Open Source Developments

High-quality open source NLE's may become a reality in the not-too-distant future.   (If you're unfamiliar with the Open Source software, check out this article.)

Lightworks is currently in beta mode and available for download.  This NLE touts an impressive list of features.  I'm testing this software now and look forward to sharing that experience here soon.

 Novacut is now fundraising to help underwrite the release of its beta version.   Here's an article from Studio Daily that describes the features to be included in this application.

If you want to support the project, check out the Kickstarter campaign here.

Windows 7 Networking Blues...(Or Is That Blows?)

For the most part, I'm satisfied with Windows 7. It's very stable and doesn't seem to embrace the principles of Rube Goldberg in the way that Vista did.Unfortunately that isn't the case in Windows 7 networking. Windows 7 added the Homegroup "feature" to simplify home networking. Onefunction I need is the ability to fully share a network drive between two Windows 7 computers. Well after a couple of days of wrestling with this, there is no simple or obvious way to do this. Nice work Microsoft.

I won't bore you with all of the details. There's plenty of online fulminating to be found on the subject.

Instead I opted to create a Workgroup. Sounds easy and we've been using these for years - right? But hold on. While file copying across a network was a no-brainer in XP, Windows 7 grinds this simple process to a mind-numbing snail's pace.

Remedies?

After reviewing a number of user forums, I discovered some changes you can make that might help.

First you can tweak the settings on your NIC (network interface card):


Under Network Sharing Center>Change adapter settings,right-click your network adapter and select “Properties”

Disabled Ipv6 (uncheck the box)

Click OK

Right-click your network adapter again and select “Properties”

Click on “Configure”

Disabled Large Send Offload (IPv4)
Disabled Large Send Offload (IPv6)
Disabled Receive Side Scaling

The other thing you can do is Disabled Receive Window Auto-Tuning Level. You need to use Microsoft's command-line interpreter to do this. (Wah?)

To access this tool, click on Start and type "CMD" in the "search programs and files" field. Then go to this URL for instructions on the process.

I can't promise that this will fix the problem but it worked for me.

Final Cut No?

Of late, there's been a great deal of debate and hand-wringing over the features (or lack thereof) in Apple's latest release of it's professional nonlinear editing application, Final Cut Pro X (FCP-X). 

Here's a mixed review from Ars Technica and a more enthusiastic write-up from non-editor David Pogue at the New York Times.

There does seem to be some general agreement however.  Many believe that Apple is no longer interested in solely targeting the professional video editor market, and has broadened its net to go after educators and do-it-yourself small business owners.  Here's an article from the excellent ProVideo Coaltition that details this strategy.

That may be true, but if so Apple now finds itself in an even more competitive marketplace.  If the actual goal is to provide a more affordable and easy-to-use NLE for "storytelling", there are plenty of options that are far cheaper than FCP-X.   For instance, Adobe Premiere Elements is less than $100 and it runs easily on a pedestrian PC.   And I suspect it's a corner of the market where low price typically wins the day.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out but there's little doubt that Apples new course has opened a major opportunity for Adobe and Avid.   Adobe already offers a promotion to entice FCP editors to switch.