| | | | Upgrade to Avid Media Composer 6.5 for just $488 and get a FREE Upgrade to Media Composer 7 when you order before 6/14/13 at Videoguys.com
PLUS FREE Class On Demand Training!
Did you ever edit with Avid Xpress DV or Avid Xpress Pro? Perhaps you moved on to Final Cut or Premiere Pro or another NLE over the years and your Xpress DV or Xpress Pro Dongle is sitting around collecting dust. If you still have the dongle, Avid wants you back. Avid is offering you one last chance to upgrade to Media Composer for under $500!
Not only do you get Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade for just $488, which is the editing application used by the pro’s, Avid will also give you a free upgrade to the new Media Composer 7 when it ships later this June.
Videoguys realizes that a lot has changed over the years, so we're going to give you free Avid on-line training from Class on Demand worth another $129!
Let's talk a bit about how much Avid has changed over the years. First and foremost, Avid Media Composer is very affordable. At NAB this past April 2013, Avid not only announced the new version, they also announced the new MSRP for Media Composer 7 at $999, and that existing Media Composer owners would be able to upgrade for as little as $299 to Media Composer 7. That is a dramatic pricing change and it makes Media Composer affordable for video editors of every level, including event cinematographers, independent filmmakers, worship videographers, corporate video shops and online media producers.
Avid is still offering college students the chance to purchase the Student version of Media Composer for just $295 with 4 years of free upgrades. Institutions and faculty can also take advantage of the $295 price point.
In addition to its new low price, Avid Media Composer now has a much lower overall total cost of ownership. You do not require an expensive HP/Dell workstation or Mac Pro to edit video with Media Composer. Thousands of video editors all over the world are editing video using our DIY builds as a guideline for putting together a powerful, yet affordable Windows PC. You can edit on a laptop or Mac Book Pro, as well as an iMac. Media Composer does not require any special hardware to run just as long as you stick to the basic requirements outlined on the Media Composer Product Pages or on the Videoguys' PC & Mac System Recommendations for Avid Media Composer 7
The major determining factor on how much computer you will actually need is the format of your source footage (SD or HD). Editing DSLR, GoPro or AVCHD footage takes a lot of horsepower because these formats are very compressed. The video quality is spectacular but you need a powerful computer to work with the media. Fortunately, you can find these powerful computers everywhere today.
Read the full blog post at Videoguys.com
http://www.videoguys.com/Blog/E/Avid+Wants+You+Back+Your+Avid+Xpress+Pro+or...
Gary | | | | |
| | | | It's been a very busy spring for all of us at Videoguys.com
We had a great NAB show, and we picked up some really exciting new products. We'll go into that in more detail in this newsletter.
First, I'd like to thank you all for your patronage and support over the years. We know we would not be where we are today without you, our loyal customers. In the past, I've run a special coupon INSIDER5 that extended a 5% instant rebate on your next order. Not only have I reactivated this coupon, I've made it even stronger. I've added FREE Super Saver Shipping to it. So know you can save 5% and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st!
5% OFF and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st
Videoguys NAB 2013 report
Wow! I wasn't expecting this year's NAB to be so exciting. Our industry has gotten mature and so have the products. But, from the start of our dealer meetings on Sunday, I could tell that something big was happening, not a huge tidal wave of change, but several big waves rolling in one after another that would have a dramatic impact on the future of our industry. Each of these waves on their own is interesting. When you look at the convergence that is going on it adds up to very important and powerful changes that will shape the future of content creation Click here for both Part 1: An Industry In Transition & Part 2: Top Products from the Show http://tinyurl.com/cp69skr
We've added some new FAQs to the website:
Videoguys' FAQ: Avid Media Composer 7 and Symphony - Buy Today and Upgrade FREE
AT NAB Avid announced a new version of Media Composer is coming in June and they lowered the MSRP for Media Composer to $995! They also lowered the cost of upgrades and even better, they are giving you a FREE upgrade to version 7 if you purchase Media Composer or Symphony today!
In this FAQ we tell you all about the new features, as well as some reasons you want to become or go back to being an Avid Editor.
http://tinyurl.com/cyx3vhv
Videoguys' Guide to Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams
Imagine if your team always had the best tools. Imagine if they could save time by seamlessly sharing files from any device. That’s Adobe Creative Cloud for teams. You get the entire collection of Adobe creative tools and exclusive updates, along with lots of team-specific features that make working together — and managing licenses — easier than ever. All for one affordable subscription price.
In this FAQ we explain what the advantages are of Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams and we try to dispel some of the myths and distortions about the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription model. http://tinyurl.com/cpzqxa4
We've added a bunch of new Live Steaming Products:
Newtek TriCaster 40 & 455 in stock!
All-in-one, integrated live production system that offers the power of a live network studio. When paired with live streaming over the Web, anyone can create and share a professional TV show. Students, premiere broadcast networks, major league sports networks and teams, along with some of the world’s biggest corporations—all use TriCaster to produce and stream live events, and expand their audiences, faster than ever before.
The NewTek family of TriCaster products integrates everything you need into a single, elegant, cost-effective and easy-to-use system so you’ll never have to buy and install separate components. With TriCaster in your studio, school, business or mobile van, you’ll spend more time bringing your creative ideas to life, and less time worrying if things will actually work. http://tinyurl.com/c4zgbr7
Teradek VidiU and Bolt in Stock!
Teradek offers a wide range of state-of-the-art wireless video products for filmmaking, live video production, and broadcast contribution.
http://www.videoguys.com/Brand/Teradek.aspx'>http://www.videoguys.com/Brand/Teradek.aspx
As a pioneer of IP video devices, Teradek creates highly versatile encoders and accompanying transmission systems for live HD video broadcasting over WiFi, Ethernet, and 3G/4G networks. Since 2008, Teradek products have been utilized by video professionals in cinema, broadcast news, professional sports, government, and higher education. All Teradek products are designed and manufactured in Orange County, California and are distributed worldwide.
The Teradek Bolt is a latency-free wireless transmission system that sends 4:2:2, 1080p60 video at up to 300ft. Bolt comes in two varieties; the unicast Bolt and the multicast Bolt Pro. Bolt pricing starts at $1,490
The Teradek VidiU gives you the freedom to broadcast live high definition video directly to the Web without a PC. Whether you’re streaming out of a video switcher or wirelessly from your camera, VidiU allows you to go live when you want, where you want. VidiU is in stock and on sale for $679
Matrox Monarch HD coming in June!
The Monarch was one of the biggest hits at the NAB show. The Monarch HD streaming and recording appliance was chosen for Best of NAB Award by StreamingMedia.com, Black Diamond Award by Digital Video magazine, STAR Award by TV Technology magazine and Video Innovation Award (VIA) by BCPVA.com
From any HDMI input source such as a camera or switcher, Matrox Monarch HD generates an H.264-encoded stream compliant with RTSP or RTMP protocol.
While encoding the video at bitrates suitable for live streaming, Matrox Monarch HD simultaneously records a high-quality MP4 file to an SD card, a USB drive, or a network-mapped drive. Matrox Monarch HD is remotely controlled using any computer or mobile device with a web browser.
Videoguys is taking pre-orders for Monarch HD $995
http://tinyurl.com/o6lulm4
We've been running some really great specials since NAB. Here are the links to learn more and check them out:
• Videoguys' Post-NAB Specials New Products, Great Deals plus FREE
Training!
http://www.videoguys.com/VideoguysSpecials/Specials.aspx'>http://www.videoguys.com/VideoguysSpecials/Specials.aspx
• G-Technology Post-NAB Update: Super-Speed USB 3, Thunderbolt and the new Evolution - G-DOCK ev
http://tinyurl.com/b6x2gxs
• Sony Vegas Pro 12 Collection, Suite and Bundles at Videoguys.com
http://tinyurl.com/bf8ud4e
We've also updated some of our product category landing pages:
• NLE Software, Crossgrades & Upgrades
http://tinyurl.com/b57eagw
• NLE Plug-Ins
http://tinyurl.com/ae6p2sa
• Streaming Media & Live Production Gear
http://tinyurl.com/bapxk5o
• Spotlight on Storage
http://tinyurl.com/7ch26x6
Once again, we want to thank you for your patronage and support. If you should run into any issues with our website, please let us know about it.
Call 800 323-2325 and ask for Jim. We hope you'll be ordering soon! Don't forget to use coupon INSIDER5 and get:
5% OFF and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st
Thank You,
Gary
Videoguys.com
http://www.videoguys.com
800 323-2325
| | | | |
| | | | WE ARE THE VIDEO EDITING & PRODUCTION EXPERTS!
Videoguys.com is your source for great deals on video editing software, hardware, storage, plug-ins and more!!
Videoguys.com is your source for Avid Media Composer & Symphony, Sony Vegas Pro, Grass Valley Edius and the Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams. Please call our NLE experts at 800-323-2325 with any questions you have about your upgrade/crossgrade eligibility, computer system requirements, video storage and your workflows. We'll help you make the right choice, and we'll make sure you have the right hardware to run your new software.
Whether you’re a home user, hobbiest or prosumer; Event Videographer/ Cinematographer or Indie Filmmaker; a professional in a Broadcast facility or Post house; our knowledgeable Videoguys sale team is available to answer all of your questions before, during, and after the sale. We’ll even stand behind our recommendations with a 30-day money-back guarantee and FREE tech support – a customer service policy unmatched in the industry!
Do you have questions about video editing & production or any of our products?
Call us for knowledgeable advice and fantastic bundle deals and check out our guides and blog posts for system recommendations, FAQs, tech tips, reviews & more
Do you need new NLE software? Are you looking to make a switch? Save Hundreds Now with these Crossgrade & Upgrade Specials - Now with FREE Training thru 2/28! Check out all our great Upgrade & Crossgrade deals!! http://www.videoguys.com/VideoguysSpecials/Specials.aspx?sb=45
Gary | | | | |
| | | | We still have Media Composer Crossgrades and Symphony upgrades in stock. We’re promoting them at $949 with a free Class On Demand training card. We've also got some great bundles with Nitris DX hardware and Avid Artist Color.
http://www.webvideoguys.com/avidxup.html
Got Final Cut? Crossgrade to Avid Media Composer 6.5 for $949.00 while supplies last
When it comes to editing, today’s professionals need the right tools that enable them to work with any type of media, complete every facet of a project, and eliminate bottlenecks, so they can focus on their storytelling. With Media Composer, you have a complete, reliable solution that not only complements your existing workflow, it enables you to do more—faster.
ATTN Avid Editors: Upgrade to Avid Symphony 6.5 for $949.00 while supplies last
You probably know Media Composer, but did you know that Avid Symphony is identical to it, with all of the same tools and features, plus advanced color correction and Boris Continuum Complete (which retails alone for double the price of this offer)? And when paired with a Nitris DX interface, Symphony offers Universal Mastering for easy multiformat delivery.
Save up to 50% OFF Avid Symphony Bundles with Nitris DX Hardware
For a limited time, save $6,000 (USD) when your purchase Symphony with one year of Avid Expert Plus Support and a Nitris DX interface: Avid Symphony 6.5 with Avid Nitris DX $7,999; Avid Symphony 6.5 Upgrade with Nitris DX $4,999
ADD AVID ARTIST COLOR TO MEDIA COMPOSER OR AVID SYMPHONY FOR ADVANCED COLOR CORRECTION!
Avid Artist Color is a Color Grading Control Surface with trackballs, trackwheels, encoders and more to provide colorists with interactive, hands-on control and a host of programmable keys in a slim-line design. (On Sale $1,399, reg $1,666.00). Media Composer 6.5 Crossgrade with Artist Color or Symphony 6.5 Upgrade with Artist Color $2,225
Gary
Videoguys.com
| | | | |
| | | | Videoguys DIY 9.5 Build Dec 2012
Our Director of Advertsing needed a new computer. He'd been running our DIY8
machine and it was starting to get cranky on him. We decided that since he uses Adobe CS6 to create our advertisements, email blasts and update our website, that a DIY9 based build would be perfect for him.
WOW! Were we right! Thanks to the SSD boot drive, hex core i7 and a whopping 32GB of RAM he is flying!
We tried to bring in the workstation as close to $2K as we could. We went a little bit over, but we feel for the performance we achieved it is worth every penny. Our build does not include any media storage, you'll need to add this as well. For around $200 you can add a pair of 2TB 7200RPM drives, striped together as a 4TB RAID 0 for an excellent internal storage solution, or go with one of our G-Tech external solutions such as a G-Speed Q for RAID 5 redundancy.
We posted the build list for this latest machine here, along with links directly to our main source for DIY parts, Newegg.com to make shopping even easier for our customers.
DIY10 / DIYX Update:
As for DIY10, we're already planning it. Going to wait for a Z79 enthusiast level chipset motherboard with Thunderbolt. Then we'll buildan Ivy Bridge based machine that we may just run under both Win 7 and OSX. Yes, that's right, a hackintosh!!
We'll keep you posted ;-)
Click here for the full DIY9 Guide and the complete build list for our DIY ....
Gary | | | | |
| | | | Videoguys 2012 Holiday Gift Guide
Great Gifts & Recommendations for Videographers & Editors at Every Price!
It's hard to believe that the holidays are here again. I want to apologize for getting this article out so late. It's been a very hectic past few months around here, and we're still making up for lost time caused by Superstorm Sandy. I thought about skipping this article this year, but we have so many great new gift items for our customers that I decided it was better late than never.
As I said, Videoguys has some really great new holiday gift ideas for video editors, shooters, event cinematographers and post production professionals. From beginner to expert, from hobbyist to professional, we've got some great stuff for you. So check out this year's guide and pick out a gift to get for yourself with some of the gift cards or money that others have given you this holiday season. Speaking of gift cards, Videoguys is happy to accept your American Express, Visa or Mastercard gift cards. If you want to place your order using multiple gift cards or credit cards we would be happy to accommodate you. Just give us a call 800-323-2325 and talk to one of our sales people or customer service representatives and we'll take care of the rest.
We've broken the guide into several categories that I think will help make your holiday shopping easier:
- Gizmos & Gadgets
This year we've found some really cool new gadgets for shooters, as well as productivity tools for editors
- Upgrades & Crossgrades!
Find out how you can take advantage of the software you already own to save big on the latest and greatest software tools
- Software gifts for Students
Take advantage of huge academic discounts for students and teachers and get them the software they need to prepare for the future.
- Hardware Specials
Do you need more video storage or Hardware I/O?
- Audio for Video
Improve your video by adding professional quality audio tools at an affordable price
- Software Plug-Ins
Add interesting effects, filters, titles and more to your already powerful editing tools
- Software Training
Beginners and professionals all enjoy handy reference materials to improve their editing skills
- Videoguys Gift Cards
Great last minute gift idea! Videoguys' Virtual Gift Cards will arrive in your inbox quickly and are on sale now at 5% off!
Check out the full guide: Videoguys Holiday Gift Guide 2012 & Secret Santa Coupon! http://www.videoguys.com/Guide/E/Videoguys+2012+Holiday+Gift+Guide/0x924f0e912088df906aa97d67e2d18744.aspx
Gary | | | | |
| | | | We've put together this little FAQ to help you better understand Avid's professional editing software, the promotions being offered by Avid, and the amazing bundle specials available now until December 14, 2012.
- FCP owners can crossgrade to Avid Media Composer for $979
- Avid editors can upgrade to Avid Symphony for $979, or upgrade to Symphony Nitris DX for $4,999
Before we get into the promotions I wanted to take some time to congratulate Avid on 25 years and highlight this amazing accomplishment! Twenty Five years as a technology leader is an awesome accomplishment and something that should be celebrated. Before Avid, you couldn't cut movies or video digitally. It was all done mechanically by cutting and splicing film together. Now, all you have to do is drag and drop the files into our computer, edit them, add special effects, filters, titles, graphics, just about anything you can imagine, you can create. None of this would be possible if it had not been for Avid, and nothing works better for today's workflows then Avid Media Composer and Symphony!
Today we have a new generation of HD cameras that shoot 2K & 4K video approaching the quality of film. We have small digital HD cameras like the GoPro Hero and Contour HD. W, we have new tapeless workflows and other advancements that have all revolutionized video editing. Avid is committed as ever to professional workflows and the needs of post production facilities, broadcast and cable television stations, independent film makers, and anyone trying to make a living editing and producing content. It all started with Avid. Many of you started with Avid. It's time to come back home.
Videoguys has been around for over 25 years as well, and we've been an Avid partner since 2000 when we met with Alan from Avid at the DV Magazine Expo in Pasadena. We spoke with Alan about a new product Avid was working on called Avid Xpress DV. We loved it and we knew we could sell a bunch of it (which we did ;-). Then, as they say, the rest is history...
[h3]Avid's Special 25th Anniversary Promotions EXPIRE DECEMBER 14TH!! We've got the answers to your questions so you can order TODAY![/h3]
Follow this link for the Avid Promo FAQ
Gary | | | | |
| | | | Top 10 Reasons to switch to Adobe Premiere Pro
http://www.videoguys.com/Blog/E/Videoguys+Top+10+Reasons+to+Switch+or+Upgra...'>http://www.videoguys.com/Blog/E/Videoguys+Top+10+Reasons+to+Switch+or+Upgra...
1. Boosted efficiency with unparalleled Adobe integration
Adobe Premiere Pro is deeply integrated with other Adobe Creative Suite 6 Production Premium components, so you can effortlessly move assets between it and Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop Extended, Adobe Illustrator®, Adobe Audition®, Adobe Prelude™, and Adobe SpeedGrade™ software. Adobe Dynamic Link saves you valuable time by eliminating the need for intermediate renders, enabling you to exchange assets and open sequences in Encore and After Effects, where changes made in Adobe Premiere Pro are automatically reflected in the other program and vice versa.
Maximize efficiency when incorporating still images into video production. Import native Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator files complete with layers in Adobe Premiere Pro. Instantly edit Adobe Premiere Pro stills in Photoshop, and then automatically match the frame size and aspect ratio of an Adobe Premiere Pro project (even in HD) when creating new files. Get even better image fidelity thanks to support for Adobe Photoshop blend modes.
2. Broad support for file-based and DSLR footage
Skip time-consuming transcoding and rewrapping processes when working with file-based and DSLR footage. Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 leads the industry with native support for virtually all of the major video, image, or audio formats, including DV, HDV, P2, DVCPRO HD, AVCHD, AVC-Intra, XDCAM, and DPX. Edit native footage from ARRI Alexa, RED Scarlet-X, RED EPIC, and Canon EOS C300 cameras, as well as DSLR footage from the Canon 5D Mark II, 1D X, 7D, and 60D cameras, Nikon D4, D90, D800/ D800E , D3100, D7000 cameras, and more. When importing and editing Apple ProRes and MOV files captured by Canon 5D and 7D cameras, get full access to clip metadata. No transcoding, rewrapping, or logging and transferring are required.
Easily stabilize shaky handheld footage or lock a shot automatically with the powerful Warp Stabilizer. Remove jitter, rolling shutter artifacts, and other motion-related irregularities associated with footage shot with small-format, handheld cameras.
3. Industry-leading performance and stability from the Adobe Mercury Playback Engine
The Mercury Playback Engine in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 delivers an amazingly fluid, real-time editing experience. Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 works hand in hand with supported NVIDIA* or AMD** graphics cards for a GPU-accelerated, 32-bit color pipeline. Support for new NVIDIA Maximus™ dual-GPU configurations delivers extreme performance for tackling the most demanding workflows.
The Adobe Mercury Playback Engine also offers phenomenal performance in software-only mode. And because the Mercury Playback Engine leverages all of your system’s resources, it accelerates rendering and encoding, reducing the time required to deliver content to your clients. With the new uninterrupted playback feature in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, the Mercury Playback Engine supports real-time effects adjustments during playback. And when using external monitors, you’ll get full-screen playback while maintaining all the real-time performance benefits of the Mercury Playback Engine, thanks to third-party I/O hardware integration through Adobe Mercury Transmit.
4. Cross-platform, interoperability with Final Cut Pro and Avid software
With an open approach and broad format support in Adobe Premiere Pro, you can collaborate more efficiently with colleagues by easily importing and exporting projects regardless of format. Perform roundtrip editing with content from Apple Final Cut Pro 7, Avid Media Composer, and Avid Pro Tools software.
5. Streamlined encoding and delivery with Adobe Media Encoder and Encore
Faster, more flexible Adobe Media EncoderReach audiences wherever they are and on whatever device they use to watch video content. Batch encode in the background to a broad selection of formats, including web, mobile device, and video standards, using the streamlined, 64-bit Adobe Media Encoder. Customizable presets simplify your encoding workflow. Plus, deliver DVDs, high-definition Blu-ray Discs, and interactive web DVDs with 64-bit Adobe Encore.
6. Intuitive, precise editing tools
Edit the way you want to with widely accepted, customizable NLE keyboard shortcuts and powerful, intuitive trimming and editing tools that give you more precision and control. Save time with dual-system sound support, fine-tune your edits using a keyboard-driven workflow to trim on the fly during looped playback, and edit stereoscopic 3D content thanks to world-class integration with Cineform Studio.
7. Real-time color correction and color grading with superior color fidelity
SpeedGrade for crafting the perfect lookAdobe Premiere Pro CS6 offers powerful new options for taking control over the color in your footage, including the newly redesigned Three-Way Color Corrector effect and, for tackling more demanding color grading tasks, the ability to integrate with Adobe SpeedGrade CS6 software. Adobe Premiere Pro delivers greater color precision, variety, and control with 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit floating point color; offers better YUV to RGB conversion; and provides higher color fidelity in its Program and Source Monitors than Final Cut Pro (which is suitable for rough color grading only).
8. Smooth transitions to Adobe Premiere Pro
Work in familiar paradigms with a greatly enhanced, intuitive, and customizable interface, Final Cut and Avid keyboard shortcuts, and over 50 enhancements designed to make editors switching NLEs feel at home in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6. Get up to speed quickly with free Adobe TV tutorials and Community Help.
9. Editing and production efficiencies from powerful metadata features
Dramatically enhanced editing environmentAdd intelligence to your assets using innovative new metadata features that make editing easier. Easily turn spoken dialogue into a timecode-accurate metadata transcript that lets you quickly jump to or edit a specific segment of footage based on dialogue keywords. Use Face Detection technology to quickly locate clips containing human faces, giving you another way to find areas where dialogue is typically spoken. The ability to integrate with Adobe Prelude helps jump-start your edits by allowing you to create rough cuts, add searchable temporal markers and comments to your clips that flows directly into Adobe Premiere Pro when you import them. When finished projects are delivered online, metdata makes it easier for your audience to find your content via search engines.
10. Dramatically enhanced multicam support
Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 offers expanded multicam support, effectively allowing you to work with as many cameras as you have on your shoot. Get to work quickly by creating multicam source sequences from clips directly in the Project panel, and get a more fluid editing experience thanks to powerful new enhancements.
11. Bonus Reason to upgrade to Adobe CS6 Production Premium or Master Collection CS6:
Red Giant Magic Bullet Quick Looks 1.3Videoguys' BONUS: FREE Red Giant Magic Bullet Quick Looks - an $89 value! with CS6 Production Premium or Master Collection CS6 full version, upgrade or bundle!
Give your footage just the right look in seconds, whether it’s a urban grunge, a desert sunrise, or the film stocks used in classic movies. Quick Looks is a light version of our full Looks tool with the same speed and quality at a lower price. You can define the style of your video or film by choosing from 100+ look presets to help set the mood for everything from a wedding to the next Sundance original.
Gary
http://www.videoguys.com/Blog/E/Videoguys+Top+10+Reasons+to+Switch+or+Upgra...'>http://www.videoguys.com/Blog/E/Videoguys+Top+10+Reasons+to+Switch+or+Upgra... | | | | |
| | | | NAB is a professional show - again.
Over the past few years the NAB show started to feel more and more like CES. We were starting to become dominated by the Apple distortion field and the thousands of FCP fans that attended. While FCP had made enormous inroads into professional post, the NAB floor seemed to be teaming with FCP kiddies. This crowd was full of young, aspiring editors who went more for the fun and give-aways than to conduct business. Last year’s FCPX fiasco at the Supermeet put an end to that, and I don't think it’s a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, I still love the SuperMeet and the Videoguys are a proud sponsor, I just think that the NAB show is better when it is attended by professionals and people who make a living using, selling, and creating products.
The Post PC era
Tim Cook, the new head of Apple, now refers to the current technology trend as the “post PC era.” I happen to agree with him when he talks about the people who use technology to view, watch and participate in media. But, when it comes to actually creating, managing and working with media, we still need the strongest most powerful machines.
The buzz around NAB was that the Mac Pro is dead. I heard speculation about this at almost every booth I visited. Based on all the intel (pun intended) I could gather, I'm going to give it to you straight - We will not see new Mac Pro updates. I hope I'm wrong, just like I was a year ago with FCPX. But my gut tells me that it's a done deal. Sure, Apple could change their mind in a heartbeat, but I don't see it happening. What I could see, and what I would LOVE to see happen is for Apple to license Mac OS to HP and allow us to run OSX on one of the new HP workstations, especially my dream machine, the all-in-one HP Z1 workstation.
As I tweeted the other day @videoguys “OS X on a new HP Z1 would be amazing! A Symphony to my ears, Smokin hot for all NLEs, my head would be in the CS6 clouds.”
Thunderbolt, calling Mr. Thunderbolt!
At last year's NAB Show, Apple and Intel introduced their new Thunderbolt interface. Thunderbolt is a copper version of Intel's Lightpath technology promising to bring in a new era of high speed connectivity. Let's be honest, Thunderbolt has gotten off to a miserable start. While Apple includes it on every iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Book Pro they now ship, Thunderbolt devices are few and far between. However, I/O hardware manufacturers have gladly embraced the new technology. AJA, Matrox, Motu and Blackmagic all make Thunderbolt I/O devices that work great with FCP, Avid and Adobe NLE software - some of them now even work with FCPX for preview.
At this year’s NAB Show AJA introduced the T-Tap, one of my favorite new products from the show floor. T-Tap is a mini converter that allows you to go directly from your Thunderbolt port out to SDI & HDMI for monitoring and play out. With a $249 price, it is the must have accessory for every Mac based editor!
But, beyond I/O, Thunderbolt has been a no show - especially for storage. Here we are a year after Thunderbolt was announced and the only company that has been shipping reliable Thunderbolt storage is Promise. (I know Lacie has been shipping Thunderbolt drives, but I just don't consider them a viable recommendation for my customers because of reported issues with quality, reliability and heat). G-Tech just announced that their G-RAID Thunderbolt drives are now shipping to Apple Stores, but we'll have to wait until summer to get our first deliveries. Why the long wait? I'm going to lay the blame for this one on Apple & Intel. Getting Thunderbolt certified is incredibly difficult, and it shouldn't be that way. Not if the spec was fully baked and the chips where rock solid.
Several companies have created Thunderbolt boxes that will allow you to install your existing PCIe cards in them, extending the life of your RAID cards and older I/O devices. I've asked and it looks like it's going to be quite some time before we see GPUs function inside these boxes, extending their CUDA and Open GL/CL power to your iMac or MacBook.
My sources tell me Thunderbolt is coming to PCs later this year. Initially in laptops, but eventually integrated onto motherboards. I can't wait! Check out the Videoguys' Guide to Thunderbolt to learn more about this great new technology.
The Post Apple era in Post
Since Apple pulled the plug on FCP and decided to go after the masses with FCPX the video editing industry has become more exciting than ever. All editors learned that they can't become dependent on any one company or tool. You need to keep on top of and have access to all of the tools you need.
Read the full article here http://www.videoguys.com/Guide/E/Videoguys+Reflections+on+the+NAB+Show+2012... | | | | |
| | | | 2011: The Year of the X
That's "X" as in FCPX and XGrades (crossgrades)
2011 has been quite a year for Videoguys, and our industry. In April, at the FCPUG SuperMeet during the NAB show in Vegas, things changed dramatically when Apple gave a first look of their new FCPX editing software. I was at the event, and the room was filled with excitement, energy and anticipation - that is until after the Apple presentation. The professional editors and broadcasters in the room left feeling nervous and uneasy about Apple's commitment to them, their workflows and the needs of professional post-production. When Apple actually released FCPX later that summer web blogs and forums were lit up with frustrated FCP editors, wondering why Apple would abandon them and leave them drifting in the wind.
FCPX isn't just Apple's attempt to revolutionize video editing, it also spurred a revolt amongst their loyal FCP editors. Before we get into the backlash, lets talk about what we like about FCPX.
FCPX - Power to the people!
The first thing you have to understand and accept about FCPX is that Apple did not design it for professional post production. it was designed for the millions of people who shoot, edit and upload video everyday. Yes, there are millions of folks doing this, and for some of them, they need and want video editing software that goes beyond the low end consumer products like iMovie, Windows MovieMaker or Pinnacle Studio. Our Videoguys' techs have noted for years now that there is a demand for an advanced NLE software priced under $500. We haven't had a software solution come close to that since Avid pulled LIQUID off the market. Apple recognized this opportunity and they launched FCPX, at a price point of $299, delivered directly to your Mac via the App store. PURE GENIUS. No cost of packaging, distribution, sales organization or even advertising.
FCPX - I admit it, I like it.
For the record, I like FCPX - but I don't edit video for a living. I mainly make videos of my travels, family, kids sports and other events. I like what FCPX has going on under the hood - 64 Bit processing, native file format support, automatic correction and detection tools. I like the magnetic timeline and I like using keywords to manage my clips. For a new generation of video editors these new methods of editing will become 2nd nature to them, and quite frankly, many of them will never want or miss the old fashioned timeline. That said, FCPX has a long way to go before it gets accepted into professional post houses, broadcast television stations and Hollywood studios. Many hope Apple will get back there, I'm not sure they really want to. There is nothing wrong with having the world's best, most innovative video editing software for the average Joe, soccer mom or skateboard kid to use. After all, there are millions of you, while only a handful of folks go on to edit feature films or television programs.
Editors Revolt - Crossgrades for Everyone!
As we all know, FCPX released without several must-have features (Multicam, MXF import/export and 3rd party hardware support to name a few). That left professional post houses no choice but to investigate alternative products for their facilities.
Avid and Adobe seized this opportunity to aggressively go after frustrated and disgruntled FCP editors with new crossgrade campaigns. This was the first time ever that editors have been given the chance to buy Avid Media Composer or the full Adobe Production Premium for under a thousand bucks! The success of these offers also inspired similar promtions on Sony Vegas Pro and Grass Valley EDIUS. Some of these crossgrade opportunities have even become regular product offers and will be available until Apple makes their next move.
Apple has already promised a major release in early 2012 that will add Multicam & Broadcast Quality Video Monitoring. They did not provide details so it will be interesting to see exactly what that upgrade delivers. Will it enable existing 3rd party hardware to work or will it only work with new Thunderbolt based hardware? Will we get full I/O, or just preview? What other new features or refinements will be included to win back the hearts of loyal FCP editors? Will this release give editors everything they want or will there be another round of post-production editors crossing over to Avid and Adobe?
Enough about the year of "X", lets talk about the this year's list of
Videoguys' Top 10 Products of 2011.
- Avid Media Composer 5.5 & 6
- Adobe® Creative Suite® 5.5 Production Premium®
- Matrox MXO2 Family with Thunderbolt Adapter
- Grass Valley ADVC-G Series
- SONY Vegas Pro 11
- Avid Studio
- Red Giant Software Suites
- Boris Continuum Complete 8
- Roland VR-5 Mixer
- Class On Demand Online Training Catalog
Click here for the full article adn our Wish List for 2012
Gary | | | | |
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