Square Box Systems CatDV Pro 5.1 Media Management Software Review (page 2)
Using the Database
Once you've digitized and cataloged your tapes, the real power of CatDV Pro can be harnessed to find any clip from any tape in your library. You can search across bins, clip names and user descriptions, and that's only scratching the surface. You can make advanced inquiries, e. g., "Show me all the close-ups, with the word elephant in the description, from this location, between July 2006 and August 2006." Using these powerful search tools you can then refine your selections and mark the individual clips you want to use.
The real value of CatDV Pro becomes apparent in browsing preview movies. It allows you to see the clip in its entirety, so you know exactly what you're looking for. The interface is nicely laid out, using the standard JKL playback controls for shuttling. Once you've found and marked all the clips you want to use, CatDV Pro can export that list to many different NLE's, including Final Cut Pro, Avid, Premiere, Canopus, Velocity, Cinestream, Media 100, and even the venerable CMX3600 format. From there, it's a simple task to batch digitize your selected footage.
Depth and Breadth
CatDV Pro is a very deep and customizable program, and it will take some work to settle on the preferences and fields that work for your needs. Once set up however, CatDV Pro will be a huge time-saver in organizing your video assets.
TECH SPECS
OS: Macintosh (Power PC or Intel) Mac OS X 10.3 or later; Windows 2000 or later
Minimum RAM: 512MB
Other Software: QuickTime 6.0 or later, including QuickTime for Java 1.4.2 or later
STRENGTHS
- Powerful database options
- QuickTime previews
- Intuitive
WEAKNESSES
- None
SUMMARY
CatDV Pro is great tool for professionals looking to make some sense of media management.
John Burkhart is Videomaker's Editor-in-Chief
$275
Square Box Systems, Ltd.
The Ten House, Hampton-on-the-Hill, Warwick CV35 8HB
United Kingdom
www.squarebox.co.uk
