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MGT 2009 Updates
On this page I have shared news and updates from the 2009 MGT (March Get Together), live from Davenport, Iowa. The conference and annual Casablanca convocation (organized by the venerable Jim Meeker) ran March 9 - March 12, 2009.
 Davenport, Iowa Monday 3/9/09 Had a great time Sunday & Monday of this week... with the pleasure of teaching 13 people in our Hands-on Casablanca Expert workshop. What a fun group! And judging by their response they not only had an enjoyable class but said they learned SO much! After teaching for 8 hours, I was delighted to be the opening presenter on Monday evening at the MGT 2009. After an opening from the father of the MGT, Jim Meeker, I shared with attendees the new software released since MGT 2008... with a primary focus on Smart Edit 8/Bogart OS2. Tuesday 3/10/09 Our first full day at the MGT 2009 -- several great sessions today by Don Simmons, Ken Smithers, Mike Gunderson and Roger Schutter. Oh, yes and I delivered the noon time Lunch & Learning session on DVD Arabesk 4. This evening Dale Bishop entertained us with his slight of hand (even befuddled the Casablanca Expert!). I had a few minutes with Jörg Sprave (CEO Macrosystem DE) as he demonstrated to me the new features of the forthcoming Bogart OS 2 Update -- this was demonstrated on the S2000 prototype. A couple of useful options in the Media Manager as well as some apparent fixes in the editing side. I also saw in action, Photo Studio 2 in HD (dang, the image quality in HD is stunning!), and saw Deluxe Titled 3D (in HD on the Bogart) and also a new package called 'DeShaker' that is essentially a stabilizer software. It does an awesome job!!
Wednesday 3/10/09 Another day full of learning and fun! We learned today from Lowell Brockway - who shared his success producing videos for Show Choirs, I led the lunch and learning session with a demonstration of the various methods of importing and then working with logos/graphics in your Casablanca and then after lunch Roger Schutter led a session that turned the Cornet Ballroom at the Davenport Clarion into a Hollywood set! Attendees pitched in to create a set right on the spot... several folks served actors (who received their lines the day before) and many others served as crew positions under Rogers capable direction... it was fun to see! After dinner we screened sample videos from a number of attendees. It is always fun to see what people create with their Casablanca! Among the videos that caught my attention particularly was an effect in a Marching Band review video by Larry McHugh -- I had to ask him how he got this cool effect (drum major in center of shot with marching band on both sides)... he shared that it was Video Spice Rack with a mask that was held rather than a short transition... it was a great effect. Again, it was fun to see all the videos but some others that stood out for me with were two PSAs from Chris Stone on fire safety that were top notch in production value and a video by Joel Brooks that used awesome titles. And lastly, Franklin Bencosme (from the Dominican Republic) shared a trailer from one of his recent wedding projects. This colleague really uses his Casablanca (along with his quality camera work, beautiful brides and amazing locations) to show off a stunning display of wedding videography. A large group of attendees spent the next 30 minutes in the hallway while Franklin led us through some more of his work. A great evening all in all! Thursday 3/12/09 The last day was probably the most full! With presentations by Chris Stone showing applications with Akaba, a demonstration/info session from Joel Brooks on the new Sony EX-cameras and Casablanca, Roger Schutter on the role of the Editor, an informative presentation by Lou Bruno on HDV - followed by a panel on Casablancan's using HDV, an Introduction to Media Manager (by yours truly) and a great presentation on wide-screen, the history and the contemporary applications with Casablanca (by Joe Smetana) and then we had the Gala Banquet. Evening Banquet It was great to mingle with the Casablanca community and then enjoy a great meal. Following dinner we heard a brief introduction from Eric Kloor, the new President of Macrosystem US (the man who started Draco Systems which ended up as MacroSystem US). And then we heard from Jorg Sprave - CEO of Macrosystem DE. He shared a short demonstration of the forthcoming update to Bogart SE OS 2 on the new Casablanca S-2000 (which I understand began shipping in North America that same morning (3/10/09). He was running Bogart SE OS 2.2a - which apparently is in beta testing in NTSC. New Features in Bogart: Photo Studio 2 There are a few enhancements in this new OS but one of the things I was excited to see was Photo Studio 2 running on the Bogart SE OS... this means all of us with the S4000/PRO will soon also have access to Photo Studio 2 (although there was difficulty with the PS2 software during the Banquet presentation - I saw it run perfectly several times during the week. So I write it off to a beta version). Delxue Titler 3D We also saw Deluxe Titler 3D in operation in this new OS and it also looked stunningly clear in HD. Jorg had added a 3D title over some beautiful garden footage shot by Joel Brooks (on his Sony XD camcorder). The crispness and color of the extruded fonts over the HD footage played on the HD monitor were - again - stunning. News from the 'Top' This was the 5th March Get Together and frankly the presentation by the executives of Macrosystem yielded the least amount of news compared with previous years' sessions. Not to complain - I think there is a movement to talk about what we have, and about what is coming when it is imminent and not to get the audience confused about how soon we may or may not be receiving particular products/software. There was a brief mention that there are some remaining issues and that the company is/willl work to address those items. I do know that some of the NTSC Beta Testing Team met with Jorg and Eric while in Davenport (though they are under NDA's (Non Disclosure Agreements) and I would not put them at risk for violating that... I also know that the MSUS Resellers attending the MGT had a meeting with Eric and Jorg and they shared with me their optimism at the outcome of that meeting. P.S. If you wish to read a report from a colleague, you can click here to visit the thread by Tim Kennelly on the Casablanca Forum where he reports back on questions submitted by some (anxious) customers -- scroll down to the post by Tim made on 3/13/09 for his lengthy & informative report. * Why introduce a new model - the S4100? It was shared that the new (forthcoming S4100) replacement for the S4000/PRO was not intended/planned, but rather the only alternative as the hardware used for the S4000/PRO line is no longer available. The company 'had to seek' another hardware option and thus modify the product line. I did hear that the S4100 uses more standard off the shelf parts. This means performance will be very similiar (althought I understand the S4100 will be faster as it has 1-year newer processor/board) but the S4000/PRO models used premium 'industry grade' parts which place it as more of a premium product. Due to this Jorg shared he has elected to keep his S4000PRO model, rather than use a S4100. * How about that Casablanca Laptop? I have lots of folks continue to ask about the progress on a Casablanca laptop (T3000). It is my understanding that any plans/developments on a new laptop model are put on hold for now. The laptop companies development cycle turns over too quickly for the modified Casablanca OS to maintain a long enough product cycle. That means by the time we have a Casablanca OS that works well on a laptop that laptop model is discontinued/replaced by another version and our developers start all over again. This may not be a big deal with the OS and main software but all the perhipherals, I/O ports, etc. require much development effort. Bogart SE OS 2.2 update Getting back to the news from the new products -- I was delighted to see the new License import/export option in this new version of the Bogart SE OS ( found in the Software installation menu of the System Settings screen). This allows you to install and/or save your 12-digit license codes out to CD or flash drive -- hooray! Also, Jorg showed me on the S2000 the new (forthcoming) software called 'De-shaker'. This add-on is an _amazing_ stabilizer software. It REALLY does a great job taking unstable video footage and making it more than acceptable. De-shaker has released in PAL - to read more click here. The Media Manager in this new version of the Bogart SE OS allows not only import via the Network function but will also allow (I saw it working) export from your Media Manager into a PC on your LAN or one to one! Warp Streamer Lastly - I saw the forthcoming 'Warp Streamer' in action --- whoa!! Wait until you see this... it is not going to be everyones thing but for me and those interested in private tutor lessons from the Casablanca Expert ( as well as for schools or folks' who have other staff members editing who may need your assistance when you are out of the office)... this option is very cool! Essentially - this allows you to assign an IP address, name and password for your Bogart Casablanca. You can then access your Casablanca remotely! Yes, from a computer with wired or wireless internet access you can log in, view videos in your Media Manager Film Archives (like a demo to show a customer at their location). You can even go into the editing side of your unit and can access all functions! So, let's say you set up an appointment with the Casablanca Expert for a Private Tutor session- you provide me with your name and password, I enter and see your Casablanca screens on my computer. I can click my trackball which controls yours (really!) You still have control and then I can step in to assist you. I even saw that this is capable on a handheld internet device... Jorg accessed files and a project on his S4000 PRO back in Germany while on his iPhone while I was standing there... very cool! Grand Prize Drawings Congratulations to the winners of the drawings after the Banquet: Frank L. Moore won a 1-year subscription to CasablancaExpert.com Nancy Lynn Anderson, Jr. won 3 Private Tutor sessions with the Casablanca Expert and Don Simmons won the Casablanca S200 editor! (I was personally happy to see Don win this prize, he does _so_ much for the Casablanca Community!) Online Recording of Jorg Sprave's Presentation & Personal Video For members of CasablancaExpert.com - I have uploaded and provided for you a streaming video of the presentation/speech made by Jorg Sprave at the Gala Banquet of the MGT 2009. There is a 12-minute video in his presentation... this is the result of Mr. Sprave using his own Casablanca equipment to produce a video to introduce him to his customers. This was a challenge presented by H.B. Lodson at last year's March Get Together. In This Category |