Microsoft Surface Studio for the Creative Process

For the most part, computers are computers. Maybe one has a bit more of this or less of that, but the differences are usually under the hood and incremental in nature. So when a company like Microsoft makes a serious attempt to completely redefine the nature of how we see and interact with a desktop computer it commands attention. The Microsoft Surface Studio is exactly that kind of machine, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.

REDEFINING THE BOUNDARIES

For the past 20 years or so Apple computers have been the standard go-to machines for people involved in creative content and performance worlds. It’s not hyperbole to say that Apple has owned the creative space during that time period. Over the past four to five years, however, many Apple diehards have begun to notice a serious lack of innovation from their beloved manufacturer. This apathy, combined with missteps like the Final Cut Pro X debacle, have opened a door for other companies interested in making a play for this market

Enter the Microsoft Surface Studio, Microsoft’s very first foray into creating a desktop computer. Announced in late October, the Surface Studio is an all-in-one computer featuring a massive 28-inch touchscreen mounted to a base incorporating the actual computer components. The design immediately brings to mind the form factors of both the Wacom Cintiq and beloved iMac G4 from over a decade ago. At the same time the Surface Studio also feels completely revolutionary in the way it invites users to interact with a computer.

UNDER THE HOOD

The Surface Studio runs on a new variation of Windows 10 Pro, and features configurations with both Intel i5 and i7 processors. It can also be configured to include between 8GB andcreativ 32GB of RAM, with either a 2GB or 4GB NVidia GeForce GPU.
What’s immediately apparent is that the Surface Studio is really all about the display. It’s a 28-inch touchscreen featuring a 4K+ resolution (4500×3000), 10-bit color and a pixel density of 192 DPI. That translates to 13.5 million pixels, which should deliver fantastic image clarity when working from only a few inches away. [Continue Reading…]

Terence Curren’s Thoughts on DNxIO: Avid DNxIO Review

HubPages by Terence Curren

Overall we have found Avid DNxIO can solve a lot of the issues in a multi-platform, multi-NLE, multi-resolution future that we are heading towards.

When Alpha Dogs started back in 2002, our business was 100 percent Avid. I could see where the future was going with Final Cut Pro, so unlike most of the post houses in Los Angeles, we worked hard to specialize in finishing projects created in Final Cut Pro. By 2010 over 75 percent of our finishing business was on projects offlined in Final Cut Pro. Then Apple made a business decision that many felt signified their leaving the high-end post market behind with the release of FCPX in 2011. This gave a reprieve to a market share losing Avid, and opened a door that both Adobe and now Blackmagic have heartily stepped through.

We do what we do because we enjoy being a part of our client’s storytelling media creation. That means we tend to not play platform favorites which allows us to work as efficiently as possible with projects coming from a variety of nonlinear editors. However this presents real challenges in building out a facility and keeping it technically current. It also presents a challenge for artists who need to be masters of their software when there are too many options to truly master them all.

We have to be able handle whatever a client brings us in the way of project file, media type and actual delivery specifications. Fortunately, one company seems to be stepping up to the plate for us, and that is Blackmagic with their Resolve color correction (and now editing) package. While it isn’t as fully developed an editor as Media Composer or Premiere, it now has enough tools to allow all the finishing work on a project to be done in one place. read more…

 

For more information about Avid DNxIO, please contact a Piston Media Group representative (888) 829-7320 or email us at info@pistonmediagroup.com

Avid Complete Studio Solution Only $49,999

Included:

• — 5 PACK — HP Z440 Workstation, 1x 3.5GHz E5-1650v3 6C, 16GB RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, K2200 Video, 16x DVD +/-RW Drive, Keyboard, Mouse, 3-3-3 Warranty, Win7 Pro 64bit, 700W PS, Media Composer, 4TB Media Drive, 2 x 24in Displays, Avid Artist Transport, Color Coded Keyboard, Certified Configuration and Testing Service

• 10x 24inch Asus Monitors

• Avid NEXIS Pro (20TB) with Dell N2024 Switch

Avid Z440 5-Pack Only $35,999

Included:

• — 5 PACK — HP Z440 Workstation, 1x 3.5GHz E5-1650v3 6C, 16GB RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, K2200 Video, 16x DVD +/-RW Drive, Keyboard, Mouse, 3-3-3 Warranty, Win7 Pro 64bit, 700W PS, Media Composer, 4TB Media Drive, 2 x 24in Displays, Avid Artist Transport, Color Coded Keyboard, Certified Configuration and Testing Service

• 10x Asus 24inch Monitors

Avid Advanced Editing Solution Only $7999

Included:

• HP Z440 Workstation Avid Qualified, 1x 3.5GHz E5-1650v3 6C, 16GB RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, K2200 Video, 16x DVD +/-RW Drive, Keyboard, Mouse, 3-3-3 Warranty, Win7 Pro 64bit, 700W PS

• Avid Media Composer Software

• AJA KONA-3G IO Card

• G-SPEED eS with Enterprise Drives 8TB

• 2x HP 24inch Dreamcolor Monitors

• 2x M-Audio Bx-5 Reference Monitors

For more information, contact a Piston Media Group Representative (888) 829-7320

Avid Media Composer Turnkey Editing Solution Only $5499

Includes:

• HP Z230 Workstation Avid Optimized, 1x 3.4GHz E3-1245v3 4C, 16GB (4x4GB) 1866 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, NVIDIA K620 Video, Slim Blu-ray Writer Drive, Keyboard, Mouse, 5yr 7×24 4Hr Warranty, Win7 Pro 64bit

• Avid Media Composer Software w/ Symphony

• G-RAID with Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 8TB

• Blackmagic DeckLink Studio 4K

• 2x Asus 24inch Monitors

• Free Installation Included

For more information, contact a Piston Media Group representative (888) 829-7320

Avid Media Composer Mobile Editing Solution Only $3999

Included:

• HP Zbook 15 G3 Mobile Workstation Avid Qulified, Intel Core E3-1505M Quad Core 2.8GHz, 16GB RAM (2x8GB), 500GB 7200RPM HDD, M1000M Video, 15.6 inch LED FHD SVA Anti-Glare enabled for Webcam slim 1920×1080, 3-3-3 Warranty, Win7 Pro 64bit downgraded from Win10 Pro

• Avid Media Composer Software w/ Symphony

• G-RAID with Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 8TB

• Blackmagic UltraStudio SDI

• Free Installation

For more information, contact a Piston Media Group representative (888) 829-7320

Grass Valley Expands Entry-Level Camera Features with Flexible, Switchable Focus 75 Live Camera

MONTREAL, March 24, 2016 — Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, is introducing the new Focus 75 Live, a highly affordable 720p/1080i switchable HD system camera. This camera represents a new entry level into Grass Valley’s legendary imaging quality—widening the range of potential applications for customers with more options in format support.

Featuring three fully digital Xensium-FT CMOS imagers with global shutter operation, the Focus 75 Live camera boasts a high level of sensitivity for productions where less lighting is available and can be used with a smaller iris setting to deliver an increased depth of field while allowing operators to hold a tighter focus. With a standard B4 2/3-inch lens mount, the Focus 75 Live can accommodate HD lenses already in customers’ inventory.

“Not every customer needs a full-featured top-of-the-line camera to meet their production needs, but they do want the legendary quality and performance for which Grass Valley is known,” said Mike Cronk, senior vice president of strategic marketing, Grass Valley. “The Focus 75 Live camera gives customers an affordable point of entry with the ability to switch production formats on the fly, as needed.”

Focus 75 Live offers strong image performance by always capturing the image in full progressive 1920×1080 HD resolution and downconverting to either 1080i50/59.94 or 720p50/59.94 (user switchable). In addition, the highest quality SD signals are available at the camera base station.

The Focus 75 Live camera is ideal for smaller live studio and field applications, including regional broadcast stations, SNG vans, small outside-broadcast (OB) vans, university sports productions, staging and houses of worship. To fully support the Focus 75 Live camera, Grass Valley offers a line of dedicated Focus transmission solutions including adapters and base stations in all versions of triax connections available on the market, and a SMPTE hybrid fiber transmission system based on the Lemo SMPTE fiber connector.

The Focus 75 Live camera will be on display at the Grass Valley booth SL106 at NAB 2016.

For information about Grass Valley solutions and services, please visit grassvalley.com.

About Grass Valley

Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, keeps broadcasters, content owners and service providers Future-Ready as they navigate the changing landscape of television. With the most comprehensive collection of workflow solutions in the industry, Grass Valley delivers end-to-end television production and content distribution workflows, combined with expert consultation and insight that lead to sustainable success. Grass Valley, headquartered in Montreal, is part of St. Louis-based Belden Inc. Belden delivers a comprehensive product portfolio designed to meet the mission-critical network infrastructure needs of industrial, enterprise and broadcast markets. With innovative solutions targeted at reliable and secure transmission of rapidly growing amounts of data, audio and video needed for today’s applications, Belden is at the center of the global transformation to a connected world. For more information visit http://www.belden.com.