I spent a few minutes in the Apple booth getting a demo of the soon to be released Final Cut Server.
FC Server is meant to manage projects and assets for multiple editors. If you remember, Apple bought a company called Proximity, whose Artbox is the basis for the FC Server.
There is not a lot of info on Apple’s web site about server, but there is a whitepaper from Proximity’s website that might shed some light on the features and setup.
Categories: NAB 2007
Apple has released a whitepaper that details the new ProRes 422 codec
It can be used with AJA’s new IO HD box, which provides SD and HD in/out over FW800.
Not sure how ProRes will benefit data shooters like P2 or Firestore.
Categories: NAB 2007
I was able to speak with one of the Final Cut development team for a few minutes and asked him questions until he could squirm no more.
Regarding DVD Studio Pro, there was no reason to update the app until HD burners are available in a Mac. He would not elaborate any further. I would expect an update to DVDSP at some point this year, maybe at WWDC in June.
Live Type is still included in the bundle, but has received no attention.
I was also curious about the ability to play any clip/framerate combination in real time. It is not tied to the ProRes codec. It is being done in the processor on the fly. It takes the parameters from the first clip you drop in, and will conform the rest of the clips to that. He wasn’t sure about changing that after the fact. In other words, if I start with a HD timeline and drop in SD clips, then decide to make the timeline SD. Seems like one would have to start over.
I also asked him about Leopard, and benefits of the 64bit memory space. He seemed to indicate that there would be no benefit to Final Cut specifically from Leopard. He stated that this was not part of his job, so he was not certain.
More updates as I get a chance to see some more of the show.
Categories: NAB 2007
There are some great new features in the new studio, like fixing formats and framerates on one timeline without rendering. But there is a lot of information that was “missing” from the press conference.
First of all, DVD Studio Pro was not updated at all. Why release a new version of all the apps and not touch DVDSP. Where is HD DVD authoring? Seems fishy to me.
Also, Livetype is mysteriously missing from the new package.
From the system requirements, it seems like it will run on most of the older hardware (G5, Powerbook etc). It will not run on intel macs with integrated graphics.
More details will be known as the week goes by.
Watch for updates.
Categories: NAB 2007
lots of apple hardware people here. just saw the product manager for xserve raid.
apple announces FC server.
999 for 10 users
FC studio2 announced. new versions of all apps except dvdsp.
$499 for upgrade from 5.1
$699 from any version
ships next month
Categories: NAB 2007
waited in very long line for about an hour. at 10:45 they opened the doors.
the room is 3 times the size of the 2005 press conference.
Categories: NAB 2007
As I finish preparations for the Panasonic booth where I will be working during the show, anticipation is high in the world of Apple.
At 11am PDT, Apple will announce something. We all expect to see the next generation of the Final Cut package. Word on the street has been quiet.
I expect to see FCP with support for MXF formats and new formats like JPEG2000, HD authoring capability in DVD Studio Pro, and new towers with Blu-Ray burners installed.
I was also anticipating some new wow features tied to new hardware announcements and the release of Leopard, Mac OS 10.5
My hopes were dashed a bit by Apple’s surprise announcement that they were delaying the release of 10.5 until October. The reason stated was to finish the iPhone and finish development the 10.5 release.
There is a lot of other exciting announcements that I will be following, like Adobe’s Premiere Pro for Mac and the formats that it will support.
I will post an update after the Apple event.
Categories: NAB 2007
