Adobe CC April Updates + Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 16 Teaser Page!

Adobe updates CC Apps ahead of NAB 2019.
https://theblog.adobe.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-spring-2019-releases/

Refinements, refinement. Automation galore. If you want to replay the Live Video of Today, head over to: https://www.facebook.com/adobecreativecloud/videos/801757826867284/

Sidenote: Adobe, please time to ditch Facebook for Live events, I can't stand it anymore. You have your own Cloud System; make Live vids on your own.

Whoa! Blackmagic is teasing us ahead of NAB 2019 with Resolve 16!

A revolution in editing has been promised for April 8th 2019 at 9am.

Tune-in to see what it's about.

Down under is stealing the show!

Adobe Encore, AUDIO_TS Folder Build ISO

Believe it or not I am still making DVDs with Encore in March of 2019.

One annoyance I encountered recently is that Encore does not make an empty AUDIO_TS folder when Building an iso file from the current project.

I know this has always been the case. Previously I did not make an iso directly, I created a DVD Folder, manually added a AUDIO_TS folder, and then used Toast to make the iso. Only I a not using Toast anymore. What to do?

Well I actually found a workaround:
1) Build the project as DVD Folder from Encore (Output=DVD Folder, Source/Create Using=Current Project.)
2) From the Finder add an empty AUDIO_TS folder to the newly created DVD Folder as usual.
3) Back to Encore! Select Source/Create Using=DVD Volume instead of Current Project. Select the newly created DVD Folder from the Finder.
4) Select Output=DVD Image instead of DVD Folder.
5) Build!

Voilà, new iso file that includes the empty AUDIO_TS, using only Encore.

FCPX Youlean Meter

A note re. the use of the Youlean Meter, (possibly other meters as well, to be tested), when using it in Final Cut Pro.

The way I do it, I bring my stems in FCP (VO/Dia, Music, Effects) and I group them into a Compound Clip. I apply Youlean Meter to the Compound Clip.

Now that's all fine and dandy, you will notice though that adjusting the level of the CC does not change the reading of the YLM.

So if the volume of the CC is anything other than "0dB", you could have too hot/too low levels on output while YLM shows everything is fine. Watch that one!

If you want to adjust the levels, you must do it on the Stems, inside the CC. Then the YLM actualizes accordingly.

How to delete a color from the Apple Color Picker custom swacth?

The custom color swatch drawer is a great way to store custom colors that I repeatedly use in projects.

But how to delete colors from it? Click and delete does not work, click and drag it away doesn't work either... 

Only way I found is to click and drag the pot of color to the Trashcan! Simple enough... When you know it.

Apple Pro Apps and Apple Pro Video Formats Updates

Apple Pro Apps, Final Cut Pro, Compressor and Motion got an update on 11/15/18, showing up in App Store:

Apple Pro Video Formats 2.0.7 is also showing up in the Software Update on Mojave:

FYI here are the differences between 2.0.6 and 2.0.7:

cMP Boot ROM Version: 140.0.0.0

Mojave 10.14.1 also installs a new firmware update Boot ROM Version: 140.0.0.0
It allows for the use of NVME M2 blade SSDs! Yes!

Unfortunately for people who installed Mojave 10.14, the Firmware update is not mandatory when updating to 10.14.1 via Software Update, hence we get stuck with Boot ROM Version: 130.0.0.0 which DO NOT ALLOW NVME blades to be used in the classic Mac Pros.

MacRumors Forum and tsialex to the rescue! Here is the how-to update the Firmware.

Was real quick on my machine, now sporting 140.0.0.0.0

Groovy! Until next time for a report on M2 SSD inside cMP

Apple revamps its refurbished products website, and oversimplify things again

Apple redesigned its refurbished products pages, unfortunately Apple does not allow us to list every offer at once. One has to navigate through several pages without the possibility to see all products at once. Why?

Another even more serious limitation: Apple lists only the main specs for the machines, as in CPU and screen size, and color, that's it. And one can only filter results by model and screen size and sort by price. Excuse me?

Can you tell the difference between these two Mac Mini machines? Me neither.

How about the difference between these two MacBook Pros? Good luck.

Or these two?

My! Two identical MacPros, why the price difference?

There is no mention of the year the machine was built, which graphic card is installed, or what is the size of the RAM or the size and type of drive inside. When you buy a $3K+ machine you generally pay attention to the details. To me that's more important than the color.

These are SERIOUS LIMITATIONS Apple. There is no way to quickly assess how these machines compare to each other, something that was possible in the previous iteration of the refurb website pages. Now one has to go to each item single page to have access to the full specs. No way to compare quickly.

To me this is moving BACKWARD. Some crappy job of oversimplification here. I like to see much more filtering capabilities on this page, and more info AT ONCE. The complete Overview would be just fine. Thank you.