SYPHAnews - 3rd April 2003

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STOP PRESS!! This newsletter is different from our normal format. It comprises an NAB 2003 preview of NLE, DAW and camera trends and news, SYPHAnews@NAB2003, available as a PDF and also in print from the NAB publication bins, plus a roundup of other, non-NAB announcements. To view/download SYPHAnews@NAB2003 click here.

The all-new NLE Buyers Guide is now launched. It gives you FREE online access to our database of over 200 nonlinear video products including turnkey systems, card and/or software packages and disk recorders/servers for editing. The search page has been redesigned for ease of use, and the search criteria include application, system type, operating system, video I/O, AAF support, cost range, as well as manufacturer and product name. We would like to thank Avid, Quantel, Thomson Grass Valley, Discreet, DVS, Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, and Pinnacle Systems for their support.

We would also like to welcome Steinberg as a Gold sponsor of the DAW Buyers Guide.

SYPHAnews@NAB2003

Catch up with NLE, DAW and camera developments and products showing at NAB 2003. To view SYPHAnews@NAB2003 click on http://SYPHAonline.com/SYPHAnewsarchive/SYPHAnews@NAB2003

This is a PDF file and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader software which is freely available from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Other news

Pinnacle Introduces Liquid Purple V5 for Networked Professional DV Editing
Pinnacle Systems has introduced Liquid purple version 5, a complete software-based networked DV editing and effects system for broadcasters and video professionals. Liquid purple version 5 provides real-time 3D and 2D effects, integrated DVD authoring, background processing, and analogue video output. It also includes support for Pinnacle Palladium Store networked storage systems and Pinnacle Vortex networked news systems for use in collaborative workflow environments. Liquid purple V5 can either be deployed as a desktop system or on a laptop for mobile editing. See http://www.pinnaclesys.com

Pinnacle Launches Edition V5
Pinnacle Systems has launched Edition 5, the latest version of its mid-range video editing and DVD-authoring software for professional videographers, educators, advanced video hobbyist, digital media production houses and low-budget broadcasters. Pinnacle Edition 5 is designed to harness the processing power of the PC's central and graphics processor units (CPU and GPU) to offer hundreds of real-time transitions and filters without the need for specialist accelerator hardware. Key new features include real-time accelerated graphics processor (AGP)-based 2D and 3D video effects that allow editors to process more video, graphic layers and effects in real time. See http://www.pinnaclesys.com

Ulead Announces MediaStudio Pro 7
Ulead Systems has announced the availibility of MediaStudio Pro 7.0. This latest version of Ulead professional video editing software offers videographers flexible, software-only, real-time editing, display and output. New features include automatic editing to audio cues complete with transitions, 16:9 support, and the ability to analyse DV tapes at up to 10x speed for logging chapter thumbnails as a DV Album that can be used as a selective batch capture log or as a reference to categorise tapes. MediaStudio Pro outputs in real-time to a second display device using a graphics display card such as the Matrox Parhelia 128MB AGP graphics card, and can output both video fields, not just one, for full-resolution output to a monitor, TV or tape deck. The box version of Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7 is available for US$495 with the electronic download available for US$475. Special upgrade pricing is available for existing MediaStudio Pro and VideoStudio users. See http://www.ulead.com/store/purchoptions.htm

MainConcept Announces MainActor 5 for Windows
MainConcept has announced the release of MainActor 5 for Windows. The new software includes features from the previous version of MainActor, including background rendering, plus a completely redesigned interface with highly customisable workspaces, multiple timelines, clipboards for organizing media and creating network-based clip databases, integrated analogue and DV capture, compositing with precise control, new transitions, filters and special effects, enhanced titling and integrated versions of the MainConcept DV Codec and MPEG encoder. MainActor 5 is priced at US$199, with special upgrade pricing for users of selected previous MainActor versions and MainConcept EVE. A free demo version and tutorials are available for download at http://www.mainconcept.com

Fairlight ESP in Administration
It appears that Fairlight ESP in Australia is in administration, although overseas subsidiary companies are not affected. The company was placed in the hands of Giles Woodgate and Co late on Wednesday March 12th 2003 after Fairlight Japan withdrew funding. Attempts are being made to obtain funding from other sources. See http://www.juliusmedia.com/cxweb/article.asp?ID=233

Steinberg Unveils Remote Control for Nuendo
Steinberg, The Audio Group of Pinnacle Systems, has launched a new controller for Nuendo systems. The ID - Steinberg Input Device - offers familiar console-style control and consists of four sections dedicated to recording, editing, mixing and control room monitoring respectively. It includes 12 motorised faders, 40 endless encoders, a weighted jog dial, a trackball, 380 backlit buttons, a dual-function keyboard, a high-resolution meter bridge, and a range of displays. See http://www.steinberg.net

Cube-Tec Provides AudioCube Base System and QUADRIGA Updates
Cube-Tec has provided updates to both versions of its AudioCube 5 base system. The 19" 4U rackmount AudioCube 5 - III now includes dual 2.8GHz Xeon processors with Gigabit Ethernet and four USB ports. The Dell-based AudioCube 5 D650 is now built around the Dell D650 Workstation sporting dual 2.66GHz processors with a 533MHz front side bus, Gigabit Ethernet and both USB and IEEE 1394a ports. In a separate move, Cube-Tec has launched the U-Matic-Inspector solution for its QUADRIGA mass storage system. This provides sophisticated ingestion of material from U-Matic machines with timecode and PQ error monitoring, import of external PQ-data and several output formats including DDP, BWF and WAV, in addition to XML metadata. See http://www.cube-tec.com

Otari Previews DR-100 Multichannel Recorder
Otari has previewed a new hard disk recorder that operates as a 48-track at 48kHz or as a 24-track at 96kHz. The DR-100 sports a dedicated 48-track remote, waveform GUI, seamless punch-in/out, several DSP functions, a variety of analogue and digital I/O, a removable hard disk, and the ability to import sessions previously created on the RADAR-II system. See http://www.otari.com

Marantz Launches Solid State Portable Recorder
Marantz Professional has launched a new portable recorder, the PMD670, that is based on solid state memory. Using media up to 10GB, it is possible to record for over 12 hours in non-compressed stereo, and days, or even weeks, in compressed formats. The unit offers a larger LCD than its predecessors, and an upgraded button layout on the front panel. It can record in linear PCM, MP2 and MP3, and can record files as WAV, BWF, MP2, MP3 onto compact Flash or IBM Microdrives. The unit offers variable bitrate recording with sampling rates from 16kHz to 48kHz. See http://www.marantz.com

Genex Demonstrates GX9000 PCM/DSD Recorders
Genex Audio has demonstrated production versions of its new GX9000 series of digital multitrack recorders. Both recorders support single-wire 192kHz PCM recording, and offer seamless punch-in/out of DSD recording. The GX9000 supports 8 channels of 24-bit/192kHz and/or 8 channels of DSD recording/playback, while the GX9048 accommodates up to 48 tracks of 24-bit/192kHz or up to 48 channels of DSD recording/playback from a single hard drive. A choice of file formats for compatibility with popular workstations is supported, and a built-in sample rate converter operates up to 192kHz as well as enabling conversion between PCM and DSD. The GX9000 starts from US$4050, and the GX9048 starts from US$10,750 for a 24-track, or US$19,000 for a 48-track. See http://www.genexaudio.com

Digigram Provides Linux Driver for Sound Cards
Digigram has announced a Linux driver under open source licensing for its VX222, VXpocket v2, and VXpocket 440 sound cards. The driver follows the most advanced audio standard for Linux called ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture). In November 2002, Digigram made the source code of its Mac OS X drivers and driver interface documentation available on the ALSA Project website http://www.alsa-project.org. Since then, the Linux community, managed by the ALSA driver developers of SuSE Linux AG, Germany, has developed a driver that takes advantage of the latest ALSA version 0.9.1. See http://www.digigram.com

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NAB2003 - You Gotta Go!
Conferences: 5-10 April 2003
Exhibits: 7-10 April 2003
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
The World's Largest Electronic Media Show

The Production Show
Where creativity meets technology
20-22 May 2003
National Hall, Olympia, London