We reported recently that the Mac encoding app Visualhub was being abandoned by Techspansion. Well it now seems that they author has entirely open-sourced the project. Hopefully those with coding skills will take up the banner and grow the application.

Loader Software Review
www.digital-heaven.co.uk/loader/
$49.00
By Matthew Jeppsen

As a freelancer who prefers to use Final Cut Pro for most of my editing projects, I’m fully involved in all levels of the post-production process. Without an assistant editor, I alone am responsible for importing and organizing media and assets. I suspect that a rather large percentage of FreshDV readers are in the same situation.

My organization workflow is fairly rigid. Using Finder I’ll create a master project folder, and store all the project media and assets in subfolders; Video, Audio, Music, Images, etc. I then import those folders and assets into FCP and keep a similar bin structure, essentially mirroring the hierarchy at the Finder level. This organization is almost never completed before I begin cutting the project, I’m always bouncing back and forth between iTunes, Finder, and FCP as I import additional media and revised assets. Audio and music imports require an extra step, converting everything to 48kHz 16-bit AIF files to avoid audio rendering and glitchy playback in FCP. Some people use Compressor droplets to simplify this, some convert in iTunes and use it to manage audio assets, some do the mp3 > aif conversion manually with Quicktime. However you choose to do it, I think you’ll agree that converting everything to 48k aif files is a pain.

For the past several weeks I’ve been beta testing a new app from Digital Heaven, called Loader. A helper app for FCP, this program essentially consists of a tiny slate-patterned wedge or tab that sits on the left side of your screen. Loader hovers over any open windows, including FCP. It can be situated vertically anywhere on the left edhe of the screen by CMD-dragging the widget. Clicking on Loader reveals a slide-out tray that contains the names of all open FCP projects.

Now comes the cool part; lets say you want to import several assets into to your project; an MP3 audio voiceover track, a jpg image, and a video clip. Simply drag those files over the Loader tab to expand the tray. This reveals all your open project files. Now just drop the files onto the appropriate project file in the list. If this is the first time you’ve used Loader with this project, you’ll be asked to specify the master directory where assets are to be stored. This prompt won’t appear the next time you use Loader with that project. After selecting the asset folder, the tray collapses back into a tab and Loader goes to work.

It copies over the image and video clip to Graphics and Movies subfolders, respectively. Those directories will be created if they don’t already exist. The MP3 is converted to a 48/16 AIF file before being copied into an Audio subfolder. This all happens in the background, you can continue editing with FCP while Loader churns away. The app’s widget turns red to indicate it is processing files. After all the assets are copied and/or converted, a timestamped bin automagically appears in the FCP project window, containing the files you dropped on Loader. You can now quickly move these files to whatever bins you need them in, and they are immediately available for editing. Very cool, and extremely efficient!

For instance, let’s say a client brings in assets stored on a data DVD. Simply insert the drive, drag the assets over to Loader, and keep on editing while they are copied and organized on your media drives. Dragging files and CD tracks directly from the iTunes window works also. And if you’ve got a particular folder structure that you prefer to organize by, that can be quickly specified in Loader’s preferences, including defining which filetypes should be stored in each. By default, Loader offers the following folder and filetype settings.

Graphics - .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .pct, .pdf, .png, .psd, .tif, .tiff, .tga
Movies - .mov
Audio - .aif, .aiff, .bwf, .wav

These destination folders and filetypes can be modified and customized in the Preferences as needed. By default, Loader installs with the option to auto-start and stop as FCP is loaded and quit. So there’s no need to remember to load it up, it just piggybacks along with FCP after the initial install is completed. Another preference option ticked by default automatically checks for updates to the app. The whole auto-update process is implemented perfectly, the app downloads and installs the new version, and prompts for a restart (of the app, not the computer). Done. That’s one more example of the time and effort spent by Martin Baker over at Digital Heaven in designing and polishing this program.

There are a few prerequisites that must be in place for Loader to function properly. First, it requires Final Cut Pro 6.0.2 or it flat out won’t work. Might want to ensure you are up to date with FCP before you go off and purchase the app. Due to how FCP handles XML data, only open project files that have been previously saved will show up in the Loader tray, so remember that when you don’t see your unsaved projects in the Loader tray. Finally, like in any other app, DRM protected audio files cannot be converted to AIF’s by Loader.

With Loader, menial and repetitive tasks are reduced to a quick drag and drop, and this works from virtually anywhere in the OS. In short, I’ve been very pleased with how it simplifies my media management. Loader is the intern/assistant editor I don’t have (and probably couldn’t afford). But priced at a reasonable $49.00, I believe that many editors can and will afford Loader. You can learn more about Loader at www.digital-heaven.co.uk/loader/. Download the 14-day free trial while you are there and see for yourself how helpful Loader can be. It’s been very useful to me, and I recommend the application highly.

Are you an Adobe After Effects user who can’t afford Nucleo Pro and doesn’t have the geek-cred to setup a command-line render? Then check out this handy After Effects CS3 freebie from Lloyd Alvarez. BG Renderer is a script that enables you to take whatever items are queued for render, and send them to render in the background. This allows you to keep working in AE even while you render your queue. You can get the script here.

On the subject of working faster in AE CS3, here are a few optimal setting suggestions to speed up those renders.

(via Flowseeker)

Imagine Products, makers of ShotPut Express for SxS media management, announced ShotPut Red Edition, a tool that automates and simplifies the offloading and transfer of CF and RED Raid media on a production set. Here’s a few key features:

* Fast Copying: Perform copies at top speed without the overhead of Finder or Explorer.
* Automatic or Manual Copies: Manually select one or more drives to copy. Or use the auto offload mode to sequentially copy RED volumes or cards upon insertion.
* Easy Folder Naming: Save time and improve consistency and organization by auto-naming the copy folders.
*Improve Workflow: ShotPut’s multi-threading technology makes up to 3 simultaneous copies at the same time.
* Reformat Cards: After offloading is finished, automatically reformat the CF card so it’s ready to return to the camera.
* Security: Verify byte-to-byte comparisons of your media copies to ensure integrity of the files.
* Verification Report: Create a record of file transfer activity, how the copies were named, time, date, etc. Save complete details for project organization and billable time.
* Print Offload Log: Offload results are presented in a text file, printable with the click of a button.
* Session Error Checking: Prevents overwriting of existing folders and duplicate offloading of the same media volume.
* Progress Bar: Displays overall percent completion and file-by-file progress during the copy process.
* Copy Cards or Disks: The contents of any mountable volume (drive) can be copied including CF cards, RED Raids, etc.
* Compatible with Your Camera: ShotPut RED works with Build 15 and Build 16 file formats. Copies any volume containing R3D files.

The software is available on Mac and Windows, a single license will set you back $49.00. More info here.

Via Andy Dickinson comes this link to Scott Simmon’s blog (can’t believe I didn’t spot it there myself) on how to view the time remaining on a Compressor encode job.

The latest version of Sony’s DVD Architect software can now create Blu-ray discs in the same workflow used to create standard definition DVDs. You can even create one disc, and use it to generate an SD DVD as well as a Blu-ray disc, complete with menus. Sweet.

The 5.0 update is free to registered DVD Architect 4.5 users, use this link to take advantage of the offer (which expires at the end of this month). You can also purchase the full Vegas editing suite and be eligible for the DVD Architect Blu-ray upgrade.

InqScribe looks like a useful and handy tool for transcription and subtitling. Have any FreshDV readers used this software before?

Panasonic solid-state shooters have had a fantastic tool called P2 Genie for quite some time now. The software simplifies and automates the process of dumping P2 cards to disk so they can be re-used in a shoot. I’ve used it, and it works beautifully. So I was delighted today to see a similar application for Sony SxS shooters, ShotPut EXpress. It’s cross-platform for PC and Intel-Mac users, and at just $49 it looks like a worthy investment. Here’s the scoop:

ShotPut EXpress features Single card (manual) and Multiple card (auto) modes. Simply insert the SxS card into a PowerBook or Notebook’s ExpressCard slot and ShotPut EXpress makes secure, verified copies of the SxS card’s video contents (the BPAV folder) in up to three (3) locations. ShotPut EXpress makes a printable activities report log of all the file transfer activities. This text file shows all the details including names of cards and files, the copy destination names, file sizes, duration of each transfer and aggregate transfer time, date, etc. A great way to document and organize your project and billable time.

Fast Copying: Perform copies at top speed without the overhead of Finder or Explorer.
Automatic or Manual Copies: Manually select one or more drives to copy. Or use the auto offload mode to sequentially copy SxS cards upon insertion.
Easy Folder Naming: Save time and improve consistency and organization by auto-naming the copy folders.
Improve Workflow: Make up to 3 simultaneous SxS card copies at the same time.
Reformat Cards: After offloading is finished, automatically Erase the BPAV folder contents and Rename the card so it’s ready to return to the camera.
Security: Verify byte-to-byte comparisons of your media copies to ensure integrity of the files.
Verification Report: Create a record of file transfer activity, how the copies were named, time, date, etc. Save complete details for project organization and billable time.
Print Offload Log: Offload results are presented in a text file, printable with the click of a button.
Session Error Checking: Prevents overwriting of existing folders and duplicate offloading of the same card.
Progress Bar: Displays overall percent completion and file-by-file progress during the copy process.
Copy Cards or Disks: The BPAV contents of any mountable volume (drive) can be copied.

You can purchase ShotPut EXpress for Mac or Windows via Imagine Products.

Assimilate has announced a new product aimed directly at users of the Red Digital Cinema camera. Scratch Cine is a tool that handles .r3d files and is designed to handles dailies and ingest tasks like one-light grading, tape and file exports, and metadata handling. No pricing details have been announced, we’ll try to get some details at NAB.

(Via Studio Daily)

I was looking for some lightweight NLE/cutting software solutions recently. Obviously Windows users have Windows Movie Maker, and Mac users have iMovie. Neither are particularly lightweight, and both have a number of feature restrictions. So in the interests of sharing info, here are a few other NLE options. Note that I haven’t had time, resources, or the inclination to thoroughly test all these software packages. Please report back in the comments if a particular solution was helpful or if you experienced any issues.

SimpleMovieX
www.aeroquartet.com/SimpleMovieX/
Free “unlimited trial” for Mac. Simple editing, similar to Quicktime Pro’s interface. Has some unique features like batch processing, auto commercial detection in TV recordings, and long-GOP keyframe detection. Demo version is full-featured, but has “slower saving.” No trial time limitation.

ZS4
www.zs4.net
Free for Mac/Windows/Linux, Ubuntu, Gentoo, etc. Video Editing/Compositing. HDV formats aren’t supported directly, but there are workarounds. Lightweight, and a Portable version is available here.

Jahshaka
jahshaka.org
Free for Mac/Windows. Editing, compositing, 3d. Looks like a very interesting option, seems quite modular and flexible.

Cinelerra
cv.cinelerra.org / heroinewarrior.com (multiple versions explanation here).
Free for Linux, Ubuntu, Gentoo, etc. Mature, full-featured digital video editing software.

Kino DV
www.kinodv.org
Free for Linux, Ubuntu, Gentoo, etc. Mature standard-definition DV editing.

LiVES
lives.sourceforge.net
Free for Linux, BSD, Unix. Windows and XBOX support via bootable live CD. Mac/Darwin support if you care to compile your own.

KDENLIVE
kdenlive.sourceforge.net
Free Linux. Seems slightly limited in scope, DV editing.

Avid FreeDV
www.avid.com/products/freedv/
Free for Mac/Windows. Avid FreeDV is no longer available from Avid, but you can still find some mirrors here and there.

VirtualDub
www.virtualdub.org
Free for Windows. Not really an NLE, does capture, processing, encoding, and has extensive filter support. The Swiss Army knife of video processing.

Avidemux
fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/
Free for Mac/Windows/Linux, etc. Simple editing tools. Not really so much of a full-featured NLE as a suite of tools for working with streams and formats. A Mac alternative to VDub.

ffmpegX
homepage.mac.com/major4/
Free for Mac. Not an editor, does split, demux, crop, etc. Better at encoding, filters, handles subtitles, author DVD folders, etc. Good addition to any editor’s toolkit. Another VirtualDub-like option for Macintosh users.

Update:

DVJ Imaging
djv.sourceforge.net/index.html
Free for Mac/Windows/Linux, etc. Professional movie playback and image processing software for the film and computer animation industries.

Blender
www.blender.org
Free for Mac/Windows/Linux, etc. A mature OSS project that provides a complete suite for 3D content creation (and a great sequence editor, apparently).

If you are one of the ones who took the leap of faith and updated to Quicktime version 7.4.1, you may have noticed that certain codec export choices have simply vanished. Gone! Oh noes! Where is my Sorensen and Motion JPEG option? Fear not, they are still there. Like a cancer aids it’s host, Apple was just helping you out by gently pushing you in the direction of newer, more improved codecs (*cough*H.264*cough*). In 7.4.1 they added a new QT Preferences checkbox and left it unticked by default. You can restore your precious export options by going to System Preferences > Quicktime > Advanced and ticking the “Show legacy encoders” checkbox. The codecs that Apple didn’t invite to the QT 7.4.1 weekend kegger are:

BMP
Cinepak
Component Video
Graphics
H.261
H.263
Motion JPEG A
Motion JPEG B
Planar RGB
Sorenson Video
Sorenson Video3
TGA
TIFF
Video

There is a specific support doc on this issue here. And if the 7.4.1 update is causing you problems, you can always revert using these instructions.

Via Digital Basin comes this link to a handy utility called HFSExplorer that allows PC users to access HFS+ formatted hard disks and external drives. When Fat32 doesn’t give you enough space to transfer large files (2GB limitation), you can use the tool to copy from the Mac disk to NTFS. Likewise, NTFS drives can be read (and written) on Mac systems with MacFuse.

For those that need to re-install Final Cut Studio or even remove it entirely, check out FCS Remover. It simplifies the entire process and ensures you get all the nagging preference files, installer receipts, codecs and support folders. Thanks to Scott Simmons at Studio Daily for locating this handy tool.

Snapper is a unique application for Mac users that allows you to do a number of useful things with audio files on the fly. By simply selecting audio files in Finder, you can quickly pull out snippets of audio, export files to various formats, split stereo channels, drop a selection into Pro Tools, and much more. It’ll convert files on the fly to AIFF, WAV, BWF, mp3, or m4a (hello, Wedding and Event iRiver users!). The best way to understand is to watch Snapper in action, check out the 100-second demonstration video.

(Via MultimediaShooter)

As with any new technology, there is a learning curve and some pain for early adopters. One of the issues with the CompactFlash media workflow introduced with the new Sony HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270U camcorders is the fact that CF cards are formatted in FAT32, therefore they have a 4GB filesize limitation (that’s about 20 minutes of video). Much like Panasonic’s method of spanning P2 cards, these new HDV camcorders simply split the recorded M2T clips at 4GB for rejoining later. Sony has released a software utility for PC users that can address this rejoining process, as well as provide renaming assistance if you’ve managed to record clips on different cards with the same filename. My understanding is that it’s basically a standalone import utility that will automatically re-join split clips as it pulls them off the cards. You can download it here.

There is also a new Final Cut Pro plugin from Sony that enables access to the CF media from FCP’s Log and Transfer function. Again, this is a very P2-like workflow. One minor difference is that the Log and Transfer Preview is inactive. Once files are selected, the software wraps the M2T streams into Quicktime and automatically joins 4GB-spanned segments as it transfers the clips. I have to say that I am quite impressed that Sony has delivered this particular plugin so soon. It looks like a simple and trouble-free workflow for Mac editors. You can download both versions and instructions here. We have continuing coverage of these two camcorders here.