MacNN suggests that Sony may be developing a competing software package called Socratto to take on Apple’s Shake. It’s all rumors and speculation right now, but an interesting point regardless.

We mentioned the Codex Digital HD/2K/4K field recorder system after it was announced at last year’s CineGear Expo. Well it now seems the system will be shipping in June 2008, and has already been in use on a variety of high-end production sets (including the Wachowski brother’s Speed Racer). At NAB 2008 Codex showed the unit in action. Due to time-constraints, FreshDV wasn’t able to get over to the Codex booth to get a look at the system first-hand…but here are some juicy details on the technology.

The Codex Portable is a disk recorder “about the size of a toaster” that is capable of capturing 1080p, 2K, 4K, etc in up to 4:4:4 in a variant of JPEG2000 compression that is “visually indistinguishable” from uncompressed and “comparable” to HDCAM-SR. When you add the Codex Transfer Station, you have the option to output content from the swappable diskpacks in DPX, MXF, DnxHD, QuickTime, AVI, JPEG, BMP, and BWF file formats. In addition to wired networking interfaces, there’s also the capability to snag H.264 proxies via wifi for on-set previews and a quick edit-as-you-go workflow. Very useful.

The Portable has extensive support for all the typical HD cameras like the F23, Viper, and others, and can accept the raw data modes of the ARRI D-20, D-21, and DALSA Origin (and I imagine the Evolution as well, if it ever comes out). When Red enables the 4K data mode on the Red One, it will also be able to accept that data. Recordings are captured to dual hot-swappable, shock-mounted RAID or Solid-State DiskPacks that can hold up to three hours at high quality (high bit-rate JPEG2000 variant).

The Codex Portable is designed to be ruggedized and weather-resistant, weighs under 10lbs, and can be powered by standard camera batteries. It includes a touchscreen to directly access takes for full-frame playback, and can be remote-controlled via it’s (secure) wifi interface. War-Filming anyone? :-) Production units are expected to ship in June of this year, and pricing is as follows: $44,500 (USD), £22,500 (GBP), €33,000 Euros. You can find more information at codexdigital.com

As I mentioned earlier, the Codex workflow has already been used on the set of Speed Racer. Here’s a quick summary:

Codex and Sohonet became the hub of the entire workflow, providing all functions of the film-lab, tape-transfer and courier services on this $100m-plus, FX-intensive production. There were between three and five camera units operating simultaneously at times, using Sony F23 cameras. Codex recorded the uncompressed output in parallel with a recording to HDCAM-SR tape for archive purposes. The camera, engineering and Codex package for on-set and post production was designed and integrated by digital cinematography specialist PACE at its Burbank facility. Both PACE and Codex provided on-location support. On Speed Racer, Codex systems delivered immediate playback and review, plus the feeds for on-set compositing, and also converted the footage to the different formats required by the production. These included full and half-resolution DPX frames used for effects, QuickTime viewing copies, and Avid MXF proxies. The DPX files were sent by Sohonet to the in-studio FX unit, and to the Los Angeles VFX house. Avid MXF files, generated by the Codex, were immediately available for editing with
no time-consuming import / digitising. This enabled the screening of full-quality editorials of
the previous day’s work – every day during the 12-week shoot.

Adam Wilt has a few snapshots and notes on the Codex offerings at NAB. Check them out at PVC.

 Carrion LCD Field Monitor [6:10m]: Download

Also showing at Redrock’s booth at NAB 2008 was the Carrion LCD field monitor from LS Design. This 8.4″ LCD production monitor features 1024 x 768 resolution, a 500:1 contrast ratio, anti-reflective coating, and a ton of standard input/output options (yes, HD-SDI is an option as well). Get the full scoop here. Download the attached video or watch online at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Nila LED Lighting Systems [6:02m]: Download

At NAB 2008 we dropped by Nila’s booth for a demonstration of their impressive line of production LED lights. Very impressive. Download the attached video or watch online at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Redrock Micro Cinema Accessories: Download

Redrock Micro has been gradually expanding beyond their 35mm adapter system roots into the area of cinema accessories. They have provided a fantastic follow focus system for quite some time, and now with the introduction of a full-featured mattebox they are really rounding out their product line. At NAB 2008 they also introduced a handheld camera support system called the microShouldermount. We actually had the chance to test out the system while shooting some of our NAB coverage, and in this video segment you’ll get a look at our run-n-gun HVR-Z7U rig built on the microShouldermount. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

 Zylight LED Lighting Systems [4:54m]: Download

In the NAB 2008 Central Hall we took a look at Zylight LED lighting options. This compact dimmable light is amazingly configurable, with switchable Tungsten, Daylight, or Gel modes (no filters required). The lights can be dialed into a variety of colors to match other lighting or environments, and they include a wireless link mode that allows multiple Zylights to be linked and controlled as one unit. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Redrock microFilters [0:57m]: Download

While shooting a NAB 2008 segment at the bustling Redrock Micro booth, Brian Valente pulled us aside to drop a tasty little hint at an upcoming announcement that should go nicely with their new microMattebox. It’s a set of all-glass 4×5.65 filters that include a ND, Circular Polarizer, and ND Grad. Download out the attached video or watch online at FreshTV for the scoop.

 EX3 Interview with Bob Ott: Download

When Sony announced the XDCAM EX1 at NAB 2007, we were very excited at the possibilities. When they shipped the camera in late 2007, we were impressed by it’s mature featureset and capabilities. With such a robust camera on the market, nobody seems to have seen the PMW-EX3 announcement coming, FreshDV included. In the following segment, Sony’s Bob Ott discusses the EX3 and accompanying SxS VTR/Deck, addressing specific user questions and detailed capabilities of the system. We also got our hands on an EX3, and take a close look at the ergonomics and camera layout. Download the attached video or watch online at FreshTV.

Update: Just like the EX1, the EX3 does in fact output 4:2:2 from the SDI spigot. We confirmed this with Bob Ott. The video segment has been updated to reflect this correction.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 3ware Sidecar Video Podcast: Download

We stopped by 3ware’s booth at NAB 2008 and spoke with Thor Wixom about their external SATA RAID external enclosure storage solution for 2k/4k editing workflows. With a 300mb/s sustained speed from the 3ware Sidecar, it provides more than enough for multiple streams of 2k and 4k Cineform RAW. The system can also easily handle uncompressed 1080p RGB. Download the attached video or watch online at FreshTV.

Update: Via Thor on the Reduser forums, there is a group buy discount available for the Sidecar. Add it to your cart and use the discount code thorwixom during checkout to get the system for just $595.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Matrox MXO 2 [5:06m]: Download

At NAB 2008 we stopped by Matrox’s booth to get a look at the new MXO 2 for Mac editors. This upgrade to the popular MXO adds multiple ingest options as well as previous output options. Additionally, Matrox has built in support for powering the unit from industry-standard camera batteries, so this unit truly offers portable I/O for editors in the field. Check out this video for the full scoop. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

Update: Videoguys is taking pre-orders on the MXO 2 here.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Imagineer Systems Mogul VFX Architecture [12:14m]: Download

Imagineer Systems made a huge announcement at NAB 2008 with the introduction of their completely new VFX architecture called Mogul. Not only is it an entirely new software pipeline, but they are offering it under a very unique subscription pricing model. Imagineer’s Allan Jaenicke gave us the scoop on the new suite of tools, and we later take a short look at how one of Mogul’s modules called Mogul/Review can help streamline VFX workflows. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

 Unique Products and Solutions [8:01m]: Download

Here’s a sampling of crisp and crunchy new gear from NAB 2008. The Bartech Utility Zoom (BUZ) bridges the gap between traditional wired analog controls and cine-style zoom motors. Swit showed off a number of new HD monitors with HD-SDI input options, HD-SDI converter boxes, and a new Sony L-series battery replacement with charge indicators and an accessory power tap (we show it with the S2010 LED light). Hoodman’s WristShot is a arm/wrist support for small handheld camcorders. Hoodman also showed off their line of 300x “zero-defects” CF media and USB/FW card reader for Red One users. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Misc Lighting Solutions [6:30m]: Download

There was no shortage of options for lighting on display at NAB 2008. In this segment Bron Kobold showed off their all-weather HMI lighting solutions with an impressive display in which the light kit is continually doused with falling water. Finally, Flolight walked us through their low-power lightweight flourescent lighting solutions, available in daylight and tungsten-balanced with dimmer options. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 New JVC Storage Options [5:56m]: Download

JVC announced a new solid-state recording option at NAB 2008, and FreshDV was on the scene to break the news. The MR-HD200 module is JVC’s hard-drive and SDHC (SD High Capacity) media recording solution for the HD200-series of camcorders. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto

 Blackmagic Design NAB Updates [5:47m]: Download

Blackmagic Design was of course exhibiting their latest at NAB 2008, we got a quick rundown on all the latest offerings and developments in their line, including the new Decklink HD Extreme card. Watch via the attached download link or at FreshTV.

FreshDV’s coverage of NAB 2008 is made possible by the support of the following companies:
Cinevate | DSC Labs | Imagineer Systems | Letus | Redrock Micro | Videoguys | Zacuto