Week of July 13 1998   Jul 17 We finally have the Consultant and Event databases running again!   PHOTO Kodak has released a firmware patch for the DC120 Digital camera. Version 1.4 contains corrections to some conditions that were discovered with previous versions. Downloading and then updating the DC120 Zoom Digital Camera with this latest firmware will bring the camera up to the same level as current production units. This update corrects a problem in earlier versions whcih sometimes allowed the battery voltage to drop to a point where the firmware could be corrupted if an image was being processed when the batteries dropped to that voltage point. [The DC120, even though it's coming up on two years old, is still a very good digital camera, and it's been seen on sale for only $500-Ed.] <www.kodak.com software update "DC120 Zoom Camera Firmware Updates">   Jul 16 Just saw Pinnacle Systems new DC50 capture card which has been shipping for a couple of weeks and I hadn't even heard of it(!) The DC50 offers similar specs to the DC30plus, but it includes a breakout box with XLR and RCA inputs and outputs for audio, as well as Component, S-Video and Composite video inputs/outputs. The DC50 also provides genlock input and output and a capture rate of up to 7 MB/second. Costing $1995, the product includes Adobe Premiere and After Effects. According to the guy demonstrating the system, the DC50 accelerates Premiere effects. He said the DC30 did so as well, which I hadn't heard before. Pinnacle also sells the $4995 (US) Reeltime product provides real time effects in Premiere (it actually replaces the effects in Premiere with it's own collection of accelerated effects.) <www.pinnaclesys.com datasheet "DC50"   Media Labs has released the Director Xtra Effector Set Vol. II for AlphaMania. Effector Set Vol. II gives Director developers new special effects like Blur, Ripple, Drop Shadow, Bevel, and Roil. The Xtras are available for MacOS and Windows. The Effector Sets from Media Labs work with Alphamania, another Xtra from Media Labs that composites graphics with anti-aliasing (no "jaggies.") Effector Set "effects" are applied to AlphaMania castmembers to make them ripple, blur, free rotate, swirl, colorize, magnify, etc. These effects are on-the-fly, interactive - not prerendered. Developers can try them out by downloading full working versions of the Xtras. On-line pricing for Effector Set Vol. II is $99. Upgrades for Effector Set Vol. I customers are available for $69.00. <www.medialab.com>   Jul 15 Sony Electronics has been demonstrating a DVD Authoring system at the INTERNATIONAL TELEPRODUCTION SOCIETY (ITS) CONFERENCE. The prototype system utilizes Sony's MPEG-2 encoding and control algorithms to provide high-quality images and simple, automated operation. The system includes individual modules which are optimized to work as separate, yet integrated, applications. Utilizing the Authoring System Supervisor, Sony's system automatically recalculates and manages compression bit rates rather than requiring manual recalculation of bit rates versus the target disc capacity. Sony's prototype system includes sub-picture encoder and decoder cards with its subtitle encoding/menu authoring component to enable real-time output to a video monitor to accurately check menu colors, locations and sizes as they are being created. Once the encoded bit streams for the video, audio and subpicture components of the title are ready, they are multiplexed to create the DVD encoded stream. This DVD encoded stream can be immediately viewed from the local drive. <www.sony.com/professional> [Sonic Solutions, which makes a Macintosh based DVD authoring system is conducting a series of seminars on DVD authoring. The Boston event is this thursday. I hope to learn a lot more about DVD authoring at the seminar-Ed <www.sonic.com>]   GRAPHICS Kodak Document Imaging has introduced High-Volume Capture Software (HVCS) in three versions to provide users of any Kodak Digital Science high-volume production document scanner with greater affordability and versatility. Kodak's HVCS packages, available July 29 feature instantaneous display of one, two, four or eight images, as well as real-time border removal, image deskew and image rotation. The software makes use of image address and level rules for document and batch separation. When used with the Kodak Scanner/Microimager 990 HVCS can keep track of both the electronic and microfilm address. Other features include unique real-time image-split and image-merge functions, which are very useful for processing forms, such as census forms and surveys. The three software versions are High-Volume Capture Software 9000, 7000 and 5000.Pricing for each software package may vary by country and scanner usage. <www.kodak.com web page "Business Imaging Systems">   Jul 14 Why limit QuickTime VR (or any immersive technology) to land based subjects? The JASON distance learning project took QTVR photograhers to Bermuda and now you can visit a page which includes tips for taking underwater panoramas. The project is sponsored by EDS <www.eds.com journal article "Shooting QTVR">   RealNetworks, Inc has announced the beta release of RealSystem G2, an extensible standards-based streaming media system. RealNetworks also announced that more than 50 media companies are providing programming through branded RealChannels on RealPlayer G2, and more than 20 media companies are providing SMIL-based programming for RealPlayer G2 users. The beta release of RealPlayer G2 is available immediately for free download. RealSystem G2 includes a new music codec which increases the frequency response of audio by 80% for both 28.8Kbpbs and 56Kbps modem connections, and new video post-filtering capabilities create smoother images for end-users. Two new media types are added, RealText and RealPix, as well as support for Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) <www.real.com>   Microsoft has released (7/2/98) a new Windows Media Player. The Windows Media Player upgrades the existing Windows Media Player and Microsoft ActiveMovie support to provide access to new Windows Media content and supports most local and streamed multimedia file types including WAV, AVI, QuickTime, and RealAudio 4.0 and RealVideo 4.0. <www.microsoft.com info page "Windows Media Player">   CONFERENCE The Silicon Alley Reporter presents THE RISING TIDE SUMMIT on July 27, 1998, an interdisciplinary dialogue focused on "technology's impact on society's power structures." The day long event takes place at the New York Historical Society. Register at the RTS website <www.siliconalleyreporter.com/rts/>   Jul 13 The Duck Corporation has released TrueMotion 2.0 Compression Tool Kit for QuickTime 3. TrueMotion is a compression codec that seems to be marketed primarily to games developers and multimedia authors. Under Windows it was used in the game Final Fantasy VII, developed by Square Soft, Inc. Key features of TrueMotion 2.0 include the following: QuickTime-native codec for Windows and Mac OS High quality playback Improved data rate control Optimized profiles for video, rendered animation and film, enabling integration of various media in a single environment Scalability and optimization for multiple platforms such as Macintosh computers, PCs, consoles, kiosks and arcade machines <www.duck.com>   MacWEEK has a review of Commotion 1.5 by Michael Hanish. It is described as "an invaluable complement to After Effects and a graceful collaborator with nonlinear editing systems." <www.macweek.com review "Commotion 1.5 a stirring upgrade">     Get QuickTime 3.0 ImageReady beta Cosmo VRML plug-in | Multimedia Workshop | Industry News | Online Reference | Contact Us | Find | Copyright 1998 by Multimedia Workshop. 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