newengefpnab04.html)

CANON ENHANCES INDUSTRY'S ABILITY TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY HD CONTENT (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_naboverview.html)

CANON LENSES POSITIONED AS QUALITY STANDARD AND LEADER (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20040412_nabhdtruck.html)

http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040414/geforce_6800-16.html

Graphics chips have supported hardware accelerated video playback for quite a while now. But to date, the de- and encoding of compressed video data is still left to the CPU.

NVIDIA's GeForce 6800 as well all other versions of the NV4x graphics processor come with a separate, programmable video processor. Think of it as a chip within a chip which will handle video acceleration functions and also sports a real video hardware encoder/decoder.

High Quality Video
Motion Adaptive De-interlacing
High quality scaling & filtering
Video de-blocking
Integrated TV-encoder
Complete HDTV Solution
Transport stream handling
HDTV Output (720p, 1080i,
480p, CGMS)
Complete PVR Solution
Hardware Audio/Video
Synchronization
MPEG 1/2/4 encode/decode
WMV9 decode acceleration
HDCP Support
No changes to any program or video files are necessary to take advantage of the acceleration decoding features, as the driver intercepts all DirectX calls and forwards them directly to the video processor. In the case of MPEG 1/2/4 encoding, however, special software is required. Adobe has already announced support in upcoming versions of the After Effects suite.

Panasonic and Apple Collaborate to Bring HD Over FireWire to the Desktop and Mobile Editing

New Hardware and Software Solution Dramatically Lowers the Costs of HD Production

NAB, LAS VEGAS (April 18, 2004) -- Panasonic and Apple today announced the world’s first implementation of IEEE 1394 FireWire with 100 Mbps DV-HD (the native video compression of Panasonic DVCPRO HD recording systems) to bring unmatched capabilities and dramatically lower price points to high definition (HD) post-production and content distribution.

Together, Panasonic and Apple are bringing HD over FireWire capabilities to desktop and mobile editing with Panasonic’s new AJ-HD1200A, the first HD production VTR to offer a FireWire interface, and Apple’s newly-announced Final Cut Pro HD professional video editing software, enabling mass adoption of HD resolution images on the desktop, and even on PowerBooks.

more at:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/apr/18panasonic.html

The announcement of this software finally convinces me to get a MAC. As an up and coming movie maker, I want to stick with one NLE that can grow with my career (going from DV to hopefully HD and 35mm) and this one does it.

Apple has introduced a lot of other neat software at NAB -- including a new application "Motion" that looks like it will compete with Adobe AE.

The Mac platform just gets better and better for pro video.

Glenn,

That's why I bought a blue and white G3 400 mhz (top of the line then) five years ago. And a little later on, I bought Final Cut Pro. All because it could grow with me. As my needs changed, I bought new Apples and FCP updates, which have been outstanding, with the exception of FCP 2, don't know why it didn't work out quite as well...

heath

Anyone know of a site that is covering NAB? I already visit camcorderinfo.com, but Robin Liss can only write so much copy herself. Any other sites out there?

Not too many sites ready to post NAB info. I guess we have to be patient.

Mark

http://www.digitalmedianet.com/HTM/HomeSet1.htm

choose any of the links under the "production" title such as dv editor n like

they have a few preliminary articles and some nab product overviews

So why can't you go direct from camcorder to computer.

I guess they forgot that's what DV does.

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/EDIUS_HD/pt_Canopus_HQ.asp


an interesting look at future, and the codec break down...not sure if dvcpro is the best approach...

i do like fcp though

Ths site
http://www.digitalmedianet.com/HTM/HomeSet1.htm
has so much junk on the page, nobody can concentrate.

You could try "dead from NAB"
http://www.livefromnab.com/
(there's about a one week delay)

or
http://www.livefromnab.com/
(nightly)

>>So why can't you go direct from camcorder to computer.

I guess they forgot that's what DV does.<<

Because the VariCam was never built with FireWire (FireWire 2 wasn't even invented then.) So therefore you have to buy a special FireWire 2card for a DVCPRO HD Deck.

Yes, the DMN home page is a bit disorganized, but there are always the component sites. The one I go to most often being http://www.digitalvideoediting.com. A touch less cluttered than Digital Media Net.

No successor to the xl1 in sight at NAB?

Oh, God! Why? Why?

Cheers, Peter

We've got plenty of people at NAB and we'll be posting stuff in specific forums other than just here. Like the Final Cut Pro HD announcement is mentioned in our Apple Editing page and so on.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=30

Thanks,

heath

Matrox finally announces its HD 10 bit editing platform. Due for release later this year.

http://www.matrox.com/video/press/releases/rt_multistream_HDplatform.cfm

I haven't seen that many reports from NAB yet. Sounds like an uneventful show full of vaporware.


Mark

DigiRostrum is a software rostrum camera. Using its intuitive keyframe controls you can track, zoom or rotate a virtual camera across high definition image files, and then render this movement as broadcast quality video.

We have designed this edition of DigiRostrum with Ken Morse, the UK's leading rostrum cameraman. It provides a set of tools that are versatile and powerful enough to meet the needs of demanding high-end users in television post-production, yet its interface is simple and easy to use, allowing even a casual user to quickly produce perfect results.

Since its recent release DigiRostrum is already being used by BBC Arts for all the rostrum work on a new 10 part series about photography and has been widely praised by its users:

"Congratulations on your superb DigiRostrum software. It's truly a delight to use. The ease of use and quality of motion offered by your software is far superior to any competing product." Bill Tondreau (2004 Oscar winner for motion control on Lord of the Rings)

DigiRostrum comes in HD, Pro and DV versions. You can download a demo from our website: www.lumidium.com

Looks like some of the DVinfo-ers were right: it takes 1.5 to 2 years after announcement to introduce a working prototype. Sony, Canon, etc. announced the partnership with JVC last August or September, so I was doubtful about anything. And the vaporware seems to back that up.

(Though I was excited about the possibilities of new cameras, then disappointed that it's a year or two off, then thrilled that my HD10 is still the only game in town, along with its brother, the HD1.)

heath

Hello all, just got back from NAB, I was in Vegas from Saturday til Tuesday, spent all of monday on the floor. Here are my impressions:

Awesome production! Alot of people spent a lot of money to impress the suits, and it showed how little what I do matters, the big money is in the News and TV Broadcasting equipment...I had a room at Bally's which was where most of the Sony people were.

Nothing from Canon, their booth was basically showing the XL1s and all of the attachments, lens, etc...

Panasonic had a large display, can't call it a booth, it was on a higher level and was HUGE! as was the Sony area. Most of the cam manufacturers had mock sets and lined the cams up so you could actually use the cameras and lens - awesome. I took a few pics, got one of the Dvx100a with the PS-technik and a 35mm lens on it.

Celebrities, steadicam had the founder of the steadicam there, Trish Meyer was onsite giving a discussion on what she did for the Cold Mountain movie, Scott Kelby was giving a photoshop lecture for nonlinear editors...

Almost spent my whole day at the Adobe venue, the Masterclasses were great, the new versions have answered all of my issues and finally support 24PA...can't wait to get my hands on the new versions, got about 10 copies of the demos....

Walked into the center hall and the Apple area was outrageous! Overwhelmingly huge....the 'arena' was completely filled for every showing of Final Cut pro, Shake, and Motion....they were next to Discreet and it was small compared to Apple...

B&H was there handing out 'show specials' catalogs, and I checked and it didn't seem like 'special pricing'...but they did have every hot piece of hardware so you could try it out...

Nothing was free, the food, the water, drinks cost a lot, and the lines for each was long...

Sony was touting XDCAM everywhere, Panasonic did the same for P2...
There were a hundred companies that I never heard of, but they had large displays and crowds, the business of broadcasting is broad and far reaching...many of the demos at the Adobe Masterclass had Asian and Dutch dialog for both Audition, and PremierePro....

There was this guy sell for $179 and 5inch LCD camera that had a remote transmitter and ran off of a 9 volt battery, definitely got his brochure, didn't wanna spend the cash right there but it was still cool technology...its the same product someone here used and referred to on ebay I think....

Oh, the Vegas booth was small in comparison to Adobe, and puny in comparison to the Apple monolith...but the product demos were really good and awesome!

The Maya announcement for v6 was good too.

Overall, vegas was crazy, the show overwhelming and too much to handle in 1 day!

I am always hearing
"wait until NAB"
"wait until NAB"
"wait until NAB"
"wait until NAB"

OK, I waited, I haven't heard anything "that" new or exciting.

Long time videographers, has this year been disapointing compared to other years at NAB?

Is there another show we should be waiting for to see some technology advancements?

Thanks,
Mark

"Is that all from NAB?"

Yes.

Now you'll have to wait for DV Expo for "those" new cam announcements. :-))

Be grateful. Now you can buy a new video camera and be garuanteed that it will be cutting edge for at least another 2 months. :)

Or you can just wait until NAB :-p

<<<-- Originally posted by Michael Wisniewski : Or you can just wait until NAB :-p -->>>

LMAO!!

Micheal, that one got me good! :)

But notice he didn't mention the year ...

I've been away so forgive me is this was already posted.

Century Optics is having a moving sale. Many of their filters are substantially discounted. Alas, none of the ones I use but many of the pro-mist type filters are.

To find the sale items go to www.centuryoptics.com then click on the banner that says they have moved to a new location. Click on either the .pdf or the online store. The filters are then listed by filter size.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for that tip, Jeff!

For all cool stuff: "wait until IBC". Yes, it IS in Amsterdam... <g>

Wait until you have enough cash, then buy what is available, shoot and have fun!

I agree with the idea of just buying whatever is awailable now and have fun with it. Better camera doesnt make you a better cinematographer. From my little experience I found 2 most challenging things (good story, actors).

there goes this weeks paycheck...

Hey Gang,
We keep getting lots of emails about the VASST tours, wanted to post updates to maybe save our office manager from replying to so many:
Gary Kleiner and I will be the instructors on this tour, tag-teaming various functions and segments through the day.
With Gary on the tour, we'll be giving away a copy of Excalibur and Neon at each city, plus everyone gets some fun goodies in their attendee bags from Gary.
We'll also have great products from Artbeats, Sony, VASST, and other fun things in the attendee bags. We'll have giveaways from Sony, ADS, Artbeats, VASST, and other manufacturers.
There is a FREE Sony event the night before each full day training event in each city, where we'll be showcasing Vegas, ACID, Sound Forge, and Noise Reduction, you can register for this FREE event on the VASST website, http://www.vasst.com/registration
I think I speak for Gary as well in saying we're looking forward to getting out there and meeting you all, spending time in your city, and getting to know some of you directly.
See you on the tour!!
See full tour details at
http://www.vasst.com/touragenda/vegas5agenda.htm

grid computing

http://www.gridironxfactor.com/products/faq.asp#6
http://www.gridironxfactor.com/products/overview.asp
http://www.gridironsoftware.com/product/overview.asp

X-Factor speeds both rendering and preview processing. Unlike other distributed rendering methods that use multiple computers only for the final rendering of frames at the end of a project, X-Factor also speeds up the rendering of previews while you are working. Because previewing is performed many times during the creative process while final rendering occurs only once, X-Factor allows you to achieve productivity gains that are not possible with other distributed rendering methods.
X-Factor typically exhibits linear performance improvement when used with After Effects. That means preview processing and rendering will take place twice as fast on two machines, three times as fast on three machines, and so on.
no hardware (matrox digisuite or targa cinewave) out there can't beat that. in term of scalability

It doesn't have anything to do with editing does it? It helps After Effects rendering and previews.

(It doesn't have anything to do with editing) for now,but in the futur
it would be great if we can adapt this technology for video editing.
hdtv it in the way with its large data to procese, grid comtuting its not expensive solution.

The DC edition of the 48hr film festival starts this weekend, May 7.

www.48hourfilm.com/dc-new.htm

I wouldn't be suprised to see a future version of Final Cut Pro offer Grid functionality

http://www.apple.com/acg/xgrid/

I think Grid Computing is going to be very big in some areas. It remains to be seen just how well it will help Digital Video. I'm looking forward to it.

I think Vegas already does points 2 & 3 on that FAQ. Only thing
missing is 1... That would be an interesting option that I've
thought of myself recently. LightWave could use it as well,
although the new Worley plugin seems to remove the need for
that basically.

I wish I knew aobut it before. I like out in Fairfax.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3714937.stm