Boinx iVeZeen 2.1 with preset for new iPod video format

The new version of Boinx iVeZeen now includes a preset for the new iPod video format. Record video and sound for direct download to your new iPod. You can also do some more tricks: Change color, hue, focus, and other settings while you record and start recording when iVeZeen detects motion.

No Porn for You, Video IPod!

No Porn for You, Video IPod!
Usually the adult industry races to embrace new technology -- but not so with the video iPod. Thanks to fears of litigation and a government crackdown, the porn peddlers will not get caught with their pants down. Read the story at the Wired.com site

New Film, Video and TV Pre-Production Software, Celtx 0.9.4 Released in 15 Languages

Today Greyfirst Corp., a leader in semantic web technologies, released the latest version of Celtx, the open source pre-production software tool for creating video, film and TV content. Aimed at film and video makers, Celtx lets users write scripts, perform breakdowns, plan productions and collaborate with others online.

Study: iPod users are prolific influencers

Tech-savvy iPod users are the perfect demographic for cutting-edge technology and the digital life, a report claims.

Adobe Macromedia deal complete 'by December'

Adobe will hit the high end of its financial targets and close its Macromedia acquisition deal by the end of the year.

Apple updates Final Cut Pro 5 apps

An 85MB download for all FCP 5 apps is available now. Little information given.

Tiger 10.4.3 is on it's way

Both AppleInsider and ThinkSecret are reporting that a Mac OS X v10.4.3 release is "imminent." Their reports indicate that there are little to no bugs reported in the latest build distributions and that development seems to be wrapping up finally.
The release is expected to squash at least 500 bugs, with some speculating that the amount of tweaks and fixes will reach to almost a thousand. The Combo version of build 8F45 weighs around 100MB and will touch most major Mac OS X components.

iPod With Video Compression Primer 101

You got your hands on a brand new iPod, and now you want to feed it with some movies.
Can't find what you want on Apple iTunes Store...
No problem, here is a Video Compression Primer 101 for your iPod with Video.

1) Get to know a few compression rules about transfering movies to your iPod

The new iPod supports H.264 and MPEG-4 video in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov formats, which means your iPod will play the videos offered by the iTunes Music Store and those hand-wrought videos you’ve properly encoded. Apple’s QuickTime Pro 7.0.3 (or an application such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro that takes advantage of QuickTime’s encoders) provides the best chance for success in this regard. Within QuickTime Pro’s Export dialog box you’ll find a Movie to iPod (320x240) option that exports videos in the H.264 .m4v file format compatible with the new iPods. Note that converting movies this way is slow—it took the better part of a day to convert the first disc of The Lord of the Rings Special Extended DVD Edition that I’d initially ripped with Mac the Ripper. A faster way to go is HandBrake, a DVD to MPEG-4 ripper/converter. Using its MPEG-4 option I was able to convert House of Flying Daggers to an MPEG-4 file compatible with the iPod in about 35 minutes on my Power Mac G5. (HandBrake’s H.264 option doesn’t create files compatible with the iPod.)
I also played with quicktime pro and a video ipod over the weekend, looking for compression settings that would compress faster than h.264, but still work on the ipod. It turns out to be easy to do.

I used file->export, exported "Movie to MPEG-4," and selected the following
options:
File Format: MP4
Video Format: MP4-Basic
Data Rate: 700 (1500 also worked)
Image Size: 320x240
Frame Rate: Current
Keyframe: Automatic
Audio Format: AAC-LC
Data Rate: 128 kbps
Channels: Stereo
Sample Rate: 44.100 kHz
Quality: Better

I dragged the resulting mp4 into iTunes, updated the ipod with it, and it
worked fine. I didn't pay attention to quality, since my source was junk
anyway, I didn't try any settings changes beyond video data rate, since I
was also watching the world series. But this'll get you started to find
settings you like for your own applications."

2) Get The Right Tools

QuickTime Pro
iMovie
Final Cut Pro or Express
Hand Brake
Fourty-Two DVD-VX Plus
Movie-To-Go
(could be anyone of these or in combination)

3) Know the limits of the medium

Compressing a source is always a give and take process; -Higher bitrate for action movie with less emphasis on sound, as opose to a very deep and down narative movie without a lot of action emphasis then will be put on sound. Are you going to watch it only on your iPod or on a tv screen ?

4) Let your Mac do the heavy lifting

Don,t use multitasking when compressing movies otherwise you could end up having a processor that will give you the ipression of being slow as a turtle. Copression takes every ounce of power that your Mac can crank up.

5) Put some time aside

It is a long process; Don't expect to have a ready to watch movie on your iPod in 15 minutes (unless the content is only a few minutes long).

6) Import

You have your first movie ready just drag and drop in iTunes; -If you use Movie-To-Go the process is automatic !

7) Enjoy

Ha! The Matrix on iPod, Sweeeet!

When Will Analog TV End?

According to The Senate, April 7, 2009
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee yesterday approved a deadline of April 7, 2009,
for television stations to shut down analog.

iPod nano owners sue Apple over screen issues

Consumers upset about their iPod nano screen becoming easily scratched or marred have filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple Computer, demanding their money back plus a share of the company profits.

According to the Red Herring, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of nano owner Jason Tomczak and others who have purchased the relatively new device. The lawsuit alleges Tomczak rubbed a paper towel on the face of his nano and that alone left significant scratches.

Apple posts Pro Applications Update 2005-02

Apple yesterday posted Pro Applications Update 2005-02, which it says "addresses several issues with underlying frameworks and shared components for Apple's professional applications, and is strongly recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, LiveType 2, Compressor 2, Apple Qmaster 2, and Final Cut Express HD 3.

RadTech announces ScreenSavrz for Cinema Displays

RadTech today announced the availability of ScreenSavrz for Apple Cinema Displays, next in the series of form-fitting protective covers for computer LCD panels, and StuffBak Device Recovery Service. ScreenSavrz for Cinema Displays protect, clean and refinish Flat-panel LCD panels for total display care, notes the company. The covers are constructed from RadTech’s Optex fabric, which is specifically formulated using today's most advanced optical polishing technology. ScreenSavrz for Cinema Displays are available Titanium Grey and Aqua colors. Great stuff from RadTech !

ACM SIGGRAPH In Montreal

This fall, fps and Montreal ACM SIGGRAPH are proud to provide Montrealers with a rare chance to meet stop-motion animator and director Mike Johnson, who has worked on Hollywood feature films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Mr. Johnson is the second guest to appear as part of our Animation Innovator series of presentations.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride blends traditional stop-motion animation techniques with cutting-edge technology—it's the first feature film to be shot using digital still cameras and composited and edited using Macintosh computers and software. We are proud to present Mr. Johnson, who will discuss his experience in animation and the making of this film, as well as display puppets from the actual production. The presentation will also include the screening of his award-winning short, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. He will make two appearances: one daytime show for late primary and high school students, and one evening show for the general public, followed by a signing.

When: Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Daytime: 10:00 a.m. (special matinee for schools)
Evening: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Concordia University, Hall Alumni Auditorium, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montreal, Quebec

Maccentral posts some notes about Aperture with reactions and comments from Apple. First and foremost, Apple insists that Aperture is not a competitor to Adobe Photoshop:
Apple said that Aperture opens up a whole new category for photo applications. The company set out to eliminate many of the issues that pros have been facing over the years as they move from their familiar print workflow to the digital workspace.

While not available until November, Apple invited some of the press to a demonstration of the new program. Some notes include:

- Aperture deals with the RAW data coming from the Camera
- All edits are non-destructive
- No "save" command, all changes are logged to a SQL database
- Advanced web galleries, photo books and prints. Photo books are higher resolution and have more flexible layouts than those offered through iPhoto.
- "Smart" web galleries which have images posted based on certain criteria