With the 9.1 version of VelocityHD and VelocityQ, users now have DVCPRO50 support. Leitch says “Existing VelocityQ 8.2 users can purchase upgrades to version 9.1 through authorized Leitch post production resellers. U.S. customers can also order VelocityQ 9.1 software upgrades directly from the Leitch e-Store. VelocityHD version 9.1 is scheduled for release in September and will be available as a free download from the Leitch Web site for all registered VelocityHD users.”

[Article text]

Universal Music Group and Lions Gate Home Entertainment are now joined with the Blu-Ray Disc Association, adding even more heavy hitters to the BDA’s list of supporters.

[Article text]

Toshiba Storage Device Division, is now shipping the first hard disk drive that utilizes perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR). The HDD is a tiny 1.8-inch form factor drive with a single 40GB platter. Toshiba also has a 2-platter 80GB version available at this time in the 1.8″ format.

Impressed? You should be. This is a leap forward in disk areal density, and is something that hard disk researchers have been striving towards for some time. PMR hard drives can deliver up to 10 times the storage density of longitudinal hard drives (Longitudinal hard drive technology is limited to 250 Gbit/sq. inch due to the Superparamagnetic effect.

How does this affect video? Well, as I understand it, PMR is less susceptible to disk degradation/corruption. Not that magnetic stability will help much when the hard drive head crashes into the platter(s), but it is an improvement in reliablity. And if you’ve ever lost a project file on a bad disk (inevitably when you are just exporting the completed project) then you will appreciate increased reliability.

And since they are squeezing more data into a smaller space, this makes cameras with tiny, built-in hard drives a lot more feasible, not to mention increased disk capacities in laptops.
And the kicker is, because the data is packed into a physically smaller space, read and write speeds increase. The hard disk head can read and write more data with less physical movement over the surface of the disk. I have read estimates of 1.5x increases in read speeds. So that means that we can now squeeze a little more performance out of pysically smaller, slower-rpm drives, decreasing power requirements and heat issues. This is a Good Thing ™.
And of course, when PMR becomes more prevalent in 3.5 desktop drives, drive capacities will go through the roof. Does a 1-terabyte desktop drive sound good to you? I’ll take two, please…

PMR is a different approach to storage. Here’s how Toshiba describes it: “Conventional longitudinal recording stores data on a magnetic disk as microscopic magnet bits aligned in plane. Although advances in magnetic coatings continue to improve data recording densities on HDD, when the densities become too extreme, the magnetic bits repulse each other due to in-plane alignment. Squeezing more bits on to a disk will eventually reach a point in which crowding degrades recorded bit quality. As such, HDD manufacturers face fast approaching limits on storage capacities. By standing the magnetic bits on end, perpendicular recording reinforces magnetic coupling between neighboring bits, achieving higher and more stable recording densities and improved storage capacity.”

For the (bored) layperson, they have a cute Flash animation that explains things a little more visually, ala-Frank Sinatra.

And Wikipedia has a nice summary on PMR complete with diagrams.

[GeekZone summary]
[Toshiba press release (PDF)]
[Flash animation on PMR]
[Wikipedia on PMR]
[Superparamagnetic effect]

Analyst Mark Stahlman has noted that he thinks Apple is readying a number of upgrades to the Mac line for the Sept. 20th Apple 2005 Expo in Paris.

“We believe that Apple is preparing new G5 PowerMacs based on IBM’s dual-core 970 PPC, G5 Mac Minis based on a new IBM low-power processor, and new G4 PowerBooks based on next generation processors from Freescale Semiconductors.”

[Full article]

I was reading Larry Jordan’s FCP Newsletter, and saw an interesting tidbit of info in the “Reader Mail” section. This reader was talking about FCP’s support for the 720p 24 frame mode available on the GY-HD100U camera.

“There was some dialog recently on the Apple Trainer’s forum about whether Final Cut supports the JVC GY-HD100U camera shooting HDV in 720p 24 frame mode. The word from Apple engineers is that FCP does not support this video format.
The HDV supported formats are: 1080i60, 1080i50 and 720p30.”

No word from Apple on whether or not this format support will be added. Methinks that they had better, that number and letter combination (720p24) makes any video geek tremble with glee…

ABC affiliate KATU (Portland, OR) and CBS affiliate KVAL-TV (Eugene, OR) are adding 29 fully-equipped AJ-SPX800 P2 cameras, 29 AJ-PCS060 P2 Store drives, seven AJ-SDP850 decks with built-in DVD recorders, 17 AJ-PCD10 drives and a large number of 4GB P2 cards, to the tune of $850,000.

They seem pretty excited about it.
[Read Article]

ArsTechnica is reporting that Hollywood studios with plans to release titles in the HD-DVD format over the 2005 holiday season are scaling back those committments.
Additionaly, it is speculated that Toshiba will be the only company delivering a HD-DVD player this Christmas, it will list at around $1000.

[Article text]

Two recent surveys reveal that consumers may not be so keen on dropping SD DVD and adopting a HD DVD format.

In JupiterResearch’s “Next-Generation DVD: Conflicting Formats Will Create Confusion and Slow Adoption” report, they cite that just 6% of online consumers plan to buy or upgrade DVD players in the next twelve months and 11% of online households have HD-capable TVs or set-top boxes.

Jupiter’s Joni Blecher states:
“Historically, consumers have resisted investing in format shifts. The release of multiple HD media formats at high prices adds to consumer confusion and ultimately slows adoption of any format. Although there is consumer interest in the improved viewing experience that’s offered by HD, it’s not enough to spark a media format shift at present. As a result, consumer electronics manufacturers and media companies will have a difficult time garnering adoption for any single next-generation HD format, let alone two competing versions.”

And now for something completely different…
According to survey firm IDC, estimates show that hi-def DVD burners will be less than 10% of DVD burner sales by 2012.
In fact, industry analysts estimate that Blue technology won’t have much of an impact in the next four years. For the next eight years DVD burners and recorders will make up the bulk or recorder sales.

[JupiterResearch Finds Scant Interest in DVD Formats for HD]
[Death of CD and DVD Greatly Exaggerated]

Panasonic Broadcast division has announced that the AJ-PCS060 P2 Store Drive is now shipping.
The Store Drive is a portable, ruggedized 60GB hard disk unit designed to dump P2 card contents to disk in the field. It can copy the contents of a 4GB P2 card to disk as quickly as 4 minutes in “Verify Off” mode. Back at the ranch, you can pull the content from the drive via a USB 2.0 interface.

The article states:
“For quick and easy operation, the AJ-PCS060 simply has a large start button. The drive also includes LED indicators for copy status, drive capacity and battery life remaining. The drive supports Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems. It runs on DC power, so a user can use a 7.2V DC battery or a 7.9V AC adaptor to power it.
The AJ-PCS060 is available at the suggested list price of $1,800.”

[Full article text]

Blu-ray Disc Association announced that they have chosen three key technologies to protect against illegal copying and large scale piracy.

From the (rather vague on technical details) article:
The Blu-ray content management system includes three primary components: Advanced Access Content System (AACS), “BD+”, a Blu-ray-specific enhancement for content protection renewability, and ROM Mark, a measure unique to Blu-ray Disc to guard against mass production piracy or the mass duplication and sale of unauthorized copies of pre-recorded media.

It’s worth noting that Blu-ray’s rival format, HD-DVD, also incorporates AACS. HD-DVD backers say that AACS by itself is sufficient for content protection.

There’s still time to form an office pool for how long it will take to circumvent or crack these protection measures…

[Article text]
[Previous FresHDV story on BD DRM]

It’s a “gamers keyboard/input device” with keys that can be stuck anywhere on a graphics-tablet-like base. The keys actually stick…they have a special mechanical adhesive on the bottoms, using the same technique that a Gecko uses to climb a seemingly flat surface. They stick tight anywhere on the pad, but remove with a twist. Keys are wireless and are powered by inductive coupling power.

The real power of the pad is in the software though…keystroke and macro recording, complete customization and control.
The cost? $150.00
Not bad.

Unfortunately for Mac users, the driver is PC-only at this time. There is an unofficial petition for OSX support on the company’s forums.

I dashed off a quick question to Ergodex Customer Service, and her’s what they told me:
Thank you for you interest in the DX1 Input System. Currently, we only
support Windows 2000 and XP. However, we are well aware of the large
potential market for our product with OS X. We have received a great
deal of interest from Mac users. Unfortunately, we cannot comment on any
unannounced product features under development at Ergodex.
Thanks again,
Customer Service

But for PC NLE users, this looks like a great input device that could potentially speed workflow and decrease hand and arm fatigue.

[Ergodex DX1 review]
[Ergodex website]
[DX1 user-to-user forums]

CoolTechZone has a good technical overview of the Blu-ray disc format.

It’s a pretty good read, if ADS! CLICK HERE! you ADS! CLICK HERE! can ADS! CLICK HERE! get ADS! CLICK HERE! past ADS! CLICK HERE! the ADS! CLICK HERE! plethora ADS! CLICK HERE! of ADS! CLICK HERE! advertisements…

Australian filmmaker Geoff Cox managed to buy, beg, or steal the first two GY-HD101E HD cameras out of the factory and is using them on his feature film “Reality Check”.

And when I say Geoff Cox, I am of course talking about the Geoff Cox of “Beastmaster” and “Flipper” fame. Yeah, that Geoff Cox.

The film is being shot in Queensland, Australia entirely on HD, and is a “Survivor gone wrong” movie.
Check it out: [http://oceania.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=33958]

Monthly disc output is expected to reach 500,000 discs by the time 2007 rolls around. These must be BD writeable blanks…anyone have any more info on this?

[http://www.i4u.com/article3983.html]

Here’s a pretty thorough review of the A1U. Looks like a decent camera at a fair price.