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News

MovieRecorder 3.0 and M|80 are now shipping !
11 Jun 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
The long wait for MovieRecorder 3 is over! You can download MovieRecorder 3 from our website, where you will find a FREE DEMO version. Please take a moment to fill out the required form, to let us know which features are important to you. It will only take a few minutes to fill out and it will greatly help us to build better products. You can watch a QuickStart video here and read more about it on the MovieRecorder 3 page.

Softron's M|80 is also now shipping. The M|80 is an 8 ingest hardware & software bundle that connects 8 video inputs via a single Thunderbolt 2 port to a MacPro. It includes 8 x MovieRecorder 3 licenses on one dongle, 1x 8 Input SDI Video card, 1 Thunderbolt 2 Expansion Chassis and 1 Black TB cable - everything for a very affordable price. You can read more info about the M-80 on its dedicated product page.

So - what's new in MovieRecorder 3 ?
MovieRecorder 3 has some amazing new features such as:
  • One application for multi-channel ingest - a beautiful black user interface, with everything available in one window,
  • Efficiency - thanks to the fact that it is now a 64-bit application,
  • Automatic seamless switching - allows for 24/7 recording. (MovieRecorder 3 will automatically create a new file, frame accurately, based on a duration you establish.)
  • Pre-sets to allow users to change their record settings.
  • Multiple destinations along with multiple codecs - to allow you to record High Res and Proxy in one folder or to record to two different hard drives. Just select "Destinations." You can have as many destinations as you want for a single source. The only limitation is the processing power of your Mac.
  • H.264 and DNxHD support - codecs that were not available in MovieRecorder 2.
  • Direct Link - between OnTheAir Video 3 or OnTheAir Node 3 and MovieRecorder 3. Check this video.

In the works !
We have many more things planned for MovieRecorder 3. (Admittedly many of the "must haves" did not make their way into the current release because getting MovieRecorder 3 out the door was too important.) Just so you know what to expect, here is what we plan to release in updates soon:
  • Support for more codecs: MovieRecorder 3 currently supports Apple ProRes, DNxHD and H.264. It is a 64-bit application and no longer uses the QuickTime APIs. The QuickTime APIs were used to compress the frames into the various codecs. However, these codecs are no longer available with the AVFoundation framework that is now used. Thus, Softron has to negotiate the rights with third-parties to be permitted to add support for these codecs. Stay tuned to our website because we expect to add more codecs very soon! This will come as a paid option on a per license base.
  • Support for MXF and HLS: Currently, when you create a destination, you can only choose a QuickTime destination. MXF and HLS are greyed out. This is something that we know is important and will remedy soon.
  • Remote Control: one of the widely used features is the ability to remote control MovieRecorder. That has not been incorporated yet into MovieRecorder 3 because we have some very innovative features that impact remote control and will share these in a near future as well.
  • Other features that will be rolled out very soon: Closed Captioning, Audio Mapping, VTR Control, metadata, automatic delete files after a period of time...

MovieRecorder 3 licenses are also valid for MovieRecorder 2 Pro so if there is a MovieRecorder 2 feature that is crucial right now, you can deactivate MovieRecorder 3 and use that feature in MovieRecorder 2. Of course,if you have a dongle it makes it easy - just close one application and launch the other. Above all, remember to provide us feedback and express your opinion of what is important to you - that is why we recommend using the online form.
RELEASE: OnTheAir Video Express 3.1.10, OnTheAir Video 3.1.10, OnTheAir Node 3.1.10
30 May 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express, OnTheAir Node
What’s new in version 3.1.10 for all playout applications?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Added support for AJA Audio routing feature
  • Added an option to “Acquire” AJA cards
  • Fixed a gamma issue when using ARGB with the Smart Resize and Graphics option
  • Fixed a possible performance issue when the logs were written to a network drive
  • Fixed a possible artefact with some codecs (XDCAM, HDV)
  • Fixed an issue with some .mp3 files
  • Fixed an issue with the deactivations on Mac OS 10.8

What’s new in version 3.1.10 for OnTheAir Node only?
  • Fixed an issue with logos being inverted
  • Fixed an issue with the installer
  • Added compatibility of slave mode with scheduled playout
  • Added an AJA audio routing attribute

RELEASE: MovieRecorder 2.5.19
30 Apr 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
What’s new in MovieRecorder 2.5.19 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Added Timecode Buddy Server source (to support the connection of multiple channels to one Timecode Buddy)
  • Fixed an issue with Drop Frame TC in VTR control
  • Fixed an issue with XDCAM EX and HDV codec
  • Fixed some memory leak issues (warning at the time of writing there are still issues with 10.6.8 and 10.9.2. we currently recommend working with 10.7.5 or 10.8.5)
RELEASE: OnTheAir Video Express 3.1.3, OnTheAir Video 3.1.3
24 Apr 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express
What’s new in version 3.1.3?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Added support for CEA-708 Closed Captioning (using a QuickTime Closed Captioning track)
  • Added support for audio only files
  • Added support for automatic logo overlay (logos placed in the same folder as a video file and using the same name will be automatically overlaid)
  • No more limitations on YUV mode with Nvidia cards
RELEASE: OnTheAir Node 3.1
24 Apr 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Live, OnTheAir Node, OnTheAir Manager
This is the first official release of OnTheAir Node 3 with the Smart Playout Engine (SPE). Some have been released before and it is already 3.1 version because the engine that is built in there is the same as the one of OnTheAir Video, and we wanted the build numbers to correspond between the 2 applications. OnTheAir Node has thus the same stability with an engine already in use at hundreds of installations worlwide.

With the Smart Playout Engine built in, OnTheAir Node 3 now has all its bells and whistle, see below the major new features in this version compared to the previous version using the NAVI playout engine.

Note that OnTheAir Node 3 is compatible with the previous versions of OnTheAir Live and OnTheAir Manager.


What’s new in OnTheAir Node 3.1 ?

  • More codecs supported (it would be easier to say what we don’t support then list all the codecs we support Winking
  • Built-in support for MXF
  • Built-in support for DNxHD
  • Fixed Logo overlay and HD options now built in the standard license
  • Smart Automatic Resize (mix & match multiple file resolutions to the output with a high quality resize)
  • Dynamic Graphics Overlay (optional - coming soon)
  • Closed Captioning CEA-708 Support (optional)
  • Multiple outputs with AJA cards
  • Support for Deltacast Cards...
  • Support for a “Virtual Output” (No need to have a video device to stream as you can playout to a virtual output, and stream with MovieRecorder 3 thanks to the direct link between the 2)
  • Direct Link to MovieRecorder 3 for easy recording/streaming (no need for an additional video card, the frames are sent from one application to the other running on the same Mac). MovieRecorder 3 is not yet available but will be released soon.
  • ATEM plugin to control ATEM routers directly from the playout through an ethernet connection
  • Master-Slave mode (for easy redundancy)
  • New REST API
Announcements for NAB
07 Apr 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
What's up for Softron at NAB2014?

We've held back telling you about NAB. We did not want to spoil the surprise.
Well – now it's time!

Check the following page where we announce many important upgrades to Softron Media Services’ products.

Stop by NAB - booth SL9405 if you want to see all this Live!
RELEASE: Multicam Logger 1.1.13
25 Mar 2014
Filed in:
Multicam Logger, New Versions, Release Notes
What’s new in version 1.1.13?
  • Added compatibility with Final Cut Pro 10.1
  • Added support for Timecode Buddy
  • Fixed an issue with the FCP 7 and Adobe Premiere exports
RELEASE: OnTheAir Node 1.2.36
11 Feb 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Live, OnTheAir Node, OnTheAir Manager
What’s new in OnTheAir Node 1.2.36 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Fixed an issue when suing the “Contact Support...” feature when no internet connection available
  • Fixed an issue when sending a new schedule or resynchronising with long “delays” (difference between scheduled and real start time)

RELEASE: OnTheAir Video Express 3.0.8, OnTheAir Video 3.0.8
07 Feb 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express
What’s new in version 3.0.8?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Fixed an issue when drag & dropping the last clip of the playlist
  • Fixed an issue with some MXF files
  • Added audio output in the inspector when previewing clips
  • Added Keyboard Shortcut alt+O to add offline file
  • Fixed issue with Cue mode and clip end behaviours
  • Fixed an issue when scrubbing before 0
  • Fixed an audio issue when cuing clips
  • The little warning badge is now only shown if the fps are different. Not if the format is different.

RELEASE: MovieRecorder 2.5.12
07 Feb 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
What’s new in MovieRecorder 2.5.12 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
RELEASE: OnTheAir Manager 1.2.26
07 Feb 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Manager
What’s new in OnTheAir Manager 1.2.26 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
RELEASE: OnTheAir Live 1.2.12
07 Feb 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Live
What’s new in OnTheAir Live 1.2.12 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Added the possibility to put a Node in slave mode (only with OnTheAir Node 3)
  • When connections to OnTheAir Node are lost, and gets back, reconnections are now better
RELEASE: OnTheAir Video Express 3.0.3, OnTheAir Video 3.0.3
17 Jan 2014
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express
What’s new in version 3.0.3?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Improved behaviour when changing devices and output formats
  • Fixed wrong behaviour when reaching the end of a clip (did not stop)
  • Fixed an issue with some MXF files
  • Fixed a possible crash when scrubbing video

FCPWORKS SPECIAL EVENT
14 Jan 2014
Filed in:
News, Apple
FCPWORKS will hold a special FCP X event in Los Angeles, on January 25th, 2014.

FCPWORKS aims to be the leading provider of professional video solutions built around Final Cut Pro X. This event in Los Angeles will be the first of its kind. The new version of Final Cut Pro X and the new Mac Pro will be demonstrated in a variety of real-life, pro-video workflows.

The presentations will be given in 3 identical sessions:
MORNING - 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM.
AFTERNOON - 3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM.
EVENING - 7:00 PM TO 10:00 PM.

Register on www.fcpworks.com/special_event/
Which 2013 Mac Pro do you need ?
06 Jan 2014
Filed in:
Apple, Hardware - Third Party, News, MovieRecorder, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express, OnTheAir Node
After having spent a few days with a new Mac Pro (base configuration with 4-core, Dual D300, 12GB RAM), we can say that it really is a Mac made for Softron! We also had the chance to test a higher end configuration (8-core, Dual D700, 64GB RAM), to see what you could achieve with each configurations and Softron’s playout and ingest software.


INGEST with MovieRecorder 2
When talking about MovieRecorder, which still uses the QuickTime APIs, the most important factor here is the CPU. The GPU is not used a lot and the basic configuration (Dual D300) will be just fine. The better the CPU, the more channels you’ll be able to do.
Generally speaking, we can say that we were able to achieve one HD 1080i Apple ProRes (LT) ingest per core.
  • 4 channels on the 4 core
  • 8 channels on the 8 core

Note that we were then using a little bit more then 70% CPU then, and the computer is then at its limit. For safer operations, you may want to use for example a 6 core for 4 channels and a 12 core for 8 channels.

Also, these numbers will be different with other frame size and fps, as well as with different codecs.


PLAYBACK with OnTheAir Video 3
In OnTheAir Video 3, both the CPU and GPU are important, specially when using the SMART resize and graphics.

Basically, the CPU will be used mainly for the decompression of the files. So if you want to decode 4K video clips encoded in H264, you should consider using a higher end CPU such as the 6 or 8 core.

The GPU will then be used for resizing the file to the desired resolution (if needed) and overlay graphics, so the requirements of the graphics card will be bigger:
  • the more you use videos of different resolutions that require a resize to fit in the output
  • the bigger the « target » resolution = the resolution of your output. (NTSC = easy, 4K = a lot to of dots to calculate!)
  • the nature of graphics that you want to overlay and the number of layers (Text and still images = easy, animation = hard)

In our tests, using the Dual D300 configuration, we were able to read files in ProRes LT, resize and overlay a ticker, a still image, a clock, and a rotating logo (source = movie ProRes 4444 file), all that on a 4K output.

Using the D700 configuration, and more importantly the 8-core (for decompression) we were able to add 3 more HD outputs on top of that 4K output, which is pretty amazing.


Conclusion
The new Mac Pro is really the most powerful Mac that we have seen so far. On such a small form factor, it is pretty impressive to be able to do all that, and the more so, silently. Now we’ll have to invest in our converters, hard drives and other peripherals so they are silent too. Maybe the next big hit in the industry is already not 4K anymore, but... silence Winking)

Our tests are not finished yet, and we will come back with more feedback, and long term tests with more video outputs.

As usual, we give these results for information only, it is not contractual as it can vary following your specific configuration, and we always recommend that you run tests with the demo versions available on our website.


RELEASE: OnTheAir Video Express 3.0, OnTheAir Video 3.0
23 Dec 2013
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express
OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Video Express are now going out of the “b” numbers!

What’s new in version 3.0?

  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Log and Schedule windows now show the name of the device
  • Still images are not cached anymore
  • Added support for the bypass of Decklink Quad cards


Find the UPGRADE that’s right for you !
If you already own a license and want to upgrade, check the Smart Playout Engine upgrade program page to easily find the upgrade for you ! Just select the product you have and which one you want to get.
RELEASE: MovieRecorder 2.5.11
23 Dec 2013
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
What’s new in MovieRecorder 2.5.11 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Fixed an issue with Premiere Pro when a Proxy file was recorded
  • Fixed a performance issue with NVIDIA cards on MacBook Pros
Pre-Release: OnTheAir Video Express 3.0b21, OnTheAir Video 3.0b21
20 Dec 2013
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, OnTheAir Video, OnTheAir Video Express
What’s new in version 3.0b21?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • ** NEW** Added MIDI control (only for OnTheAir Video)
  • Added a “resync” method to fix an issue with some Blackmagic-Design configurations
  • Added some tooltips (on “warning sign in playlist, and on red clips to explain the reason)
  • Fixed an issue with the order of the clips when drag and drop
  • Fixed some memory leaks
  • Fixed an issue with some IMX MXF movies
  • Fixed an issue with a frame rate conversion
  • Most logs are now sent to the appropriate OTAV_Log file
  • A few changes in the Inspector to better inform the user
  • Improved warnings and behaviours when changing device output format and smart status


Find the UPGRADE that’s right for you !
If you already own a license and want to upgrade, check the Smart Playout Engine upgrade program page to easily find the upgrade for you ! Just select the product you have and which one you want to get.
RELEASE: GPI Commander 1.2.4
13 Dec 2013
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, GPICommander
What’s new in GPICommander 1.2.4 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Improved compatibility with Mavericks

RELEASE: MovieRecorder 2.5.9
11 Dec 2013
Filed in:
New Versions, Release Notes, MovieRecorder
What’s new in MovieRecorder 2.5.9 ?
  • General Stability and performance improvements
  • Fixed an issue with Mavericks and QuickTime X that had to “convert” the movies created by MovieRecorder
  • Fixed a 2-3 frames desync issue with some configurations in Mountain Lion and Mavericks
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 HEADQUARTERS
Softron Media Services, a division of
Softron Microcomputing S.A./N.V.
Avenue Molière, 470
1050 Brussels
Belgium

IBS (US Subsidiary)
2151 Village Walk Drive #4304
NV 89012
USA

  At GMT-8
USA - Nevada

Sales and Pre-Sales:
Phone: +1 (702) 330-3023

Technical Support:
Phone: +1 (702) 330-3232
 

 

  At GMT+1
Europe - Belgium

Phone: +32 2 588 1394

 

 

Softron has team members in all time zones of the world. They can answer your questions in English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

Most questions however are answered already in our knowledge base. Don't forget to consult it first. It might be a huge time saver.