[Marcus Warren]

Yes I did, a few weeks back. And since it won’t let me take it again/make additions I can’t add any other suggestions. So I am depending on you to get the word through…

[Marcus Warren]

Oh, and while I’m at it, consider this an official request for background rendering in Media 100 Suite as well.
Thanks.

[Marcus Warren]

Thanks for the reply and please accept this as an official request for Render Farm support in all of your products.

[Marcus Warren]

I am editing standard def DV,(no MPEG4 encodes)and using a lot of filters, moves, etc. for text effects and other effects. As I mentioned in the original post, I am aware that I could purchase a faster computer with more RAM. I also mentioned that I am looking for a device that will work *with* my MacBook Pro (like a Boxx renderPRO which, unfortunately, is $2K minimum and sky rockets from there). I am using a FireWire 800 drive. I have an eSATA drive that I have not yet pressed into service. Render times can be in the 20-30 minutes range or longer for a 3-4 minute piece.

The most frustrating part is the re-rendering that occurs when I make changes.

It would be great if Media 100 rendered in the background…

As i mentioned in the original email, I wonder if networking a MacMini or inexpensive PC would work or is even possible with Media 100/RED, using either as a “render farm”.

The max RAM on my MBP is 4 GB, according to Apple; but I understand that my particular model my be able to handle more.

[Marcus Warren]

Nah. No new thread needed. At least when we are done here, we will still be friends. BTW I certainly did not mean to imply that Media 100 only had the A/B track workflow, only that there are things you do with the A/B tracks that you can’t do (or can’t easily do)in the composite tracks and vice versa, whereas (if I remember correctly) there are no such limitations in FCP; all the tracks behave the same. And yes 99 video tracks are great, and let’s not forget that Boris RED features an unlimited number of tracks. So let’s see, unlimited + 99 = er, unlimted!

As I mentioned, I am so glad that Boris stepped forward to embrace Media 100 and I expect its feature set and user base to grow.

Cheers to all.

[Marcus Warren]

Michael, since you asked…

Notable features of Final Cut Pro that a buyer might consider when comparing FCP to
Media 100:

-Hundreds of dollars cheaper purchase price
-Much cheaper upgrade pricing
-Several top notch programs and applications included in the cheaper bundle that cover a wide range of uses
-Massive third-party support
-Extensive information about the product on the company web site
-Nested sequences
-Black and White matte keying on the timeline
-Easy rotation and scaling of clips and images without leaving the timeline
-Drag and drop effects
-Not tied to an A/B track workflow
-Better built-in chromakeyer (FCP vs Media 100 as opposed to what can be done in Motion and RED)
-If I remember correctly “track mapping” is much more easily accomplished in FCP than Media 100
-Better variety and more widely supported built-in codecs (the ProRes family vs Media 100 HD)
-More support from Boris for FCP than Boris gives to Media 100. Correct me if I am wrong but Boris’ AAF Transfer and Job Slate are available for FCP but not Media 100. You could argue the pros and cons of having Final Effects Complete, for example, available for FCP but technically not Media 100 (since Media 100 is equiped with RED) but the truth is, if FCP users want to, they can buy Boris Continuum Complete AND Final Effects Complete AND AAF Transfer AND Job Slate AND/OR BCC Units plus RED.

There are other considerations that don’t come to mind because it has been a while since I have done extensive editing on FCP.

Of course many of you are running Media 100 and FCP on the same machine so you are, rather ironically I add, able to take advantage of FCP Suite features (like Color and ProRes), but I am sure that many are like me. We just have Media 100 installed.

Interestingly, Media 100 builds much of its appeal on “blazingly-fast, high quality editing…” as mentioned on the Media 100 web site, but nowhere that I have seen on the web site is this claim actually supported (backed-up with explanations or examples of why working in Media 100 is “blazingly-fast”). Yes, I know many of you feel that working in M100 is faster than working in FCP, but don’t you find it odd that the blazingly fast claim is not expounded in the company’s own literature? Even if in theory M100 is faster than FCP, in practice an editor might be faster in FCP because there is so much more tutorial information for FCP. That means it could be easier to learn FCP and go “deeper” into the features of the program much more quickly. Keep in mind that M100 predates FCP by several years, so you would expect there to be so much more tutorial info and how-to books. Heck, are there any how-to books?

Now I like Media 100, and RED in particular. At this point I have several more years experience with FCP and freely admit that I am still learning Media 100 so I expect my appreciation for Media 100 to grow (provided the upgrade price does not continue to scare me off, and yes, Nick G., I know that Media 100 is used by professionals and thereby commands a professional upgrade price, but no matter what the over-all demographics of FCP users, I am sure that there are many more professionals using FCP than Media 100 and they are able to upgrade for significantly less).

Boris is doing a fine job developing M100 and I am very please that the company took up the gauntlet to keep this program going and improving. I am really expecting something great(er)with the release of Media 100 v. 15 (er, Media 100 Suite 2.0). Coincidentally, my enthusiasm for RED 4.3 continues to grow even as we await the release of RED 5.

Michael, all of this to say Media 100 is a nice editing environment, but so is FCP. Slighting FCP is not necessary, especially if you have not used it(I don’t know if you have or not). Just continue to use and learn M100 and hope the BFICs (Boris Folks in Charge) will lower the upgrade price.

[Marcus Warren]

Thanks. After I followed the link, I said, “oh yeah, I remember this.” Somehow it was hiding in plain sight on my hard drive.

Thanks again. I hope that RED 5 has lot of improvements/new features beyond the addition of new filters. After all, we’ve been waiting a while for a new version. Blow us away 🙂

[Marcus Warren]

How do I get a Boris RED 4 User guide?

I’m not sure how this escaped me, but I don’t have a RED 4 online User manual. Is a User Guide not included with the Boris RED install? There’s a New Features guide, Understanding Open GL and Release notes, but no “phone book” size User guide.

Also there is no User Guide/Manual listed under RED documentation on the Boris web site.

I guess all this time I have been relying on the New Features documentation, Media 100 user guide, Vaasst Book, Oakley DVD, etc to learn RED and didn’t realize I had no manual.

[Marcus Warren]

Hi Michael.
I have considered printing the manual, but the number of pages frightens me 🙂

I would prefer color and have considered getting a quote from a local print shop for such a job. I’m still thinking that route would be more expensive than what Boris could sell them for, though.

[Marcus Warren]

Quite frankly I would prefer to have a printed manual(in addition to the online manual included with the application) and would encourage Boris FX to produce one for RED starting with version 5. If necessary, the manual could be a reasonable extra cost option for those of us who really want one.

I use a MacBook Pro with Media100/Boris RED and screen area is really tight trying to navigate through Media 100 and its manual and RED and its manual. Having a separate manual would be so much easier.

One of your arguments is that there is no need to lug around a heavy manual when there is one in the computer. My counter to that is, there is no need to lug around a computer when all you want to do is spend some quiet time with a good book.

I know manuals are expensive to produce, but quite honestly I feel inhibited without one and would like to at least have the option to acquire an up-to-date printed manual for ANY Boris product.

The other issue is training materials in general. There just aren’t enough for RED (and other Boris products like Media 100). I have the Steve Oakley DVD which is okay, but it simply does not do into enough depth. So many RED features are not even mentioned. I certainly would have been more disappointed I had bought the DVD for a price higher that what is offered on your web site. I also have the book produced through VAASST. More indepth that Oakley’s DVD, but written for RED version 3.

You certainly have a variety of tutorials on the web site, but considering the power of RED, I hope these will increase subtantially with the release of version 5.