Thursday, January 7, 2016

"Inactive" Waves AU Plug-ins cripple FCPX with constantly popping message window

I need to work on a project started a while ago, and to do so I am loading an old FCPX Library.  Back then I used a couple of Waves plug-ins to finalize the project.
The computer I'm using today does not have the Waves license activated and FCPX constantly pops a window with the message:
 (imagine... X 100)

Plug-in # does not have a license. Please check that you have a valid license, then click "Rescan Licenses".   To continue without Plug-in #, click "Skip".

Well man, I'm clicking "Skip" like a madman, but the creeping message keeps coming back, and back and back and back and back and back and back and back and back and back and back and back and back.  What the hell is this?????

OK so after clicking XXX times on "Skip" (OK hold ESC instead to go through this ordeal faster)  I finally get to select my clips and from here I should be able to DELETE the freaking Plug-ins from the Inspector... Yes!
NOT without having to click "Skip" another hundred times... Oh lord... I see what it's doing, I have a hundred clips that have the plug-in added, so it's popping the damn window for EACH instance of the Plug-in... Lovely.

Popping ONCE would be enough don't you think Waves? You are disabling the Plug-ins anyway, so what's the use of constantly popping a message window?  I get it, the license is not activated on this machine, yes I want to Skip, do I have to say it a hundred of times?

Enough already!  Please fix this behavior that's jacking up our blood pressure. Thanks.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Avid Media Composer 8.4.5 ... License snafu. Really Avid? Really?

Dowloaded AMC 8.4.5 installer just fine, no lost connection this time, but when I try to launch the app, I get the message: "This Software was released past your contract expiration date (1/12/15) Please go to Avid Support Website for more details."
Really AVID?  Really?

Update:
Allright, after a couple of hours on and off the phone with Avid Cust Rep, we fixed the App Manager wrong date, good, now it's the same as my Master Account, cool.  On the other hand, no go on launching MC 8.4.5.  Same message... Really?

They got me a temporary license, since mine can't work at the moment and is being "investigated" by Avid.  Whoa!  Sounds like a noir movie.

I should get my license working again in a day or two.  We'll see.

Can't download Avid Media Composer 8.4.4 - "Network connection Lost"

Trying to download AMC 8.4.4 just like the previous two installers, but this time I get the crippling "Network connection Lost" message and I cannot download the damn disk image.

Tried the first day, could not do it, try the second day, could not do it, tried the third day, same old.

--- Update: Finally made it happen, after waiting for a few days, still had to go through several attempts, over the course of several hours, having to re-start the download that still got interrupted three or four times, but it went though at last.  All is good.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Avid Application Manager different expiration date than Master Account

Are you experiencing the App Manager not updating the Expiration date of your Standard Support Plan?

Even though it's updated and show the correct date on the My Avid Master Account (I just bough the yearly plan for another year until dec 2016), Application Manager refuses to show the new Expiration date - it still is stuck in 2015.






Hey! We are not alone:
http://community.avid.com/forums/p/136720/776661.aspx

Update:
Oh boy! And now I even get emails from Avid telling me my plan is about to expire... Even though it's good up to dec 2016... Get it together Avid!

logo

Renew your Upgrade & Support Plan
Renew your Upgrade
& Support Plan
AVID MASTER ACCOUNT

CONTACT A RESELLER

Important Notice About Your Product


Dear Media Composer Customer,


This email is to notify you that your Media Composer Upgrade & Support plan is expiring.


In order to receive software upgrades, your Media Composer perpetual license must be covered by an active Avid Upgrade & Support plan, or you must have an active Media Composer Subscription. To ensure you can receive future software updates and support, you can either renew your Avid Upgrade & Support plan within 30 days of expiration or switch to a subscription license.


To renew, contact your reseller or log in to your Avid Master Account. For complete instructions on the renewal process, please review this article. For those customers that have Symphony and Newscutter, don’t forget to renew and upgrade here along with your Media Composer.


To switch to Media Composer subscription, visit the Avid Web Store and purchase a Subscription Crossgrade, or click here to have an Avid representative contact you.


Notice: if you choose not to renew your Upgrade & Support plan or to switch to a subscription license, your Media Composer software with a perpetual license will continue to work. However, you will not be able to upgrade your license or receive software updates.


Thank you.
AVID MASTER ACCOUNT
CONTACT A RESELLER

Monday, November 2, 2015

Avid Media Composer 8.4.2 Upgrade... Like a Boss!

All right people rejoice! There is an Avid MC update waiting for you!

I'm a "perpetual" licensee meaning I have to fork $299 each year, and if I ever want the Symphony option it's a one time $749 fee on top of the rental. I use no dongle - the devil.


This time I know what to do:

1) Update Application Manager right from Application Manager.

2) Login to my Avid Master Account (from me web browser.)

3) Click on "My Products and Subscriptions".

4) Click on "Show" Products Details and Download Links.

5) Yooohou!!! "Media Composer 8.4.2 Installer (Mac) 1.77GB" shows up!!!  Click on the thing.

6) Go get coffee / tea  / soy milk whatever hydrator works for you while the goodies get transferred to your machine.

7) INSTALL like a boss!

8) Test and have fun!

Don't get too excited as it looks like there are no new features, only some fixes.  Too few fixes? Oh well, better than nothing since I expect we won't see anything new until next year. 

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/135814.aspx
http://resources.avid.com/SupportFiles/attach/README_Avid_Editor_v8.4.2.pdf

Friday, September 25, 2015

BMD DaVinci Resolve 12.0, 12.0.1 and 12.2.2 on Mac - What a pain!

RESOLVE 12 (and 12.0.1) BUGS AND AGGRAVATION

- Crashes A LOT !!!

- Crashes when deleting or duplicating a Timeline (opened or not.)

- Takes forever to load a project and to save a project, and there is a long lag after the save window closes and before you can get back to work without any kind of feedback (is it doing it?) Each time you save you loose 1min. Each day you loose hours.

Apple is leading the charge in terms of functionality, EVERY SINGLE PRO APP must be saving in the bkg like FCPX does, save your every move until the last before the crash, and restore the project to the last move so that you do not loose anything.

- With Resolve 12, one looses work when the app crashes.  Again, should be like FCPX: nothing is ever lost when it crashes. Not only but you have to go through this cumbersome loading of backup projects from the Settings window / Auto save. Why can't backups be accessed from the Project Manager window????  This takes too long and is unnecessary. Just save the damn project once properly and do not corrupt project files to start with.

- Sometimes it crashes without telling you it does, great, project gone, app closed. You come back to the Projects Manager window and they are new projects files here... Or EMPTY Sequence Containers, all with weird names.  Open your project just saved a moment ago you will see that ALL THE TIMELINES ARE EMPTY!!!!  What the hell is that?  Yet again, the only way to go back to your hard work is to load a backup project.  Forces you to auto-save every 5min. (and of course loose 1min. every 5min.)  Still you've lost the last 5min. of work.

- There are ghosts lines that appear in the Node window, making it hard to visualize links.

- Copying a grade to another clip or multiple clips in the Timeline hangs/crashes the app once in a while.

- When mouse-dragging a value drastically (like Saturation) the timeline jumps to some random clip before or after the one you're working on. Yes, I do drastic moves sometimes. This is a pain, please fix this behavior.

I will continue to vent my frustration here as I battle Resolve 12, otherwise a great app... If only it would WORK!

--- Update and more aggravation ---
Updated to v12.0.1 ... promises more stability... right... Nope.

- I need to EDIT the Timeline (1), supposedly that's what Res is all about now, but when I select a large number of audio clips (that are unlincked from video) and delete them, it crashes. Great!

- I need to EDIT the Timeline (2), but when I select a single clip and try to Trim Edit, it crashes. Awesome!

-  And now it crashes on loading the project... This can't be better!

- All right, reloading a recent backup through the stupid Auto Save page...

- Project opened, worked on, saved several times, closed, opened again, all is well.  Except I cannot use anything but copy and paste, select and move clips around, delete one or two clips her and there, and that's it.  Any attempt to Trim, delete a bunch of clips.... Crashes the app immediately.

- Project saved the day before, opened the following day ... make the app CRASH. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the dreaded "this project has not been saved..." etc. bullshit message that pops up without any reason - I just saved the Project and waited 3 min. before closing to be sure.  But no, it had to ask again, all right, I clicked SAVE, I had to close Resolve what else can I do?  What do you know, instead of saving, it CORRUPTED the Project file.  Well thank you so much.  Yet again, back to restoring an Auto Saved Project... And making sure all your last moves are still in there. Great way to start your day.

--- More updates and more aggravation ----
Another thing that's driving me CRAZY!  Why does UNDO work on certain things and not others???  If I do a color correction, and then I do a resizing and undo, it ONLY undo the CC, not the resizing.... What?  This is utterly confusing.  Please undo the LAST MOVE whatever it is, resize, tracking, pasting...  Or at least give us the option to choose what gets undone.

--- Update
So I installed RESOLVE 12.2.2, created a project.  Then I quit the app, came back a few minutes later, tried to open the project I just created... It CRASHES. And again generates the stupid ".tmp" files ad nauseous.  At least the auto-generated ".tmp" opens fine.  But then I have to do the dance: trash the original project, rename the ".tmp"... Pfff, come on BMD, fix the code please.

--- What's your experience with Resolve12.x.x on Mac?

I know my config is not optimum: MacPro 5,1 Quad, OSX 10.10.5, AMD Radeon HD 7950, Dual 1980x1080 displays, Decklink Mini Monitor PCIe, Desktop Video Utility 10.5
II am OK with real time (or less than) rendering, I'm only dealing with HD ProRes files, not exotic formats.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Automated Photo stitching in Photoshop - Photomerge

Great Photoshop tool to stitch photos together: File / Automate / Photomerge

I wanted to stitch a couple 4k background photos together to give me a super wide background image that I can move and pan within.

I used "Auto" Layout and checked "Blend Images Together" - obviously, "Vignette Removal" and "Geometric Distortion Correction".

Selected my source files, one Left file and one Right file and a few seconds later, perfect wide background image.

Great time saver.