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Introducing Kollaborate Plugin Pack - upload directly from your NLE

Yesterday we launched Kollaborate Plugin Pack. This is a group of NLE plugins that allow for direct uploading to our Kollaborate cloud workflow platform from your editing application, saving both time and effort. We currently have plugins for Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro for Mac.

The installer places Send to Kollaborate functions in the File > Export menu in Premiere and the File > Share menu in FCPX.

The user manual provides a full tutorial but the basic workflow is as follows:

1. Go to File > Export > Send to Kollaborate (Premiere) or File > Share > Send to Kollaborate (FCPX).

2. At this point FCPX users should enter a title and other basic details for the project. Premiere users should skip to step 3.

3. Assuming you're logged into Kollaborate, select the project and provide basic details such as the title, description and where to store the file.

4. Click Export Sequence and the NLE will take over the rendering of the file. Once that is complete, the Kollaborate plugin will upload the video in the background and alert you with a Notification Center alert when it's done.

Note: due to limitations in the Adobe Premiere API, any in and out points in your timeline will be ignored when exporting through the plugin. To export a section of your timeline, please nest the sequence.

System requirements are OS X 10.8+ and FCPX 10.1+ or Adobe Premiere Pro CC or higher.

Kollaborate is the only professional workflow platform that integrates in this way with your editing application. To find out more, register for the free 15-day trial (no credit card needed).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Oct 28 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate 1.2 released - favorites, custom depts, server encoding and more

We've just launched a major new version of Kollaborate on the cloud. With Kollaborate 1.2 we decided to address almost all of your top feature requests at once, including:

Favorites

Favorite a file or comment to refer back to later. This is useful for creating to-do lists.

Custom Departments and Positions

Custom departments and positions can be added on a per-project basis, allowing you to create private storage areas only a few users can see.

Alias overhaul

Aliases have been redesigned and can now be linked to all past and future revisions of a file or just a particular revision.

Custom logos

You can specify a custom site logo that will appear at the top of the page when others view your project.

Linked accounts

Link other accounts to your subscription to allow team-members to also create projects.

Server-side encoding (beta)

Incompatible files under 20 mins can now be converted to H.264 on our server. This will take place by default for non-H.264 video files or files that are not in an MP4 container.

For power users we still recommend Kollaborate Transfer for uploading due to its faster speeds and greater customization.

Server-side encoding is currently considered beta so please let us know of any bugs, issues or incompatibilities you encounter.

Other changes


  • Non-admins can now approve files in their departments if the Approval permission is set (for some user types including Client and Agency Rep, this is set by default). To change this, click the dropdown next to a user on the Team page and click Permissions.
  • Navigate between files directly from the player and click a file's thumbnail in the Files page to preview it
  • Replace a file - upload a new copy while keeping all comments and links intact
  • Hide download button option when creating a link (note: this does not prevent users from downloading but makes it less obvious)
  • Right-click menus - instead of clicking the dropdown next to each user, file, project, task or comment, right-click to show the same menu
  • New comment export options - CSV and EdiCue
  • Many bug fixes and tweaks

Kollaborate is a cloud workflow platform that connects with Digital Rebellion products to allow you to share files and collaborate with colleagues and clients on your project. To find out more, read the feature list and FAQ, watch the overview video or register for the free 15-day trial (no credit card needed).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Oct 14 2014 to Kollaborate, DR News, Front Page News
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Introducing the Kollaborate Folder Watcher for Mac Beta

Today we are introducing a new tool for Kollaborate users. With Kollaborate Folder Watcher you can now setup watch folders that will automatically upload files to the cloud when you copy them to that folder.

To start, launch the app and login to your Kollaborate account in Preferences. If you have installed Kollaborate Transfer or signed into Kollaborate from one of our other apps, you won't need to do this because it will automatically detect your settings.

Click the + button and browse for a folder. Note that upon adding a folder all files inside it will be uploaded.

Next choose the project, department and folder to upload to. You can have different folders uploading to different projects.

Now drag some files or folders into the folder. After a few seconds or minutes (depending on the size) you should see them appear in the project from your web browser.

Please note that this is a pre-release version that has some issues a limitations, so caution should be exercised when using it in a production environment. The current version does not encode videos so we recommend that you encode them using our encoding presets prior to copying to the folder. There are also likely to be bugs so please report any you find to us.

Posted by Jon Chappell on Sep 8 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate Server 1.1.2 released - approve/reject files, overhauled uploader

Earlier this week we released Kollaborate Server 1.1.2, bringing many new features to our in-house workflow platform.

The changes are similar to those of the cloud version with some additional server-specific features and tweaks.

Approve and deny files

Users can mark a file as needing approval, which alerts all admins on the project and allows them to approve or reject it. You can optionally include an explanation when approving / rejecting.

Overhauled uploader

We have a brand new drag and drop uploader which allows you to upload batches of files at once.

Drag and drop file interface

You can now drag files onto folders to move them or drag onto another file to combine them as revisions.

Dark UI

We've had several requests for this - you can now choose a dark skin for navigating the site. Click your name in the top right corner to toggle between light and dark.

Reminders

Users who have not viewed a link sent to them within 7 days will now receive a reminder email, as will admins where a file has been marked as Needs Approval for 7 days. Only one reminder is sent.

If upgrading from an existing installation, you'll need to go into the installer, skip through until you reach the Scheduled Tasks page and install the daily script to enable this feature.

Installer tweaks

We've made several improvements to the installer, including improved Ubuntu compatibility and various tweaks to scheduled tasks.

Kollaborate Server is a version of the Kollaborate cloud workflow platform that you can run in-house on your own servers and storage, with full control over security and improved customization. To find out more about Kollaborate, view the feature list, read the Kollaborate Server documentation or sign up for the free 15-day cloud trial (no credit card needed).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Aug 20 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate 1.1.2 - approve/reject files, overhauled uploader

We've just released Kollaborate 1.1.2 on the cloud. In addition to the recent storage space bumps and new pricing packages, we've introduced some great new features.

Approve and deny files

Users can mark a file as needing approval, which alerts all admins on the project and allows them to approve or reject it.

Overhauled uploader

We have a brand new drag and drop uploader which allows you to upload batches of files at once.

Drag and drop file interface

You can now drag files onto folders to move them or drag onto another file to combine them as revisions.

Dark UI

We've had several requests for this - you can now choose a dark skin for navigating the site. Click your name in the top right corner to toggle between light and dark.

Kollaborate Transfer

In Kollaborate Transfer 1.1.3 you can set the status of a file (Work in Progress, Needs Approval) before uploading and optionally switch off automatic upload notification emails to other users on the project.

Other changes


  • Timecode overlay when hovering over the timeline
  • When switching between revisions, it now skips to same time position in the new file
  • Files with identical names are now automatically revised
  • Colors are now respected when importing marker lists
  • Simplified dialog for inviting users to a project
  • Various UI tweaks and alerts to help new users

Kollaborate is a cloud workflow platform that connects with our products to allow you to share files and collaborate with colleagues and clients on your project. To find out more, read the feature list and FAQ, watch the overview video or register for the free 15-day trial (no credit card needed).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Aug 6 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate storage space bump and new pricing packages

Today we boosted the storage space of all Kollaborate subscribers free of charge. If you were on the 10 GB package, you're now getting 12 GB, 20 GB is now 25 GB and 50 GB is now 60 GB. Users on the 50 GB package are also getting 40 users instead of 25. You can view the current range of packages here.

When we released Kollaborate Server we removed our previous high-end packages because we assumed high-end users would prefer the in-house hosting option. While this was largely true, there still remained customers who preferred us to handle hosting, setup and security so these packages are now back again.

We've also made the introductory pricing permanent on the lower packages, added a new mid-tier package with 40 GB storage and reduced the prices of add-on user and storage packs. This means that getting the exact package that meets your needs is easier and more cost-effective than before.

To find out more about how Kollaborate connects with Digital Rebellion products to improve your file review and approval workflow, view the feature list and FAQ, watch the overview video or try out the free 15-day trial (no credit card required).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Aug 4 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate Server 1.1.1 released with notification overhaul

Last week we released Kollaborate Server 1.1.1 which brings all of the changes in Kollaborate 1.1.1 plus many other server-specific changes.

Link Expiration

Shared links can now be set to automatically expire after a certain time period, allowing you to limit access to a file to prevent abuse. This feature is optional and you can still create permanent links as before if you wish.

Notification overhaul

Site navigation has been streamlined and the Dashboard page is gone. In its place we are now showing alerts on a per-page basis. In the Files section we also provide a list of which files are new or have changes, making it much more intuitive to get up to speed on what's new within a project.

Other changes


  • Project history - Shows last project access date and allows you to sort by it
  • Users can leave a project they were invited to
  • Projects can be archived
  • Added unsubscription links to automatically-generated emails
  • Apps now contribute to file view counts and trigger viewing receipts
  • More secure passwords are now enforced for new users and users who change their password
  • Password resets now send a confirmation email instead of resetting immediately
  • Simpified the comment box UI
  • Auto-pause is now on by default
  • Comment replies show who the author of each comment is when combining into a marker list
  • Private projects no longer show user counts on the Projects page
  • When "Do not display contact information" is set for a project, it will still show your own information to you
  • All Shares now shows recipients
  • Fixed an issue where emails could have newlines inserted at random
  • Fixed an issue where emails sent by apps may not be subject to filtering prefs
  • Fixed an issue where switching off comments in a link may not switch them off
  • Various UI tweaks
  • Various installer improvements

Kollaborate Transfer 1.1.2


We've also released Kollaborate Transfer 1.1.2 which improves encoding reliability and watermark scaling.

Kollaborate Server is a version of the Kollaborate cloud workflow platform that you can run in-house on your own servers and storage, with improved customization. To find out more about Kollaborate, view the feature list, read the Kollaborate Server documentation or sign up for the free 15-day cloud trial.

Posted by Jon Chappell on Jun 23 2014 to Kollaborate, DR News, Front Page News
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Kollaborate 1.1.1 released with link expiration and notification overhaul

Today we launched Kollaborate 1.1.1 onto the cloud, featuring many tweaks and improvements to the site.

Link expiration

Shared links can now be set to automatically expire after a certain time period, allowing you to limit access to a file to prevent abuse. This feature is optional and you can still create permanent links as before if you wish.

Notification overhaul

Site navigation has been streamlined and the Dashboard page is gone. In its place we are now showing alerts on a per-page basis. In the Files section we also provide a list of which files are new or have changes, making it much more intuitive to get up to speed on what's new within a project.

Additionally, we have added unsubscription links to the automatic emails sent out by the site, making it easy for less technical users to limit the notifications they receive without needing to login to their profile.

Project changes

We've made many small changes to the Projects section of the site. Projects are now either Active or Archived and a project that is completed can still be listed as active if you wish.

Managing lots of projects is simpler because the last time you accessed the project is now logged, pushing the most recent projects to the top of the list by default to make them easier to find.

Additionally, it is now possible for a user invited by someone else to a project to leave that project.

App improvements

We're working to make our helper tools more consistent with the features of the web interface and apps like CinePlay now contribute to view counts and trigger viewing receipts.

Other changes

  • Combining comments by timecode is more intelligent about attributing replies to their original author
  • Secure passwords are now enforced for new users and existing ones who change their password
  • Overhaul the password reset feature
  • Private projects no longer show users counts on the Projects page
  • When "Do not display contact information" is set for a project, it will still show your own information to you
  • Fixed an issue where emails sent by apps may not be subject to email filtering preferences
  • Simpified the comment box
  • Auto-pause is now on by default
  • Many many UI tweaks

Kollaborate Transfer 1.1

We also launched Kollaborate Transfer 1.1, a major new update to our free encoding and uploading tool. This features significantly faster encoding speeds for H.264 and ProRes source media, along with the option to embed a watermark image in the file.

Kollaborate is a cloud workflow platform that brings Digital Rebellion apps together to help you work better with your team. To find out more read the feature list or sign up for the free 15-day trial (no credit card needed).

Posted by Jon Chappell on Jun 9 2014 to Kollaborate, DR News, Front Page News
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Kollaborate Server 1.1 released with annotations, comment colors and more

Yesterday we released Kollaborate Server 1.1 which brings all of the changes in Kollaborate 1.1 plus many other server-specific features and fixes.

Annotations

You can now draw over your videos in multiple colors. Annotations must be submitted alongside a comment which helps to give the drawing context.

Comment Colors

Comments can be color-coded for context and colors are respected when exporting to marker lists. Comment colors are a powerful feature because you can filter the comment view by color and even filter colors when you export to a marker list.

Email Notification Preferences

Kollaborate now offers finer control over notification alerts. You can now choose exactly which notifications to receive from the Profile page.

Move Files Between Projects

Files can now be shared from your private storage area and can also be moved between projects.

Admins can view all projects

Superadmins and admins can now access and view all projects on the server regardless of whether or not they are part of the project's Team.

Installer tweaks

We've improved the installer too, allowing you to specify the superadmin email address and password as part of the installation process instead of logging in with the defaults and then changing them. This simplifies installation and also improves security for those who would not have changed the default login information.

Bug fixes

A large number of bugs are fixed in this version, particularly on Windows servers, and file serving performance has been improved, making this a recommended update for all server administrators.

Kollaborate Server is a version of the Kollaborate cloud workflow platform that you can run in-house on your own servers and storage, with improved customization. To find out more about Kollaborate, view the feature list, read the Kollaborate Server documentation or sign up for the free 15-day trial.

Posted by Jon Chappell on Apr 10 2014 to DR News, Front Page News, Kollaborate
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Kollaborate 1.1 released with annotations, comment colors and more

We've just released Kollaborate 1.1 onto the cloud. This is a major new update to our popular cloud workflow platform.

Annotations

You can now draw over your videos in multiple colors. Annotations must be submitted alongside a comment which helps to give the drawing context.

This is currently only supported in the web interface right now but it will be coming soon to CinePlay for Mac and CinePlay for iOS.

Comment Colors

Comments can be color-coded for context and colors are respected when exporting to marker lists. Comment colors are a powerful feature because you can filter the comment view by color and even filter colors when you export to a marker list.

This works really well with Cut Notes because you can setup preset colored buttons for particular categories such as sound and picture and then filter your marker outputs accordingly.

Comment colors are supported by Cut Notes and CinePlay for Mac and will be coming soon to CinePlay for iOS.

Kollaborate Transfer 1.1 Beta

We've also released a new version of Kollaborate Transfer. This uses AV Foundation for encoding on OS X 10.7 or higher which significantly boosts encoding performance.

It also uploads QuickTime metadata tags to Kollaborate so you can reference them from the player.

Email Notification Preferences

Kollaborate now offers finer control over notification alerts. You can now choose exactly which notifications to receive from the Profile page.

Move Files Between Projects

Files can now be shared from your private storage area and can also be moved between projects.

On top of this, there have been a large number of bug fixes, UI tweaks and performance optimizations to improve the Kollaborate experience. There will also be a corresponding update to Kollaborate Server next week.

Kollaborate is a cloud workflow platform that allows you to share files and collaborate with others while offering full integration with Digital Rebellion products. To find out more visit www.kollaborate.tv.

Posted by Jon Chappell on Apr 3 2014 to Kollaborate, DR News, Front Page News
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