Blackmagic Design Announces New Family of Powerful Mini Converters

Blackmagic Design Announces New Family of Powerful Mini Converters

NAB 2008, Las Vegas, NV, USA - April 14, 2008 - Blackmagic Design Inc. today announced a new family of powerful Mini Converters with innovative features and technologies. There are 5 models in the Mini Converter family, plus the new Broadcast Converter, a combination rack mount all-in-one model.

All Mini Converters are on display at NAB 2008 at the Blackmagic Design booth SL10920

Mini Converters include extremely powerful features such as 3 Gb/s SDI technology, redundant SDI inputs, balanced analog and AES/EBU switchable audio, standard 1/4-inch jack audio connections and an international power supply which includes adapter plates for all international power sockets.

Unlike other converters on the market today, Mini Converters are designed to be easy to understand. All models have the same basic features, and there is only 1 model for each type of conversion for increased simplicity. This eliminates the dozens of confusing models that products of this type typically suffer from.

Also unlike other converters, Mini Converters have simple names that are easy to understand. Other converters on the market use strange numbers for product names, which make it impossible to tell what the converter actually does.

There are 5 models of Mini Converters: Mini Converter SDI to Analog, Mini Converter Analog to SDI, Mini Converter SDI to HDMI, and Mini Converter HDMI to SDI. All these models are priced at US$495. Mini Converter Sync Generator is a black burst and tri-sync sync generator model priced at US$295.

For anyone who needs a complete bi-directional conversion solution, then the new Broadcast Converter model allows simultaneous SDI to analog and analog to SDI conversion at the same time. Broadcast Converter retail at US$995.

To keep the Mini Converter product line incredibly simple to understand, there is only 1 model for each type of video conversion. This means each Mini Converter model has more features than found in other converters. Mini Converters have audio on standard 1/4 inch jack connectors, and the audio can be switched between balanced analog or AES/EBU audio. Jack connectors makes it easy to use off the shelf cables and a wide range of audio products.

“When we developed the new Mini Converters, we approached the problem from a design point of view to solve one of the biggest issues with converters, and that’s making them much more accessible to creative people who need to install them personally,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “We made only one premium model of each conversion type, and called them simple descriptive names that anyone can understand. Then we packed them with innovative technology and features! We hope this helps make it easy for anyone to grow their post production studio as large as their creative talents make possible!”

Redundant SDI inputs are designed to be used on live events where cables could be damaged by crowds so if video input is lost, the SDI inputs instantly change. Loop through SDI allows the SDI input to loop to other equipment. 3 Gb/s SDI allows Mini Converters to be upgraded via the built in USB connection to support new television formats in the future. Built in mini switches allow settings to be changed for audio types, audio de-embedding channels, analog video types and more.

Blackmagic Mini Converters are available now from Blackmagic Design resellers. All four models are only US$495 or €325, and the Sync Generator model is US$295 or €199. The Broadcast Converter model is US$995 or €675 and available in May.

Specific Models

• Mini Converter SDI to Analog includes everything needed to convert from SDI to analog in HD/SD component, NTSC and PAL video, plus balanced AES/EBU and analog audio. Easily connect equipment such as Betacam SP, VHS, and analog video monitors to SDI based equipment.
• Mini Converter Analog to SDI is perfect for converting from analog video in HD/SD component, NTSC, PAL or S-Video to SDI video with the choice to embed SDI audio from balanced AES/EBU or analog audio inputs. Convert analog devices such as Betacam SP, VHS, Set top boxes and HDV cameras to SDI video.
• Mini Converter SDI to HDMI converts from SDI to HDMI video with embedded HDMI audio, plus balanced AES/EBU or analog audio. Imagine using big screen televisions and video projectors for broadcast video monitoring! Easily connect HDMI displays to SDI based equipment.
• Mini Converter HDMI to SDI is ideal for converting from HDMI devices to SDI video with the choice to embed SDI audio from HDMI, AES/EBU or balanced analog audio inputs. Add SDI outputs to cameras with HDMI connections, or add SDI outputs to computers with HDMI compatibility.
• Broadcast Converter combines all mini converters into a 1 rack unit chassis that allow bi-directional conversion. Convert SDI to analog/HDMI while at the same time converting analog to HDMI to SDI. Broadcast Converter is a complete solution for connecting analog decks such as Betacam SP to SDI based systems in a compact rack mount design.
• Mini Converter Sync Generator includes 6 crystal stabilized video reference outputs for referencing all the video equipment in your studio in either high definition Tri-Sync, or standard definition Black Burst, television standards.

Availability

Mini Converters are shipping now from all Blackmagic Design authorized resellers worldwide. The Broadcast Converter will be shipping in May.

When it becomes available buy the Blackmagic Design Mini Converters here at AValive.com for the best price on the internet.

Blackmagic Design Announces the Blackmagic Video Recorder

Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Video Recorder

NAB 2008, Las Vegas, NV, USA - April 14, 2008 - Blackmagic Design Inc. today announced the new Blackmagic Video Recorder, a compact USB video capture product that captures files direct to H.264 files for iPod™, iPhone™, Apple TV™, YouTube™, IPTV, Web or full resolution archiving.

Blackmagic Video Recorder is on display at NAB 2008 at the Blackmagic Design booth SL10920.

The H.264 file format used with Video Recorder will allow direct capture to files compatible with mobile devices such as iPods, so users don’t need to do time consuming rendering. Long tapes can be captured, and then dropped into iTunes for syncing with iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV devices.

There are two models of Blackmagic Video Recorder, an analog one for consumers, and an SDI one for professionals.

Blackmagic Video Recorder has high quality analog component, NTSC, PAL and S-Video input, and allows capture from any analog source, such as VHS, Video-8, DVD, Set top boxes etc. Blackmagic Video Recorder SDI features standard definition SDI input and RS-422 deck control for connection to any broadcast deck.

“Because videotapes such as VHS degrade over time, there are millions of hours of home movies sitting on old videotape that need to be converted to computer files or transferred to mobile devices such as iPods, so you can show family and friends!” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. ”But there are also millions of hours of professionally videotaped programs that need to be moved to computers so they can be sold to customers online, or used in IPTV applications. I feel this is an incredibly important product for moving all that television content into the future. The future is mobile and in your hand!”

Included with the USB hardware is the Video Recorder software which lets customers capture video with easy to use controls. When this software is used with the Video Recorder SDI model, users can enter in and out points for the deck they are capturing from. The Video Recorder software also allows users to set video scaling to reduce the resolution for mobile devices. To make great captured movie files, the Video Recorder software allows interactive cropping of the video edges, so analog blanking, VHS switching marks, and VITC timecode artifacts can be cropped out.

Video Recorder Key Features

• Capture direct to H.264 files for mobile devices such as iPod, iPhone, Apple TV. No video conversion rendering required because these devices play back native H.264 video.
• Two low cost models, one analog, and one SDI.
• Includes easy to use Video Recorder software for capturing video.
• Compact size, USB powered “thumb drive” size.

Availability and Price

Blackmagic Video Recorder will be available in mid July for US$119 or €79 from all Blackmagic Design authorized resellers worldwide. Blackmagic Video Recorder SDI will retail at US$299 or €199.

When it becomes available buy the buy Blackmagic Video Recorder here at AValive.com for the best price on the internet.

AValive Installs Digidesign D-Command on One Tree Hill Set

AValive hs installed theDigidesign D-Command Mixing Console and an Apple Based Intel Mac with Digidesign Protools HD 2 system on the set of Warner Brothers Hit Series "One Tree Hill"

The system will be used in the One Tree Hill series as the control room for Sophia Bush aka Brooke Davis.

Apple Final Cut Server Ships !

Final Cut Server Now Shipping

CUPERTINO, California—April 8, 2008—Apple® today announced that Final Cut® Server, a powerful software solution for media asset management and workflow automation, is now shipping. A scaleable server application, Final Cut Server automatically catalogs large collections of assets, allows searching across multiple disks and SAN volumes and enables viewing, annotation and approval of content from anywhere using a PC or Mac®.

“Whether producing a 30-second spot, the nightly news or a major motion picture, Final Cut Studio is the choice of editors around the world,” said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. “With the introduction of Final Cut Server, collaboration just got a whole lot easier for millions of editors, producers and clients who work with Final Cut Studio.”

“For the past few months we’ve been using a beta of Final Cut Server to manage our entire workflow pipeline, 24/7, and it held up beautifully,” said Evan Schechtman, CTO of Radical Media. “Best of all, Final Cut Server integrates seamlessly with our home-grown solutions so it’s actually adding new value to systems we’ve relied on for years.”

Final Cut Server automatically catalogs media and generates thumbnails, poster frames and low-resolution clip proxies for quick browsing in user specified formats. A cross-platform client enables a PC or Mac to use Final Cut Server’s broad search capabilities, which extend from simple keywords to complex combinations of IPTC, XMP and XML metadata. Final Cut Server also configures a range of highly specific access controls that define user permissions on an asset or project basis.

Final Cut Server scales to support workgroups of different sizes, ranging from a two-person post house to a multi-national news organization and can automate as much, or as little, of the production pipeline as needed. A configurable event-based response model tracks job status, monitors media changes, and automates review and approval notifications and complex sequences of tasks—all through a series of simple menu selections.

Tightly integrated with Final Cut Studio® for a seamless extension of the workflow, Final Cut Server includes Compressor 3, Apple’s industrial strength digital encoding and compression tool, which delivers pristine format conversions for publishing to DVD, broadcast television, the Internet, Apple TV®, iPod®, iPhone™ and other mobile phones.

Final Cut Server is available immediately thru AValive.com in a 10 License Version as well as a Unlimited Version.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

AValive NAB Represent

AValive will be attending NAB 2008. Vendors and customers requesting appointments should email customerservice@avalive.com . Appointments remain available on Tuesday and Wednesday April 15-16 2009.

AValive and Gefen offers USB to DVI graphics adapter

AValive announced Graphics peripheral maker Gefen on Wednesday introduced a new USB to DVI Graphics Adapter that enables Macs or PCs to connect a DVI or VGA display using a USB port instead of a conventional video port. It can be found here.

The plug-and-play device outputs in DVI-I format and allows you to connect either a VGA display or a DVI display — this lets you hook up external monitors or projectors without having to tie up an external video interface, according to Gefen. It can be used for multi-monitor configurations where all available video ports are already being used, as well.

The device supports screen resolutions up to 1600 x 1200. It can mirror the main display or extend the desktop.

Buy all Gefen products for the best price on the internet at AValive.com.

Apple hunts Windows users with Safari 3.1

Apple has released the latest version of its Safari web browser.

A full release version of Safari, which has until now only been available for Mac, is now also shipping a Windows-friendly version.

This reflects the fact that Microsoft's operating system runs on Intel Macs.

A beta version of Safari 3 for Windows was released in June last year, quickly followed by a bug-fix from Apple.

Despite a shaky start - which included online reports of slow page loading compared to Internet Explorer 7 on Windows machines - a million people downloaded the beta in just 48 hours.

Safari is currently the number three browser in the marketplace, with analytics company Net Applications data showing six per cent of the world's web users use the browser. Internet Explorer accounts for three quarters of the market, followed by Mozilla's Firefox on about 17 per cent.

Apple claims that Safari 3.1 is the fastest web browser in the world - 1.9 times faster than Internet Explorer 7 and 1.7 times faster than Firefox 2.

It based these claims on tests made with VeriTest iBench 5.0 using default settings running on an iMac 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Windows XP with 1GB of RAM.

Apple also says that Safari is capable of running JavaScript up to six times faster than other browsers and is better tooled to deliver Web 2.0 content.

"Safari 3.1 for Mac and Windows is blazingly fast, easy to use and features an elegant user interface," said Apple spokesman Philip Schiller, "and best of all, Safari supports the latest audio, video and animation standards for an industry-leading Web 2.0 experience."

He is referring to support for the new video and audio HTML tags, CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) animations, and CSS web fonts.

To work, Safari 3.1 for Windows needs XP or Vista, at least 256MB of RAM and a minimum 500MHz Intel Pentium processor.

On Mac, it will run on any G3, G4 G5 or Intel machine with FireWire, running updated OS X Tiger (10.4.11) and carrying at least 256MB of RAM.

Buy Apple products for the best price on the internet at AValive.com.