First Look: Pinnacle Liquid Edition 5.5
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| Click graphic for enlargement -- Pinnacle Liquid Edition 5.5 Dynamic Time Warp dialog box |
It's easy to use, too. To access these controls, it's a simple matter to select Time Warp Editor in the effects library, drag it onto the clip and then right-mouse click and select Edit. Then a dialog box opens. In this nicely-done user interface, there's a diagonal red line that represents the original speed of the clip. If you drag the control line below that reference line, the clip will play slower at that point -- above the line and it's faster. There are two representations of your speed, both representing the same information. Notice in the graphic at left that the box below it has a horizontal red line representing 100%, so you can use whichever graphic representation makes the most sense to you -- on either one you move your keyframes by dragging the lines. Drag the position bar to scrub through the clip and then if you want to add an additional keyframe, click on the Add Keyframe button. When you click the Accept button and it's on the timeline, then the background rendering starts, which, again takes hardly any time at all -- in fact it takes less time that it would take for old-fashioned reels of tape to re-cue and preroll, a key indicator for me of what constitutes excessive rendering.
Another new capability for Liquid Edition, borrowed from Pinnacle's stable of workgroup editing apps is the ability to use networked drives. This will be a boon for production houses already invested in Pinnacle's existing Liquid line of products, as well as those in broadcast outlets where Pinnacle's Palladium server system holds sway. This new version also offers "XSend," letting Liquid Edition send metadata and exchange media with other Pinnacle servers, automation and asset management products. Too bad, though, that there's no AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) support yet. But Pinnacle officials assure us this capability is at the top if their list and will appear soon.
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So here's another improvement to Edition (oops, Liquid Edition 5.5), and a significant one, at that. It looks like Pinnacle is standardizing on its software here, thus enabling the company to revise and improve its nonlinear editing packages all at the same time. This translates into shortened update cycles for Liquid Edition and its brethren, an important factor in this highly competitive software-based real time nonlinear editing derby. Beyond that, the interoperability between all of Pinnacle's editing systems and its formidable broadcast servers, media management tools and workgroup products is going to offer a major advantage to large production companies and broadcasters. At the same time, the nearly-identical interface of Pinnacle's Liquid line is available to lower-end users in Liquid Edition. If you learn the software at its least-costly level, you're sure to feel comfortable working with editing applications using that same interface at the highest of Pinnacle's high end. That will certainly promise to streamline personnel and equipment issues throughout production facilities large and small. I like what I see so far, and look forward to Pinnacle's next trick.
Digital Media Net Executive Producer Charlie White has been writing about new media and digital video since it was the laughingstock of the television industry. A technology journalist and columnist since 1994, White is also an Emmy-winning producer, video editor, broadcast industry consultant and shot-calling television director who has worked in broadcasting since 1974. Talk back -- Send Chazz a note at cwhite@digitalmedianet.com.Read Charlie White's editorials by clicking here.
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