So, about that Apple event….

[Tim Wilson]

[Robin S. Kurz] “Hmmm…”

Robin Robin Robin, what sweet relief you bring me. LOL

This has been a long, painful month (months, actually, hence me disappearing again), but here my day began: barely awake, looking at my phone to check the forum with one, half-opened eye, discovering that I’m wrong and thoroughly corrected before my day even begins. You make me feel loved and beautiful. LOL Things are coming back to normal, and maybe it will all be okay again soon.

[Herb Sevush]

[Shane Ross] “Tried convincing a network to take DNxHD Quicktimes, saying they were just as good. But they declined, saying ProRes is the base for them, and if I gave them Dnx there’d be that gamma shift issue.”

Everything I do is for PBS and I’ve had enough fights with them over white levels, loudness specs, hiding names on products, etc. It was a major relief when they started taking files instead of tape and as long as they want ProRes I have no interest in convincing them otherwise — too many other fires to put out.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin\’ attached to nothin\’
\”Deciding the spine is the process of editing\” F. Bieberkopf

[Herb Sevush]

[Charlie Austin] “What potential features of these 3 things would have won you over?”

I would go for the radio, the sub woofer, and the headphone jack – and it would be nice if it were waterproof instead of just water resistant.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin\’ attached to nothin\’
\”Deciding the spine is the process of editing\” F. Bieberkopf

[Charlie Austin]

[Tim Wilson] “You know I love you Charlie, but that’s always been a straw man that Apple hides behind. Keeping the headphone jack ain’t a punchcard reader…although as I noted, I don’t think losing the headphone jack is all that big a deal, even though I use it constantly for both listening and phoning. “

🙂 I actually saw that pic while I was typing the reply… it’s not really directed at your comment, I just thought it was funny.

[Tim Wilson] “To answer your rhetorical question with another one, what it would it even look like for Apple to Think Different anymore? What would it look like for Apple to surprise us again?”

I dunno, though I really don’t know what they could do with a phone right now that would be as innovative as the original, or the iPod. Maybe when they get a cell chip into the watch and it replaces your phone (using AirPods®) that’ll do it? What’s the Next Big Thing we haven’t thought of? Maybe they’ve thought of it. It’s Apple, so if they have we won’t know until they tell the world.

I’m a glutton for punishment, so I paid 99 bucks to get access to the OS betas, and am really digging the way macOS and iOS and WatchOS and tvOS are evolving to all work together pretty seamlessly. If you’re in the Apple camp, it’s very very cool. Things like your watch unlocking your desktop when you get near it, very futuristic. 🙂

Maybe people would be surprised if the next version of FCP X has been taking so long because they’re cramming it full of features that pro’s have been clamoring for? Maybe if you can edit on your watch people will be delighted? Or maybe there actually is a new and crazily improved Mac Pro? Maybe there’s a Watch Pro? lol Guess we’ll see right?

I feel about Apple vs other HW/OS vendors like I do about X vs. other NLE’s. I’ve used the others and I like it more. I’m not a kool aide drinker, I honestly like the way all their stuff looks, feels, and functions. YMM will V 😉

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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~\”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.\”~
~I still need to play Track Tetris sometimes. An old game that you can never win~
~\”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented\”~

[Bill Davis]

Oh for heaven’s sake….

A) Apple includes a Lightening to 3.5mm adaptor with the new phones.
So you can still do exactly what you can do today.
No changes at all except you have to be bright enough not to lose the adaptor.

B) The new connector is highly water resistant – up to expelling water mechanically if the phone gets wet. So RELIABILITY of the unit is improved. Big WIN!

C) Did you notice what the new wireless Airbuds do?
Right now, they’re initially marketed as a stereo listening device that like many iPhone earbuds also work for phone calls.

Now think differently…

With a tiny bit of imagination applied – hasn’t Apple maybe just engineered something that could conceivably turn into a killer instant basic wireless audio and IFB system? Think about it. With the right App to drive the system, what’s to stop someone creating a system where giving the talent a SINGLE AirPod – puts a monitor AND a mic on them which can connect to an iPhone taking the place of a wireless body pack – which could then Bluetooth into the directors system for monitoring?

No, it won’t replace a $3000 body pack system and a sound cart for on-set audio – but don’t you wonder how useful something like that might turn out to be?

The iPhone already has a WAY better than expected video capture capability. What if this is the first step to WAY better than expected on-board wireless audio as well?

Nothing I’ve just imagined is out of the realm of possibility and requires NOTHING more than two people with stock iPhones investing another $149 on the Airbuds.

We’re supposed to be the CREATIVES around here.

That includes THINKING creatively doesn’t it? And not just remaining stuck in always presuming things will always be the same as they’ve always been.

The market for audio for video and IFB may be too small for what I imagined above to ever happen – but the point is that the possibility is inherent in what Apple just released. The only difference is that you have to see a thing that’s supposed to be for listening to tunes – and imagine what else it might be able to do.

That’s the fun of the new evolving tech world, isn’t it?

Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery.

[Bill Davis]

[Herb Sevush] “It’s a lot easier to build your own PC.”

You may want to take the study time to keep your “system integrator” hat well-brushed these days – I sure don’t.

I personally take comfort that if someone ever hits me over the head and steals my carry-on bag at an Airport heading to a gig – A brief stop at the Apple Store and a couple of hours of decent WiFi access will get me up and running again as if nothing ever happened.

Nowadays I see human effort as the ONLY difficult to replace thing in a good production chain.

ALL the “gear optimization crap” I used to obsess about I will gleefully consign to the dust bin of history.

Others mileage will most certainly vary.

Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery.

[Brian Seegmiller]

If Apple has lost you as a customer why do you care?

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “[Herb Sevush] “It’s a lot easier to build your own PC.”

You may want to take the study time to keep your “system integrator” hat well-brushed these days – I sure don’t.”

Bill, you do realize that the context of my statement was that it’s easier to build a PC than a Hackintosh.

I personally have no interest in building either. Like you I think my time is my most precious commodity and, what with the Yanks making a late season run, I have precious little of that to spare. I might be interested in having someone else build me a Hackintosh, but that’s only because Apple doesn’t want to take my money.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin\’ attached to nothin\’
\”Deciding the spine is the process of editing\” F. Bieberkopf

[Dominic Deacon]

[Bill Davis] ”
A) Apple includes a Lightening to 3.5mm adaptor with the new phones.
So you can still do exactly what you can do today.
No changes at all except you have to be bright enough not to lose the adaptor.

Well having to carry around an adapter is not great and- as you note- I’m pretty likely to lose that thing. But more importantly it’s now taking up the charging socket. I fall asleep every night with the phone charging and headphones in my ears. Have to buy another adaptor I guess and not lose that one too…

[Bill Davis] ”
B) The new connector is highly water resistant – up to expelling water mechanically if the phone gets wet. So RELIABILITY of the unit is improved. Big WIN!

And yet they are still less water resistant than many android phones with the headphone jack.

[Bill Davis] “C) Did you notice what the new wireless Airbuds do?
Right now, they’re initially marketed as a stereo listening device that like many iPhone earbuds also work for phone calls.
With a tiny bit of imagination applied – hasn’t Apple maybe just engineered something that could conceivably turn into a killer instant basic wireless audio and IFB system? Think about it. With the right App to drive the system, what’s to stop someone creating a system where giving the talent a SINGLE AirPod – puts a monitor AND a mic on them which can connect to an iPhone taking the place of a wireless body pack – which could then Bluetooth into the directors system for monitoring?”

I’m not following but I’m interested. Has Apple engineered anything new here? Isn’t this just the same as the Samsung Gear nonsense or am I missing something key that Apples done?

[Michael Gissing]

[Bill Davis] “That includes THINKING creatively doesn’t it? And not just remaining stuck in always presuming things will always be the same as they’ve always been.

thanks Bill. Your SHOUTED responses have completely convinced me that Apple are doing this just for the betterment of all of us. All us audio pros know that taking the worlds worse audio interface (mini jack) and hanging it on the end of an adapter cable will increase its robustness for live work. And that changing semi standards is never about selling new headphones or adapter cables.

Embracing change for its own sake and not when change actually makes improvement is perverse. I have been at the bleeding edge of tech change for thirty two years since I pioneered digital audio field & post recording for film & TV production so spare me the lectures. Big plus to Apple for adding extra wireless to their phones. Dropping the jack however was not necessary unless you want to squeeze out other vendors.

Have a look at what Blackmagic and Fairlight are about to do. Keep an open mind that change can come from companies other than Apple.