Nuke 5.0 has been released. This is a major new version with a completely redesigned user interface, support for stereoscopic images and python scripting. Click here for more information. This is one kick ass compositing software i have been using since this summer .If you are looking for a total package and not a burning hole in your budget check out Nuke. And thanks to Nate for inviting me to be an admin /blogger.Jim
Meant to post this when I was hazily awoken this morning–
Apple released the highly anticipated Mac Book and Mac Book Pro updates this morning.
The updated machines feature new intel processors with the appropriate speed boost over the older models. Other updates include larger hard drive capacity (from apple - not that you couldn’t do it on your own), standard RAM increase, NVIDIA graphics processors - with 512MB of Video Memory!!!!! Great add on for mobile editors!
Another feature is the multitouch pad from the MacBookAir - which if I remember correctly, Apple said wouldn’t not be featured in any other line.
The last notable upgrade is the ability to choose an LED screen over the standard LCD for an extra $100. Full post from Apple’s site is below.
Apple today introduced new models of the MacBook and MacBook Pro. MacBook Pro models feature the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors (running at up to 2.6GHz with 6MB of shared L2 cache), larger hard drives (up to 300GB), and 2GB of memory standard in most models. They also include the latest NVIDIA graphics processors — with up to 512MB of video memory — and an innovative Multi-Touch trackpad, first introduced in MacBook Air.
The three new models of the MacBook feature faster processors and hard drives: sleek white 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz models with 120GB or 160GB 5400 rpm hard drives and a stunning black 2.4 GHz model with a massive 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive. The 2.4 GHz MacBook ships with 2GB of memory standard, expandable up to 4GB across the line.
Available immediately, the new MacBook and MacBook Pro models start at just $1,099 and $1,999, respectively.
I stumbled across this sweet iphone/ipod touch web app last night. Blogbard.
Blogbard is a free webapp which converts all your favorite blogs into audio files you can take with you on the go! It’s a quick and easy process.
Simply register and perform a search for the blogs of your liking. The first time you visit the blog it takes a little bit to load, since it is creating a playlist of all the posts on the main page. Return visits load substantially faster.
The caveat: The blog you’re looking for has to have an rss feed - but who doesnt?
Give it a whirl!
I also played with FlyTunes a bit. This is also a sweet free webapp. It turns your iPhone or Touch into an XM like radio. You can choose from a handful of stations by genre and artist. The audio quality of some is amazing and others is so-so. Definitely worth playing around with.
Being inspired by Digital Rebellion’s linking to an expansive list of QuickTime versions on Apple’s support site, I’ve decided to go a step further and host them here.
It may seem a little pointless since they are available on Apple’s server and it is definitely more reliable than my own, but I also know that from time to time Apple temporarily or permanently removes things without warning or explanation. So they are here now and I don’t plan on taking them down - so book mark and enjoy. They are available through this link or in the pages of this site as Quicktime Archives.
I’ve also expanded on Digital Rebellion’s list - adding the most current version 7.4.1
Since Digitial Rebellion came up in the last post, I should also mention that they make some great iPhone Webapps that are film and video related. Their own current offering includes a Video Storage Calculator, Film Rate Calculator, Aspect Ratio Calculator, Depth of Field Calculator and a Pixel Aspect Ratio Calculator. You can see the full offering here, or click each link on your iphone for the app itself.
There are some great tools out there. Hopefully we will see some installation support in a coming iphone update for 3rd Party apps. These tools are great, but if you don’t have a data signal, it doesn’t do you much good.
An iPhone version of pCine and pCam would be great as well, or at least an iPhone Palm emulator that would allow you to run them.
My friend Johnny Mendez just passed along a great and useful link to me. The guys at Digital Rebellion have gone through all the hard work of assembling a list and links of all the available Quicktime Versions from Apple’s site. Now if you ever need to grab a specific version when the shit hits the fan with an update you can. Check out their list here. I’m also posting it below on this page.
Now if it were only easy to downgrade and weed out quicktime remains from your OS to enable the installers permissions……
This was taken from Digital Rebellion’s source only to further the cause…
Are you looking for a non-current version of QuickTime to ensure compatibility with old software? Look no further.
QuickTime 7:
QuickTime 7.4 (Leopard)
QuickTime 7.4 (Tiger)
QuickTime 7.4 (Panther)
QuickTime 7.3.1 (Leopard)
QuickTime 7.3.1 (Tiger)
QuickTime 7.3.1 (Panther)
QuickTime 7.2
QuickTime 7.1.6
QuickTime 6:
QuickTime 6.5.3
QuickTime 6.5.2
QuickTime 6.5.2 reinstaller for QuickTime 7.0.1
QuickTime 6.4 reinstaller
QuickTime 6.3.1
QuickTime 6.3 reinstaller
QuickTime 6.0.3
QuickTime 5:
QuickTime 5.0.5
QuickTime 4:
QuickTime 4.1.2
QuickTime 4.0.3
Old news, but incase you possibly missed this - Toshiba officially announced the discontinuation of HD-DVD yeaterday. It’s pretty much been dead in the water for a while now, but Walmart’s recent announcement regarding shifting towards solely offering Blu-ray became the nails in their coffin.
I’m pumped that Blu-ray stayed and HD-DVD went bye-bye. IMHO, Blu-ray out performs HD-DVD even to the eye. I’m not pumped that I picked up an HD-DVD at Christmas time and a variety of HD-DVD only titles. Looks like it’s all been bricked very quickly.
There will surely be a surge in the market now, due to all the wait-and-see people finally making their well thought out purchases.
I think we’ll be seeing prosumer Blu-ray authoring soon as well. Thank God!
Anyone care to take a guess how many cheap HD-DVD players and Xserve RAIDs will be on ebay this week?
Apple just released an upgrade to its XSAN software. The upgraded introduces MultiSAN which allows users on a single workstation to access multiple SANs (Storage Area Network) at once. The feature that should be highlighted here is that XSAN 2 also qualifies 3rd party RAID Storage to be compatible. This is a welcomed addition for most, as apple’s RAID storage is notoriously overpriced. An odd move for Apple though as keeping XSAN proprietary is what most likely drives sales of Xserve RAID.
This could be an indication of the end of Xserve RAID, as Apple now offers Promise VTrak Fibre Storage in its online store. I haven’t yet found an official release stating so, but Apple tends to not sell products that compete with products they offer. More to come as the day unfolds.
UPDATE:Xserve RAID is DEAD. Its no longer available in Apple’s store. It will come up in a search, but when you click you will get a warning about availability.
UPDATE 2:Just received this email from a friend of mine who is an Xserve RAID Owner.
I called Apple furious today and spoke to the Enterprise department.When they say third-party certification, apparently it means only ONE third party company. They are now in bed with a system called Promise VTrak Raid.The price is nicer than Xserve Raid (6TB for 12k), but I was furious with the guy. My 3.4TB is basically worthless and obsolete right now. They got the info same time we did. And they are still piecing together how this will work.It’s a bit scary. They were so strong on the whole “We are a one-stop shop for pro post production” but they seem to be slowly migrating.It kind of gives the Avid rumor some legs. Why support XServe Raid, when Avid already has a kick ass storage solution. Lets buy Avid or get our edit solution bought by Avid.I don’t know it’s crazy.I asked the guy how I was supposed to trust buying another solution of that magnitude from Apple. I don’t know if he had an answer yet.Johnny
So it looks like third party support means only Promise RAID systems? Can that be true?
UPDATE 3
Macworld Coverage of XSAN 2
Arts Technica XSAN 2
And is clearly evident by the flurry of production announcements and updates on the front page of the Hollywood Reporter’s Site today.
Everyone is feverishly pushing to get productions running again to make up for lost time, and get what they can in before the actors potentially jump on their looming strike opportunity when the SAG contract ends this summer.