Pro Applications Update 2008-05 is out

Apple just released Pro Applications Update 2008-05. This is identical to Pro Applications Update 2008-04 except it now comes with Color 1.0.4.

The news is still hot off the press so Apple haven't gotten around to updating their release notes at this point in time, however, given the timing and the fact that only one application was modified, it is safe to say that this patch was released solely to fix the dreaded XDCAM bugs in Color 1.0.3.

If you are currently running 1.0.3 and suffering from the XDCAM bug I would advise updating to this version. If not, the Golden Rules (TM) apply as usual:
* Never update in the middle of a project.
* Don't update if you don't actually need any of the features included in the update.
* Always clone or backup your system beforehand.
* Wait for at least a week to see if there are any reported problems with the patch.
* Wait even longer if you're using third party hardware or plugins e.g. the AJA Kona card or FXFactory plugins.

Update: Changelog is now up:

XDCAM Clip Relinking Is Fixed
XDCAM EX, HD, and 422 clips now relink properly.

ISO Changes in the RED Tab Appear Correctly
Instances where the Color UI did not accurately reflect changes made to the ISO parameter in the RED tab of the Primary In room have been fixed.

Improvements to the Blur Node in the Color FX Room
Adjusting the spread parameter of the Blur node no longer causes the clip to scale up.

Macworld 2009 to be the last for Apple

Apple just released a press release stating their intention to abandon all Macworld trade shows after January 2009. This is big news because Macworld is the most important trade show in Apple's calendar, and was the one they chose to use for announcing the iPhone.

Apple states that it has less need for trade shows due to the greater media presence it experiences nowadays, and I would say this is probably true. It's the reason they pulled out of NAB 2008 and it's the reason you shouldn't expect them at NAB 2009.

However, the more pressing question is this: why is Phil Schiller delivering the last keynote and not Steve Jobs? Surely Jobs should be present for the last one? Apple offers no explanation but this is likely to fuel further speculation about the CEO's health.

All I know is this - there are unlikely to be any huge announcements at the event, and it will become much harder to predict the best time to buy a computer now that Apple could spring new models upon us at any moment. But the computer industry is constantly changing and if you keep waiting for the next big thing, you'll be waiting forever. The best thing to do is buy what you need when you need it. Without the benefit of foresight, that's all you can do.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 released

Apple just released Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6. Here are the most relevant changes for video professionals (not many as we're frequently overlooked unfortunately):

Graphics

* Includes general improvements to gaming performance (I think they are referring to improved OpenGL performance in general, which affects applications like Motion and hopefully will boost poor GeForce 8800GT performance).
* Includes fixes for possible graphics distortion issues with certain ATI graphics cards.

Networking

* Improves Apple File Service performance, especially when using a home directory hosted on an AFP server. Important: If you are using Mac OS X 10.5.6 (client) to connect to a Mac OS X Server 10.4-based server, it is strongly recommended that you update the server to Mac OS X Server version 10.4.11.
* Improves the performance and reliability of TCP connections.

General

* Includes Mac OS X security improvements (always good).
* Adds a Trackpad System Preference pane for portable Macs.

See the full list here.

The changelog (which I don't have access to but was leaked on the net) for one of the beta versions of this patch listed a fix for various hiding bugs. I know several people have had a problem with Final Cut Pro where they have been unable to show it again after hiding, so it would be interesting to see if this fixes the issue.

Once again, don't install this update until it's been out for at least a week (minimum) and you've checked around internet forums to see if people have experienced any issues. When you do update, always assume the worst WILL happen and clone or backup your hard disk first. Never update in the middle of a project and don't update early if none of the issues fixed affect you.

However, it is good to install security updates as soon as possible (again, wait to see if people report problems, although this is normally rare with security updates). Luckily Apple have included the security content of this update as a separate download for those who don't want to risk upgrading their OS. It is available in Intel and PowerPC versions.

P.S. It's good to know that Apple aren't rushing to patch the XDCAM bug with Color 1.0.3 as, clearly, improving the performance and reliability of Chess is far more important ;)

Update 12/16/08: Lots of people reporting problems with this update.

Possible solution to Color 1.0.3 XDCAM issues

As reported earlier, the new Color 1.0.3 patch cannot seem to recognize XDCAM footage, reporting it as offline. Matt Bucy on the Apple discussions board seems to have come up with a potential fix though. It would appear that the problem is with the XDCAM codec that Sony's capture utility uses, and the problem goes away if you re-encode the video with Apple's flavor of the codec.

Matt recommends going to File > Media Manager and selecting Copy referenced media. You could also export to a QuickTime or put the files through Compressor (the latter being the least recommended option due to recompression taking place).



Let me know how well this works for you. Hopefully Apple will fix this soon.

Solving missing framework errors in Final Cut Studio

If one of your Final Cut Studio applications crashes the minute you open it, chances are it's down to missing frameworks. If you click the Report button on the crash dialog, it will tell you the reason. Alternatively you can fire up the Console in /Applications/Utilities to see the message.

You'll probably see a message like this:


Here's how to copy that file back:

1. Firstly, if you have another machine running Final Cut Studio, it's much easier to take the file from that machine (in this case /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/BrowserKit.framework) and copy it to the same location on the current machine.

2. If you don't have that luxury, you will need to extract it from your installation DVD. Put the disc in the drive and open up the Terminal in /Applications/Utilities.

3. If you are using Final Cut Studio 3, type the following:


If you are using Final Cut Studio 2, type the following:


Press enter after typing cd /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks, then paste the next part as one whole line. After typing the sudo gunzip... line you may be prompted for your password.

If you are using Logic Studio, substitute Logic Studio for Final Cut Studio. If you are missing a different file, replace BrowserKit.framework with the other file's name (ProKit.framework is another common missing file).

4. If this doesn't work, replace the cd /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks line above with:


Then copy the same sudo gunzip... command from above. This will copy the file to your desktop. In the Finder, browse to /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks and copy the file from your desktop to that folder. You may be prompted for your password.

5. If problems still persist after copying the file, it is likely that Final Cut Studio is expecting a later version of the framework than the one on the DVD. The only solution in this case is to copy it from a machine running the same version of Final Cut Studio as you, or to uninstall Final Cut Studio and then reinstall it from the DVD and patch it to the latest version.

Color 1.0.3 reportedly breaking XDCAM footage

A large number of Color 1.0.3 users are reporting that the latest version breaks XDCAM footage. Apparently their XDCAM media is listed as being offline, with no way to reconnect it. The symptoms vary - some report that 30p XDCAM works fine, others report that no XDCAM works at all. Some are saying it is an issue with 1080p clips only and that 720p is fine.

Currently no-one has managed to come up with a workaround and the only suggested course of action at this stage is to uninstall Color and reinstall version 1.0.2. As far as I'm aware, that is still available from Apple's site. If you experience problems with round-tripping from FCP you will need to uninstall the entire Studio, reinstall from the disc and then ask on some forums for the old FCP 6.0.4 update (included in Pro Applications 2008-02 I believe) because, frustratingly, Apple only posts the very latest updates on their site.

This is why it is recommended to not update in the middle of a project and to read up on the patch in some forums before updating. And to be on the safe side, clone your hard disk before you update as well. We can only hope that Apple fixes this issue soon (don't hold your breath) and in the meantime, all those experiencing issues should notify Apple so they are made aware that it is affecting a large number of their users.

Update 12/14/08: See the fix here.

Detailed review of new LED Cinema Display

AppleInsider has a 5-page review of Apple's new 24-inch Cinema Display. What I particularly like about this review is that it shows the professional viewpoint as well as the consumer one.

No review of this monitor is complete without a discussion of glossy screens (and I know that's the bit everyone wants to hear), so here it is:



I'm posting this review because, if the MacBook Pro is anything to go by, Apple will probably not offer matte alternatives when it upgrades the 20" and 30" displays. It's good to hear that the new displays are at least as color-accurate as the previous generation but the glossy screen will be a deal-breaker for many people. It all depends on the environment though. The best thing to do is buy one (when a compatible Mac Pro comes out of course), try it and return it within 14 days for a refund if you cannot stand it. Because, to my mind, this sounds like a great monitor for a well-lit environment - and if you are doing color-critical work, you should be in a well-lit environment, glossy screen or otherwise.

11-28-08 New AppleCare articles

Here are all the ProApp-related AppleCare articles from the last two weeks.

Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro: Creating an Easy Setup for capturing DV with 32 kHz audio - If you often need to capture DV (digital video) that has an audio sample rate of 32 kHz, you may want to create an Easy Setup in Final Cut Pro with all the necessary settings.

Final Cut Pro: Audio channel 4 may show no activity in Log and Transfer window with RED clips - When you ingest RED clips with four audio channels, the audio meter may show no activity on channel four when you preview in the Log and Transfer window.

Final Cut Pro: Restoring a DV device connection in QuickTime 7 - If you notice a loss of connectivity between Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Express and your DV camera or deck after upgrading your versions of Mac OS X and QuickTime, here's what you can do to resolve the issue.

Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server: Connecting the database to the correct local user account - Final Cut Server uses configuration data which refers to the administrative user that installed the software. This configuration data contains the User ID (UID) which is different than the username of the administrative user. There may be situations where the Final Cut Server configuration data does not match any existing UIDs of local administrative users. For proper functionality, make sure that the UID in the Final Cut Server configuration data matches the appropriate administrative user's UID.

Soundtrack

Soundtrack: About Recording Latency - Audio recorded with Soundtrack may not be in sync with existing tracks in the project. After recording an audio clip, the clip is slightly out of sync with the other tracks in the project. Typically, this occurs on computers with a single microprocessor. The latency may be more pronounced on computers with slower microprocessors.

DVD Studio Pro

DVD Studio Pro: Rules for Entering DVD@CCESS Links - The DVD@CCESS feature allows you to add additional interactivity to your DVD title when it is played on a computer. When authoring a DVD, it's important to enter the links in the correct format, or they might not work as desired.

Shake

Shake: May show version 4.1 after update to 4.1.1 on Mac OS X - The Shake 4.1.1 update affects only the QuickTime component. You may notice the Shake version number does not change across the rest of the application or its scripts.

Qmaster

Apple Qmaster: Sharing sometimes does not enable with custom shared cluster storage path - Sharing sometimes does not successfully start when you have set a custom shared cluster storage path. When you click Start Sharing in the Apple Qmaster System Preferences pane, the button dims and may not switch to Stop Sharing. If you quit System Preferences and reopen it, the Stop Sharing button may appear to be active, but the Quickcluster may not be available in Compressor.

Pro Applications Update 2008-04

Yesterday Apple posted a big ProApp update containing updates for several applications.

Final Cut Pro 6.0.5

Improved High-Precision Rendering
If you render sequences using the high-precision video processing setting, make sure to update to Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 for improved reliability when rendering still images and footage in high-resolution formats.

Extended Metadata Support for the Panasonic AG-HMC150 Camcorder
Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 captures the additional metadata for footage recorded with the Panasonic AG-HMC150 professional AVCHD camcorder.

Improved Support for the Panasonic HDC-SD9 Camcorder
Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 provides enhanced precision and reliability when ingesting files from the Panasonic HDC-SD9 camcorder.

Improved Support for Metadata Imported from P2 Cards
Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 provides support for extended metadata that is captured on P2 cards.

However, one of the biggest features doesn't even come from Apple. RED have posted their Final Cut Studio Installer that adds native .R3D file support to FCP 6.0.5.

Compressor 3.0.5 and Qmaster 3.0.5

Using QuickClusters and Back to My Mac on the Same Computer
The QuickCluster feature of the Apple Qmaster distributed processing system is a simple and automated alternative to creating and configuring clusters manually. In previous versions of Compressor, enabling the Back to My Mac feature in Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard would remove any existing QuickClusters. This issue has been resolved. For more information about QuickClusters, see the Distributed Processing Setup guide.

Color 1.0.3

Improved Format Support

Color 1.0.3 provides support for XDCAM 422 media and for the RED plug-ins for Final Cut Studio.

The RED plug-in and accompanying documentation can be downloaded at http://www.red.com. For workflow suggestions and more information about this format, see HD and Broadcast Formats, available from the Final Cut Pro Help menu.

Improved Application Reliability
Overall application reliability has been improved, including in the following areas:

* Using trackers in the Geometry room
* Using the Reconform command
* Adjusting the Minimum and Maximum nodes in the Color FX room

Improved EDL Handling
Accuracy and reliability during EDL import have been improved.

Application of Display LUT Now Indicated Consistently
Color 1.0.3 consistently indicates when a display LUT has been applied to a project in the Project Settings tab of the Setup room.

Improved Handling of DPX Image Sequences
Color 1.0.3 provides improved reliability when reading and outputting the header information of DPX image sequences, including timecode, frame size, aspect ratio, and transfer code.

The Fix Headers Button Now Works Properly
The Fix Headers button, which appears in the clip bin of the Setup room when you select an image sequence, now correctly alters the header information of DPX image sequences.

Improved Handling of Interlaced Media
Interlaced clips with Pan & Scan adjustments in the Geometry room correctly render the exact range of clip media.

Tangent Control Surface Mappings Are Improved
The HSL qualifier and reset control surface mappings for the Tangent CP100 control surface have been fixed.

Shake 4.1.1

* This update addresses compatibility issues for QuickTime codecs greater than 8 bits.

I don't think anyone expected Shake updates but yes, you read that correctly. Apple later posted a knowledge base article clarifying that the fix was for the QuickTime component only so Shake itself will still display 4.1 as its version number. It's also worth noting that this only applies to people who applied for the Shake 4.1 crossgrade or purchased it after 4.1 came out - 4.0 owners will not be able to upgrade.

Pro Applications Update 2008-04 Release Notes

I know you're probably dying to install these updates but first, make note of the Golden Rules (TM):
* Never update in the middle of a project.
* Don't update if you don't actually need any of the features included in the update.
* Always clone or backup your system beforehand.
* Wait for at least a week to see if there are any reported problems with the patch.
* Wait even longer if you're using third party hardware or plugins e.g. the AJA Kona card or FXFactory plugins.

11-16-08 - New AppleCare articles

Apple just posted some new ProApp-related AppleCare articles.

Final Cut Pro / Express

Final Cut Pro: Choosing a Hard Disk - The disk that contains your computer's operating system is called the startup disk or boot disk. In addition to the operating system, the startup disk also stores your applications (such as Final Cut Pro), your application preferences, system settings, and documents. Because the files on the startup disk are your most critical data, maintaining the startup disk is vital. Because digital media (especially high data rate video) makes your disks work harder, you should use dedicated disks for capturing and playing back your digital video and other media files. Consider your media disks as storage units that work long, hard hours, while your startup disk keeps your system properly organized. If a disk is going to malfunction, it's better if your critical data is separate from your replaceable media files. Depending on what kind of computer you are using, you may be able to use internal and external hard disks to store your media files. Each has benefits and drawbacks.

This is a very detailed article with a lot of useful technical information about the required minimum seek times, spindle speeds, etc for Final Cut Pro. Well worth checking out.

Final Cut Express 2: How to Delete the Preference Files - Learn how to resolve issues caused by unusable preference files in Final Cut Express 2.

Final Cut Express HD 3.0: Configuration error when using with iMac G5 (iSight) and Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) - If you open Final Cut Express HD 3.0 on certain computers, you'll get a "Configuration Error" message that indicates that your computer is missing certain hardware or software, or possibly an AGP graphics card.

Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express: Convert MP3 and AAC audio files for compatibility before importing - This document explains how to import MP3 and AAC-encoded audio files into Final Cut Pro 3, Final Cut Pro 4, and Final Cut Express.

Final Cut Express HD requires a Quartz Extreme AGP graphics card - To use Final Cut Express HD, you need a computer with an AGP graphics card that is capable of handling Quartz Extreme.

Final Cut Server

Final Cut Server: Unable to launch the specified application - In some cases the Final Cut Server client application may not open when you double-click the Final Cut Server.jnlp icon or Final Cut Server.app icon. This may happen after switching user accounts or restarting your computer from a volume other than the one you used to download the Java Web Start Final Cut Server client.

Soundtrack Pro

Soundtrack: How to Configure Digidesign Audio Devices - Learn how to use Digidesign audio devices with Apple's Soundtrack music application.

I guess they're talking about Soundtrack Pro here, not Soundtrack, as the original Soundtrack was discontinued 5 years ago.

Qmaster

Apple Qmaster: Optimizing cluster storage capacity - By default, the Apple Qmaster distributed processing system saves temporary process files in the /var/spool/qmaster directory on the cluster controller's startup disk. Computers in the cluster will access this location as needed. If you are processing large source media files that exceed the available storage space on the startup disk, you may run out of storage space on that disk.

Logic Pro / Express

Logic 8: How overlapping recordings are assigned to take folders - The Takes feature in Logic Pro/Express 8 is a powerful way to organize multiple recordings of a part in your projects. Here are some tips and explanations of what it will do in various situations.

Logic Express 8: Troubleshooting Basics - If Logic Express 8 isn't starting up properly or performing normally, try these basic troubleshooting steps to remedy the situation. Please note that these steps aren't exhaustive, and are not intended to cover any specific issue. They are fundamental, basic steps that are most effective in getting Logic Express 8 into good working order, and are the steps most often suggested by AppleCare Technical Support.