NAB Diary: Wednesday
I have been to the mountain and have had all of the mysteries of the universe unveiled for me! Or at least that is how it seems after seeing today’s products.
I started out with discreet. We spent a great deal of time talking about Cleaner XL, the version of Cleaner only for the PC side. We discussed at length the differences between the Mac and PC sides as well as performance improvements on the PC. I’ll be reviewing Cleaner XL in the very near future, and will bring you a more comprehensive evaluation of the two products then. However, from the discussion today, I’m starting to lean toward Cleaner XL as the go to compression solution.[an error occurred while processing this directive]We also talked about the latest advances with combustion, and with improved workflow and functionality, and the price drop, this will sure to be a hot item. If things that I have alluded to in other NAB Diary’s follow that course down a dark dark road, then combustion could find a huge following in the near future.
As far as the 3D app side of discreet, the only word is, “You better be at SIGGRAPH”.
My next visit was with Avid, and it got a closer look at the new DNA line. It follows what I reported on Sunday, and then some. There is much tighter integration with Avid Xpress DV Pro and Media Composer than ever before. I have a feeling that those who need to take work home on the weekends will find a perfect match with the two products.
Finally I went to Apple and saw the trio of products that I have been waiting for all show long. If you haven’t already read or seen the information on Final Cut Pro 4.0, then you are in for a treat! Wow, they have packed so much into this new version that it blows my mind as to how configurable, manageable, and workable this system is. With over 300 new features, this is sure to be the biggest news out of the convention. I could go on at length about FCP4, but my mind is still reeling from how totally cool this product is…new character software, brand new music looping software (that can and does recognize Acid loops), configurable and customizable settings… wow…I was shown a couple of things that can be done with the current version of Final Cut Pro, and I can see a whole new series of Final Cut Pro Quick Tips coming out in the next couple of weeks until FCP4 ships in June.
I also go a detailed look at the new DVD Studio Pro 2.0. If you are a DVD Studio 1 or 1.5 user, then the first words out of your mouth might be similar to mine after Apple showed it to me – “This is so much better.” The best way that I can describe the new system is that it takes the best of iDVD3 and combines it with DVD Studio Pro 1.5 for a solid kick ass DVD authoring application. It is no wonder Adobe doesn’t want to try and compete on the Mac side (nothing against Encore, but Adobe would have had a tough time selling Encore to Mac users with DVD Studio Pro 2.0 on the market).
The concluding application shown by Apple was of course Shake 3. While I have not used the application myself, I have definitely seen an improvement in workflow and power since the last version. And with the price drop, Apple has positioned itself to be very competitive.
I wish I could go on at great detail about all of the wonderful applications I saw today, but I do need to pack and head back to the DMN Central Division to begin testing these new applications (wink wink). Rest assured that I will be bringing you more in-depth coverage of these applications when they are released.
In the meantime, you can read my previous NAB Diary segments here:
NAB Diary: Tuesday – Super Tuesday
NAB Monday: Looking for a Gem
NAB Diary: Sunday Part 2 - Avid
NAB Diary: Sunday: Terror at 14,000 feet
NAB DIary: Day 0
When not working deep in the labs of the DMN Central Division testing the latest and greatest software/hardware products Stephen Schleicher can be found at the local university teaching a few courses on video and web production. He can be reached at schleicher@mindspring.com. You can also visit him on the web at www.mindspring.com/~schleicher
Source: Digital Media Online, Inc.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
