Alleluia! Me Avid MC (8.5.1) is finally working as it should! (For now.)

The license snafu (http://humanuser.blogspot.com/2016/01/really-avid.html) has been FIXED! Or so it seems, since I can now start MC 8.4.5 8.5.1 with my OWN system ID and Activation #.  Alleluia!!

Application Manager 2.5.2.160 seems to be working as it should!  Previously I had to go to my Avid Master Account, (http://humanuser.blogspot.com/2015/11/avid-media-composer-842-upgrade-like-pro.html) to find the installer and download it to my computer, since clicking "Update" was not working.

Now, I click "Update", and off it goes!  It's downloading now, we'll see if it goes through.

Yes it did, ah!  Unlike Adobe Creative Cloud, AM does it in two steps, ONE it downloads the img installer inside:  Boot/Library/Cahces/Avid/AppManager/Downloads, then TWO you must click "Install", which simply runs the img installer.  OK, fine.

And... Done!  Good to go!  MC 8.5.1 installed, up and running, finally!

Apple Motion exports an animated flat background illuminated with Spot or Point light + falloff with bad banding

In Apple Motion (5.2.2) I use a Point or a Spot light with Falloff on a flat animated background. In the Canvas it all looks great, no banding. (There really is no banding on my display, unlike on this page where I can see some, thanks to crap Google conversion of my image.)

When I export to ProRes4444 or 422, whatever, and I play the file into QT or FCPX it has banding all over.

What the hell is this?

I have to add noise onto my background to get rid of the banding, but I should not have to do that with 10 bit output & Best settings. It's there no matter the color, more visible with blue.

After Effects outputs a CLEAN gradient in a similar setup: spot light on a flat bkg., CLEAN as it should be.

What's with the crappy Fallout Spot and Point lights? Apple FIX THIS please!

Lumetri

Adobe is finally giving us a proper color correction tool: Lumetri.
In CC 2015 it's accessible via the "Color" tab atop the workspace. Was it already there in previous versions in the Video Effects? It looks decent and responsive.

App Store Confusion

--- Update: As of 3-8 this issue has been fixed.

The App Store is showing an update for Motion 5.2.3 even though Motion 5.2.3 has already been installed... Annoying.

FCPX Frame Rate Conform

From Alex Gollner (Alex4d), an extensive list on how Final Cut Pro X handles frame rates conforming: http://alex4d.com/notes/item/final-cut-pro-x-rate-conform
So useful, thank you!

Epson Draft printing mode greyed-out

When I print something to my Epson printer, I can not select "Draft" quality, it's greyed-out.  Grrr... Why? Ink costs a fortune.

As it turns out, when I installed my printer, it was set by default to use the AirPrint driver:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5245420?tstart=0
I looked into System Preferences/Printers & Scanners, and indeed AirPrint shows up:

So I deleted ("-") and then added ("+") the printer in System Preferences/Printers & Scanners, but this time I clicked on the "Use" drop-down menu and selected "Epson series" instead of the default "AirPrint":

As a result, Epson Series driver (sans "AirPrint") shows up:

Now when I print, the computer uses the Epson driver and Draft, "Economy" modes are available:

Yes!

FCPX 10.2.3 is out!

Mostly bug fixes, but hey! They are welcome as well.

Note to self:
- Update when you are in-between projects, or install and test-drive on a secondary computer.
- Duplicate old Libraries, and update the dupe to conform to the new FCPX.
- Archive the current FCPX app  before launching the update. Right-click and Compress, then save the Compressed app to a backup drive.