When HD was first introduced to the video world back in the 1990’s, IT departments at production houses around the world gave a collective groan. Back then the best video transfer speeds were 50 MB/s with a Firewire cable, making HD video transfers a huge vortex of wasted time. With the advent of Firewire 800 (which was capable of speeds up to 100 MB/s) and eSATA (with speeds up to 380 MB/s), video transfer speeds took a huge leap forward. Even so, video editors were still losing precious years of their life waiting for HD projects to transfer from one hard disk to another.

Now USB 3.0 is looking to solve that problem. With the support of manufacturers such as Sony, Intel, Microsoft, Compaq, and IBM, USB has quickly become the connection of choice for computer equipment ranging from keyboards and mice, to coffee warmers and iPods. As a result, USB cables and connections have become by far the most common in the computer world. So when USB 3.0 was announced in 2007 with speeds up to 400 MB/s, the video world quickly realized that there was huge potential behind the new technology due to its many features and advantages.

One of the greatest features of USB 3.0 is that a 25 GB file can be transferred in just 70 seconds essentially eliminating the frustration of wasted time when transferring large HD assets from one hard drive to another. Additionally, with such high read/write speeds, USB 3.0 has become a viable connection for editing on external hard drives without the speed delays of current connections. This gives studios and editors a reasonable workflow option in a world where solid state media recording has become the new norm. With rapidly falling prices on external storage, studios now have the option to buy hard drives such as Buffalo’s newly released SuperSpeed USB 3.0 external DriveStation HD, edit on them, and then store them much like tapes were stored in the past. The advantages of this set-up is when a client asks for a re-edit on an old project, instead of having to reconnect footage from tape, studios can simply connect their external hard drive using USB 3.0 to their computer and start editing right away saving huge amounts of transfer time. Lastly, another potential advantage of USB 3.0 is its increase in the market. It is quite possible that if you are at a friend’s house with a USB 3.0 hard drive and no cable, that your friend will probably have a USB 3.0 cable for you to hook your hard drive to your computer.

As great as USB 3.0 could be for video editors, there are also some other interesting products that could be a great boon to the video-editing world. Just this last May, the Serial ATA Organization announced the specs for SATA revision 3.0, allowing for transfer speeds of up to 700 MB/s. Also, Intel also announced a curious new technology called Light Peak. Light Peak is an optical cable standard that can deliver bandwidth from 1.25 GB/s to 12.5 GB/s. Whichever technology becomes the standard, one thing is for sure: the future for HD video production has never looked so good.

SANYO North America Corporation introduces its high-end Dual Cameras, the VPC-HD2000A and the VPC-FH1A, as the world’s first camcorders to offer compatibility with iFrame, a next generation video format designed specifically to allow users to easily import, edit and share high quality videos. SANYO’s Dual Cameras have always been at the forefront for compatibility with computers as well as online applications and networking. The two models announced today feature the iFrame video mode, which records in the same format used to edit on a computer, dramatically speeding up the processes of importing, editing and sharing movies across multiple platforms and devices.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sony Creative Software Inc., a leading provider of professional video and audio editing applications, today announced Vegas™ Pro 9.0c software, the latest update to its award-winning nonlinear HD video and audio editing (NLE) application. Vegas Pro 9.0c software features Sony® XDCAM® EX MP4 file rendering and the ability to Smart Render MPEG-2 video across different containers for faster, more seamless editing. New audio features, including exclusive élastique Pro timestretching and Import Stereo Audio as Dual Mono, offer provide even more professional depth to this award-winning NLE. Additional support for media filmed with the RED ONE video camera streamlines file access and efficiency for editors working with footage up to 4K resolution. Vegas Pro 9.0c software also includes additional card support for capture and output via SDI, HD-SDI and HDMI™. Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted from a Canon press release
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 19, 2009 – Canon U.SA., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, has introduced a new flagship model to its 2009 VIXIA high-definition camcorder line, the VIXIA HF S11 Dual Flash Memory camcorder. For those video enthusiasts looking to capture the moment in breathtaking HD quality, the VIXIA HF S11 provides advanced HD features and professional-level manual controls. Additionally, Canon announced a new camcorder accessory, the RA-V1 Remote Control Adapter for professional-level functionality when shooting from a tripod.
The VIXIA HF S11 retains Canon’s core imaging technologies, but adds several new features that enhance operability and deliver unsurpassed image quality. The VIXIA HF S11 offers the ability to record up to 24 hours of crisp high-definition video to a 64GB internal flash drive and the option of recording video directly to removable SDHC memory cards for fast and easy sharing of memories. Two new features that help enhance the video capture and viewing experience are Canon’s new Dynamic SuperRange OIS system, which delivers the ultimate in shake correction by providing continuous adjustment throughout the entire zoom range, and an Advanced Video Snapshot Mode which allows you to create the perfect highlight movie to share with family and friends by recording a series of four second clips when in shooting mode as well as in playback mode.
Read the rest of this entry »

It has been interesting to watch new and innovative cameras explore the world of video. Panasonic announced 3 new cameras today, 2 of which capture full HD!

Reprinted from a Panasonic press release:

Today, Panasonic announced the new LUMIX DMC-FP8 digital camera as part of its new FP-Series, which pursues excellence in both design and function.  The LUMIX FP8, with 12.1 megapixels, features a high-quality 28mm wide-angle, 4.6x Leica DC lens with folding optics* – encased in a futuristic-looking stylish body.

In addition to its unique design, the FP8 also features advanced functions including high-speed Auto Focus (AF) and Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) suite of technologies.  With a fast AF, combined with a high-speed start-up of only 0.95 seconds, the FP8’s fast response catches even the most fleeting shots.  Panasonic’s iA, a popular feature on LUMIX cameras, now includes POWER Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) which features double the repression power compared to the previous image stabilization system, MEGA O.I.S.  The hand-shake generated when pressing the shutter button, or when shooting at night with a slow shutter speed, is significantly minimized by the improved POWER O.I.S. to help reduce blurry photos. Read the rest of this entry »

For those of you who were worried about the switch to digital and haven’t yet upgraded your television, it looks like you have another four months to choose one. Yesterday, the Senate voted unanimously to delay the switch until June 12. According to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.,“Delaying the upcoming DTV switch is the right thing to do, I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition at this time.” With the original date of Feb. 12, there was fear that viewers weren’t technically ready for the switch and the extension gives more people who have expired digital converter coupons, time to request new ones. Looks like penny pinching last minute consumers like myself, have at least four more months to pick out the right TV… Wait, that’s it?