Hello all, noob here.

I'm just getting into video from many years of stills work in the PhotoShop and Lightroom environment. So bear with me please as this is still rather confusing to me. I am however computer literate and therefore trainable, so I do have that going for me! :)

I have recently purchased a GoPro Hero2 and that lead me to Cineform software with which I am a little confused.

I have downloaded the Cineform Studio Premium trial and am trying to figure out what FirstLight and HDLink are relative to Cineform.

Why would I use one over the other?

The functions in Cineform and FirstLight seem very similar with FistLight seeming to be more complex and capable.

Can someone give me a layman's terms explanation as to the differences between these and why and where I might use one over the other?

I also am shooting video with a NEX7 and a bunch of old Canon FD lenses in the AVCHD 60p format and mixing that with the GoPro footage.

Thanks!

FirstLight and HDLink are the old tools that will be phased out once all their features are absorbed into CineForm Studio Premium. I personally hardly touch FirstLight any more, CineForm Studio is so much more stable and easier to use. HDLink is still supports more cameras than the import room, but expect that to change.

Thanks David.

I thought that might be the case by the way things looked but did not get that direct info anywhere from your site. Perhaps I've missed it.

Thanks again.
Jake

David, how will HDlink change? Will no longer be stand-alone, correct? I love the application for ingest/conform with small footprint. Do you have an idea when it will wind up in a demo of studio so I can try it? Thanks.

HDLink will not change, just minimum to no bug fixes. It will be removed from the desktop in a build soon, but can still use it from the Start menu.

Having used HDlink for several years, the new Studio GUI seems unnecessary to me. And when I use the current version, it seems that some of the controls available in FirstLight aren't is Studio. I guess it is probably just a matter of finding the way to do it, but as a serious user, I am not finding the new GUI as an improvement. I know this is being done to give GoPro users ease of use, but I hope all the functionality will be preserved.

All the controls of First Light will be in Studio, not every is there yet, but 95% is. Studio is better for conversion as you can see watch you are converting, and will be adding the trimming controls for more camera formats soon (something HDLink could never do.) For both conversions and color correction (as a user) I've completely switched over to the Studio interface, I prefer its stability and the look and feel.

Thanks David. I recognize at some point I will have to give it a serious look. Just haven't had the time to run through processes. Does look fairly simple in what I have done.

"Studio is better for conversion as you can see watch you are converting"

So we have these features and keep HDLink? Nice. I'll demo this after I'm done with my current project.

Thanks David.

Maybe someone can answer this.
I find it extremely convenient when doing multi cam color matching in First Light to be able to "sync" to the NLE timeline and set keyframes.
How do I do this in Studio? Or cant it be done yet?
Also related, I saw a pop up in Studio that said "Up to 4 keyframes can be placed on any one clip".
In First Light Im sure I can place infinite key frames.

2 questions:
1.Black magic Decklink HD Extreme 3D+ - I do not seem to be able to monitor out with the new GoPro Studio Premium (PC Windows 7). Am I missing something obvious?
2. Tangent wave is still no go. Anytime soon?

Thank you.

I have upgraded to Studio Premium but I still use HDLink and Firstlight in the old way. For firstlight, I can save Snapshot for settings so I can reapply the same settings to another project. Studio Premium doesn't have that option. HDLink is just very light weight and bug free to convert video to Cineform AVI.

David, would that Snapshot feature be implemented in Studio soon?

The new presets feature complete replaces snapshot (presets are much better in every possible way,) FirstLight is obselete compared to Studio now.

Thanks David, how can I obtain the new version? link?

Presets are in the current version (1.2.1), but the upcoming new version you will like even more.

GUI isn't that obvious for me in Studio. But then again, I am an old guy.. Yesterday, I opened studio, and converted okay. Then I took one clip, added a LUT and adjusted things further. I think I properly save that as a preset, but when I tried to add the present to the other clips, I couldn't find a way to do it. I just went out and did it in FirstLight instead by simple copy and paste.

To be fair, I have not read any documentation Studio.

Teasing! What will be the new feature I like it more?? please share.. please.

GUI isn't that obvious for me in Studio. But then again, I am an old guy.. Yesterday, I opened studio, and converted okay. Then I took one clip, added a LUT and adjusted things further. I think I properly save that as a preset, but when I tried to add the present to the other clips, I couldn't find a way to do it. I just went out and did it in FirstLight instead by simple copy and paste.

To be fair, I have not read any documentation Studio.

No RTFM needed, it is very easy.

1) Create the look you want.
2) Give it a name in the "PRESETS" text field, and click "ADD".
3) Select a new clip that you want this preset on, simply clip on the preset you wish to apply.

David, can I do the Dropbox trick as in Firstlight to share the setting database in Studio?

Yes, the dropbox trick works great with Studio, even better as the presets are now also sharable through dropbox. I have all my system on the same LUTs folder in dropbox. Color corrections are the office are immediately ready on my home system.

David, so what is the situation with Decklink and the Tangent?

Both are still on the schedule, just a number of higher priority items happening before.

just a question about conversion in studio premium and hdlink for 25 to 24 fps.
in hdlink there is a setting that shows 25 to 24 fps is done by a 4% slowdown.
in studio, there is only a choice to convert 25 to 24 fps, but no mention how it is done.
same feature, different name ?

Same feature.

No RTFM needed, it is very easy.

1) Create the look you want.
2) Give it a name in the "PRESETS" text field, and click "ADD".
3) Select a new clip that you want this preset on, simply clip on the preset you wish to apply.

Seems I don't have the PRESETS text field.
All is up to date.

David: Am I missing something?