Eye to Eye: Video Post-production

My first direct experience of video post-production involved hauling a heavy Sony U-Matic tape machine up a flight of stairs before going back for an equally heavy playback deck, a bulky CRT monitor and a large box of interface giblets. That was in 1978. 33 years on, an Apple Mac does the whole editing job a great deal better, faster and more economically.
So what, in the run-up to NAB 2011, is new in the world of post-production?
Avid has introduced new version 5.5 iterations of its Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony editing software. Added features include support for AJA Io Express, improved search capabilities, native support for Sony HDCAM SR Lite format and Enhanced Smart Tool functionality for direct transition manipulation within the timeline, enabling 'on the fly' editing.
DFT Digital Film Technology's new Flexxity platform addresses film and digital dailies, archiving and restoration as well as file ingest, transfer and playout. Flexxity Archive allows users to access archived image and audio files from disk as well as ingesting material from film scanners. It helps perform quality-control of archive material, image and sound synchronisation, timeline editing, colour correction and image scaling. Processed files can be output in various file or video formats. The software has built-in scratch and dirt removal, and retouching capabilities.
DVS will be presenting new features of its Clipster system at NAB 2011 including support for MXF AS-02 as well as Interoperable Master Format. For the first time, this will enable post-production customers to add different tracks to a digital master in accordance with the IMF standard. This includes video, audio, subtitles as well as closed captions, allowing different deliverables to be generated for DVD, Blu-ray, SDTV, HDTV and IPTV. The JPEG2000 RGB/YUV data is compressed faster than real-time at a rate of 500 megabit/s. Clipster also features an expanded toolset in the area of 3D. Clipster generates 3D Digital Cinema Packages in real time, speeding up 3D subtitling in 4K as well as DCI mastering.
For-A's new HVS-4000 multi-format video switcher is available in 2 M/E, 2.5 M/E or 3 M/E versions with optional support for 3 gigabit/s and 3D. The control panel for the 2.5 M/E and 3 M/E models enables direct access to preset content, including a macro bus and event recall button for each M/E. The 2.5 and 3 M/E versions come with either 24 or 32-buttons. The HVS-4000 lets the operator switch between HD and SD signals and the various HD formats. With the optional up/down/cross converter card installed, the system can support mixed input from HD and SD devices. With its optional 3D function, the HVS-4000 can handle the left and right video from a stereo camera as a pair, allowing the operator to switch or invert video, add delays, and adjust parallax. The M/E count does not change even if used as a 3D switcher.
Matrox has announced support for the newly released Avid Media Composer V5.5 editing system. The Matrox MXO2 Mini turns an HDMI screen into a video monitor with colour calibration tools. It provides HDMI, analog component, S-Video and composite output plus cross-platform support for Macs and PCs. Matrox Vetura Capture software allows capture to Avid DNxHD or other Avid-supported codecs. Media Composer V5.5 adds support for 720p and 1080p workflows with Matrox MXO2 Mini including the ability to select PsF or true P output in 1080p modes.
Panasonic's AJ-PCD30 P2 drive is a new three-slot P2 device with a USB 3.0 interface capable up to 4.8 gigabit/s transfer rates, offloading AVC-Intra 100 content at more than 15 times real-time. The PCD30 can transfer data from up to three P2 cards simultaneously, making content immediately available to nonlinear editing systems and servers. With three 64 gigabyte P2 cards inserted, the device can offer immediate access to more than three hours of AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD, or more than six hours of AVC-Intra 50 or DVCPRO50 content. The PCD30 can be used as externally or installed in a desktop. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac.

Quantel will introduce several new post-production devices at NAB 2011. QTube is claimed to allow content to be accessed from anywhere that has an internet connection. It offers metadata editing, high-quality downloads and frame-accurate editing. QTube will be demonstrated working with Quantel's Enterprise sQ broadcast production system. Qube is a new editor for Enterprise sQ. Designed to deliver improved performance at lower cost than its sQ Edit Plus predecessor, Qube employs CUDA GPU accelerated processing. It includes 3G HDSDI interfaces and is powerful enough to handle 1080p60 and 3D. sQ Fileflow is a new workflow application for Enterprise sQ systems. It enables fast transfers of native XDCAM HD file assets into and out of sQ systems.
Sony Creative Software has introduced a new version of its Vegas Pro editing software. Vegas Pro 10 allows users to import, adjust, edit, preview and export 3D projects natively without any additional tools or plug-ins. Improved support for closed captions includes captions in the video preview window, support for Line 21 closed captions, HD SDI closed caption capture, multiple closed captioning file types and the ability to export captions for Sony DVD Architect, YouTube, RealPlayer, QuickTime, and Windows Media Player. New stabilisation tools are intended to reduce the effects of hand-held recording. Vegas Pro Production Assistant has also been upgraded, to version 2. New features include automated import, edit and rendering, additional batch processes to streamline editing and delivery, automatic trim pre-roll and post-roll from selected events on the timeline, and automatic media labelling.
If you can stomach video and audio editing on a 10 inch screen, the recently introduced Apple iPad2 is capable of running iMovie (a $5 download). This has potential for news reporters and video-bloggers wanting to trim content, including 1080p, while on location. No sign yet of a bolt-on mirrors and supporting software to harness the forward and backward facing cameras for stereoscopic capture. I guess that feature, along with 3D editing, will have to await the iPad3.