Last week we released Pro Maintenance Tools 2.0.3, a minor update to our suite of tools to repair, optimize and troubleshoot Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro for Mac.

Improved Premiere Pro support

We've improved Premiere Pro support in this version, with extra cache options in Housekeeper and support for backing up Premiere Pro sequence presets, styles and column settings in Preference Manager.

We also fixed an issue where only Premiere Pro 5.0 caches were being trashed for some items in Housekeeper, and not earlier or later versions.

Enhanced Plugin Manager performance

Plugin Manager is now significantly faster at loading and filtering. The more plugins you have, the more of an improvement you will notice.

Final Cut Pro X trial support

The Final Cut Pro X trial is now supported by Crash Analyzer, Housekeeper and Preference Manager.

The full list of changes is as follows:

• Support for the Final Cut Pro X trial
• Crash Analyzer - Color coded logs now appear colored in the Finder
• Crash Analyzer - Color coding is now preserved when updating Pro Maintenance Tools or trashing caches
• Crash Analyzer - Error message search box is more forgiving if your search query doesn't exactly match the error message
• Housekeeper - Support for trashing Premiere Pro plugin cache and column settings
• Housekeeper - Fixed an issue where some files would only be trashed for Premiere Pro 5.0 and not earlier or later versions
• Housekeeper - Fixed a Leopard crash when trashing waveform and thumbnail caches
• MC Repair - Fixed a crash when performing a repair
• Plugin Manager - Improved startup times
• Plugin Manager - Improved performance when filtering plugins
• Plugin Manager - Fixed a crash when adjusting the host application filter before the plugin list had loaded
• Preference Manager - Added an option to replace all files in a backup with the current versions on disk
• Preference Manager - Support for backing up Premiere Pro sequence presets, styles and column settings
• Preference Manager - Fixed a crash when performing a backup
• Project Repair - Support for repairing FCPX project database headers
• System Toolkit - Support for trashing Mac App Store caches
• Updated Crash Analyzer definitions
• General bug fixes, tweaks and improvements

Pro Maintenance Tools is an essential toolkit for post production professionals. To find out more, check out our detailed features page, our video overview and download the 15-day trial.

For more useful post production tools, see our Products page.

Today we released Pro Media Tools 1.1 Beta 2. This includes all of the significant changes in the previous beta and also the following major additions:

Auto Transfer metadata

When the volume is transferred successfully, Auto Transfer can add the metadata to a spreadsheet (CSV) to help you organize your project.

We're planning to expand metadata support in future versions so we're very keen to hear how our customers are using metadata in their workflows.

Individual destinations in Auto Transfer

QT Edit summaries

QT Edit anamorphic Quick Tasks

Video Check overhaul

The full changelog is as follows:

• Auto Transfer - 64-bit
• Auto Transfer - Ability to set a destination individually for each volume
• Auto Transfer - Folders can now be copied
• Auto Transfer - Metadata columns such as day and reel can be added. Metadata entered into these columns can be output to a CSV file in the project directory
• Auto Transfer - Fixed an issue where "total remaining space" can calculate the same drive twice
• QT Edit - Added an Info tab that shows a summary of each track in the movie
• QT Edit - Improved performance when scrolling through chapter thumbnails
• QT Edit - Added Quick Task presets for setting pixel aspect ratios for NTSC and PAL anamorphic material
• QT Edit - Improved the reliability of saving files to network volumes or volumes with incorrect permissions
• Video Check - 64-bit
• Video Check - Multithreading
• Video Check - Support for 10-bit movie files (Lion only)

You can download the 1.1 beta here. The final release of 1.1 will be a free update for all existing customers.

Today we released Cut Notes 1.1, a significant update to our note-taking app for the iPad.

The biggest change in this version is Final Cut Pro synchronization. You can now sync your Final Cut Pro 6 or 7 timeline over wi-fi and have the timecode display in Cut Notes automatically update as you play or scrub in FCP. You can even use the play button in Cut Notes to remotely control playback.

We've also qualified it for iOS 5 compatibility, so we recommend updating before using it on the new operating system due tomorrow.

A notable change from previous versions is that the Hold button has been removed. Holding is now achieved by tapping the timecode as it is playing, causing it to freeze and turn blue. Tap it once again to unhold.

Final Cut Pro sync requires a wi-fi connection to your Mac. Here's how to set it up:

1. Go to Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder under Applications. Go to Window > Show MIDI Window and then double-click the icon marked Network.

2. Click the + button under My Sessions and name the new session Cut Notes. Tick the box next to it to enable it. Under "Who may connect to me" at the bottom, set it to Anyone. In the Bonjour Name field, enter the name of your computer if it is not already set.

3. Now launch Cut Notes on your iPad and click the Sync button. The name of your iPad should appear in the Audio MIDI Setup window on your Mac in the Directory list. Select it and click Connect. It should then appear under Participants on the right-hand side.

4. In Final Cut Pro, go to Tools > Control Surfaces. Set the "Use" field to Mackie and click the + button. Set both input and output connections to Network - Cut Notes and click Ok.

5. Now open the Audio Mixer from the Tools menu. This MUST be open at all times in order for Cut Notes to receive timecode. If you find it gets in the way, drag it off screen or position it behind other windows but do not close it.

6. Now drag the playhead or press play and Cut Notes will update with the timecode of your Final Cut Pro sequence. You can even start and stop playback within Cut Notes itself.

If you have problems setting it up, make sure that you are connected to the same network as the Mac via wi-fi. This will not work over Bluetooth or cellular networks. If your Mac isn't connected to a wi-fi network, you can create a Computer-to-Computer network by going to Airport and then Create Network. You can then connect directly to your Mac from the iPad.

We've listened to the feedback of our users and this is just one of many updates we are planning in the near future. Stay tuned.

We're pleased to announce our newest app - EditCodes for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

EditCodes is a reference application that provides a searchable database of common error messages for Final Cut Studio, FCPX, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro for Mac.

When you receive a cryptic error message in your editing application, fire up EditCodes and type all or part of the message into the list. EditCodes will then display the errors in its database that match your search terms. Tapping one of these errors will show a description of the problem and steps to resolve it.

If an error is not found in the list, you can use the Action button to submit it to us and we will add support for it in a future version.

EditCodes is available for $1.99 on the App Store.

(Note: if you're looking for a desktop solution rather than an iOS app, Crash Analyzer in Pro Maintenance Tools has an error lookup function that uses the same database.)

We've just released Pro Media Tools 1.1 Beta 1, a public beta of a major update to our suite of tools for simplifying media management.

This is the first of several planned betas that we are using to help gather feedback about the future direction of the suite.

The major changes in this version include:

64-bit

The majority of the applications in the suite are now 64-bit. This means that they're better able to deal with large amounts of data, which is especially useful for Edit Detector.

Post Haste

Post Haste is now being bundled with Pro Media Tools. We plan to better integrate it with the tools in the suite in a future beta.

Edit Detector overhaul

Edit Detector has been given a major overhaul. It is now significantly faster and more accurate. It is more than twice as fast on my test machine at scanning SD media. We've also implemented a caching system so that it only needs to scan the frames once. Reopening an already-scanned file is instant.

The full changelog is as follows:

• 64-bit support
• New application: Post Haste
• Edit Detector - Significant speed boost
• Edit Detector - Greater accuracy
• Edit Detector - Now shows edit points in timecode values instead of frames
• Edit Detector - Frame information is now cached so you don't need to rescan when opening a file for the second time
• Batch Renamer - Support for regular expressions
• Batch Renamer - Flags up conflicting filenames with a warning icon
• Batch Renamer - Folders can now be renamed
• Render Watcher - UI overhaul
• Render Watcher - Support for Adobe Media Encoder
• QT Edit - Thumbnails in chapter view
• QT Edit - Support for importing markers from an FCPX XML project
• General bug fixes, tweaks and improvements

This is a beta release designed for evaluation purposes. It is not intended for use in a production environment. If you require stability please use version 1.0.5 instead.

You can download the 1.1 beta here. 1.1 will be a free update for all existing customers.

Last week we released Pro Maintenance Tools 2.0.2, which adds many new features and fixes some issues with our suite of tools for maintaining, optimizing and troubleshooting your editing system.

Here are some of the bigger features.

Final Cut Pro X XML support

Final Cut Pro X XML (FCPXML) files can now be scanned by Corrupt Clip Finder and repaired by XML Repair. You will need Final Cut Pro X 10.0.1 in order to import and export FCPXML files.

Corrupt Clip Finder custom file extension support

By default, Corrupt Clip Finder will scan QuickTime movies, audio files and images. If you have installed third-party QuickTime components to allow QuickTime to read additional formats, you can add support for these formats in Corrupt Clip Finder by adding their file extensions to the list in preferences.

For example, if you installed the Panasonic AVCCAM Importer you can add the MTS file extension to the list to tell Corrupt Clip Finder to also scan MTS files.

Additional plugin formats in Plugin Manager

Plugin Manager now supports Avid RTAS plugins, Premiere VST effects and Motion 5 templates (for use in FCPX). Please note that when installing Motion Templates through Plugin Manager, it will copy the template to the Effects category by default but you can easily drag it to another group if you so wish.

If you have multiple NLEs installed, the long list of plugins may be daunting so you can now filter plugins based on their host application.

This is a small subset of the changes in this version. You can read the full changelog here.

Pro Maintenance Tools is an essential toolkit for maintaining your Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro system. To find out more, see our Pro Maintenance Tools page which includes a detailed feature list, gallery and video overview. A 15-day free trial is also available.

We're pleased to announce our newest product, Post Haste for Mac. Post Haste is a tool for organizing your projects. Everyone has their own way of structuring project folders on their hard disk. Post Haste simplifies this by allowing you to assign folder templates for different project types or scenarios, such as editing, visual effects and motion graphics.

When you start a new project, launch Post Haste and enter a few details about the project such as the project title, client name and the name of the editor. Choose a template and the directory you wish to place the new project folder into and click Create Project. Post Haste will copy the contents of your template into a new folder for that particular project. It's a big timesaver.

Post Haste was originally conceived and developed by Paul Conigliaro and we have now taken over the project, although Paul is still involved. Post Haste 2.0 is a complete rewrite of the application. You can read Paul's thoughts on the new version here.

We've completely overhauled the interface and provided the ability to setup an unlimited number of templates and filename parameters.

Templates can now be setup directly within the application through the built-in template editor. The location of templates can be customized, allowing you to store them in a shared location on your network to make them available to everyone.

One new and very useful feature is folder breaks. Folder breaks allow you to break parameters across folders, turning a project name like Client_Project_Current Date to Client > Project > Current Date. To get an idea of how this function works, watch the filename preview at the bottom of the window update as you toggle the Folder Break check boxes on and off in preferences. This is explained in more detail in the user manual.

To get a better idea of what Post Haste has to offer, take a look at our latest podcast episode that gives a general overview:

Post Haste is available as a free download from our site. Existing Post Haste 1.x users will need to download the software manually. It is also available on the Mac App Store, making it our first application on the store.

We're very interested in hearing feedback on Post Haste 2.0 from new and existing users alike. Use the links in the Help menu within the application or use the contact form to let us know what you think of the new version.

We've just released Editmote 1.0.2 with some great new features. Editmote is an iOS application to remotely control your editing software. Add markers and control playback and volume levels - all without having to leave your chair.

Version 1.0.2 adds a much-requested feature: customizable keyboard layouts. If you have customized the default keyboard layout for your editing application, you can now go into the Editmote preference pane and change the default layout to match the changes that you made. You can also use this feature to map unused buttons to extra functions within your application.

Editmote supports Final Cut Pro 6 and above, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer 5 and above, QuickTime Player 7, QuickTime Player X, Adobe Premiere Pro CS 5 and above and Adobe After Effects CS 5 and above. However, you can use the Keyboard Layouts tab in the preference pane to add an unlimited number of additional applications.

The full list of changes is available here. When upgrading, remember to install both the new iOS application and the new preference pane otherwise you won't get all of the extra features in this version. The preference pane is available on the right-hand side of the Editmote page.

Editmote is a useful addition to an editor's toolkit. Find out more with our overview video and check it out on the App Store.

Yesterday we released Cut Notes 1.0.4, a maintenance update for our iPad note-taking application. Cut Notes makes it easy to create timecode notes during a screening.

The changes in this version are as follows:

• Fixed a crash when displaying a popover


• Fixed an iOS 5 glitch with text field animations


• Fixed an issue where timecode values for existing cuts would change when modifying the project's start timecode


• Quick Start tutorial can now be viewed in portrait mode

Cut Notes makes a great addition to an editor's toolkit. Find out more in our overview video and check it out on the App Store.

Last week we released Pro Media Tools 1.0.5, a small maintenance update for our suite of tools to streamline media management. It fixes some XML issues, reduces memory usage in Edit Detector and speeds up Quick Bins.

The changes are as follows:

• Edit Detector - Option to export the first frame of each shot as a JPEG image


• Edit Detector - Reduced memory usage


• Gamma Shift Detector now remembers previously-opened files


• Project Overview - Fixed an issue where a project could fail to import if invalid characters were in the XML data


• Project Overview - Fixed an issue where the Position column may not sort correctly


• Quick Bins - Speed boost when creating Smart Bins and Smart Bin Ranges


• General bug fixes, tweaks and improvements

Pro Media Tools is an essential toolkit for post production professionals. Download the free 15-day trial to see how it can enhance your workflow.