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Questions:

• What should and does it consist of?
  • Including anything non-obvious e.g. “tucked away”, “additional Downloads”, “obscure” etc.
• ???

Answers (as far as I can tell…):

•  _Support & Communities
  • Looks at first sight like any application’s Help dialog, but on deeper inspection is also connected web-wise and answers to questions are not restricted to Adobe products.
• After Effects
  • In contrast to Premiere, which is for conventional light-touch editing, this is for heavy effects and compositing etc.
• After Effects Render Engine
  • Render farm: Network rendering with watch folders and render engines.
  • Previously, it was possible to install render engines on as many machines as wished, but not so under CS5.5, where a separate serial number must be obtained for each machine.  For small guys like me that makes it pretty useless.   It seems likely that a more flexible option will exist in future versions.
• Audition
  • Audio editor, derived (many years ago) from CoolEdit.
• Bridge
  • A combination of media file manager, media manager, metadata editor, also does some kinds of media processing.
  • Can be run standalone or from within apps e.g. Premiere: [File > Browse in Bridge…]
• Color Finesse
  • A multi-host (including Premiere & AE) plugin that goes above and beyond typical NLE color correction.
  • On my system it only appears to be available under AE.
• Device Central
  • Simulates media appearance etc. on a range of devices such as cellphones.
• DigiEffects FreeForm
  • Manipulate a flat object into almost any shape using displacement maps and meshes in 3D space.
  • Examples: flowing cloth, animated loose filmstrips, rippling fluids, terrain flyovers, welded metal, morphs, reveals.
• Encore
  • DVD authoring.  Menus can be created in Photoshop (using special layering techniques).
• Extension Manager
  • Manage extensions (broadly like plugins) associated with various Adobe programs.
• ExtendScript Toolkit:
  • Adobe workflow command-script editor
  • An IDE (along the lines of Visual Studio) for scripts in Adobe Bridge, itself serving to automate workflows involving multiple Adobe applications.
• Flash Professional
  • A multimedia authoring program to create content for Flash-enabled platforms/devices.
• Flash Catalyst
  • A designers’ tool for creating the user interface for Rich Internet Applications.  Primary function of being a GUI composer for Adobe Flex components.
  • Can import Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, or Flash XML Graphics (FXG) files.
• Help
  • A help resource not only with local help-documentation but also capable of searching beyond, even beyond Adobe, to find solutions.
• Illustrator
  • Vector graphics editor e.g. useful for typesetting and logo graphics design. It is the companion product of Photoshop.
• KeyLight
  • An advanced chroma-keyer, tackling reflections, semi-transparent areas and hair.
• Media Encoder
  • Encodes audio and video media content.
• Mocha
  • Stand-alone tracking and roto tool to help solve problematic shots challenging the built in tools of After Effects and Final Cut by bringing advanced planar tracking and matte creation tools
• OnLocation
  • Direct to disk recorder / logger also acting as monitor with waveform monitor and vectorscope.  And no doubt much else.
• PhotoShop
  • Such a big noun that it became a verb…
• Premiere Pro
  • Primary editing app, with emphasis on productive cutting and smooth playback etc., minimising the need to render, leaving heavy effects and compositing etc. to AE.
• Story
  • A collaborative script development tool/service. There is an application for working alone on an offline version and a web-based service where you can sync up with an online version.
• Ultra
  • Vector-keyer (simple-to-use effective chroma-keying) that was once a standalone app by Serious Magic, now available as a plugin within Premiere (but not AE).  I get the impression it is regarded (or at least branded) as simple to use but ultimately less sophisticated/capable than KeyLight (???).
  • Serious Magic used to highlight its capabilities regarding reflections, semi-transparent areas and hair…
• Utilities
  • ExtendScript
    • An integrated development environment (IDE) for the creation and debugging of JavaScript code for Adobe Bridge, to facilitate workflow-enhancing automation of tasks between elements of Creative Suite.
  • PixelBlender
    • A simplifying basis for implementing image processing algorithms (filters or effects) in a hardware-independent manner, taking advantage of parallel processing / GPU etc.
    • Downside to commercial developers is that code using it may be more visible / understandable.

A mathematical step forward likely (eventually) to improve media processing & encoding, among other things:

• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/19/mit_fast_fourier_transform/
  • Researchers at MIT have published a paper detailing a new approach to Fast Fourier tranforms (FFT) that could increase the speeds of image and sound processing tenfold.

Following-on from my earlier post, Mobile Video Editing Hardware: Thoughts, Ideas & Dreams, where I considered an eventual migration from my laptop to a luggable PC, my thoughts veered (possibly having spotted cash-icebergs among them) towards an alternative solution:

• Use the laptop for lightweight editing & compositing.
• Use the desktop as a number-crunching RADI-attached server.

The two could be linked by:

• Remote access / remote sessions (some of which via smartphone)
• DropBox, e.g. have an active folder where I can drop Adobe Premiere XML and have it processed remotely by Adobe apps installed there.

Some links:

• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/11/virtualisation_at_home_part_2/
  • (There’s no equivalent “_part_1″ page.  I guess it’s just “Part 2″ of that guy’s story).
  • DIY virtual machines: Rigging up at home, by Trevor Pott, 11th January 2012 14:33 GMT
  • Personal Virtual Machine (PVM) (in use) for about seven years with retail boxed version of Windows XP.
  • VM has been moved from virtualization platform to virtualization platform over the years … the most recent incarnation … inside Hyper-V.
  • …nothing beats Windows Server 2008 R2. It comes with a top-notch virtualisation platform (Hyper-V), and added RemoteFX support with Service Pack 1. You can still use the desktop operating system for all your HTPC needs, and a single Server 2008 R2 Standard license allows you to run both a host copy and a single virtual instance of Server 2008 R2.
  • In my case, the host instance does little more than play movies on the projector via VLC. The virtual instance of Server runs my Plex media server, and aggregates my many storage devices into a single share using DFS.
    • Presumably “DFS” refers to Microsoft’s Distributed File System.
• Shuttle Inc (Taiwan)
  • (MBR’s suggestion)
  • http://uk.shuttle.com/products/productsDetail?productId=1477
    • Small, quiet, hardware-configurable systems.
    • May be a sensible basis for a modular luggable?
  • http://www.okobe.co.uk/ws/product/Shuttle+SH67H3+Barebones+Personal+Computer+FH67+Socket+1155+Intel+H67+Black/1000065737?ref=1q4bs
    • Shuttle SH67H3 Barebones Personal Computer (FH67 Socket 1155 Intel H67) (Black)

Want a mobile “suitcase” editing system, something more (and more expandable) than a laptop but not too expensive.  Primarily to be used for Adobe CS5.5 for media enhancement / editing / compositing etc.

Nearest I found was NextDimension’s range around $7000 I think (but just guesswork - could be way off - would need to get a quote).   That would (if true) be around £4500 at current rates.  Plus import…  NextDimension call such machines “flextops” (Maybe they coined the term? Google searches on it mostly come up with them.)

Apart from the (mil/broadcast-lite but me-heavy) price, it might possibly be undesirably heavy to lug around much.   If so (just guessing, not assuming), it would make more sense to go for a modular quick-setup system.  So, starting to “think different” in this direction:

• Standard tower, capable of taking new CUDA etc. graphics cards etc. as they emerge, but no need for more than say a couple of disks, maybe if SSD could even get away with just a single disk? (For system and media - inadvisable for traditional disks of course, what about for SSD’s?  I have much to learn about SSD’s though).
• “Laptop-Lite” to talk to it.  With robust shuttered-stereoscopic HD monitor.
• Gigabit network to NAS fast storage (SSD and/or RAID ?).

Maybe in that case it would be far more logical/affordable to use an existing laptop as a client working together with a luggable tower server, sufficiently light and robust for frequent dis/re -connection and travel.  And remote access of course (no heavy data to be exchanged, assume that’s already sync’d).  And some means to easily swap/sync applications and projects (data) between laptop and tower, giving the option to use just the (old) laptop on its own if needed.  All such options are handy for the travelling dude (working on train, social visits etc.) who also occasionally has to do heavy processing.  Then would just need a protective suitcase for the tower, plus another one for a decent monitor for grading etc.

I certainly won’t be spending anything just yet, but it’s good to have at least some kind of “radar”.

(more…)

I attended, working on one of the camera units.  Had a great time, learnt lots, at all sorts of levels.  Even how to make good use of the Movie Slate application on my iPhone!  Link: http://www.fstopacademy.com/

I audio-recorded some lectures by using the Voice Memo app in-built on my iPhone 4.  How does one get such recordings out of the phone and into an audio editing (or indeed audio/video editing) app on Mac or PC?  Here’s what I found, mainly by experiment:

• For a Mac:
  • The iTunes app allows you to transfer/sync an iPhone’s Voice Memo audio recordings onto the computer.  In iTunes, under the device representing the phone, there is a Voice Memos folder. Inside this there is a list of recordings (objects) e.g. as follows:
    • 1  ✓ 21/09/2011 09:33
    • 2  ✓ 21/09/2011 10:43
    • 3  ✓ 21/09/2011 11:01
  • These entries correspond to M4A (FourCC=”MP4A”) files.
    • These files can be transferred (moved/copied) as follows:
      • Copy a file by dragging it out of Voice Memos folder in iTunes’ interface.
      • Move a file by dragging it out of iTunes’ user-specific Voice Memos folder in file system.  That folder is described below.
    • Additionally iTunes can export MP3 equivalent copies of the files:
      • iTunes (Voice Memos): Recording >RtClk> Create MP3 Version
  • The files are stored at (in my case) at:
    • /Users/davidesp/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Voice Memos
      • 21_09_2011 09_33.m4a
      • 21_09_2011 10_43.m4a
      • 21_09_2011 11_01.m4a
  • The nature of the files:
    • These files are stated by Mac’s Finder to be of type “MPEG-4 audio”, and are about 30 MB per hour.
    • VideoSpec is able to analyse them, it reports:
      • Container: M4A - QuickTime
      • Encoding: MP4A (FourCC), constant bitrate of 64 kbps, 16 bits, 44.1 kHz, stereo
        • However it makes no sense to encode stereo from a one-microphone device and indeed when imported to an audio editor (Audacity 1.3.13 beta) it only produces a single mono track.
  • Audio Editing/Processing (cuts/envelopes/effects e.g. dynamic range compression) was subsequently achievable by any of these:
    • Audacity (1.3.13 beta) can import the M4A file.  My (multi-platform) old-familiar.
    • Garage Band (e.g. as explained at http://macmost.com/editing-audio-files-in-garageband.html).
    • SoundTrack Pro (but can’t simply drag the file in - instead have to use File>Open).  OK but a little clunky (in my “newbie-to-this-app” opinion)

Explained in http://x264.nl/x264/10bit_01-ateme_pierre_larbier_422_10-bit.pdf and further documents at http://x264.nl/.  Would like to know what applications recognize this format though, and how would it be incorporated in a workflow involving standard NLEs (e.g. Avid MC or Sony Vegas).  Would it have to be transcoded to e.g. DNxHD first, and if so then how (what app etc.)?

These are standalone tools I have seen (on web) others using to transcode from various formats into Avid formats such as DNxHD.  Of course, that’s also achievable from within Media Composer (e.g. by its Consolidate/Transcode feature), but a stand-alone tool encourages parallel, and hence possibly collaborative, workflows in post-production.

• Metafuze - Avid’s own such program
  • Previously covered at http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/335
• TMPGEnc Xpress
  • http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=39128
    • “Peter Moretti”, May 2009
      • It’s an excellent program for transcoding, changing frame rates, removing a pulldown, capturing from DVD’s and more. Probably the best $100 I’ve spent on editing.
      • But it’s main advantage over Cineform is that it will transcode HV-20 footage into a Quciktime file of any DNxHD format. This file can then be fast imported into Avid.
      • Read more: http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=39128#ixzz1VeVZzElm
• MPEG StreamClip ?

How to use Sorenson Squeeze:

• The post-(free)-”purchase” Checkout webpage from Sorenson listed the following:
  • Getting Started With Squeeze
    • Watch our Getting Started Video to familiarize yourself with Sorenson Squeeze 7.
  • The Preset Exchange
    • Choose from a variety of useful encoding profiles and formats created by video experts and the Squeeze community.
  • Squeeze Forums
    • Join the Squeeze User Forums and get answers to commonly asked questions.

• Further links:

• http://videos.sorensonmedia.com/e4abdc39363a894a63Fa886Ba8f6f87b3cab/Squeeze+Freedom+6.5/e7ec1d53ea37194aeaM910a1499852f5b5ee
  • Advert - comparing a utopian Sorenson-automated publishing workflow (encode, publish, notify, review). At the end, the “hero” gets an iPhone message, something about Sorenson 360. The latter is a web-based video content management/distribution system - I’ll do a separate post on that.

• • http://forum.sorensonmedia.com/forum/content.php?123-Encoding-Video-with-Squeeze
    • Simple instructions.

Compression formats for Digital Intermediates when using Sony Vegas:

• http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=770173
  • Cineform for highest quality (smart-renderable)
    • Cineform (is great for transfer) between After Effects and Vegas.
  • MXF for almost the same quality at a fraction of the size.
    • MXF previews beautifully off small bus-powered USB 2 drives.
  • Quicktime .mov with png compression for anything with a transparent alpha layer.
  • Quicktime .mov with Avid DNxHD codec for Handbrake encoding intermediary and for working with the FCP world.

Details (again from the above link) about use of MXF:

• The big thing with MXF is to make sure that you use it interlaced even (if) you are using progressive footage.  …set it using one of the interlaced templates but set the deinterlace method to none.
  • The reason this is important is that Vegas will only smart-render .mxf footage flagged as interlaced. If you set the MXF render properties to progressive, it won’t smart-render. If you set the properties to interlaced and select either blend fields or interpolate, it will screw up resizes and renders to other formats.
• MXF with a smart-render is very cool. The format looks wonderful and no damage is done as you smart-render sections into a final piece.
  • MXF without a smart-render isn’t really good enough. MXF will not hold up to successive rerenders like Cineform or a lossless codec.