Final Cut Studio

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Technical Specifications

Final Cut Studio 2 System Requirements

Minimum Requirements to Install All Final Cut Studio Applications

  • A Macintosh computer with a 1.25GHz or faster PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5, Intel Core Duo, or Intel Xeon processor
  • 1GB of RAM
  • An AGP or PCI Express Quartz Extreme graphics card (Final Cut Studio is not compatible with integrated Intel graphics processors)
  • A display with 1024-by-768 resolution or higher
  • Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later
  • QuickTime 7.1.6 or later
  • A DVD drive for installation

Recommended Configurations

The following are recommended for all applications:

  • 2GB of RAM when working with compressed HD and uncompressed SD sources
  • 4GB of RAM when working with uncompressed HD sources

Available Disk Space

  • 4GB of disk space required to install all applications (Final Cut Pro, Color, DVD Studio Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Motion, Cinema Tools, LiveType, Compressor, and Apple Qmaster)
  • Additional 55GB required to install all optional templates, content, and tutorials (may be installed on separate disks):
    • 9GB for DVD Studio Pro content
    • 8GB for Motion templates and tutorial media
    • 24GB for Soundtrack Pro audio content
    • 12GB for LiveFonts and LiveType animated elements and templates
    • 2GB for Apple Pro Training Final Cut Studio Tutorials media
DVD Studio Pro-Specific Requirements
  • For playback of DVD Studio Pro 4-authored HD DVDs: a Macintosh computer with a PowerPC G5 or Intel Core Duo processor
  • For writing finished projects to disc: an Apple SuperDrive or other DVD recorder
  • For writing finished projects to a double-layer disc: a double-layer-compatible recorder and double-layer media
  • For transporting HD projects to a replicator: an external drive or Internet transfer of the project’s disk image
  • For transporting SD projects that contain copy-protection or dual-layer features to a replicator: a DLT drive, external drive, or Internet transfer of the project’s disk image

Final Cut Pro 6

Editing and Timeline

  • Mix frame sizes, frame rates, and formats in the same Timeline in real time
  • Edit at 23.976, true 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, or 60 fps
  • Multicam editing of up to 128 sources with real-time playback of up to 16 angles
  • Source/Record three-point editing model
  • Insert and overwrite with or without transitions
  • Replace, fit to fill, and superimpose edits
  • Edit overlay for drag-and-drop editing
  • Blade and Blade All tools for adding edits
  • Extend and split edits
  • Sync indicators in Timeline
  • Adjacent (through edit) indicators in Timeline
  • Dupe detection in Timeline
  • Keyframe graphs
  • Track targeting
  • Track locking
  • Auto Select tools

Trimming

  • Ripple
  • Roll
  • Slip and slide
  • Lift and ripple delete
  • Asymmetric, multitrack trimming
  • Dynamic trimming
  • JKL trimming
  • Trim window
  • Timeline trimming
  • Keyboard and numeric trimming

Effects

  • FxPlug support
  • Real-time software-based audio normalisation
  • RT Extreme for scalable software-based, multistream real-time effects in DV, SD, and HD formats
  • Real-time effects playback on main display and on NTSC/PAL or HD monitor with perfect synchronisation
  • Dynamic RT for automatically adjusting playback quality and/or frame rate based on hardware capabilities
  • Motion integration for motion graphics work
  • Shake integration for visual effects work
  • 8-bit, 10-bit, and HDR (32-bit floating point) image processing
  • Time Remap tool
  • Keyframe graphs and editing in Viewer or Timeline
  • More than 200 transitions, effects, and filters
  • Unlimited effects favorites
  • Copy and paste motion and effect attributes
  • Unlimited layers with support for nesting
  • Bezier curves with movable motion paths
  • Numeric control and keyframe capabilities for precise animation and effects
  • 2D and 3D titles with Boris Calligraphy
  • Animated titles, lower thirds, and graphics with LiveType
  • Composite and transfer modes
  • Import multilayered Photoshop files with layers and alpha support
  • Support for many third-party After Effects plug-ins (PowerPC only)
  • FXScript and FXBuilder for designing custom filters and effects
  • Digital Cinema Desktop for real-time SD and HD preview playback on an attached Apple Cinema Display

Tools

  • High-quality real-time video vectorscopes and waveform monitors
  • Multitrack Audio Mixer
  • Keyboard and user interface customisation tool
  • Voice Over tool for adding narration directly to Timeline
  • Frame Viewer for shot comparisons
  • Source timecode overlays in Viewer and Canvas
  • QuickView for RAM-based previews of complex multilayered sequences

LiveType

  • LiveFonts animated fonts
  • Customisable text effects and project templates
  • Royalty-free animated content library
  • Keyframe animation
  • Real-time wireframe preview
  • Canvas RAM preview
  • Import wide variety of formats
  • Resolution independent and scalable
  • Individual character control
  • Unicode system font support
  • Animation for rolls and crawls
  • Type on a curve
  • FontMaker utility for creating custom LiveFonts

Audio

  • Subframe audio keyframing to 1/100th of a frame
  • Real-time audio filter adjustments during playback
  • Multichannel audio with support for up to 24 channels in and out
  • OMF audio export
  • Onscreen multitrack mixing console
  • External control surface support
  • Soundtrack Pro integration for audio mixing and sound design
  • Real-time fader automation
  • Variable keyframe thinning
  • Real-time audio filters and effects
  • Sampling at 8kHz to 96kHz and 8 to 24 bits
  • Audio level meters (per track)
  • Mac OS X Audio Units plug-in support
  • Pan controls
  • Mute and solo controls
  • Audio waveform display in Timeline
  • Logarithmic audio fades
  • Scrubbing with or without pitch shifting
  • More than 25 audio filters

Colour Correction

  • Send to Color
  • Primary (three-way) colour corrector
  • Secondary (two-way) colour corrector
  • Image control filters
  • 4- and 8-point garbage mattes
  • Real-time, hardware-accurate waveform monitor and vectorscopes
  • Broadcast-safe filter
  • Range-checking zebra stripe overlays

Application

  • Full Unicode support
  • Dynamic window resizing
  • Mode-free interface for workflow efficiency
  • Multiple sequences and projects open simultaneously
  • Up to 99 levels of undo
  • 99 audio and 99 video tracks with support for nesting sequences together
  • System and user preferences
  • Easy Setups for quick configuration
  • Customisable keyboard
  • Customisable real-time effects settings
  • Customisable render settings
  • Customisable window arrangements
  • Customisable user interface buttons
  • Customisable Browser layouts
  • Customisable track layouts
  • External editor support (helper applications)
  • Create Support Profile command for improved AppleCare support

Film

  • Cinema Tools 4 included
  • Create PDF and export XML film lists
  • Include timecode and keycode in the same list
  • Support for 35mm 3-perf, 35mm 4-perf, and 16mm-20
  • Comprehensive, integrated film management tools
  • View feet and frames in Timeline
  • View keycode and ink number overlays on video in Final Cut Pro
  • Film data information in Final Cut Pro Browser
  • 24-fps EDL I/O
  • 24-fps EDL conversion to and from 29.97 fps
  • Import ALE, ATN, FLX, and FTL files in both Cinema Tools and Final Cut Pro
  • Track key numbers, ink numbers, video and audio timecode
  • Output the following lists:
    • Cut list
    • Change list
    • Optical list
    • Pull list
    • Dupe list
    • Missing elements list
    • Audio EDL
  • Link media to database
  • Synchronise database with Final Cut Pro
  • View film data directly in Final Cut Pro
  • Search and sort
  • Poster frame capability
  • Conform clips to specified frame rate
  • Reverse telecine function in either Cinema Tools or Final Cut Pro
  • Export ALE files
  • Import and export Final Cut Pro batch lists

Supported Formats and I/O*

  • Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), an 8- or 10-bit, full-resolution VBR format that supports all major frame sizes and frame rates at target bit rates of 145 Mbps and 220 Mbps
  • 5.1 surround sound monitoring
  • Broadcast Wave Format with drop and non-drop frame timecode options
  • Native editing for DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, and DVCPRO HD
  • Native long GOP MPEG-2 editing for HDV, including 1080i 50/60, 1080p 24/25/30, 720p 24/25/30/50/60
  • Native long GOP MPEG-2 editing for XDCAM EX at 720p 24/25/30/50/60, 1080i 50/60, 1080p24/25/30
  • Support for XDCAM HD at 1080i 50/60/VFR and 1080p 24/25/30/VFR with free Sony software
  • Native 25-Mbps CBR, 18- and 35-Mbps VBR MPEG HD for XDCAM HD
  • Native editing for IMX at 30, 40, and 50 Mbps for SD
  • Native editing for P2 at 1080i 50/60/VFR and 720p 24/24N/25/25N/30/VFR from P2 cards
  • 1080pA 24 (Advanced Pulldown) supported via FireWire from AJ-HD1200A and AJ-HD1400
  • P2 import dialog with browse, mark, and background ingest
  • IMX ingest and output supported with optional third-party software
  • Uncompressed 8- and 10-bit HD (4:2:2 YUV) via PCI card
  • Uncompressed 8- and 10-bit SD (4:2:2 YUV) via FireWire or a PCI card
  • Apple Intermediate Codec
  • OfflineRT Photo-JPEG codec
  • HD at 1080i 50/60, 1080p 23.98/24/25, and 720p 24/25/30/50/60
  • Pulldown tools for telecine insertion and removal
  • 25 fps @24 fps conversion
  • Frame-accurate log and captures
  • Frame-accurate edit-to-tape
  • Serial device control (RS-422, RS-232)
  • FireWire device control
  • Log and capture tool with support for batch, clip, and on-the-fly capturing
  • Still images: PSD, BMP, JPEG, PICT, PNG, SGI, TARGA, TIFF
  • Insert and assemble editing to tape
  • Compressor for encoding, format conversions, and batch processing

Media Management

  • Export OMF with volume and pan metadata
  • Media management tools
  • Render file manager
  • Extensive search, sort, and sift capabilities in Browser
  • Rename Clips to match Media and vice versa
  • Maintain Master clips across multiple projects
  • Clip labels
  • Custom comment fields
  • Integrated film database with Cinema Tools 4
  • Master and affiliate clips
  • Move, copy, and transcode items at sequence or project level
  • Consolidate, trim, or archive
  • Online with automatic reconnect and batch capture capabilities
  • EDL I/O
  • Autosave Vault
  • XML interchange format for custom integration work
  • Batch export
  • Compressor integration

*Some features require additional hardware. DV, DVCPRO 50, and DVCPRO HD output requires a FireWire-enabled camera or deck. SD output via FireWire requires an AJA Io. Please contact your Apple Authorised Reseller for information.

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Motion 3

User Interface

  • Unlimited tracks of movie clips, graphics, text, and particles
  • Project sizes up to 4K (4K resolution requires a graphics card with 256MB of VRAM or more)
  • Colour bits-per-channel: 8-bit, 16-bit float, and 32-bit float (Float processing requires a graphics card with 128MB of VRAM; 256MB or more recommended)
  • Customisable nonsquare-pixel support
  • Semitransparent heads-up display with onscreen controls for layers, behaviors, and filters
  • Onscreen controls for 3D position, 3D rotation, 3D anchor point, skew, four corner pin, and crop
  • Enable/Disable float bit-depth viewing independent of project setting
  • View colour channels and alpha channels independently
  • Canvas alignment tools including dynamic alignment guides, 3D grid, and rulers
  • Pen-and-tablet gesture-based interface
  • Integrated File Browser for fast access to Finder content
  • RAM Previews for viewing complex animations at full frame rate
  • Save favorite settings, customised effects, gradients, text styles, and more in the Library
  • Over 1000 pieces of Apple-designed, royalty-free vector artwork, high-resolution images, and animated design elements
  • Instantly display and access all layers in the project using a single keystroke, similar to Exposé in Mac OS X
  • Customisable toolbar that places your favorite tools at your fingertips
  • Create, save, and remap custom keyboard shortcuts
  • Show images outside the visible frame boundary for easily adjusting off-screen objects
  • Automatically collect media used in a project for easy backup or moving to other locations
  • Use Spotlight in Mac OS X to locate Motion projects by searching on any layer name or text string created in the project

3D Compositing Environment

  • Position, rotate, and intersect multiple layers in 3D space
  • Combine multiple layers into 3D groups for hierarchical 3D animations
  • Add, animate, and cut between multiple cameras
  • Unique Walk-Camera intuitively operates like a first-person video game
  • Adjust the camera's near and far soft clipping planes to avoid object "popping"
  • Apply Camera behaviors for easily creating and modifying complex camera moves
  • Quad split view for displaying multiple orthographic and perspective views
  • Inset viewer for quickly checking alternative views while making adjustments
  • Multiple light sources including ambient, directional, point, and spot
  • Enable particles, Replicator elements, and paint strokes to animate in 3D space
  • Create 3D text behaviors for character-by-character animations with full 3D position and rotation control
  • Create 3D motion paths for layers, cameras, and light sources
  • Apply behaviors like throw, orbit, and vortex with 3D attributes
  • Isolate any layer to a Front view for easily modifying masks or editing text

Timeline Editing and Layering

  • Layer list view makes it easy to change the stacking order of any layer, group, filter, or animation behavior
  • Grouping for applying compound transformations and filters
  • Common “bring to front” and “send to back” functions
  • Opacity and blend mode display for quick access on every layer and group
  • Create drop zones for easy drag-and-drop image replacement
  • Clone layers for linking instances of images that inherit properties automatically
  • Solo tracks for easier viewing and refinements
  • Composite with premultiplied or non-premultiplied alpha channels
  • Mini-Timeline built into the Canvas that displays a single track for the currently selected layer, group, filter, or behavior
  • Trim, slip, slide, and retime audio and video clips via the mini-Timeline
  • Retime clips using frame blending, motion blur blending, or optical flow
  • Cache optical flow retiming analysis to change speed at any time without reanalyzing
  • Full Timeline with drag-and-drop editing to choose between compositing and assembling multiple clips
  • Insert and overwrite editing directly into the Timeline
  • Display and edit audio tracks in the Timeline or in the Audio Editor
  • Markers that can be placed in the Timeline or on a specific clip with notes

Animation

  • Unique behavior animations for creating natural phenomena like wind, gravity, and vortex
  • Sophisticated simulations like attract, repel, and orbit, which create multilayered 3D animations
  • Text sequencing for automating complex title animations in 3D space
  • Auto-animated Parameter control like oscillate, wiggle, and more
  • Retiming behaviors automate ramping in and out of speed changes
  • Audio behavior for syncing animations with audio tracks
  • MIDI behavior for triggering parameter changes via any MIDI device
  • Shape behaviors allow for tracking points on a shape or creating random wiggling animated shapes
  • Complete keyframe-based animation tools
  • Keyframe Editor with Bezier, Linear, Constant, and Ease In/Ease Out interpolations
  • Copy and paste keyframes from different tracks and parameters
  • Keyframe settings for ping pong, repeat, and progressive
  • Record Animation feature with keyframe thinning for recording animations in real-time
  • Draw keyframes in the Keyframe Editor using freehand pen tool
  • Squish, stretch, and move groups of keyframes using a transform box
  • Save curve sets for quick access to common parameters
  • View animated curves for easier navigation
  • View keyframes in the Timeline for quick positioning
  • Enable/Disable keyframe and behavior-based animations to easily compare different results

Particle Engine

  • Sprite-based particle engine with accelerated performance
  • Over 200 particle presets for easy access to sparkles, fire, smoke, and more
  • Animate particles in 3D space with “Face-Camera” control
  • Apply multiple objects or video clips as emitters
  • Apply additive blend mode for intense glowing results
  • Animate emitters and cells independently
  • Save newly created particles in the Library for reuse in other projects
  • Choose between point, line, rectangle, circle, box, sphere, and more for emitter shapes
  • Control birth rate, life, speed, angle, spin, scale, and gradient colours for particle cells
  • Scale particles over their life or add behaviors like orbit and vortex for amazing 3D results with little effort

Paint Effects

  • Paint with pressure-sensitive vector-based brush strokes
  • Select from over 100 customisable brush styles from traditional to abstract
  • Modify brush width, colour, opacity, jitter over the stroke path
  • Automatically draw on and draw off with full customisation
  • Edit brush strokes as Bezier or advanced B-spline paths
  • Rotate the stroke in 3D space with “Face-Camera” control for volumetric 3D strokes
  • Assign pressure and speed to brush properties when using a pen and tablet
  • Enable dynamics on paint dabs for particle paint type effects
  • Apply Replicator-like sequencing animations that can cause the paint stroke to ripple through 3D space

Replicator Tool

  • Automatic replication of any graphic, text object, or movie file along defined patterns
  • Over 200 Replicator presets that can be completely customised and resaved
  • Animate replicated patterns in 3D space with “Face-Camera” control
  • Save newly created Replicators in the Library for reuse in other projects
  • Choose between line, rectangle, circle, burst, spiral, wave, box, sphere, and more for Replicator patterns
  • Define the number of rows, columns, and 3D ranks that fill or outline the pattern
  • Control pattern size, cell size, angle, scale, and gradient colours for Replicator cells
  • Change the offset for rows and columns, causing them to shift position across the defined pattern
  • Control origin of animation from various points of the pattern
  • Add random scale and angle setting for more natural replications
  • Apply additive blend mode for intense glowing results
  • Set colour of replicated objects from a single tint to a user-defined range
  • Add Replicator Sequence behavior for wavelike animations over various patterns

Title Design

  • Vector-based text engine for creating clean type at any size
  • Format text using size, rotation, slant, tracking, kerning, and more
  • Animate individual text characters in 3D space using customisable text behaviors
  • Select from common set of blend modes, including normal, multiply, screen, and add
  • Customise text styles with control over the face, outline, glow, and drop shadow
  • Type-on and text on a path layout/animation options
  • Text field in Inspector that makes it easy to edit text even if text is obscured in the Canvas
  • Fill text with solid or multipoint gradients
  • Apply static images or video clips as textures to text faces
  • Control textures using hold frame, offset, wrap modes, and opacity
  • Support for Asian, Cyrillic, and other Unicode system fonts
  • Support for Apple LiveFonts for unique font animations

Tracking and Stabilisation

  • Match move using single-point tracking or four corner pinning
  • Create tracking data that can be referenced by multiple objects
  • Track a filter’s onscreen position controls
  • Offset tracking for creating a single track from multiple offsets
  • Tracking behavior highlights best potential tracking points, eliminating guesswork
  • Advanced tracking algorithm maintains accurate analysis when patterns rotate or skew
  • Smart retry resets search region automatically for less user intervention
  • Provide directional hints for fast-moving regions by using Look-ahead feature
  • Stabilise using traditional point stabiliser or optical flow analysis
  • Automated optical flow stabiliser bypasses selecting points and time-consuming setup
  • SmoothCam optical flow analysis removes jitter and rocking from handheld shots while retaining overall camera moves
  • Adjust amount of smoothing applied to transforms, rotation, and scaling in real time

Accelerated Filters and Effects

  • Over 130 accelerated filters for real-time interactivity
  • More than 10 blur filters, including Gaussian, Channel Blur, Radial Blur, and Defocus
  • Simple and bevel borders
  • More than 15 colour correction filters, including Color Balance, Gradient Colorize, Color Reduce, and Threshold
  • More than 25 distortion filters, including Basic 3D, Refraction, Insect Eye, Glass Distortion, Ripple, and Scrape
  • Stunning glow effects for Light Rays, Bloom, Aura, and more
  • PrimatteRT chroma keyer
  • Stylise filters like Vignette, Color Emboss, Half Tone, Line Art, and Tunnel
  • Unique kaleidoscope and tiling filters
  • Time-based filters for echo and strobe effects
  • Video filters for deinterlacing and broadcast-safe colours and luminance
  • Generators that automatically generate patterns, noise, colours and caustics
  • Support for GPU-accelerated third-party FxPlug filters

Masking Tools

  • Bezier or advanced B-spline masking tools
  • Create ovals, rectangles, and arbitrary freehand shapes
  • Control opacity and edge feathering
  • Combine masks using mathematical operations
  • Track entire shapes or control points using tracking behaviors
  • Create image masks from alpha, luminance, or RGB values of a second image

Audio

  • Support for AIFF, WAV, MP3, VBR MP3, and AAC (MPEG-4 Audio)
  • Edit audio tracks in the Timeline with trim, slip, and move
  • Retime audio tracks with pitch change
  • Scrub audio tracks for frame-accurate positioning
  • Control balance, gain, mute, and solo individually
  • Use master audio controls for global audio adjustments
  • Keyframe audio volume in Audio Editor
  • Trigger parameter changes based on audio frequencies or transient hits

Integration and Third-Party Support

  • Open Timeline data from Final Cut Pro, including cuts, layers, transforms, and retiming data
  • Open Motion directly from the Final Cut Pro Timeline, bypassing import/export steps
  • Create master templates in Motion that retain editable text and drop zones in Final Cut Pro
  • Animations from Motion automatically update in the Final Cut Pro Timeline when changes are made in Motion
  • Round-trip editing between DVD Studio Pro and Motion, making it simple to create and modify Motion menus without intermediate rendering
  • Send audio from Motion to Soundtrack Pro Waveform Editor; sound design changes in Soundtrack Pro automatically update in Motion
  • Drag and drop Motion 3 native project files into Adobe After Effects 6.5 or 7.0, without rendering
  • Preview projects on a broadcast monitor using AJA I/O or Blackmagic devices
  • Import vector PDF graphics or Photoshop layered documents
  • Import OpenEXR files (Float processing requires a graphics card with 128MB of VRAM; 256MB or more recommended)
  • Support for third-party FxPlug plug-ins
  • Support for Core Image Unit plug-ins

Export

  • Export to HDV, H.264, MPEG-4, and other QuickTime-supported codecs
  • Export as movies or image sequences
  • Export as 16-bit or 32-bit floating-point OpenEXR format (Float processing requires a graphics card with 128MB of VRAM; 256MB or more recommended)
  • Support for progressive and field-based rendering
  • Accelerated motion blur with customisable shutter
  • Save custom export settings for easier selection
  • Render back to the Timeline
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Soundtrack Pro 2

Precise Audio Control

  • Nondestructive, sample-accurate editing of audio files
  • Support for up to 24-channel files, including mono, stereo, and surround
  • Action-based editing to modify, reorder, suspend, or delete any audio edit, plug-in, or process
  • Audio Effects and Audio Units plug-ins can be applied to supported audio files as Actions
  • Audio Effects and Audio Units plug-ins can be applied to supported audio files as real-time effect chains
  • Real-time effects applied to audio files can be rendered to Actions
  • Intelligent analysis, repair, and restoration functions for:
    • Clicks and pops
    • Power line hum
    • DC offset
    • Phase
    • Clipped signal
  • Integrated multichannel file editor
  • Audio time stretching without affecting pitch
  • Ambient Noise Print to quickly replace unwanted noises from location recordings
  • Background Noise Removal including noise print
  • Sample ruler units in sample value, normalised, percent, and decibel view
  • Snapping to ruler ticks, zero crossings, markers, and adjacent clips
  • Support for bit depths up to 32-bit float
  • Support for sample rates from 2kHz to 192kHz
  • Support for AIFF, WAV, MP3, CAF, BWF, SDII, NeXT, QuickTime, and STAP (Soundtrack Audio Project) file playback
  • Saves files nondestructively as STAP files or destructively as AIFF, WAV, SDII, QuickTime, CAF, or NeXT
  • Export mixes as AIFF, WAV, NeXT, SDII, MP3, AAC/Podcast, Dolby Digital Professional (AC-3), or use Compressor for additional file support
  • Selection history
  • Waveform and customisable frequency spectrum views with linear and logarithmic display
  • Frequency selection and editing in frequency spectrum view
  • Animated waveform feedback
  • Mini-waveform view

Advanced Sound Design

  • Processes including:
    • Fade in/Fade out
    • Normalise
    • Amplitude adjust
    • Silence
    • Invert
    • Swap channels
    • Mono conversion
    • Channel reordering
    • Resample
    • Generate silence, white noise, pink noise, sine wave, sawtooth wave, square wave, or triangle wave
  • Support for Audio Units plug-ins
  • Audio Units presets available to all Audio Units-compatible applications
  • More than 6000 sound effects, music beds, and music loops, including over 1000 in surround
  • Powerful media search engine
  • Support for Apple Loops, AIFF, WAV, MP3, AAC, CAF, and ACID sound and music libraries

Advanced Take Management

  • Multitake recording with take editing in Multitake Editor
  • Multitake Editor allows comps of multitake recordings and other audio files
  • Combine individual phrases from different takes
  • Automatic customisable crossfade between phrases
  • Single-click take selection
  • Adjustable transition boundaries for multitake comps
  • Final comp functions as stand-alone clip while retaining access to all takes
  • Slide phrases within edit boundaries

Professional Multitrack Audio Editing

  • Single window with customisable tab panes
  • Customisable window layouts
  • Dynamic tab panes with quick show/hide functionality
  • Resizable video window tab
  • Multitrack Timeline with tracks, busses, submixes, and master in mono, stereo, or surround
  • Multiple multitrack and audio file projects open at once
  • Mixed sample rates supported in multitrack projects
  • Time- or beat-based tracks
  • Ruler in HH:MM:SS, seconds, samples, frames, drop frame, non-drop frame, beats
  • Loop clip transposition
  • Loop clip speed adjustments (quadruple, double, normal, half, quarter)
  • Adjustable automatic and manual crossfades
  • Fade selector for customising fade in, fade out, and crossfades
  • Tape style and sample repeat scrubbing
  • Rolling edit tool
  • Native and custom timecode spotting
  • Multitrack recording of mono, stereo, and multichannel files
  • Lift and stamp tool to selectively copy plug-in sets from one clip to another
  • Lift and stamp effect sets can be saved as presets
  • Lift and stamp EQ matches the EQ characteristics of one clip to another
  • Automation parameters can move with clips or lock to absolute time
  • Pull up/pull down of audio and video to all common standards
  • Customisable clip and track colours
  • Clip locking in multitrack
  • Clip disabling in multitrack
  • Momentary mono switch
  • Automatable master tempo, master volume, master effects, and key
  • Automation of most mix and effect parameters with read, touch, and latch modes
  • Pre- and post-fader send busses for application of common effect plug-ins to multiple tracks
  • Output bussing for single fader control of multiple tracks
  • Support for multichannel audio output devices
  • Time, duration, podcast, beat, and end-of-project markers
  • Powerful browser for locating content quickly
  • Multipoint Video HUD
  • Tool HUD
  • Timecode HUD
  • Numeric Clip offset
  • Bin with access to multiple projects, media files, markers, and clips
  • Spotlight-style searching in Bin

Surround and Stereo Mixing

  • Discrete 5.1 mixing, bussing, and routing
  • Console-style Mixer with full stereo and surround meters on every track, buss, submix, and master
  • Surround panning of mono, stereo, and surround audio files
  • Mono, stereo, and surround files can be combined on same track
  • Support for multichannel surround files
  • Surround Panner HUD with automatable controls for rotation, width, collapse, center bias, LFE balance, and individual speaker disabling
  • Surround and stereo panner automation data simultaneously available on each track
  • Automatic surround to stereo Dolby-standard downmix
  • Support for true surround and multi-mono effects
  • Over 1000 royalty-free surround sound effects and music tracks
  • Control surface support (Mackie Control Protocol)

Integrated Workflow

  • AppleScript scriptable (executable from Soundtrack Pro, Final Cut Pro 6, or as AppleScript droplets for batch processing)
  • Automator actions for creation of complex multiapplication workflows in Mac OS X v10.4 or later
  • Support for video formats up to HD resolutions
  • Integrated video tab
  • Output to SD and HD1 video monitors (via FireWire or PCI card)
  • HD1 or SD output using Digital Cinema Desktop2 to second Apple Cinema Display
  • Send and receive MIDI timecode and beat clock for synchronisation with hardware and software
  • Integration with Final Cut Pro 6, DVD Studio Pro 4, and Motion 3
  • Round-trip audio file editing with Final Cut Pro 6 and Motion 3
  • Support for Final Cut Pro 6 scoring markers
  • Conform tab to conform audio edit to new Final Cut Pro 6 edits
  • Conform visual interface for highlighting changed areas
  • Accept or reject changes across entire project or selectively on a change-by-change basis
  • Podcast track to create audio-only, enhanced audio, or video podcasts
  • Support for chapter, artwork, and URL markers in video and audio podcasts
  • Export presets and customisable post-export scripts
  • OMF import
  • AAF import and export

Included Effects

TS = True surround

  • Dynamics
    • Adaptive Limiter
    • Compressor
    • DeEsser
    • Expander
    • Limiter TS
    • Multichannel Gain TS
    • Multipressor
    • Noise Gate
    • Surround Compressor TS
  • Distortion
    • Bitcrusher
    • Clip Distortion
    • Distortion
    • Distortion II
    • Exciter
    • Overdrive
    • Phase Distortion
  • EQ and Filter
    • AutoFilter
    • Channel EQ
    • Fat EQ
    • High Cut
    • High Pass Filter
    • High Shelving EQ
    • Linear Phase EQ
    • Low Cut
    • Low Pass Filter
    • Low Shelving EQ
    • Match EQ TS
    • Parametric EQ
    • Soundtrack Pro AutoFilter
  • Modulation
    • Chorus
    • Ensemble TS
    • Flanger
    • Modulation Delay
    • Phaser
    • Scanner Vibrato
    • Tremolo TS
  • Reverb/Delay
    • PlatinumVerb
    • Soundtrack Pro Reverb
    • Space Designer TS
    • Stereo Delay
    • Tape Delay
  • Metrics and Diagnostics
    • Correlation Meter
    • Multi Meter TS
    • Test Oscillator
    • TunerTS
  • Miscellaneous
    • Denoiser
    • Direction Mixer
    • Enveloper
    • Gain
    • Pitch Shifter II
    • Ringshifter
    • Spectral Gate
    • Stereo Spread
    • SubBass
    • Vocal Transformer
  1. HD requires a Power Mac with 1GHz or faster single or dual processors and 1GB of RAM or any Intel-based Macintosh with a minimum of 1GB of RAM.
  2. Digital Cinema Desktop requires a dual-port AGP card with second display.
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Color

Colour Grading

  • Real-time grading controls for SD, HD, and 2K without proxies
  • Workflow-oriented interface divides controls into eight separate “rooms”
  • Primary, Secondary, and Primary Out grading functions
  • Colour wheels with hue, saturation, and luminance controls for highlights, midtones, and shadows
  • Curves for individual adjustment to R,G,B and luma with B-spline control points
  • Advanced RGB and Printer Points controls for precise film printing
  • Switch between four live grades per shot
  • Autobalance correction available in Primary room
  • ASC-style Lift, Gamma, Gain controls
  • Eight secondaries per shot with custom mattes, key blur, and motion tracking
  • Animated circle, rectangle, and user shape Vignettes with inner and outer softness
  • Keyframing with interpolation for most controls
  • Color FX with node trees for compositing control
  • Still Store for saving and comparing reference images
  • Pan and Scan with preset aspect ratios
  • Real-time waveform monitor, vectorscopes, and histograms
  • 3D Color Space scopes for RGB, HSL, Y’CbCr, and IPT display
  • Broadcast-safe limiting
  • Support for 3D LUTs for display calibration and output simulation
  • Multiple video tracks
  • Support for third-party control surfaces with trackballs and knobs
  • EDL support for DPX and Cineon files
  • Can render directly to DPX or Cineon file formats for film out
  • Use EDLs for “notching” programs without XML metadata

Integration with Final Cut Pro 6

  • Round-trip projects between Color and Final Cut Pro 6 with Send to Color and Send to Final Cut Pro
  • Colour projects configured automatically to match Final Cut Pro sequence settings
  • 2K Digital Intermediate workflow with Final Cut Pro
  • Support for all standard frame rates and frame sizes
  • Displays dissolves and fades in the Timeline and renders for 2K projects
  • Constant speed change displayed in Color for playback in real time
  • Pan and Scan metadata sent to Final Cut Pro as Motion effect

Effects

  • Over 50 Color FX and premade looks
  • Renders at 8-bit, 10-bit, and 32-bit floating point (dependent on GPU)
  • Customisable node tree for effects creation
  • Save and reuse favourite effects
  • Support for third-party plug-ins
  • Preview playback of SD, HD and, 2K on an attached Apple Cinema Display or third-party video card

Supported Formats

  • Support for 4:4:4 2K as DPX or Cineon files
  • Apple Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2
  • Apple Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2
  • TIFF, JPEG, and JPEG 2000 image sequences
  • Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), an 8- or 10- bit, full-resolution VBR format with target bit rates of 145 Mbps and 220 Mbps
  • Ability to render all formats at uncompressed HD or ProRes 422 and ProRes 422 (HQ)
  • Optional proxy creation for DPX and Cineon files
  • Third-party codecs from AJA and Blackmagic Design
  • IMX, HDV, and XDCAM HD can be graded but must be rendered at ProRes 422 or uncompressed resolution

Trimming for 2K Output

  • Trimming controls when rendering directly to DPX or Cineon files
  • Ripple
  • Roll
  • Slip
  • Splice
  • Merge edits
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Compressor 3

High-Performance Encoding

  • H.264 Apple devices, web, mobile devices, and HD DVD
  • Compatible I-frame insertion
  • Full QuickTime support
  • MPEG-2 encoding
  • MPEG-1 encoding
  • MPEG-4 encoding
  • Distributed encoding with segmentation options
  • Two-pass VBR encoding for MPEG-2
  • Provides Dolby-certified encoding to Dolby Digital Professional AC-3 format
  • Accepts QuickTime (single-channel or multichannel), AIFF, Sound Designer, and WAV files
  • Advanced chaptering for AppleTV and podcasting
  • Closed caption support for QuickTime and MPEG-2
  • Scaling and down-converting
  • Standards conversions
  • Retiming
  • Preview with split-screen comparison
  • High-quality image processing
  • More than 100 presets included
  • Automated encoding with droplets
  • Automatic and custom cropping
  • Automatic and custom padding
  • 14 image processing filters: brightness/contrast; highlight, midtone, and shadow color corrections; deinterlacing; gamma correction; noise removal; sharpen edge; black/white restore; watermark; text overlay; timecode generator; fade in/out; and letterbox
  • Four audio filters: dynamic range; peak limiter; Apple: AUGraphicEQ and fade in/out
  • Post encoded files to iDisk or FTP

Dolby Digital Professional Encoding

  • Dolby-certified encoding to Dolby Digital Professional AC-3 format
  • Accepts QuickTime (single-channel or multichannel), AIFF, Sound Designer, and WAV format sound files for encoding
  • Support for all channel formats from mono to 5.1 surround sound
  • Automatically creates 2.0 or 5.1 based on number of channels in the source media file
  • Confidence decoding for preview of AC-3 files

Video Filters

  • BlackWhite Restore
  • Brightness and Contrast
  • Color Correct Highlights
  • Color Correct Midtones
  • Color Correct Shadows
  • Deinterlacing
  • Fade In/Out
  • Gamma Correction
  • Letterbox
  • Noise Removal
  • Sharpen Edge
  • Text Overlay
  • Timecode Generator
  • Watermark (Image, animated with QuickTime or Motion files)

Audio Filters

  • Dynamic Range
  • Peak Limiter
  • Apple: AUGraphicEQ
  • Fade In/Out

Input Video Formats

  • QuickTime
    • Apple ProRes 422
    • Animation
    • BMP
    • Video
    • Cinepak
    • DV
    • DVCPRO
    • DVCPRO HD
    • H.261
    • H.263
    • H.264
    • JPEG 2000
    • M-JPEG A
    • M-JPEG B
    • Photo JPEG
    • Planar RGB
    • PNG
    • Sorenson 2
    • Sorenson 3
    • TGA
    • Uncompressed 8- and 10-bit video
  • MPEG-1
  • MPEG-2
    • Elementary
    • Program
  • MPEG-4
  • AVI

Input Audio Formats

  • QuickTime
    • AIFF
    • Sound Designer
    • WAV
  • Dolby Digital (AC-3)
  • Soundtrack Pro STAP

Over 100 Presets

  • Apple Devices
  • Podcasting
  • Advanced Format Conversions
  • Audio Formats
  • SD DVD
  • HD DVD
  • Motion Graphics
  • Web
  • Modify Apple presets
  • Create your own

Apple Qmaster

  • Provides distributed encoding and rendering for DVD Studio Pro (via Compressor) and Shake and image-based rendering applications
  • Distribute jobs to up to 10 nodes
  • Segment jobs to multiple computers or send complete movies to single nodes
  • AutoCluster provides easy setup for unmanaged services
  • Create virtual render farms by turning on services to split processor performance
  • Control managed services with Qadministrator
  • Scheduling allows additional Mac systems to be used during off-hours
  • Specify cluster storage location to be on local disk or Xsan
  • Note: AVI, 3G, Dolby Digital, and AIFF cannot be segmented to multiple systems

Output Video Formats

  • AVI
  • QuickTime
    • Animation
    • Apple Pixlet
    • BMP
    • Video
    • Cinepak
    • DV
    • DVCPRO
    • H.261
    • H.263
    • H.264
    • JPEG 2000
    • M-JPEG A
    • M-JPEG B
    • Photo JPEG
    • Planar RGB
    • PNG
    • Sorenson 2
    • Sorenson 3
    • TGA
    • Video
  • MPEG-1
  • MPEG-2
    • Elementary
    • Transport
    • Program
  • MPEG-4
    • M4V
    • M4A
    • MP4
  • Sequential TIFF and TGA
  • 3G (3GPP)

Output Audio Formats

  • QuickTime
    • AIFF (PCM)
    • AAC
    • Alaw 2:1
    • Dolby Digital Professional
    • IMA 4:1
    • Linear PCM
    • MACE 3:1
    • MACE 6:1 QDesign Music 2
    • Qualcomm PureVoice
    • uLAW 2:1
  • Dolby Digital (AC-3) 2.0 and 5.1 surround sound
  • MP3
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DVD Studio Pro 4

Graphical View

  • View flow of DVD graphically
  • Print or save to PDF
  • Use Macro view to navigate easily through large projects
  • Flag elements for more attention
  • Fit all elements in window, zoom in/out
  • Organise tiles with Auto layout command

Transitions

  • Add transitions to menus, menu buttons, slideshows, and timeline-based stills
  • Choose from more than 30 prebuilt transitions such as Blur, Dissolve, Droplet, Fade through Color, Melt, Motion Dissolve, Rotate, Rotation Blur, and Zoom
  • Create additional Alpha transitions

Jacket Picture

  • Shows picture of choice when user stops playback of DVD on supported DVD players
  • Creates all necessary files for jacket picture from any popular image formats

Automatic MPEG-2 Encoding

  • Encode video in the background while you work or while building the DVD
  • One- and two-pass variable bit rate (VBR) encoding for MPEG-2
  • Three levels of motion estimation
  • Support for PAL and NTSC formats
  • Support for 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios
  • DVD-compliant MPEG-2 streams from other encoders accepted
  • More advanced encoding options provided via Compressor (included)

Asset Management

  • Organise assets with folders
  • Open in Editor
  • View status of background encoding
  • View information on imported assets such as type, timestamps, length, encoding progress, bit rate, and more
  • Reveal the location of the asset in the Finder
  • Sort by name and information
  • Refresh assets that may have been updated with other applications
  • Re-encode source assets
  • Reconnect assets

Advanced Interactivity

  • Multistory feature for creating alternative versions (up to 98 stories)
  • DVD-ROM functionality using DVD@CCESS (for computer playback only); DVD-ROM input includes the ability to add photos, PDFs, or direct links to websites
  • Control actions for remote control buttons, including number offset
  • Enable/Disable user operations
  • Specify actions for First Play, Title button, Menu button, end jumps, pre-scripts, pre-script targets, Angle button, Chapter button, Audio button, Subtitle, and Return

Pre-mastering Options

  • Region encoding
  • Industry-standard analog and digital copyright management with Macrovision (Types 1, 2, and 3) and CSS for SD projects1
  • Test functionality with built-in Simulator
  • Test built projects with Apple DVD Player software
  • Allows burning first layer of DVD-9 project to DVD-5 media for testing
  • Supports 12- and 8-cm discs, single and double layer
  • Dual-layer options:
    • Choose between Parallel Track Path (PTP) and Opposite Track Path (OTP)
    • Specify the dual-layer break point
    • Specify a non-seamless or seamless dual-layer break point
  • Format existing builds to DVD-R and DLT
  • Burn DVD-9 projects to double-layer media for testing
  • Replication to red laser media
  • Replication to blue laser media (for HD DVD)

Import

  • Maintains named chapter markers from Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, and iMovie
  • DVD Studio Pro 2 and 3 projects
  • iDVD 3 and 4 projects
  • AIFF
  • AVI
  • BMP
  • DV
  • H.264 (HD DVD projects only)
  • JPEG
  • Macromedia Flash 5
  • MPEG-1
  • MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer 3)
  • MPEG-2
  • M4A, M4P (iTunes 4 audio)
  • PDF (Mac OS X)
  • Photoshop (with layers)
  • PICT
  • PNG
  • TARGA
  • TIFF
  • WAV
  • Aspect ratios: 4:3 and 16:9
  • TV systems: PAL and NTSC
  • Frame rates: 29.97 fps (NTSC) and 25 fps (PAL)
  • Maximum GOP sizes: 18 frames (NTSC), 15 frames (PAL)

Audio Formats

  • STAP (Soundtrack audio file) support
  • MPEG-1 Layer 2 (64 to 384 Kbps)
  • Dolby Digital AC-3 (mono to 5.1 surround using 64 to 448 Kbps)
  • DTS — mono to 5.1 surround at 48kHz; DTS ES — 6.1 at 96kHz at 754 Kbps or 1509 Kbps
  • Stereo PCM (16 bit/48kHz at 1536 Kbps)
  • Stereo PCM (24 bit/96kHz at 4608 Kbps)
  • Other QuickTime audio formats automatically transcoded to AIFF/PCM

DVD Standards

  • Author traditional DVDs using SD assets
  • Author HD DVDs using SD and HD assets

Output Formats

  • DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, double-layer media
  • Double-layer media support
  • DLT drive (required for DVD-9 projects)
  • DDP 2.0 and 2.1
  • CMF 1.0
  • CMF 2.0
  • DDP 3.0
  • Disk Image
  • Video_TS to hard drive
  • HVDVD_TS to hard drive

Menus

  • Choose from a wide variety of automatic transitions
  • Create your own transitions
  • Includes several theme-based royalty-free Apple-designed templates that can be user-customised
  • Supports up to 36 buttons per menu (18 for 16:9 aspect ratio)
  • Templates in both NTSC and PAL formats
  • Allows still menus and buttons to be made from layered Photoshop files
  • Allows motion menus to be made from video streams
  • Set the loop point on motion menus to avoid replaying intro transition
  • Add effects to menus and buttons with shapes and drop zones
  • Built-in action-safe and title-safe areas
  • View menus with rectangular or square pixels
  • Use grayscale and chroma color mapping
  • Create language-localised versions of the same menu

Connections

  • Automatically assign functionality to assets with one click using over 60 combinations of context-sensitive drop palettes
  • Automatically create movie scene indexes based on chapter markers

User Interface

  • Mode-free interface for workflow efficiency
  • Rearrange interface tabs to different quadrants to create different workflows
  • Save user-defined workspace configurations (three preset configurations)
  • Customisable toolbar

Timeline

  • Manage up to 9 video angles, 8 audio streams, and 32 subtitle streams per track
  • Add, modify, and delete chapter markers in the Timeline
  • Trim audio and video clips interactively or with timecode
  • Combine multiple video clips and slides into one track
  • Stills in Timeline are added to DVD as space-saving stills, not generated video
  • Add up to 99 tracks in a project
  • Import Line 21 files for closed caption support, for NTSC SD projects only
  • Two types of angles:
    • Multiple angles add another full-length segment to track
    • Mixed angles add only video that is different from the first video angle

Subtitling

  • Integrated subtitler
  • Add up to 32 subtitle streams per track
  • Set position, font, size, style and color, fade in and fade out
  • Enter timecode or drag in Timeline to set start, stop, and duration
  • View built-in title-safe and action-safe areas
  • Use graphics in subtitles
  • Import subtitles in .son, .stl, .txt, and .scr formats
  • Use buttons over video

Slideshows

  • Choose from a wide variety of automatic transitions
  • Create your own transitions
  • Fit slideshow to audio
  • Apply audio to individual slides
  • Convert slideshow to a track
  • Set a slide duration or choose manual advance
  • Use PSD (8-bit RGB), TIFF, JPEG, BMP, TARGA, PICT, and any other QuickTime-based image format

VTS Editor

  • Automatic allocation of projects’s assets to VTS folders
  • Automatic placement of menu’s assets into VTS folders
  • Manually move elements between multiple VTS folders
  • Up to 99 VTS folders per project

Scripting

  • Jump to motion menu loop point
  • Advanced scripting controls to program the DVD to play back from the correct location on the disc; switch audio, video, and subtitle streams depending on context; and temporarily change parental controls
  • Access to 8 GPRMs with partition options to 112
  • Add pre-script commands to menus, tracks, and slideshows
  • Use up to 124 commands per script
  • 10 scripting commands, including Jump, Set GPRM, Goto Set System Stream, Resume, GPRM mode, Exit, Exit Pre-script, and Jump Indirect
  • Machine-level control
  • View values of GPRM and SPRM registers in Simulator
  • Bit-wise operations
  1. Copy protection requires that you output your project to a replicator. Macrovision requires that users work with a Macrovision-certified replication facility or execute a Macrovision usage agreement. Check with your replicator for costs and minimum quantities
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