The Annual and much anticipated National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention wrapped up in Las Vegas. Videomaker sent a team for up-to-the-minute dispatches on the latest products and developments by the major players in the video industry. Here’s the major news they found:.
Blossom Technologies showed a Casablanca-style standalone turnkey nonlinear editor. They call it the PVA (Personal Video Appliance). In addition to it’s MPEG2 editing ability, it is being marketed as a DVR (digital VCRlike Replay TV)–offering instant replay, slow motion, time lapse and record scheduling.
In addition, Blossom Technologies plans to make it an expandable system that you can upgrade and make into a DVD player, set box top, Internet browser (web & email), telephone answering device with caller ID, home automation control device & satellite download device.
The unit is scheduled for a September 1999 release and will retail for about $2995.
Blossom is also highlighting their show with the DaViD, a complete turnkey DVD authoring system. The entry-level model has a suggested price of $19999.
Applied Magic demonstrated their own stand-alone editing system a la Casablanca, called ScreenPlay. It features real-time effects and is said to be very user friendly and very cool. Applied Magic expects to start shipping ScreenPlay sometime in the Fall. Spokespeople for Applied Magic said the system will retail for about $4000.
There’s a buzz around the Apple Computer booth as Apple announced that it will be shipping its new nonlinear editing software entitled Final Cut Pro this week. The software will come bundled with Apple’s G3.This marks the first time Apple has jumped into the nonlinear editing software ring as a serious contender with a standalone turnkey nonlinear editing system of their own. The G3 with built in FireWire and the bundled Final Cut Pro software makes for a an impressive standalone system. The system is ready to ship and is available for under $5000.