Archive for May, 2007
Pirates in digital format – 1064 theatres
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the first feature to be released on more than 1,000 digital cinema screens. Pirates is set to open on 1,064 digital cinema screens domestically in US and an additional 410 internationally, according to Disney distribution president Chuck Viane.
India centric info: Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End is releasing in the Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai, TN, India in RDX (Digital Relase) from June 1, 2007 in QUBE.
720pHD Handheld Camera under $300
Aiptek today announced $300 HD Handheld camera. Named GOHD it can record 720p HD clips at 30frames per second. The camera uses real time encoding of H.264 (AVCHD) and can store upto 4 hours of video in a 8GB SDHC card. It is 4.5 inches tall and 2.8 inches wide and can be used one-handed.
A quick switch turns the camera into 5-megapixel still camera. The camera has a special night zone mode that forces the LED lights to turn on in dark scenes. A 3x Optical Zoom lens is provided with special macro mode for shots as close as two inches away.
Compatible with Mac and Windows PC with USB 2.0 port. The camera is already shipping in major online stores in US and you can visit their site for additional information.
Product Features
1280×720 – 16:9 Ratio @ 30 FPS for Recording Movies:
The GO-HD DV performs 720P high definition video quality to provide a whole new high quality DV experience. One-touch recording allows you to capture stunning HD (1280 x 720 – 16:9 aspect ratio) video clips at 30 frames per second with advanced H.264 technology.
5 Mega Pixel Digital Camera:
Equipped with a 5 mega pixel CMOS sensor, and Auto-Focus will help you get the best pictures every time!
3x Optical Zoom w/ Auto Focus:
Bring your subject closer to get the best image with the 3x Optical Zoom with Auto Focus.
Swivel-Reversible 2.4″ TFT Color LCD Display:
Review and playback you HD video clips and hi-res pictures in real time. LCD swivels 270° for unlimited video and photo taking.
2-inch Macro Zoom:
The GO-HD will capture 5cm close-up pictures or video clips with Macro Zoom.
Night Shot:
Enhance image quality while capturing photos in darker environments with your GO-HD.
LED Lights:
Built-in LED lights on your GO-HD for video recording in dark/low light situations.
Recharge Battery via USB:
Conveniently charge your new GO-HD via the USB cable when connected to your PC or use the AC Charger cable included. No need to remove battery from camera.
HDTV Component Output:
Connect your GO-HD to your HDTV Component input ports to display your high definition video clips and still pictures, sharing them with friends and family.
Removable Hard Disk and SD/MMC Card Reader:
The GO-HD allows you to use up to 8GB of SD card storage to record longer video before having to upload to your PC. (No Internal Memory)
Specifications:
Image Sensor – 5 Mega-Pixel CMOS (2592 x 1944)
Lens – 3x Optical Zoom lens (7.5mm ~ 21.5mm, F 3.6 ~ 6.7)
Movie Mode – 1280 x 720 Pixels (H.264) up to 30 fps, 720 x 480 Pixels (D1) up to 30 fps, 352 x 240 Pixels (CIF) up to 30 fps
Video Format – .MOV
Still Image – 2560 x 1920 Pixels (5 Mega Pixel), 2048 x 1536 Pixels (3 Mega Pixel)
Macro Mode – 5 ~ 30cm (at 1x fixed zoom), Normal Mode: 30cm ~ infinity
LCD Display – 2.4” TFT Panel with 270° Rotation
External Memory – SD Card Slot (256MB – 8GB)
TV Out – HDTV (Component Out) and NTSC/PAL Color System Supported
Interface – USB2.0
Battery – NP-60 1000mA Li-Ion battery
HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on May 29th, 2007
Posted by gbalaji in Blu-ray, Digital Cinema, HD DVD on May 29, 2007
In this section i will be posting the latest relases and the total tally of HD DVD and Blu-ray.
Universal has relased for HD DVD this week with old classics like Midnight Run and The River.Lionsgate first season of showtime show Weeds as well as sensational movie Basic Instict.
HD DVD 202 vs Blu-ray 233.
Blu-ray
Basic Instinct (Lionsgate)
Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests (Sony Music)
Curse of the Golden Flower (Sony)
Weeds: Season One (Lionsgate)
HD DVD
Dragonheart (Universal)
The Frighteners: Director’s Cut (Universal)
Lost in Translation (Universal) – $28.95
Midnight Run (Universal)
The River (Universal)
courtesy: EngadgetHD
HD cameras
Posted by gbalaji in Uncategorized on May 27, 2007
HD cameras available in india for Rental and purchase.
Panasonic Varicam with HD lens adaptor for rental and purchase available from
Visual Technologies India Pvt Ltd
C.Senthil – Senior Manager-Technical
Address: 10,Warren Road, Mylapore, Chennai-600 004.
Ph:91 44 24993981/24993982 e-mail: senthil@vtipl.com
Fax: 91 44 24993980 website: www.vtipl.com
1K Extract from RED Digital Cinema Camera
Posted by gbalaji in Digital Cinema, RED on May 27, 2007
Red.com has posted an 1K extract of their REDCODE RAW 4k video which was shot by Peter Jackson in New Zealand on alpha prototype cameras “Boris” and “Natasha”, with 180° shutter at 24 fps.
Download the video
Download the .TORRENT file.
Download via HTTP.
Video Specs
1K Extract is 91 MB. 30 seconds @ 24 fps. 1024 x 512.
RED delay again
RED Digital Cinema Camera which revolutionise the NAB 2006 and 2007 has posted an extended delay due to suppliers delay of accessories. In reduser.net forum, Jim posted that they are ready to give deposit to the users who are nervous and reassured that the deposit are safe.
Post from Jim on reduser.net,
“There has been some concern about how much we knew about the delay and when. This is the history.
We have had a comprehensive schedule from day one. It has been updated everytime we got new news, met a milestone and received confirmed bids from suppliers.
We had so few setbacks early that we started to feel certain that we would have no trouble meeting our schedule targets. In early April (right at NAB), things began to change. We had a surprise failure in one of our production boards. What we thought would be a quick fix turned out to require a re-design and re-spin. As soon as we realized this we posted the “Engineering Delay”. After NAB we also got bad news from two of our suppliers. These suppliers were thought to be completely reliable and bulletproof. But they delayed their schedule to us in a dramatically negative way. Given that they are two of a hundred, you would think it would not be a big deal. But every supplier is critical. Miss one part and you/we are screwed. We have since sought out multiple suppliers on every critical part. But the damage to the schedule was done.
I expect that we will have a full report of our situation on or about June 15th. I do not want to publish another shipping schedule without a pretty clear belief that we can make it. But this is a very complicated and difficult project. You can’t get “lucky” in a revolution.
I hope that everyone will feel some comfort that we are being open and transparent. If there is good news… we are quick to tell you. If there is bad news… we are quick to tell you.
Just remember that a schedule is a PROJECTED ESTIMATE of how things are going. If we were done, it would not be called a schedule. We are here to answer questions. We have not disappeared when the going gets tough. Anyone who is nervous always has the option of getting their deposit back. You have my personal guarantee that your deposit is safe and secure.
Any other questions about the schedule should wait until mid-June.
Thanks for your support and your patience.”
- Jim
We will support you Jim.
Anyone from India who has booked red camera can contact me with details for me to post it on my HD camera Rental section.
Silverlight brings Windows Media Streaming for MAC
Posted by gbalaji in Apple, Microsoft, windows media on May 25, 2007
Silverlight is Microsoft’s cross-platform, Flash alternative, which is now available in beta for both Safari and Firefox. Eddie Hargreaves point out in Apple blog post that Silverlight will return official Microsoft support for Windows Media streaming to the Mac, including HD video support up to 720p.
Microsoft stopped development of the Windows Media Player for Mac and the last version is Windows Media Player 9, Since then primary Windows Media solution on the Mac has been from Flip4Mac, a plugin for running wmv media inside the Quick Time Player. Microsoft itself is distributing the Flip4Mac plugin. Microsoft is not going to support PPC mac for Silverlight as reported by TUAW.
Silverlight is available as a free download here.
Boris FX Plug-ins support for Final Cut Studio 2
Today i received mail from Boris FX Support team for their support for Final Cut Studio 2 immediately.
“Boris FX plug-ins are immediately available for the new Apple Final Cut Studio 2 release. Owners of Boris Continuum Complete 4.1, Boris RED 4.1, Boris FX 9.1, and Boris Graffiti 5.1 can move to Apple Final Cut Pro version 6 and begin working immediately. Boris projects and presets are seamlessly transitioned to Apple Final Cut Pro 6; no additional software updates are needed.
The new Apple Final Cut Studio 2 release improves Boris plug-in integration and adds several key updates including support for Boris FX transitions. ”
- Boris FX Support Team
Trial version download are available here.
Boris Red 4.1 review from Videography
“A big advantage of RED is its emphasis on 3D functionality. One new feature is vector trace, which enables you to automatically trace any rasterized object, like a JPEG logo, and turn it into a spline object. This vector-based spline can be filled, extruded and turned into a 3D object complete with textures, shading and lighting. Other new features include paint and cloning tools. ”
One particularly nice set of filters is the Time group, which includes Optical Flow, commonly used for slo-mo. Optical Flow is able to create smooth, film-style motion because it computes and creates new in-between frames.”
- Videography review.
Boris Red 4.1 upgrade is available at $295.
QUBE Digital Cinema from India
Posted by gbalaji in Digital Cinema, QUBE on May 25, 2007
The next big wave in Digital Cinema is from India by Real Image Media Technologist and its called QUBE Cinema.
QUBE Cinema provide the ultimate combination of quality, reliability, ease-of-use, security and flexibility. The architecture has been designed based on 15 years of industry expertise and experience in cinema, audio, video and computers based Post-production solutions provided by Real Image and Media Artist, an subsidiary of Real Image.
About Real Image Media Technologist
They were the company who brought Avid editing and DTS Cinema Sound to India. Over 1500 DTS Cinemas theaters installed in India till date and 1000 Indian DTS films licensed by them..
End to end Digital Cinema Solutions from QUBE
QubeXP-D
Standards-based and aimed at the D-cinema market. Manuals can be downloaded here (552 Kb)
QubeXP-E
Aimed at the E-cinema and Pre-show market. Manuals can be downloaded here ( 542 Kb)
QubeMini
Digital Cinema for Alternative Venues. Manuals in PDF here (2151 Kb)
QubeMaster
Encode, encrypt and package content for Digital Cinema. Manuals in PDF here (1063 Kb)
QubeCast
Multicast digital content via satellite, data networks. Multicast of shows from central server to multiple theaters using patented Digital FountainTM technology
QubeCentral
Control, monitor, manage digital cinema networks for back-end operations
QubeShare
Shared storage of digital media over Ethernet networks up to to 32 screens
QubePlex
Control, monitor multiple screens in Multiplex and central unit status view and scheduling
QUBE Cinema Advantages:
⁃ Software-based design and easily upgradeable and flexible.
⁃ Reliability based on next generation database-driven design.
⁃ Redundant hot-swap power supplies and RAID 1,0 based hard drives.
⁃ DCI based model for Picture quality, Sound and Subtitling
⁃ Runs on Windows XP Embedded OS and runs on Microsoft DirectShow and .NET framework, an Microsoft case study
⁃ 128-bit AES standard encryption of Media based on DCI specification
⁃ Control over start date and end date for each media package and keys are 2048-bit RSA encrypted as specified by DCI and tamper proof system time hardware
⁃ Watermarking on media results on identification of Unit ID, Play date and time.
⁃ Its is simple theatre device which has USB Remote Control Panel which has Play, Pause and Stop controls which elminates the projectionist learning curve
⁃ Web-based UI and manged remotely from QUBE headquarters
⁃ File Formats – MXF, AVI and ASF and supports MPEG elementary and transport streams
⁃ Compression – DCI JPEG2000, MPEG-2 4:2:2, 4:2:0 and Windows Media 9 4:2:0 formats and upgradable with software codecs including MPEG-4 & H.264.
⁃ Sound – 1-bit and 24-bit audio at 48KHz and 96KHz sampling rates. Also decodes Windows Media 9, AC3 and MPEG audio.
⁃ Mulitple Picture, Sound & Subtitling where tracks are identified by language in QUBEMaster
⁃ Display Aspect Handling – System adjust based on aspect ratio of display and anamorphic lens and auto-resize images to display correct aspect ratio and pixel accurate pass through of data when no resizing
⁃ Automatic resume playback on power failure
⁃ Automation using IP, Serail Port and GPI. Provides API for interfacing to third party software.
⁃ One server can be used for multiple markets like pre-show, e-cinema and d-cinmea markets and Multi-unit synchronization
⁃ On-line reporting as logs and condition of theatre units
⁃ Media can be transported to QUBE server from physical media deviceslike USB-2 & FireWire Hard Drives or DVD-ROM discs as well as Data lines and through Satellite links
White Paper on QUBE Cinema workflow can be downloaded here (213 Kb)
Entire Manuals and Literature can be downloaded here
Total installed theaters in India, US and Kuwait over 170 and increasing day by day. Over 120 screens till date in Tamil Nadu, India including Sathyam and Abirami complexes. Major theatre network installed so far are E-City (Zee), India – Landmark Group, USA – Redecine, Portugal, Europe – Cinescape, kuwait – Nation Film Board, Canada – Caribbean Cinemas, Puerto Rico
I have the pleasure of watching Digital Cinema in theater near me 1 year before and the quality of Picture and Sound are excellent. We have started Media Traning Institute and plan to run our ADs in QUBE. Seen the first screening and fully satisfied.
I also have the opportunity to talk with people behind Qube Cinema. The 40% of theater structure in Tamil Nadu is going for a revamp to QUBE digital cinema.
For the next time you see a digital cinema theater near you double check whether its QUBE.
There are also other players in this field from India. Will write about them in coming days.
Avid Xpress Pro 5.7 in Mac Pro and PC
Avid Xpress Pro 5.7 installed on Mac Pro seems to work well without any issues. Avid has sorted out the reverse playback issue of source clips in source monitor in this version.
In PC we had the issue of hanging. System hangs when the resolution motion is toggled to full green mode or choosing DV source in Capture. Posted on Avid Forums and yet to get clear cut solutions.
So wait till Avid solves the issues with PC and dont hurry up in upgrading to Avid XPress Pro 5.7 for PC.
Note: Avid Xpress Pro 5.7 works perfectly in Intel Mac Pro.