Upgrading to new QTs before they are vetted can be a mistake...then try to go back!

Cinestream users are waiting a little bit before migrating to the new QT6.

Nathan Gifford

Apple has an uninstaller for 6 but you still need a copy of your Pro Key for 5 to work with FCP and DVDSP. If Apple took the uninstalller off let me know, I still have a copy of it and can post it.

Jeff

Read a story at CNet. Industrial Light and Magic (IML) is starting to migrate towards Intel cpus and Linux. IML will still use their RISC systems for the most elaborate work, reserving Intel machines for the lower end work and rendering farms.

The reason are pretty simple: costs and manpower. IML can install a machine for about 20% of that of RISC based system. Further, experienced manpower is easier to find too.

Nathan Gifford

Nathan... you are talking about ILM and not IML... Industrial
Light and Magic... put the letters together and you get ILM.

Gee, guess no one but me thinks that there is a Industrial Might & Lagic

I had read Nathan's comment earlier letter transversal...

Well, I can agree with them on price but those darn Reduced Instruction Set Computers (thats RISC... spelled, ah. er,.. RISC) are just so F A S T!

I doubt those RISC chips can outperform the latest x86 chips.
A lot has changed from a couple of years ago!

Would anyone know if they've (ILM) has ever tried the Mac platform? If so- what was their take?

I'm sure they have Macs. At least for basic Photoshop. I think what this shift is talking about is in raw rendering power.

Pey, I tnaem MLI

Nahtan Droffig

Here is an interesting article I stumbled on this morning. http://theregister.co.uk/content/4/26339.html A Texas company, Forgent, bought some old patent that is apparently key to JPEG. ISO is considering withdrawing JPEG as a format if Forgent continues to sue for patent infringement. They got Sony for $15 million. Interesting reading.

Jeff

Once more greed rears its ugly head!

Just you guys wait 'till I get a patent on FIRE. Then you'll see greed...
MuahahaHAHAHAA!!! ;)

I just passed (Made) Wind, do i have a patent on Air.

There was a bit of controversy a few years back between ILM and the folks at Electric Image. EI was p***ed off at ILM for not giving them the proper credit. Most of the big exterior shots in Episode I was made on Macs using EI. In fact; the whole "look" of Episode I is typical for the EI rendering engine. For Episode II Maya on Macs where used for producing cinematics and previz stuff. EI is known for its lightning fast rendering engine. Knoll Lens Flare was originally written for Photoshop and EI.

Panasonic sent me this today. I thought a few might enjoy the specs. etc.

Jeff



PANASONIC ANNOUNCES PRICING, AVAILABILITY FOR REVOLUTIONARY AG-DVX100
MINI-DV CAMCORDER

World's First and Only 24p DV Camera Delivering in October

Panasonic has announced availability and pricing for its breakthrough
AG-DVX100, a unique Mini-DV 3-CCD camcorder with exclusive CineSwitch(tm)
technology that supports 480i/60 (NTSC), cinema-style 480p/24fps and
480p/30fps image capture. The AG-DVX100 will be available on October 10th at
a suggested list price of $3,795.

"The AG-DVX100 DV Cinema(tm) camcorder completely re-defines the Mini-DV
camera, because it leaps ahead of the competition. This camcorder offers
entirely new features and price performance levels," said Stuart English,
Vice President, Marketing, Panasonic Broadcast. "The AG-DVX100 is carefully
engineered to give today's shooters what they desire: a single camcorder
that captures in 60i to acquire standard video projects and in 24p to add
the 'look and feel' of film to their productions."

To acquire stunning digital pictures, the AG-DVX100 is equipped with
newly-developed 1/3" progressive-scan 410,000-pixel 3-CCD imagers to deliver
more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution (a 25% picture quality
improvement over analog VHS), low smear and flare, a low light performance
of 3 lux (at +18dB) and a high sensitivity of f11 at 2000 lux. The native
progressive CCDs eliminate interlace artifacts including horizontal jaggies
and motion-edge tearing.

The well-balanced, ergonomically-designed camcorder features a precision
wide-angle zoom lens (4.5mm to 45mm with a 56-degree viewing angle) and a
host of manual controls to make subtle picture adjustments. The wide angle
lens allows a shooter to be "one step closer" to the action without the
added expense, weight, distortion and inconvenience of an add-on adapter.
Manual controls include Servo/Manual Zoom (with stops and barrel markings),
Auto/Manual Focus (at f 1.6) with 72mm filter size, and Auto/Manual iris.

The ultra-compact 4.2-pound camcorder can capture pictures in the
conventional 4:3 aspect ratio and 16:9 aspect ratio letterbox modes. Its
advanced optical image stabilization delivers superb picture quality and
minimizes jitter, so hand-held shots and video taken from moving vehicles
appear smooth and steady.

Versatile CineSwitch Function Permits Three Recording Modes

With its unique CineSwitch selectable operation, the camcorder operates in
480i/60 (NTSC), 480p/30fps and 480p/24fps capture modes to serve the widest
range of applications. In 480i/60 mode, the AG-DVX100 is ideal for covering
local broadcasts, cable news, weddings, local or government events, school
sports and industrial video productions.

In 480/30p mode, maximum vertical resolution is produced for multimedia
production, internet streaming and DVD production and for document or
evidence gathering in legal and law enforcement applications.

In 480/24p mode, the AG-DVX100 permits shooters to incorporate cinema-like
images for documentaries, music videos, television programming, and
independent filmmaking. The camcorder is also an excellent teaching tool for
film and drama schools.

The camcorder's true progressive scanning CCDs, 24-frame-per-second capture
and cine-like gamma contrast control permit it to produce cinema-looking
images. Its CineGamma function extends the camera's dynamic range to create
pictures with the characteristics of film.

"Until now, a shooter had to obtain the PAL version of a high-end DV
camcorder in order to get close to 24fps -- the speed at which film cameras
operate," said English. "These shooters experienced the inconvenience of not
being able to view video on normal NTSC recorders and monitors. Beyond that,
a shooter's artistic freedom was stymied by the 4% audio pitch change
between PAL and NTSC and the frustration of missing the critical timing of
their edits. The AG-DVX100 grants them their wish of true 24-frame capture
at an unmatched price."

Outstanding Professional Audio, Easy PC Editing and Easy-to-Use Functions

In addition to high-level video performance, the AG-DVX100 offers
professional 16-bit/48kHz digital audio with two-channel, built-in XLR
inputs; phantom power supply (48V); manual audio volume controls (ch1/ch2
independent), and Line/Mic switchability.

The camcorder's IEEE-1394 in/out digital interface makes it easy to download
and upload video to PC-based nonlinear editing systems.

Shooting with the AG-DVX100 is a breeze from overhead or from low angles
with its two, easy-to-view displays - a large, centrally-located pivoting
electronic viewfinder for left or right eye use, and a flip-out, 270-degree,
3.5" LCD panel. Superimposed audio metering is available on both the panel
and viewfinder.

The AG-DVX100 offers a comprehensive list of standard performance features
including six scene files and two user-assignable functions; S-Video, video
and stereo audio inputs and outputs; pre-cleaning heads and auto head
cleaning to maximize reliability; and interval (time lapse) recording with
adjustable record duration and interval time to capture events like flowers'
blooming or sunsets. Its lightweight and compact size make it ideal for use
on dollies, cranes and jibs.

The camcorder's standard accessories include 1.6Ah battery, AC
adapter/charger, microphone holder, remote control, shoulder strap, lens
cap, cleaning tape and instruction manual.

----------------------------------------

To learn more about the AG-DVX100, please visit:
http://www.panasonic.com/dvcinema

----------------------------------------

Feel free to forward this Newsletter to friends and colleagues.

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : Panasonic sent me this today. I thought a few might enjoy the specs. etc.

Jeff



PANASONIC ANNOUNCES PRICING, AVAILABILITY FOR REVOLUTIONARY AG-DVX100
MINI-DV CAMCORDER

World's First and Only 24p DV Camera Delivering in October

Panasonic has announced availability and pricing for its breakthrough
AG-DVX100, a unique Mini-DV 3-CCD camcorder with exclusive CineSwitch(tm)
technology that supports 480i/60 (NTSC), cinema-style 480p/24fps and
480p/30fps image capture. The AG-DVX100 will be available on October 10th at
a suggested list price of $3,795.

"The AG-DVX100 DV Cinema(tm) camcorder completely re-defines the Mini-DV
camera, because it leaps ahead of the competition. This camcorder offers
entirely new features and price performance levels," said Stuart English,
Vice President, Marketing, Panasonic Broadcast. "The AG-DVX100 is carefully
engineered to give today's shooters what they desire: a single camcorder
that captures in 60i to acquire standard video projects and in 24p to add
the 'look and feel' of film to their productions."

To acquire stunning digital pictures, the AG-DVX100 is equipped with
newly-developed 1/3" progressive-scan 410,000-pixel 3-CCD imagers to deliver
more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution (a 25% picture quality
improvement over analog VHS),

----------------------------------------

Feel free to forward this Newsletter to friends and colleagues. -->>>

I would think this camera should have a much better improvement than just 25% over VHS? I must be interpreting their statement incorrectly as a GL2, XL-1s and this camera are probably 100% improvements. Isn't VHS limited to something like 240 lines of resolution?

I can't wait to see how this camera compares to the competition. BTW, any idea how large the camera is physically? It looks like it might be inbetween the XL-1s and GL2?

Greg Matty

Sony is making a new DVD burner which should come out in
October (external model will come later) for around 350 US
dollars (internal model). The amazing thing (if it works as they
claim it does) is that it burns the following:

DVD-R/-RW ... DVD+R/+RW ... CD-R/-RW

Very nice. So whichever DVD standard will prevail in the end
you'll have a burner that supports it (and with that it isn't
a very expensive burner)!

The specs (keep in mind that 1x DVD = 9x CD (more or less). Thus
1x DVD is around 1.321 MB/s):

writing:
DVD+R: 2.4x, DVD+RW: 2.4x
DVD-R: 4x, DVD-RW: 2x
CD-R: 24x, CD-RW: 10x

reading:
DVD-ROM: 8x
CD-ROM: 24x

The drives comes with an 8MB buffer and a form of burn-proof
which should protect against burn failures if your harddisks can't
keep up (keep in mind that 4x DVD = 5 MB/s).

You even get a very heafty software bundle to top it off. I haven't
found any reviews on the net yet, but if I do I'll add links to them
here. If it gets good reviews I'm certainly gonna buy one.

source:
http://www.sonystyle.com/home/item.jsp?hierc=9683x9714x9715&catid=9715&itemid=50044&type=o

Thanks for the heads up. I've been looking for a standard-inclusive solution recently. I shoot way too much video and I'm a file pack rat.

Can someone bring me up to speed about what
I'm describing here? I can't remember the name of a new CCD type that was announced last year, but maybe someone can provide it.
Basically, it allows for the 3 separate segments of the color spectrum, red, green and blue, to be acquired in 3 layers of the same CCD. The lower frequency red would penetrate to the deepest sensing layer, the mid-frequency green to a layer above that and the higher-frequency blue would be picked up by the surface layer. This would make the dichroic prism system in current 3-CCD cameras unnecessary.

We've been talking about improved CCDs on another forum here and this technology seems like it would be a possible way to advance video performance at a lower cost. Supposedly, one company was going to sell a digital still camera this year, using this type of CCD, but I've heard no more about it. If someone has some knowledge about this, I'm sure it would be interesting to most of us.

Same here... I wanted to get me one, but I couldn't decide
on one. Now that this is coming along it might be the perfect
fit. I have to wait on some reviews first though.

Ah, Foveon X3 technology. It was big news about a year ago. However, only Sigma (yes, they make cameras too) has signed on to use the technology. Why? I don't believe it's the technology. Papers I've read and images I've seen (images are among the best) really support the technology. My understanding is the costs involved are too high. If your interested have a look here http://www.foveon.com/X3_tech.html The pictures I've seen substantiate what's on the web site.

Jeff

There are actually two breakthroughs. One is the multi layer
CCD you are talking about and the other is a 22 mega pixel
CCD chip, this chip will allow normal 35mm lenses to be used
(with their DoF characteristics and such)...

The multilayer CCD chip is called Foveon X3 and information
can be found here: http://www.foveon.com/X3_tech.html
Image comparison: http://www.foveon.com/X3_comparison.html
There already is a photo camera out that uses the chip:
http://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/wcs/leaf?CID=onair/asabt/news/176832

More information on that 22 mega pixel chip can be found here:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02090601sinar22mp.asp

I hope this is the information you are looking for. If not it sure
is interesting stuff anyways...

Enjoy.

(edit: Jeff and I posted this around the same time... heh)

DVD-R/RW Computer Drives and DVD Recorders Require Firmware Update for New High Speed Discs

LONG BEACH – As the DVD Forum releases the specifications for new high-speed discs for DVD recording, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. announces that many of its DVD-R/RW computer drives and DVD recorders will require a firmware update in order to avoid potential damage to the units and discs.

The update process is free and relatively simple, and it is extremely important for owners of these products to make sure it is completed prior to using any new high-speed discs for recording. The DVD Forum has established new standards for high-speed recordable discs (4X for DVD-R and 2X for DVD-RW). Various media manufacturers have begun production of these discs that will soon be available in the marketplace.

The source of the problem is a firmware “bug” in certain Pioneer DVD-R/RW recorders and drives, and not with the high-speed media itself. As a result, use of the new high-speed discs for recording on these particular Pioneer products may cause damage to both the loaded disc and to the drive/recorder. The following drives and recorders may be affected:

Pioneer DVR-7000 DVD recorder
Pioneer PRV-9000 Professional DVD recorder
Pioneer DVR-A03 computer drive
Pioneer DVR-103 computer drive
Pioneer DVR-A04 computer drive
Pioneer DVR-104 computer drive

In addition to the above models, certain OEM computer systems containing Pioneer-manufactured DVD-R/RW drives are affected. Anyone who owns or uses any of the above-listed products should conduct the free firmware update immediately, prior to using the new high-speed media. Go to http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/hs/pioneer.html to download the new firmware.

Gary
Videoguys.com

As an A03 owner, I really appreciate this info. Thanks, Gary.

Gary,
Thanks very much for sharing this with us!

To onlookers, Apple's "SuperDrive" is actually an OEM version of a Pioneer DVR-A03 so you should also take heed to Gary's notice.

From the FAQ page at Pioneer:

Q. Will the update work if I have a Pioneer DVD drive connected to a Macintosh using a Firewire connection?

A. No it will not work. You will need to connect the external Pioneer DVD drive to a Windows PC or contact the manufacturer to make arrangements for an update.
_Go to Top

If this reads like I think it does, it means Mac people will have a tough time making this upgrade. Also, the Mac link page is still under construction.

Greg Matty

Pioneer has advised that they are working with Apple on this update and it should be ready in about 2 weeks. If you have a FireWire DVD drive you may have a project on your hands. It would mean dissasembling the FireWire enclosure and installing it internally and upgrading that way. Someone will eventually make a stand alone installer but that may be months away. Or just don't use any 4X DVD's.

Jeff

Probably the technology is still too new. Someone is going to have to show that it delivers a superior image, it has to offer equivalent or better reliability, at competitive prices.

OTOH....the update will work if you plug your firewire drive in to a windows machine. Just go find a PC with a firewire port.

Indeed, the Foveon technology sure looks drool-worthy. My understanding from the financial community is that the barrier to acceptance and licensing right now is, as Jeff indicated, cost. With the sweet-spot for high-volume consumer digital still cameras hovering between $300-500 Foveon will not find a home there for quite some time. Similarly, with the sweet-spot for consumer-grade video cameras being <=$1,000 the reengineering costs would be hard to recover. U.S. consumer debt and spending are at rediculous historical levels and spending is starting to slow dramatically as the economy continues to languish...likely for at least 18-24 more months. So this is just an unfortunate time for Foveon to come forth.

Wiebetech has recently introduced a 120Gb 7200rpm -bus-powered- Firewire drive called the "Super DesktopGB". That is, the drive is powered by a 6-pin 1394 connection from a Mac or a PC adapter featuring powered pass-through.

The drive has an aggressive introductory price of $299.95 until Sept 21 and $329.95 thereafter. (Smaller capacity drives of the same model are also available.)

I have a Wiebetech MicroGB drive (and also just ordered a Super DesktopGB) and can say that these folks make high-quality equipment. If you're looking for high-performance external storage (and who around here isn't?) you should take a look at Wiebetech. (weibetech.com) While you're there, take a look at their Firewire RAID systems...interesting.

And, no, I am not an investor in, or promoter for, the company <g>.

This was discussed for awhile on another thread, and now it has happened. Inevitable, I guess.

--DVfootage.com Launches as Stock Footage Portal
"The launch of DVfootage.com, in September 2002, makes available
digital asset management and e-commerce solutions to a wider
audience, enabling independent stock footage suppliers to place
digitized media for sale online."

Apple stopped one of its vendors from giving away a patch (with the sale of the drive) that allowed you to connect an external drive to iDVD(?), an Apple product.

The story I read suggested that the vendor has a good relationship with Apple, so if Apple plans to release one, maybe it won't take too long.

IBM has also recently released the new Ultrastar 146 gig 10K drive now available.

IBM Part Number: 08K0322

Model Number: 146Z10

Does anyone know of any issues with the Ultrastar line. I just lost 60 gigs of data from 1 of 2 drives due to a sudden crash that was found to be a mechanical failure. This is the danger of using striping RAID 0. If only ONE goes out, you're screwed. Data recovery started at $8,000-$20,000. I guess I'll have to do without that for a while! Luckilly, the drive is still under warranty but that won't get my data back! I will be backing up with DVD in the near future.

James,
No, I do not have first-hand experience with these drives. We should note for clarity, however, that the Ultrastar drives require a Ultra320 SCSI interface for top performance (and are also compatible with an Ultra160 SCSI interface).

Pioneer has uncovered a bug and posted a fix. The DVR-A03 and some early DVR-A04 drives will lock up when 4x media is put in them. A drive left locked up for over 5 minutes can damage the media and the drive. This firmware patch fixes this issue. It allows 4x media to work properly.

PLEASE NOTE THIS DOES NOT MAKE THE DRIVE 4x. All specs remain unchanged. It is simply a compatibility fix.

Here is the official Pioneer press release: As the DVD Forum releases the specifications for new high-speed discs for DVD recording, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. announces that many of its DVD-R/RW computer drives and DVD recorders will require a firmware update in order to avoid potential damage to the units and discs.

The update process is free and relatively simple, and it is extremely important for owners of these products to make sure it is completed prior to using any new high-speed discs for recording. The DVD Forum has established new standards for high-speed recordable discs (4X for DVD-R and 2X for DVD-RW). Various media manufacturers have begun production of these discs that will soon be available in the marketplace.

The source of the problem is a firmware “bug” in certain Pioneer DVD-R/RW recorders and drives, and not with the high-speed media itself. As a result, use of the new high-speed discs for recording on these particular Pioneer products may cause damage to both the loaded disc and to the drive/recorder. The following drives and recorders may be affected:

Pioneer DVR-A03, DVR-103, DVR-A04 & DVR-104 computer drives
Pioneer DVR-7000 DVD recorder and the Pioneer PRV-9000 Professional DVD recorder In addition to the above models, certain OEM computer systems containing Pioneer DVD-R/RW drives are affected.

Anyone who owns or uses any of the above-listed products should conduct the free firmware update immediately. Download from http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/hs/pioneer.html

Yup, already applied it to my 104s.

I'm currently in Yurakacho in down town Tokyo at a shop called Bic P Kan or Bic camera for us non Japanese. I've just finished looking at the begining of the future - 2 DVD cameras - one from Panasonic and the other from Hitachi.

Both cameras use a 1.4M pix CCD and record native MPEG2 onto DVR/DVD RAM and DVD/RW Cost wise they run about USD$1200. I realise that native MPEG2 isn't anygood for broadcast work but it's just a glimpse at what is happening herre in Techno Central.

You have to wrong on that price. Maybe you need another zero
$12,000 Ok now that sounds more like it. I saw these cameras in the Sep Vidoegraphy mag. Well at least the Hitachi. I wonder how these cameras hold up while running or bumpy roads. Will they skip like a CD. Just kidding. I am sure the bid boys have a solid system, but it is somthing to think about.

Here is a link

http://www.hdal.com/products/products.ihtml?step=subcat&parent=51&subparent=69&sortedby=model

Adrian,
I ought to head out the Bic Camera in Namba and play around with those cameras. Can't wait for the day when the XL-1 has a DVD drive built into it.

Personally I can't wait for the day when camcorders got disk drives in them. That way you could record uncompressed on 360 GB drives (in theory). I think DVD's is the wrong way to go. Just another format to keep track of - like CD, MD, miniDV, MX, Digital8...

Yeah, get us out of the compression wars. MPEG-2 is a step backward from the DV format, so that's not going to help.

For those of you interested in seeing an entire project shot, edited, and compressed for the web in just 2 and 1/2 hours, come to the Free DV Revolution Seminar Tour. We'll be coming to most every major US city.

You'll see Canon cameras, Tiffen Filters, Lowel lighting, Pinnacle Edition DV editing software, Artbeats stock footage, Sonicfire Pro soundtrack creation software, and Cleaner 5 for exporting your project to the web, CD-ROM or DVD.

Learn more at:

http://www.editionplanet.com/
http://www.dvcreators.net/

Identical to a previous post by Gary Bettan, see:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3740

Don't forget about Anchorage, Alaska. 280,000+ people in the latest census. <;)

Isn't it a bit cold up there ? :)

Hello Guy,
I attended one of your DV Rev seminars in Chicago last year. You did a really fine job. At that time you (DV Creators) were focused on FCP as the nle medium. Now it looks like you're picking up the new Pinnacle line. Just curious as to why? Pinnacle must be putting on a hard press to get their product on the shelf.

Drool alert:

Powershot S230, replaces S200: now 3 megapixels, same great super-compact Elph size and shape, vastly improved movie modes (30 sec VGA w/audio, up to 3 minutes at smaller sizes):

http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/s230/index.html

Powershot G3, replaces G2: now 4x optical zoom, still 4 megapixels, enhanced movie mode, better signal processing, better ergonomics:

http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/g3/index.html

EOS-1DS, nothing special, only 11.1 megapixels, yes you're reading that right, this one goes to 11, which is one louder, isn't it. The CMOS chip is the same size as the 35mm image plane! And you can buy it for pocket change, only $9000, which is just chicken feed really:

http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/02_sept_eos_1ds.html
http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/EOS1DS

Go scrape those quarters off the dresser,

That 11 megapixel camera is mind-boggling, isn't it? And you're right. A $9,000 expense in a professional environment is very modest if it can produce the quality of images that this camera's specs suggest.

Well, I must admit to being somewhat tongue-in-cheek about the price, but any serious journo working for a respectable publication isn't going to bat an eye at that.

Many folks unable to justify a $2000 EOS-D60 (myself included) are wondering about a digital version of the EOS Rebel... it will happen, probably 4 or 5 megapixels at around $1000; only a matter of time I think.