Archive of the Affordable HD Category

Innovative new purchasing channel offers even more third-party workflow tools with special reduced-pricing offer

ASSIMILATE (www.assimilateinc.com), the leading provider of powerful post-production tools for digital workflows, has announced “Cyber Monday”, a 24-hour sales event on 28th November 2011 at its online Store (http://store.assimilateinc.com), when significant price reductions will be offered across a range of ASSIMILATE and third-party products.

Coinciding with “Cyber Monday”, ASSIMILATE has expanded the Store with the addition of Drastic Technologies’ MediaReactor plug-in for ASSIMILATE, and MediaNXS video capture and playback software. The MediaReactor plug-in allows SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab artists to read nearly 100 media formats and file types with no out-of-application transcoding, saving time and streamlining workflows. MediaNXS combines advanced capture and playback functionality with media import and export. MediaNXS offers wide file format support, video monitoring tools and timeline editing. Free trial versions of each product will also be available on the Store.

The ASSIMILATE Store is a unique online marketplace where artists can discover, trial and purchase ASSIMILATE’s popular SCRATCH Lab workflow tool for production and VFX dailies. Also available is a growing range of third-party software and hardware accessories that boost the performance of SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab across many areas of professional content creation – including DI color grading, 3D stereo, VFX, on-location and post-production workflows, subtitling and image-restoration. These now include products from 3ality Technica, Drastic Technologies, GenArts, RE:Vision Effects, 4K Co. Ltd, HS-Art, Calibrated Software and Tangent. ASSIMILATE-branded merchandise is also available.

The “Cyber Monday” promotion, on Monday 28th November, offers at least 15% price reductions on most products at the ASSIMILATE Store. Customers can purchase SCRATCH Lab at a discount in the ASSIMILATE Store by obtaining a coupon code from their local reseller, a list of whom can be found at www.assimilateinc.com/partners/resellers. Reseller coupons are available immediately, but can only be redeemed for the discount on “Cyber Monday”. Once a customer enters the code into the online order form, the discount is automatically applied to their order.

“The ASSIMILATE Store is quickly becoming the go-to place to explore the SCRATCH ecosystem,” said Steve Bannerman, VP of marketing at ASSIMILATE. “We’re excited to add MediaReactor and MediaNXS from Drastic Technologies to the growing list of third-party products available on the Store. These new powerful workflow tools, combined with our “Cyber Monday” sales event, give artists a unique opportunity to significantly extend the capabilities of their SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab systems at even more attractive prices.”
 
New additions to the ASSIMILATE Store:

Drastic Technologies – MediaReactor: SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab already support the most commonly used file formats. The MediaReactor Windows/MAC OSX plug-in for ASSIMILATE reads nearly 100 file formats, writes the most important file formats and dramatically extends the capabilities of SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab in production and post-production pipelines. With no out-of-application transcoding step, MediaReactor saves time and streamlines the vast majority of workflows. For the complete list of supported formats, codecs and metadata visit: http://store.assimilateinc.com/products.php?product=MediaReactor-Workstation-for-ASSIMILATE.
 
Drastic Technologies – MediaNXS: professional video capture and playback software with a range of file types, codecs and video tools. MediaNXS provides HD-SDI/2K/4K capture and playback for SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab, and includes import/export, waveform/vectorscope, and clip list/timeline/EDL features. With MediaNXS users can create the files they need in the formats best-suited to their workflow, and use SCRATCH or SCRATCH Lab to trim, convert and conform them before outputting to tape. More information on MediaNXS can be found at: http://store.assimilateinc.com/products.php?product=MediaNXS.

James Brooks, development/OEM support, Drastic Technologies, commented: “All production begins with acquisition. Drastic MediaReactor and MediaNXS offer digital artists unmatched flexibility in media capture and translation. We’re delighted to deliver our superior price/performance to SCRATCH artists via the ASSIMILATE Store. It truly is a one-of-a-kind outlet that offers an excellent way for artists to discover and explore products like ours and then buy whenever they’re ready.”

ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of digital workflow and post-production tools, that have proven essential to the successful creation of thousands of studio and independent features, television shows, music videos and corporate video productions. The company’s SCRATCH products, running on Windows and Mac OSX, are the heartbeat of today’s most demanding digital post-production and dailies workflows for 2D and stereo 3D productions. They equip Directors, DPs and Artists with the state-of-the-art, intuitive, data-centric solutions they need to meet the continual challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH data-centric DI system, is the most comprehensive, end-to-end cinema and broadcast imaging tool for playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED and other digital workflows. SCRATCH Lab delivers a comprehensive toolset for the review, versioning, color correction, conform and output of on-set or VFX dailies. ASSIMILATE, a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, offices in London, UK, Groningen, NL and Beijing City, CN markets its products worldwide via a global reseller network. To learn more please visit www.assimilateinc.com.

Drastic Technologies is a leading-edge developer of digital video solutions for the broadcast, sports playback, production, graphics and scientific communities. Drastic products include standalone software, SDKs, and digital disk recorders for clip control, VTR emulation, external device control, digital media playback and file conversion. Visit www.drastictech.com for more information.

Hollywood, CA – 3D Film Factory, the leader in professional, affordable 3D camera rigs, introduces the world’s lightest, most affordable, hand-held 3D rig – the 3D Bullet Rig. Ready to “Load & Shoot”, this versatile 3D system is literally unshakable for handheld, Steadicam, Easyrig, or tripod filming.

Priced at a fraction of other professional 3D rigs (under $5K), this compact beam-splitter rig is the perfect solution for location, reality, or action 3D filmmaking. It’s features actually surpass that of other more expensive rigs. For more information on the 3D Bullet Rig visit www(dot)3DFilmFactory(dot)com

“The 3D Bullet Rig is going to take 3D production to a whole new level. I love this rig. It’s incredibly light, rock steady and most of all – it’s really easy to shoot with from your shoulder, or tripod. This rig is a 3D filmmakers dream, very versatile“, said the company’s veteran stereographer Keith Driver. “Most 3D rigs are bulky, expensive and worst of all – tripod bound. They require a crew to operate. We’ve shot 3D projects in Africa, the Middle East, Hollywood soundstages, you name it we’ve done it in 3D. And we realized we needed a more mobile 3D rig. A 3D rig you could just pick up and shoot with. This is the 3D Bullet Rig.”

The 3D Bullet Rig makes handheld 3D filming effortless and smooth by transferring the weight to your waist and shoulder. Each 3D rig includes a spring-loaded suspension rod, comfortable weight displacement belt and adjustable, padded shoulder mount. The result is hours of mobile, handheld 3D filming capability. In addition, the rig features detachable rubber hand grips for easy manoeuvring and a standard tripod mounting plate (¼-20 and ?-16 holes).

Weighing approx. 13 lbs. (5.8 kgs.) the Bullet Rig accommodates the Red Epic, Canon DSLR 5D, 7D, XF105
XF305, XH-G1, Sony F3, EX3’s, HDCP1, X5U, Z1U, Panasonic AF100, HPX250 and many other professional HD cameras.

The rig also features custom camera mounts that easily lock and load cameras into place using a standard quick-release plate from Bogen/Manfrotto. The horizontal camera mount offers IO (inter-ocular) adjustability from 0” – 3.5” (0 – 89 mm) and simple convergence movement from 0°-3°. Both functions are easily controlled using smooth, accurate finger knobs, with calibration markings. The vertical camera mount adjusts for perfect stereoscopic picture alignment by elevating and performing full x-y-z rotation (yaw, roll, tilt).

The light-weight, mirror box housing is constructed using space-age foam core plastic that’s durable, corrosion-free and substantially cooler than a metal matte box. This ensures your beam-splitter glass with its expensive coatings will stay cool on hot days. The rig itself is hand-milled employing a nearly indestructible aluminium alloy frame.

Perfect for traveling light, the entire 3D Bullet Rig is ingenuously designed to set-up and break down in a matter of minutes, packing into a small, water-tight pelican case.

As a bonus, the horizontal rail easily detaches, along with the camera mounts, transforming into a side-by-side rig 3D for wide and landscape stereography.

Our opti-prime, 50/50 beam-splitter glass is optimized to meet the demands of 3D filmmaking. See specs. Within the matte box, a simple adjustment tool allows stereographers to fine tune the glass angle from between 43° to 47°.

The outcome is simply the world’s most affordable, professional handheld 3D rig.

It should be noted that using our simple Lanc system camera operators can now synch start/stop, focus, alignment, lens shift and many other vital functions thru both cameras or individually.

The 3D Film Factory offers a complete line of 3D beam-splitter rigs intended for HD camcorders, as well as larger ENG and broadcast style camera. In addition, we offer several inexpensive side-by-side rigs and real-time 3D viewing solutions. To learn more about 3D camera rigs, 3D viewing systems, 3D production services, or 3D training workshops visit – www.3DFilmFactory.com

About the 3D Film Factory
Established in 2008 by award-winning filmmakers and veteran stereographers, the 3D Film Factory has been the worldwide leader in professional, affordable 3D camera rigs and real-time 3D monitoring solutions. In addition we provide a host of 3D production services worldwide including, stereographers ‘for hire’, 3D camera rig rental, 3D viewing systems, and 3D post, as well as intensive 3D training workshops. Former clients include ESPN, NASA, Disney, HD Cinema, Pinewood Studios and Discovery. For more information visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

Cinedeck EX supports challenging production, using Sony’s F3 camcorder, streamlines editorial & VFX pipeline, and heralds IIF-ACES color workflow development

Cinedeck LLC (www.cinedeck.com) today revealed details of how its Cinedeck EX, multi-format, HD-SDI recording, monitoring and playback system, was combined with high-performance Sony F3 cameras, and played a pivotal role in the camera-to-post workflow, of VFX-laden horror feature film The Ghost Of Goodnight Lane, directed by Alin Bijan (www.GhostofGoodnightlane.com).

The combination of Cinedeck EX with Sony F3 cameras enabled the production to solve budget, performance and space constraints during the shoot, with Cinedeck EX also delivering a fast uncompressed, file-based camera-to-post workflow for the editorial and VFX teams.

The experience of working the Sony F3’s with uncompressed S-Log footage, and desire to optimize theatrical picture quality, has led the filmmakers to work on the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences’ IIF-ACES color-encoding specification, and the development of a new Input Device Transform for the F3.

The Ghost Of Goodnight Lane was written and directed by Alin Bijan, and produced by award-winning Dallas, Texas, production company Media World Studios, in association with FTG Media (www.MakingFilms.com). The production, featuring an angry ghost with evil intentions, is a comedy horror about a movie being made in a haunted film studio, and was inspired by paranormal events that occurred at Media World Studios. It stars Billy Zane (Titanic), Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Matt Dallas (Kyle XY) and Richard Tyson (Black Hawk Down).

Principal photography took place over 22 days, with two Cinedeck EX systems capturing from A and B Sony F3 cameras. All footage was recorded from the F3s as 10-bit, uncompressed, RGB 4:4:4, S-Log gamma-encoded imagery. Live action was output from Cinedeck EX in Apple ProRes 4444 for Final Cut editorial, and green-screen elements output as uncompressed 4:4:4 for VFX work and compositing. Over a quarter of the movie, 25 scenes, was shot for VFX treatment. Multiple SSD cards were used to transfer the uncompressed footage to the editorial and VFX teams.

In addition to rigorous schedule and the tight budget, typical of an independent production, the production crew also faced restricted shooting environments, as many of the sequences were to shot in cramped spaces.

In preparation for the shoot, Bijan and his crew carefully investigated how innovations in camera, recorder and monitor technologies could solve these issues, while delivering the highest possible quality file-based workflow to streamline the camera-to-post workflow.

Considering all of these elements, the crew decided to shoot the entire movie using new Sony F3 cameras, with dual Cinedeck EXs at the heart of the camera-to-post pipeline.

“We knew we’d be facing a mountain of challenges in production, so we decided to let leading-edge technology lead us to the best pipeline,” said Bijan. “In the Sony F3 I found a camera that I could move around quickly and shoot sequences fast, but with extremely high quality. I also needed a recorder that did much more than just record. Assessing all the different kinds of recorders, we discovered Cinedeck EX offered more in one little device than anything else out there. It matched our physical space requirements, and more importantly, it enabled us to record S-Log uncompressed RGB 4:4:4 from the Sony F3 and deliver those files directly, and quickly, to post for editing and compositing.”

Jonny Revolt, editor The Ghost Of Goodnight Lane, commented, “When you’re shooting a film with so many VFX scenes, Cinedeck EX’s ability deliver ready-to-composite, uncompressed content, without the need to convert file formats, is a huge time and money saver. The post crew could begin working in the full S-Log color space immediately, and this gave us the comfort of being able to test VFX keys live on set.”

Summing up his experience shooting with the Sony F3 and Cinedeck EX, Bijan said, “I need the right tools to help me tell my story, and Cinedeck EX makes filmmaking so much easier. We took full advantage of its advanced capabilities to shorten the distance between production and post – that’s the wonder of file-based workflows. Cinedeck EX helped me to tell a better story and make a better film, because I didn’t have to worry about my workflow, and that’s half the battle in indie film-making.”

Peter Crithary, production marketing manager for Sony Electronics, said, “Given the F3′s extremely quiet signal and exceptional picture quality, using S-Log Gamma encoding, with 10-bit uncompressed RGB output, Cinedeck EX is the perfect companion to record and preserve the superb image quality of the camcorder.”

The desire of the filmmakers to maintain the cinema-grade quality of the Sony F3 footage for theatrical release, afforded by Cinedeck EX, has led to a collaboration with the American Society Of Cinematographer’s Curtis Clark ASC, chair of the ASC’s Technology Committee, to develop an Input Device Transform for the Sony F3. This will conform to the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences’ Image Interchange Framework (IIF) ACES color-encoding specification, and streamline an ACES workflow – from camera to grading to finished output.

The Cinedeck EX & Sony F3 Advantage
The Sony F3 with S-Log has rapidly emerged as a sought-after, high-end digital camera for productions seeking file-based workflows across a wide range of production environments. These include 10-bit uncompressed, RGB 4:4:4 baseband output, with S-Log Gamma encoding for external recording, an important feature for customers requiring an HDCAM-SR™ workflow.

Along with a powerful, but simple, file-based workflow, Cinedeck EX delivers a number of unique benefits to filmmakers and cinematographers using the Sony F3 with S-Log, including:

· Cinema-grade S-Log recording

· Simple RGB 4:4:4

· 3G single link BNC

· Dual-link HDSDI BNC

· Live output of Cinedeck EXTREME feeds EVF

· Support for the widest variety of codecs

· Flexible arm mounting

· Provides perfect alternative to RAW TIFF files

Cinedeck EX starts at $8495 and features unparalleled flexibility with the widest range of edit-ready formats available on a single device. The following formats come standard and are supported natively on Cinedeck EX:

· Avid DNxHD (MXF wrapped or .mov)

· Apple ProRes (including 4444)

· CineForm Digital Intermediate

· Uncompressed 4:2:2 (.mov)

· Uncompressed 4:4:4 (.mov)

For more information on Cinedeck EX v2.1, please visit www.cinedeck.com.

For more information on the Sony F3 please visit www.sony.com/F3

Founded by cinematographers, and headquartered in the heart of New York City, USA, Cinedeck manufactures innovative, touchscreen recording systems for use with all popular digital cinematography cameras. Along with on-set monitoring, playback and quality control capabilities, these recorders also unify camera-to-post workflows by offering the industry’s most comprehensive range of edit-ready output formats. Cinedeck EX, the industry’s first camera-mountable device, has proven essential to the workflow on hundreds of TV and cinema productions, and has won TV Technology’s “2010 STAR Award”, the “2010 Vidy Award,” and DV Magazine’s “Award of Excellence”. Continuing this pioneering spirit, Cinedeck LLC is also addressing the challenges of the mobile and outdoor broadcaster with Cinedeck RX, its new, rack-mounted, multi-format recorder, monitor and playback system. Cinedeck RX was awarded the prestigious “2011 Pick Hit Award at IBC 2011” from Broadcast Engineering Magazine. For more information, visit www.cinedeck.com.

Our certified 2-day workshops are designed to demystify and simplify the entire 3D filmmaking & editing process, from development thru post production. In doing so, our veteran stereographers (3D experts) will teach you everything you need to know to create brilliant, eye-catching 3D images, that maintain viewer comfort — and ultimately serve the story.

TOPICS
– Determining the 3D needs of the participants & their upcoming 3D projects
– A tour-de-force “the principles of stereoscopic 3D filmmaking”
– Translating your 2D ideas into working 3D images
– Selecting the correct 3D Rig that integrates with your cameras – or visa-versa
– Solving gen-lock issues and how it works
– When to use a beam-splitter vs. side-by-side vs. 3D camcorders (dual fixed lens)
– You too can calibrate & prep a 3D rig (with a little practice)
– “Hands-On” — majority of the class is spent shooting with 3D Rigs – beam-splitter & side- by-side
– New 3D camcorders (dual fixed lens) – uses, limitations & what “they” don’t tell you
– Top 3D shooting secrets & ratios exposed !
– Depth vs. pop vs. parallax
– Achieving nirvana – perfect picture alignment
– Balancing convergence, parallax & io to achieve comfortable 3D images
– How to tell professional 3D vs. amateur 3D (hint: amateur 3D = headaches)
– Shooting beautiful, balanced 3D images that serve the story
– Re-lighting for 3D
– How to use and calibrate a real-time 3D monitor
– The 3D post-production workflow & you
– 3D editing = FCP vs Cineform vs Avid
– How to “Fix it in 3D Post” for Dummies
– 3D exhibition formats & how they affect your production (hint: start here & work backwards)
– AND– all the other nitty-gritty details you need to know to create superior looking, professional 3D — because at the end of the day (workshop) we understand that these training sessions are all about you and your upcoming 3D project. So really — our goal is to teach you everything we know about 3D, while addressing your individual needs and issues — and in the end, make you look good. Or at least – your 3D look good.

DETAILS
This is an INTENSIVE, FUN, “HANDS-ON” workshop where participants learn how to prep, align, light, shoot, edit and output professional style 3D, under the direction of a veteran stereographer. Unlike most other 3D training programs, teaching only 3D theory – our workshops allocate the majority of the day to filming on stereoscopic 3D systems – beam-splitter rigs, side-by-side rigs & real-time, stereoscopic 3D monitors.

Our courses are designed to accommodate both the complete novice, and the professionals with previous 3D filmmaking experience looking to learn more or fine tune their existing skills. The teaching stereographers understand that many participants may have pending 3D projects, therefore they welcome all questions, individual concerns and unique situations. Furthermore, attendees should keep in mind that 3D filmmaking is not an exact science, but rather an evolutionary process, with fluid rules and varying outcomes. The 3D camera rigs, cameras, real-time 3D monitors, editing equipment and lunch will be provided by 3DFF.

Our veteran 3D instructors (stereographers) are World-Class experts, with years of 3D filming and production experience on almost every contintent. Along the way they’ve shot for a wide variety of high-profile clients and fortune 500 companies to produce 3D documentaries, features, commercials and museum documentaries.

Our 3D workshops are held on an ongoing monthly basis at our studios in sunny, San Diego, California. See Program Dates / Locations for a current listing. Information or registration call 619.384.4014 or email info@3DFilmFactory.com

STEREOSCOPIC CERTIFICATION
Upon completion of the 2-day workshop participants will receive our official Stereoscopic Certification Diploma. The 3D Film Factory Certification serves as a means to verify to other industry professionals that recipients have received detailed, in-depth instruction in the art and science of stereography. Specifically, it signifies that recipients posses a comprehensive understanding of stereoscopic theory, as well as, a strong knowledge of practical, hands-on 3D filmmaking and editing.

New high definition (HD, 2K, 4K) royalty-free stock footage timelapse shot in Krakow, Poland have been added in different categories (City, Architecture and People) on HDtimelapse.net website.

Some of the locations from Krakow, Poland are Aerial View of Krakow, Market Square, Town Hall Tower, Cloth Hall, Drapers’ Hall (Sukiennice), St. Mary’s Basilica, Cracovia Old Town, Gothic Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral, Wawel Hill, Florianska Street, St. Florian’s Gate, The Collegiate Church of St. Florian, UNESCO, World Heritage Site, The Krakow Barbican Area, Barbakan, Basztowa Street, Old Town Gateway, Juliusz Slowacki Theatre, Holy Cross Church, Church of St. Adalbert, Adam Mickiewicz Statue, Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cracovia Business Center Tower, Vistula River, Matejko Square, Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Basilica of the Holy Trinity, Grodzka Street, The Royal Road, Royal Route, Rain, Twilight.

HDtimelapse.net library contains 6500+ time lapse video clips from 125 locations in 40 countries.

Timelapse royalty-free stock footage here: http://www.hdtimelapse.net

Cinedeck EX v2.5 features extensive timecode and audio enhancements, plus new deck control application and improved playback engine

Cinedeck LLC (www.cinedeck.com), the pioneering developer of mobile capture systems for motion picture and broadcast production, today announced significant enhancements to its award-winning, portable, multi-format, recording, monitoring and playback system, with the release of Cinedeck EX v2.5.

Available for immediate download, the new Cinedeck v2.5 software delivers a range of customer-requested features that support an even better operational experience for Cinedeck users. These include a new and enhanced playback engine, expanded timecode operations, upgraded audio metering displays, and a new Windows-based, desktop remote controller for multiple Cinedeck EX systems.

Cinedeck EX is already the fastest gateway from production to post. It enables any camera with an HD-SDI or HDMI output to record to a choice of the most preferred finishing standards used in editorial and VFX post production today, including all flavors of Avid DNxHD, Apple ProRes, CineForm, plus uncompressed 444 and uncompressed 422 recording.

Chief among the enhancements of the Cinedeck v2.5 release is a new playback engine, which has been completely rewritten and provides a vastly improved user-experience compared to prior versions. Crucially, the new engine enables users to take advantage of Cinedeck Controller, a free Windows-based desktop application, which provides basic deck control of the Cinedeck EX. Cinedeck Controller, which comes bundled with the new software release, allows users to remotely control up to 24 Cinedeck units, browse a list of clips recorded in the current scene folder, and to control recording and playback on multiple units independently or simultaneously.

Among the many expanded timecode operations, Cinedeck v2.5 adds support for Adrienne Electronic’s LTC devices, including the use of Adrienne’s mini USB timecode reader. Cinedeck EX already supports Ambient Recording timecode systems.

Redesigned audio meters now show audio in dBFS (full scale) from -60dB to 0dB, with levels displayed in an array of colors making them easier to read in the field. Along with a range of general playback fixes, other enhancements include new edge detection displays, with edges in red, rather than black, to increase legibility.

“Users already enjoy the experience of using, and interacting with, Cinedeck EX, and their feedback has resulted in the new Cinedeck EX v2.5 software version containing a host of enhanced features,” said Cinedeck CEO Alan Hoff. “These new features focus on usability and performance improvements to optimize the fundamental operation of Cinedeck EX where it matters most – in production. With the new v2.5 version available now, current and new customers will enjoy the Cinedeck EX experience even more.”

Cinedeck EX v2.5 will be on display at the Createasphere Burbank show November 2-3, 2011 at Sony’s booth #101, and at Keycode Media’s booth #303.

Pricing and Availability:
Cinedeck EX v2.5 is available for immediate download, free-of-charge, to customers on maintenance. Cinedeck EX is available for purchase via resellers worldwide starting at $8495USD–MRSP. Visit www.cinedeck.com to find your nearest reseller.

Founded by cinematographers, and headquartered in the heart of New York City, USA, Cinedeck manufactures innovative, touchscreen recording systems for use with all popular digital cinematography cameras. Along with on-set monitoring, playback and quality control capabilities, these recorders also unify camera-to-post workflows by offering the industry’s most comprehensive range of edit-ready output formats. Cinedeck EX, the industry’s first camera-mountable device, has proven essential to the workflow on hundreds of TV and cinema productions, and has won TV Technology’s “2010 STAR Award”, the “2010 Vidy Award,” and DV Magazine’s “Award of Excellence”. Continuing this pioneering spirit, Cinedeck LLC is also addressing the challenges of the mobile and outdoor broadcaster with Cinedeck RX, its new, rack-mounted, multi-format recorder, monitor and playback system. Cinedeck RX was awarded the prestigious “2011 Pick Hit Award at IBC 2011” from Broadcast Engineering Magazine. For more information, visit www.cinedeck.com.

Avid-AJA; Matrox MXO2 Mini; and LTO-5 Media Back-up and Archive Solutions Complement Company’s Innovative Constellation™ Archive Management System

FOR RELEASE ON: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

STUDIO CITY, CA – CET Universe, a leading provider of services, systems, and solutions for professional audio and video production, today announced a new series of product bundles for its production customers at Createasphere’s Entertainment Technology Expo at the Burbank Marriott. CET will demonstrate the product bundles today and tomorrow at the Expo, in Booth #207.

CET’s product bundles complement the company’s innovative Constellation™ VCM asset and storage management software suite, which is used by major facilities and corporations, including Universal Sports and Northwestern Mutual, among others. CET maintains a wide array of partnerships with leading vendors, including Adobe, AJA, Apple, Archion, ATTO, Avid, Blackmagic Design, Hewlett-Packard, Iridas, Panasonic, Promise, and QLogic, among many others.

The new product bundles will carry special prices at the Expo, including:

BUNDLE 1:

Option 1: AJA IO Express and AJA IO Express Portable HD/SD/I/O (Desktop or Laptop) with Avid MC 6.0 or Adobe Production Premium Suite for PC or Mac at $2,889.00

Option 2: AJA IO Express and AJA IO Express Portable HD/SD/I/O (Desktop or Laptop) with Avid Final Cut Cross Grade for $2,149.00

Option 3: AJA IO Express – AJA to Express Portable HD/SD I/O (Desktop or Laptop) for $1,609.99

Customers can upgrade Avid MC Pre 5.x and Xpress to version 5.5 with Kit and 3rd Party Apps.

BUNDLE 2:

Option 1: Matrox MXO2 Mini Max (Desktop or Laptop) with Avid MC 6.0 or Adobe Production Premium Suite (PC or Mac) for $2,815.00

Option 2: Matrox MXO2 Mini Max (Desktop or Laptop) with Avid Final Cut Cross Grade for $2,075.00

Option 3: Matrox MXO2 Mini Max (Desktop or Laptop) for $1,539.00

Customers can upgrade Avid MC Pre 5.x and Xpress to version 5.5 with Kit and 3rd Party Apps.

BUNDLE 3:

Constellation LTO-5 Media Backup/Archive Kit

Connects to Mac, Windows and Linux Workstations

Includes:

* external LTO-5 Drive
* Constellation Software License
* SAS Card for computer
* Cable
* 1-Year Software/Hardware Warranty
* 1-Year Free Phone and On-Line Support

The bundle, with the Expo discount, is priced at $4,441.00.

Customers can add a Boland monitor (HDMI, DVI, Composite, Component, VGA 1080P display) for only $1,889.00.

“Our team has always sought to deliver the ideal solution for customers – whether on-set or in-suite – and our new product bundles exemplify our commitment to true best-of-breed products for their production needs,” said Steve Klein, CEO of CET Universe. “We have created a stellar team of solutions engineers, and as our business becomes increasingly complex, we are creating effective product bundles that complement our proprietary solutions.”

About CET UNIVERSE

CET Universe is a leading developer of next-generation storage and asset management products for video professionals. The company develops, sells, and services an array of innovative file-based workflow systems for media & entertainment, corporate, and government and military accounts. Based in Studio City, California, the company’s web site is at www.CETuniverse.com.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: If you would like a color photograph of Steve Klein, CEO of CET Universe, or product shots of CET product bundles, the Constellation system, please contact Chris Pfaff at 201-218-0262 or chris@chrispfafftechmedia.com

By combining innovative architecture and audiovisual technology with the growing needs of one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities; Vaughan’s new 180,000-square-foot City Hall easily meets the needs of Vaughan’s growing population and enhances the delivery of municipal services. Vaddio cameras are buried throughout the city council chamber and committee rooms, in walls, above ceilings and in half-walls so they are unobtrusive – all part of the architect’s aesthetic that Canadian-based systems integrator, Duocom, had to work with.

Why a New building??
Because the original City Hall building wasn’t large enough to house everyone, committee members were meeting all over the city. Nobody was under the same roof and there was no centralized place for people to meet. Old touch-to-talk microphones were daisy-chained along the table; the request-to-queue and voting system never worked. An analog recorder was used to record audio, but there were no cameras. It was a legacy system in use for 15 – 20 years.

“It was almost as if they were using what they had to get by,” explained Omar Prashad of Duocom. “It’s my assumption from the city that there’s no point in spending a bunch of money upgrading systems when you know down the line a few years you’re going to have a new building.”

According to the City of Vaughan, the previous Civic Centre was renovated in 1982 when Vaughan’s population was 36,815. Today, Vaughan’s population is 295,000, and is expected to increase to 418,000 by 2031. The old system just couldn’t withstand the rapid growth.
So through a month-long Needs Analysis process and a lot of input from different users and user groups, Duocom came up with a solution.

The Council Chamber?
From an AV perspective there are five or six significant areas – the most significant being the council chamber where regional counselors meet. ??“Walk into the Council Chamber and you feel like you’re walking into a very contemporary architectural space,” says Prashad. “The tiered seating, custom wood walls and ceilings, flown in from Denmark, and the circular council desk definitely add to the ‘modern’ appeal.” The mayor sits in the middle of the circular table with the counselors on one side and senior management on the other. The AV system for the entire facility is controlled and routed through the council chamber with a centralized architecture for control and signal distribution.

The AV system, in this room alone, cost just under $900,000. Two Christie High Lumens 1080p 3-chip projectors sit on opposite sides of the council chamber so everyone in the room has a direct view at all times. All signal routing is digital, utilizing Crestron’s Digital Media platform and control from numerous Crestron Touch Panel Displays. One sits at every desk allowing the counselors to vote, see results and make tabulations.

“Aside from the mayor, the counselors never sit in the same place,” explained Prashad. “And because during a six-hour council meeting any of the counselors could potentially be the chair of that meeting, a discrete login system for each touch panel had to be put into place.”

Each person has his/her own code. Unless you’re the designated chairperson, none are for control – just for voting and confidence monitors for whatever is on the projection screen. As opposed to the typical touch-to-talk mics, the chairperson has control over all of the mics and cameras, and is able to view the request-to-speak lists and queue on the panel in front of them.

The Vaddio Solution
?Vaddio WallVIEW HD-19 and HE-100 cameras are distinct inputs to the AV system, allowing their image to be broadcast throughout the facility or to be used in conjunction with the Polycom HD videoconferencing system, each picking up a different quadrant of the council table. One sits in the back picking up a full shot of the room. Another two sit back-right and back-left picking up opposite quadrants. The camera directly behind the mayor, faces the audience picking up the senior management team, anybody who’s addressing the council from the podium and anyone in the audience should it be required.

“The Vaddio cameras can be used with and without an operator,” added Prashad. “You can either have full pan/tilt/zoom control or you can recall presets through the Crestron control system. Our programmer had to basically create a revolutionary program that linked the Sennheiser microphone system and Biamp audio DSP system so that when a particular microphone was active, the information sends a signal to the camera to trigger the preset.”
Because the AV system as a whole was very high-end – with digital switching at 1080p/60 and 3-chip DLP projectors at 8,000 Lumens, Vaddio cameras were a necessity, explained Prashad. “If we didn’t use Vaddio cameras, the cameras would have been the weakest link in the chain. The quality in the projectors would have been negated; the switching infrastructure would have been negated. We wanted to pick out the highest quality camera that we could to take advantage of the rest of the design infrastructure.”

The video can be broadcast from the council chamber to anywhere else in the building. If there is a high-interest council meeting, the public can view the event internally – or listen externally via Vaughan Radio. While only audio is exported to the residents of Vaughan, Vaughan TV is in development stages. “We’re probably going to incorporate a capture station with a media management server and stream the video,” explained Prashad. “That’s the next generation of this system so residents can log on to the media server and see what’s happening in the council chamber from anywhere at any time.”

“The Vaddio cameras give us a lot of control over color, color temperature, brightness – so when someone looks at the mayor who’s raising taxes for the three year in a row, you see the facial expressions like you’re watching a Blu-ray. There is no point in trying to save $2,000 on cameras if the experience is going to be substandard and sub quality.”

Future Plans
?No matter how much planning goes into a large installation, down the road there are going to be changes. Phase 1 is completed and Phase 2 and 3 are on the way, with an additional building and tunnel to connect them. “Over the course of 5 to 10 years this AV system will be three times the size it is today,” Prashad predicts. “These are the fun projects because the applications allow us to use cutting-edge technology to solve user problems. That’s fun for us because we can really push the limits on the latest technology and what our team can do with it.”

The new KataData storage and runtime calculator is an indispensable iPhone app for on-set, post production, and even non-technical positions. Emery Wells, founder of Katabatic Digital (NYC) – a grading, finishing, and VFX studio in New York City – knows this first hand. With the plethora of digital cameras and formats hitting the market, Wells developed the KataData app to alleviate all the pain in data planning and management for their post artists and lab technicians, as well as clients. And now, KataData is available to the broad spectrum of filmmakers and post-production facilities at the iPhone App Store for only $4.99.

KataData was built for filmmakers and post artists, supporting an extensive list of cameras, such as RED 4K and 5K Epic, Phantom, ARRI Alexa, Canon DSLR, as well as a wide range of codecs, such as DPX, Open EXR, DNxHD, and ProRes. KataData’s ease of use eliminates hours of calculations and frustration: just enter the amount of footage you have by file size (MB, GB, or TB) and KataData will calculate the runtime or storage. Or enter multiple calculations and add them together.

“For today’s apps, an intuitive user interface is a must have, so we’ve built in some cool features like swipe gestures to convert units and time code, and for RED camera users, it’s also easy to calculate stereo and HDRx options,” says Wells. “We’ll continue to add more features based on user feedback. If market demand is there, we’ll build it.”

What KataData Users Are Saying
Get a quick demo on YouTube and learn why first users are singing its praises.

Director/photographer Vince Laforet: “KataData is an incredibly graceful app that allows you to take the mystery out of all of these camera calculations and avoid the inevitable headaches that come with.”

Jim Hare, Sydney Australia: “Absolutely brilliant! I have several multicam shoots coming up using RED Epics and R1s and this app will be essential for locking down REDcode ratios. Just bought it and downloaded. Fantastic!”

Jason Wingrove – Director/Cinematographer: “There’s simply not an app in existence that does what KataData does. Trust me, I’ve bought them all.”

For a quick demo, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EceX_oD7A-M.

Specifications
Available immediately at $4.99, KataData runs on iOS 4 or later. It’s designed for the iPhone, but will also run on the iPod and iPad. For detailed specifications and a full listing of supported cameras and codecs, visit www.katabatic.tv/katadata.

To download the KataData app, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/katadata/id464141210?ls=1&mt=8

Katabatic Digital (NYC) is a digital cinema company that blends creativity with technology to provide digital post production services for high-quality visual projects such as ad campaigns, music videos, and TV episodes. Katabatic works with any camera/format, such as RED Epic 5K and4K, ARRI Alexa, Phantom, Canon SLRS, Sony F3, and more and also provides rentals of the RED Epic and RED 4K cameras, including on-set technical expertise. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH is Katabatic’s data workflow of choice for real-time post production, from conform, color grading, dailies, client reviews, through finishing. Katabatic’s portfolio includes high-end music videos and TV spots for Beyonce, Cee-Lo and Saturday Night Live, and advertising for major household brands, such as Google Wallet, Google Chrome, Vonage, Jaguar, Goldman Sachs, and more. To learn more about Katabatic Digital, see www.katabatic.tv, or call 212-620-0818.

Innovative New Channel for SCRATCH Lab, Third-Party Products and Logo Merchandise Now Available in One Convenient OnLine Store

ASSIMILATE (www.assimilateinc.com), the leading provider of powerful post-production tools for digital workflows, today announced the ASSIMILATE Store (http://store.assimilateinc.com), an online marketplace where artists can discover, trial and purchase the popular new SCRATCH Lab workflow tool for production and VFX dailies, as well as third-party software and selected hardware accessories that support the entire SCRATCH product line.

ASSIMILATE has partnered with leading technology vendors to create this unique portal. Now artists in digital cinema and broadcast can experience the convenience of instantly purchasing and downloading SCRATCH Lab on-line, while extending the capabilities of their full SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab systems across many areas of professional content creation – including DI color grading, 3D stereo, VFX, on-location and post-production workflows, subtitling and image-restoration.

Opening on October 25, 2011 the ASSIMILATE Store is divided into four categories: ASSIMILATE software; third-party software; third-party hardware accessories; and ASSIMILATE logo merchandise.

Customers can trial or purchase SCRATCH Lab, the industry’s most-often used workflow tool in production and VFX dailies pipelines, plus a wide range of software and hardware accessory products developed by the growing community of third-party partners supporting the SCRATCH platform. At launch these include products from 3ality Technica, GenArts, RE:Vision Effects, 4K Co. Ltd, HS-Art, Calibrated Software and Tangent. Several third-party products are exclusive to the ASSIMILATE Store. ASSIMILATE-branded merchandise such as T-shirts and stickers are also available.

SCRATCH Lab and SCRATCH Six, ASSIMILATE’s data-centric DI system for the playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED camera and high-end digital workflows, will continue to be sold via the company’s network of resellers worldwide. Customers who need pre or post-sales support, or turnkey systems are encouraged to visit www.assimilateinc.com/partners/resellers to find their nearest reseller.

“The ASSIMILATE Store is a full-on trading post for the extensive array of products that make up the SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab ecosystem,” said Steve Bannerman, VP of marketing, ASSIMILATE. “It’s a unique marketplace where artists can discover, trial and purchase optimized software and hardware products that enhance the creativity of their SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab experience, while offering additional convenience and productivity benefits. We’re thrilled by the range of products available at launch; from SCRATCH Lab itself, to visual effects plug-ins and control surfaces; even ASSIMILATE T-shirts and stickers. Our new Store is the perfect complement to our worldwide network of resellers.”

Highlights of the ASSIMILATE Store include:

ASSIMILATE – SCRATCH Lab: available immediately on Windows/Mac OSX as a download or for purchase. A new free trial version will be available in November 2011. Aggressively priced at $4,995 USD, SCRATCH Lab is the most comprehensive end-to-end digital system for the review, QC, color grading, conform and deliverables of dailies created during production, or during the VFX process. SCRATCH Lab’s flexible design and intuitive and customizable UI enable it to be easily deployed across a broad range of tasks on 2D and 3D stereo projects up to 5K resolution and beyond.

3ality Technica – 3Play Pro S: exclusive to the ASSIMILATE Store, the 3Play Pro S is a professional stereoscopic monitoring system for post facilities, enabling playback/review of full resolution HD stereo material on a range of monitors – all from a single device. It can be used as a preview system for facilities with 3D projection theaters, or as the primary stereo-playback solution when used with SCRATCH.

4K Co. Ltd – UnicodeText Asian Language Subtitle plug-in: exclusive to the ASSIMILATE Store, 4K’s UnicodeText plug-in seamlessly provides Chinese, Japanese, English and Korean language subtitles to any media in SCRATCH or SCRATCH Lab.

Calibrated Software – Calibrated{Q} components: Calibrated{Q} components allow SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab to import XDCAM EX .MP4 files and DVCProHD, XDCAM HD/EX and HDV .MOV files.

GenArts – Sapphire & Monsters GT plug-ins: GenArts, global leader in specialized VFX, has reduced the price of its Sapphire plug-ins for SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab from $2,499 to $1,699 USD. The Sapphire portfolio of effects includes organic glows, edge rays, lightning, film effects and much more. Monsters GT provides over 50 VFX plug-ins, including physics-based particles, fluids, fire, smoke and other natural phenomena, time-based feedback effects, and other artistic effects.

HS-Art – PixelBuster & DustBuster+ plug-ins: exclusive to the ASSIMILATE Store, PixelBuster is a brand new, an easy-to-use solution to quickly fix any kind of single image defects, such as dust spots, scratches and bad splices. Based on the award-winning DustBuster+, PixelBuster includes a more interactive toolset with automatic filters for image restoration and is priced at only $999 USD. The full DustBuster+ restoration product is available for only $8,000 USD at the Store, offering dramatic savings over the company’s Euro pricing.

RE:Vision Effects – Twixtor, DE:Noise & ReelSmart MotionBlur plug-ins: RE:Vision Effects received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement in 2006 for its family of affordable, user-friendly software plug-ins. It provides SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab users with indispensable plug-in sets, including the acclaimed Twixtor shot re-timer, DE:Noise for image-noise reduction, and ReelSmart Motion Blur for the addition of more-natural motion blur.

Tangent – CP200, Wave & Element Control Panels: Tangent’s range of control surfaces have become the panels-of-choice for many software-based color grading systems. SCRATCH and Lab both support the CP200, Wave as well as the upcoming Element panels, which give colorists a wide range of controls to perfect the grading of long and short-form film productions.

ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of digital workflow and post-production tools, that have proven essential to the successful creation of thousands of studio and independent features, television shows, music videos and corporate video productions. The company’s SCRATCH products, running on Windows and Mac OSX, are the heartbeat of today’s most demanding digital post-production and dailies workflows for 2D and stereo 3D productions. They equip Directors, DPs and Artists with the state-of-the-art, intuitive, data-centric solutions they need to meet the continual challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH data-centric DI system, is the most comprehensive, end-to-end cinema and broadcast imaging tool for playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED and other digital workflows. SCRATCH Lab delivers a comprehensive toolset for the review, versioning, color correction, conform and output of on-set or VFX dailies. ASSIMILATE, a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, offices in London, UK, Groningen, NL and Beijing City, CN markets its products worldwide via a global reseller network. To learn more please visit www.assimilateinc.com.