Australian film - Federation of Australian Movie Makers

TECHNOLOGY NEWS
LED Projectors
The projectors utilising LED based light sources that I mentioned in my last article have been slowly increasing in
number but at this stage seem to be aimed at the portable presentation market. I will provide more information on
this subject as home theatre models become available.
Sony Vegas Pro 9 Released
New Features in Version 9.0
Video
• Support for frame sizes up to 4096 x 4096 (see the Video tab in Project Properties).
• Support for capturing directly to XDCAM-compatible MXF files from supported SDI sources.
• Vegas can now automatically adjust the video preview size and quality to optimise frame rate during preview.
Right-click the Video Preview window and select Adjust Size and Quality for Optimal Playback if you
want to emphasize frame rate during preview. When the command is not selected, video quality is emphasized,
and the frame rate will be reduced if necessary.
• Select the Adjust source media to better match project or render settings check box on the Video tab of
the Project Properties dialog to enable Vegas to make minor changes to your source media properties — including
cropping/padding frame size or adjusting interlacing — to allow media files to work better with your
project.
• Improved 32-bit, floating-point (video levels) processing mode ensures colour level and contrast compatibility
with 8-bit mode (see the Video tab in Project Properties).
• Gradient Wipe transition.
• New Glint, Rays, Defocus, Starburst, Soft Contrast, and Fill Light video effects.
Audio
• Audio-only edits (such as event moves, trims, and ASR times) are no longer quantised to frame boundaries
by default when Quantise to Frames is enabled. If you want to quantise audio-only edits, clear the Do not
quantise to frames for audio-only edits check box on the Preferences > Editing tab.
• Audio-waveform drawing during recording has been improved:
Recorded waveforms are now updated at a faster rate.
16-bit peak files are used for increased resolution.
The entire waveform is now visible during recording.
Peaks no longer need to be built when recording is completed.
• A Use all Streams and Channels command has been added to the Trimmer window shortcut menu to allow
you to choose how streams and channels are handled when adding media to the timeline.
Workflow
• The Vegas interface uses a new, darker colour palette that's easy on your eyes when working in a darkened
editing booth.
• Vegas includes new default window layouts.
• The Device Explorer window allows you to import video from AVCHD and XDCAM EX cameras.
• In the Save As dialog, the Copy media with project radio button now copies only media files that are saved
outside of the project folder; media files in folders below the project folder are no longer copied.
• In the Video Media Generators dialog, you can now click the Match Event Length button to set the length
of the generated media to match the length of the event.
• Hold Alt+Shift while dragging inside an event to slip-trim the right edge of an event.
• Hold Ctrl+Alt+Shift while clicking an event to split it. You can then drag from that point to trim the event in
the direction you drag (eraser mode).
• You can now slip all of an event's takes when slipping an event (choose Slip All Takes from the Options
menu).
• You can hold Ctrl (or hold the right mouse button) for fine control while adjusting the sustain portion of
event envelopes.
• Time selection envelope editing (adjusts multiple envelope points within a time selection for quick audio
ducking).
• Muted events on muted tracks are now darkened on the timeline to indicate their muted state.
• You can now set default fade and key frame types on the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences
dialog.
• You can now choose to automatically crop still images to match your project's output aspect ratio.
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Australian film & video