NAB 2001 - The State of Digital Video

Matrox

A solid performer in the video market, Matrox has several new products including the new RTMac, a real-time editing card for use with Apple's Power Mac G4 and Final Cut Pro 2. RTMac includes the company's "flex 3D" technology. The product is already shipping for $999. Matrox's other product announcement was for the new RT2500, a single PCI -bus card that provides three-layer real-time editing with 3D effects. Priced also at $999, it comes with a number of software bundles including Adobe Premiere, Inscriber Title Express, Sonic Foundry Acid Music, Sonic Solutions DVDit!LE, and Ligos LSX MPEG LE for MPEG-1 output.

Matrox also released their DigiSuite Max, a new editing platform that includes real-time effects layering as well as real-time MPEG-2 encoding for DVD authoring, and multiple output choices such as native DV, DV50, or MPEG-2. The product is scheduled to ship this summer and is priced between $5,995 and $7,995.

Pinnacle Systems

Pinnacle Systems is doing a great job of bridging the gap between multiple media formats. From digital video editing, to streaming, DVD, and HDTV the company is building complementary products that are also cost effective.

Cinewave is Pinnacle's software/hardware solution that works on Apple's PowerMac G4. The product includes Final Cut Pro, Commotion Pro, Knoll Light Factory and the TARGA Cine Engine. Aside from supporting any delivery format from DV, uncompressed 601, PAL, NTSC, 1080i, 1080p, 720p, 4:3, 16:9 and Web, Cinewave now also delivers real-time special effects with uncompressed standard definition. Pricing for the Cinewave solution starts at $6,495.