APPLE Buys Video & Audio Technologies

Apple has been on a buying spree that raises interesting questions about the company's plans in the motion picture and sound markets.

On the picture side, the company made several acquisitions in the high-end visual effects arena. In February, Apple announced that it had bought Nothing Real, the company behind Shake; then in July, it bought the RAYZ and Chalice compositing programs and other technologies from Silicon Grail. Chalice, RAYZ and Shake all build effects using a flowchart metaphor in which nodes represent image processing functions. In June, Apple also acquired technologies from Prismo Graphics, including India Titler Pro, a program for creating animated titles and motion graphics for broadcast and digital video projects.

The combination gives Apple tools that could be used in very sophisticated compositing and motion graphics applications.

On the sound side, Apple bought Emagic, a German music software company, which it plans to make a wholly owned division. Emagic's best-known product is Logic, a music composition and audio production program used by over 200,000 musicians around the world. Mac-based products account for more than 65 percent of Emagic's revenue and Apple plans to discontinue the company's Windows-based products on Sept. 30.

www.apple.com

AVID Releases Media Composer 11 & Xpress DV 3.5

Avid announced the availability of Media Composer 11 and Symphony 4, pointing to over 100 new features and enhancements, including a DV option (for the PC now and for the Mac later this year), Photoshop imports with layers intact, a new keyframe model for visual effects, "Timewarp" rampable motion effects, "Metasync" capabilities that provide timeline triggers to external events, and, in Symphony, the Marquee title tool. The company also announced Unity 3, MediaManager 3, TransferManager 2, ProEncode 1.7, and Media Station XL 11. Customers under an Avid Assurance contract will receive the new versions at no charge.

Avid also released Xpress DV 3.5. The update offers full Mac compatibility under OS X, and, in what is becoming a feature-for-feature battle with Final Cut Pro, robust color correction tools. It offers Media Composer compatibility, but only with 30-fps projects and does not provide for JKL trimming.

www.avid.com

EUPHONICS Releases New Software for System 5

Euphonix will release new software for its System 5 console in September. The version 2.6 upgrade will include: four EQ bands covering 20Hz-20KHz with a gain of +/- 24 dB, new algorithms for notch filters that offer more precise control, improved automation conforming tools with move, delete, copy, and other functions, new graphics that show EQ and filters simultaneously, mark-in and mark-out transport keys to define automation regions on the fly, and many other features.

www.euphonix.com

HARD DRIVE CAPACITIES to Increase Again

Areal density is the term used to measure the amount of data that a surface can contain. Since August 1998, hard disk areal density has grown 1,000 percent -- from 4 GB to 40 GB -- on a single 3 1/2" platter. More than any other development, this rapid advance in capacity has fueled the growth of non-linear editing and reduced the cost of non-linear tools. Most manufacturers' EIDE drives now max out at 120 GB with three platters. It is likely that the industry will move to 60 GB platters later this year and drive capacities will increase proportionally, with a three-platter drive holding 180 GB. Near term, this process is not expected to slow down. 240 GB drives should appear next year and larger capacities will follow.

LIGHTWORKS to Ship Touch System

Lightworks has been taking orders for Touch, its new Windows 2000-based editing system. Unveiled at NAB this year, it includes much-improved, real-time effects capabilities, shared- storage support, a redesigned hand controller with a weighted jog wheel, improved cut and change lists and many other new features. It should begin shipping by the time you read this.

www.lwks.com

DIGI 002

Digidesign announced Digi 002, a single-box, mini-studio based on Pro Tools LE, featuring an eight-channel, touch-sensitive flying-fader control surface, 24-bit/96 kHz capabilities and Mac and Windows support. The product has analog, digital and MIDI I/O, dedicated monitor and headphone outputs and a single FireWire interface to the host computer. It's expected to ship in the third quarter for $2,495.

www.digidesign.com

CONTOUR Releases Low-Cost Jog/Shuttle Controller

Contour A/V Solutions announced a smaller and lower-cost version of their ShuttlePRO controller. The SpaceShuttle has five programmable buttons and a jog/shuttle wheel. Like its more expensive sibling, it is compatible with Avid, Pro Tools, Final Cut Pro and Media 100 systems. Earlier, Contour Design announced the launch of Contour A/V Solutions, which will focus on multimedia devices. Contour Design will continue to manufacture ergonomic computer accessories, including their Perfit Mouse, which comes in eight sizes for right and left-handers.

www.contouravs.com | www.contourdesign.com

BORIS Software Moves to OS X

Boris FX, developer of graphics and effects applications for post production, announced that its FX, Red, Graffiti, and Continuum Complete products are now available for OS X. The releases work with Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Xpress DV, and Media Composer. FX is the company's effects creation tool, Graffiti offers 2D and 3D title animation, Red combines both into a single application and Continuum Complete is a filter package for After Effects and Final Cut Pro. The company's online store offers reduced prices to owners of Final Cut Pro 3.

www.BorisFX.com