We are looking for a few clever editors.

The in-sync corporation (www.in-sync.com) is on the verge of releasing Blade, a file-type, frame-rate, and resolution independent NLE/Compositor with full software-realtime effects output to both VGA and NTSC/PAL. The timeline will play back any file from 2K and HD to DV and web formats, and takes the workflow of Speed Razor 2000X, Media Post and Audio Post and combines it into one, single application. The hardware requirements are minimal.

We have completed our private beta and release candidate stage, and Blade has passed with flying colors; we are looking for members of the public who would like a chance to acquire the full release candidate of Blade for a reduced price of $399. All we ask is for your feedback! You will receive the full and final release of Blade when it ships at no cost.

If you are interested or have questions, please contact me direct at 800 864 7272 x117 or e-mail me at [email protected]; please mention this post! Below find a list of features:

1. DV editing - Blade has been specifically optimized for capturing, editing and outputting DV. Use Blade to control and capture video and audio from a DV camera or deck with an OHCI 1394 card and a Firewire cable. Once your edit is complete print your project to tape using your camera or deck.

2. Realtime effects preview - Blade has the ability to preview video effects and transitions on your computer monitor and your external video monitor (with the Blade pack) in either broadcast, preview or draft quality. This frees editing from dependence on realtime capture hardware capabilities and expands your ability to get creative.

3. Edit projects natively a wide variety of file formats / color spaces / sizes - You can choose what file format, color space and size you want to be your project's format. Once you've chosen this you can still add files in other formats to your project, but Blade will not do any behind the scenes file conversions. You can do your project in: DV, Uncompressed AVI (YUV, RGB, RGBA), MJPEG AVI, Uncompressed QuickTime (YUV), 4:4:4:4 (RGBA) or 4:4:4 (YUV) or even Film 2K.

4. Edit projects in realtime in NTSC / PAL / Film frame rates - you can choose the choose a standard frame rate or set your own frame rate for the project.

5. Edit projects in realtime with media of different formats on the timeline - Blade allows you to mix and match media from a variety of sources on the timeline. You can always preview your project without having to wait to render.

6. Edit projects in realtime with different sized media on the timeline - Blade lets you mix different sized media on the media so that you can incorporate videos, stills, bugs / logos into your project and preview your project without having to render.

7. Edit projects in realtime with different files of frame rate on the timeline - You can mix NTSC / PAL / Film frame rate or media with other frame rates on the timeline. They will be conformed to the frame rate of your project in realtime without having to render.

8. Unlimited layer compositing - each track in Blade is 32 bit. Simply adding video media or 32 bit images to a track will automatically allow you to composite the items together using an embedded alpha channel if there is one.

9. Horizontal and Vertical editing - Blade's flexible user interface allows you to build edits both horizontally and vertically so that you can edit and composite on the same timeline. This allows you to edit and composite in a variety of different styles.

10. Single / modeless interface - all of Blade's capabilities are accessible using keyboard commands / the gui or by using the mouse all the time. No need to switch modes in order to tune effects / transitions.

11. Output video dubs with timecode burn in, in realtime - add a timecode burn in to your project and output it to tape WITHOUT having to wait for it to render (depending on the quality setting that you've set and the performance of your system). This is the perfect way to give your clients a dub of your project directly from your timeline, the minute that you're done with your edit!

12. Supports third party plug ins such as ViXen.

13. Output to a wide variety of formats: MPEG1, MPEG2, AVI (uncompressed or compressed using Windows plug in compressors), QuickTime uncompressed and compressed, WMV, ASF, Film 2K.

14. Convert video from NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC.

15. Consolidate projects - once you've completed your project, you can consolidate your media down to only the media used in your project. This allows you to remove media not used in your project and free up precious hard drive space.

16. Use on a Network - Use Blade over a network with Speed Razor 2000X (please note that because Blade has bins that Blade projects are not compatible with Speed Razor 2000).

17. Realtime Digital Audio Mixing - Mix volume and speaker pan for up to 20 tracks in realtime on the timeline. Use audio sliders to adjust channel volume on stereo tracks as they play. As with video, you can place audio on an unlimited number of layers. Blade supports fully uncompressed 16-bit CD quality audio -- in stereo or mono, up to 48 kHz sampling rate, providing professional quality sound. Audio tools also include user adjustable VU meter, automatic audio crossfades, audio waveforms, and master gain control.

18. EDL import and export - import and export EDLs in CMX 3400, 3600, GVG or SONY 9000 format from 29.97, 30 or 24 fps EDLs.

19. Key frameable effects and transitions - Blade's effects and transitions can be adjusted over time using Blade's key frame editor. Keyframes be adjusted linearly or using bezier curves.

20. CG - Blade includes a CG for outputting professional quality title sequences.

21. Hardware and Software Compatibility - Blade is a true 32-bit program designed for Windows 2000 and XP. Blade is built on the k-sync open architecture API. Blade is designed to support animation, paint and other motion graphics programs. See the in-sync website (http://www.in-sync.com) for third-party developers.

22. Load projects from Speed Razor - Projects from Speed Razor 4.0, 4.5, 4.5SE, 4.8, 4.8 SE, 2000 and 2000X can be loaded into Blade. Simply choose File>Open Project to open up these projects. Please note that Blade has effects and transitions that are named differently than Speed Razor and so projects may require you to set the names of some of the effects / transitions.

23. Bins - Blade allows you to create Bins for managing your project's media.

24. Pan and scan - add large images to the timeline, pan and scan using Blade's source and playback windows and preview your pan and scan in realtime.

25. Customizable shortcut keys - you can assign your own key strokes to any of the commands in Blade

For other update information please refer to the readme on the website or in the Blade folder. The following features not part of Blade today. We are looking at adding a number of these features into future versions of Blade:

1. Preview out via the Firewire cable to the camera / deck (when playing the timeline, the video is NOT previewed out of the DV cable to your camera / deck, only through your approved VGA card)
2. Render your DV project using the Microsoft or the MainConcept DV codec
3. Blade does not support reading compressed QuickTime files
4. Blade does not support reading every format of JPEG

Definitions:
Preview quality output - This is a playback option that is available within Blade. When using the preview quality output option, the output may not be played back at full frame rate, full screen or at the highest quality (this depends on the hardware capability of your computer and your VGA card)

Broadcast quality output - This is a playback option that is available within Blade. When using the broadcast quality output option, the output may not be played back at full frame rate, full screen or at the highest quality (this depends on the hardware capability of your computer and your VGA card)

Broadcast quality output (rendered) - There is a playback option in Blade that will allow you to force a render on areas that may need to be rendered in order to guarantee full quality output. If the project is rendered out to DV or some other output file format, then the final rendering will be at the highest quality. When it is output via Firewire to your camera or deck it will be in the highest quality. If you playback via your VGA card, then the output may not be played back at full frame rate, full screen or at the highest quality (this depends on the hardware capability of your computer and your VGA card)

Note:Blade will drop frames in broadcast, preview and / or draft mode if your system does not meet Blade's minimum system requirements or if your edit contains sections where there are more effects / transitions than can be handled in realtime. Even if not every frame can be played back in realtime, it is still possible to output at full broadcast quality in NTSC / PAL resolution by rendering to the chosen project format.

We are currently in the process of setting the minimum specifications for a Blade system, and that is part of release candidate testing process.

Michael McKane
Product Specialist
800 864 7272 x117 [email protected]
Fax: 301-657-5091
in-sync corporation makers of digital video editing tools