Apple this week announced QuickTime for the OS/2 Warp operating system.
This is more evidence of Apple working to make QuickTime THE platform-independent
multimedia standard. QuickTime for OS/2 is, like the current version of
QuickTime for Windows, playback-only. Read Apple's press release on QuickTime
for OS/2 Warp for more info.
Netscape and Apple released a beta of CoolTalk for the Mac, an audioconferencing
and videoconferencing application that runs over the Internet; Mac CoolTalk
users can audioconference with CoolTalkers on other platforms. The underlying
technology is QuickTime Conferencing. CoolTalk for the Mac runs only on
PowerMacs with an Internet connection (i.e. running TCP/IP, which is probably
the case if you're using PPP with a modem or you have a direct Internet
connection). CoolTalk requires other beta software to run. You can get all
the software you need to try it out if you start at Apple's
QuickTime Conferencing site. We found it very easy to install everything
we needed. Using the audioconferencing functions on our campus machines
(direct Internet connection) with the default settings worked well; over
a modem the quality wasn't quite as good, but we didn't take the time to
tweak any settings.
Rumored in the press is that Apple is working on PCI cards that are specifically
designed to deal with audio and video capture, processing, and playback.
These cards, using a special chip called TriMedia, will supposedly be standard
on the next generation of PowerMacs, but will also work with older AV PCI
Macs (7500, 7600, 8500). Read MacWeek's articles ("Apple
bets on Trimedia" and "TriMedia
vs. MMX: No contest?") for more details. While we can't verify
the accuracy of these articles, the basic QuickTime-related implications
we see are capture and playback of higher quality video and audio than is
currently possible except with very high-end equipment, as well as much
faster processing of filters and transitions when editing in applications
such as Premiere.
Connectix just released version 2.1 of their Macintosh QuickCam software.
They also recently released an update to the Windows version. Both are available
free at Connectix's
updates web page.
If you're interested in where QuickTime's going, read Apple's
press release on IMD (Interactive Media Group), a newly formed unit.
This division houses QTML (QuickTime Media Layer) which includes current
QuickTime-based technologies (QuickTime itself, VR and Conferencing), QuickDraw
3D, Authoring Tools (Apple Media Tool and HyperCard) and other related technologies.
We think this really shows Apple's committment to integrated, platform-independant
multimedia. (More information on IMD is found in a MacWeek
article.)
More news/rumors about QuickTime's future and importance can be found in
MacWeek's story
on HyperCard 3.0. This ancient product will be raised from the ashes
by QuickTime; HyperCard stacks will be QuickTime movies, and will play back
any place that you can play a QuickTime movie (the web, Windows, and other
platforms). This is also an indication that QuickTime will finally have
an "interactivity track" of some sort.
Other QuickTime-related press releases found in Apple's
September PR page: Apple & Sun announce that they'll integrate QuickTime
into Java...A new version of AMT will have better support for QT and QTVR...Apple
announced version 1.1 of QT Plug-in for Netscape, which will allow you to
set URLs that the user will go to when they click on hot spots in the scene.
Intelligence At Large has released
version 1.0 of their MovieStar
plug-in which allows you to view embedded (i.e. on a web page, rather
than in a separate window) QuickTime movies and QuickTimeVR movies within
Netscape Navigator 2.0 or 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 or later.
(Apple's QuickTime plug-in comes with Navigator 3.0, but will not work with
previous versions. Also, to view QTVR movies using the Apple plug-in you
need the QTVR components plug-in file, whereas with the MovieStar plug-in,
QTVR support is built into the single plug-in file).
Intelligence At Large has also released MovieStar
1.5 (It used to be called MovieStar Maker).This is an editing application
that's not quite like any others; it has features of many different programs.
In a way it's like MoviePlayer - it's aware of QuickTime track types (e.g.
text and music) that apps like Premiere aren't, but has a somewhat friendlier
front-end then MoviePlayer. (However, there are still things you can do
with MoviePlayer that you can't with this product, such as alternate language
tracks.) It also bears a resemblance to a simple animation program, or a
much-reduced special effects editor in that it lets you import and animate
graphic objects, and also allows you to do a few simple transitions, such
as fades, wipes, and zooms. In addition it lets you capture video and audio.
Finally, it has a few features useful for web developers, and will even
generate html for a web page with your movie. It's definitely worth checking
out, especially if you're interested in text tracks, want to animate objects
or don't want to invest in a more expensive QuickTime editor. You can download
a trial version, but we recommend doing it this week - their web site says
prices go up on 9/20.
Microsoft released version 2.1 of their Internet
Explorer; this version supports QuickTime and QuickTimeVR without the
need for a helper application. However, we're not talking about embedded
movies (as you can view with a plug-in) - Explorer just has a built-in helper
application.
Bargains, bargain, bargains (and some other stuff):
Truevision has a number of their
Targa digitizing cards for sale at reduced prices. These Motion-JPEG cards
are refurbished, but do carry a full one-year warranty. They have Targa
1000 PCI cards and Targa 2000 Nubus cards; there are some Pro versions and
some regular versions of each. (The difference between the 1000 and the
2000 is that the 2000 can accelerate Adobe Premiere transitions and is a
24-bit video card as well as a digitizing card. The Pro versions can input
and output component video.) As an example: MacMall & MacZone have the
Targa 1000 PCI for about $2800; you can find a refurbished one on Truevision's
web site for $1595 or $1995 for the Pro. Also, if you recently purchased
any Targa card (or plan to purchase one this month) make sure to check out
Truevision's rebates.
Hard drive reseller APS has a close-outs
page where you can find some great deals on hard drives, including AV
drives. (AV drives are designed for digitizing video.) For example, we saw
a Micropolis 1.2GB AV drive for $260. You'll also find DAT drives, CD-ROM
drives, and some other odds and ends.
In other news...Apple made an official announcement (a
Press release!) about the forthcoming QuickTime for Windows 2.5 which
will have all the features of QuickTime for Mac 2.5...there's a new version
of the shareware utility GraphicsConverter
which imports and exports lots of different file formats, including
the QuickTime MooV format; it's kind of a shareware Debabelizer.
There have lately been a few interesting developments in the QuickTime VR
world:
QuickTime VR developers will want to check out Sanity
SaVR (tm) a great unofficial utility from Joel Cannon and Charles Wiltgen
of Apple. If you're sick of writing those MPW scripts, Sanity SaVR provides
a friendly front-end. You'll still need the QuickTime VR Authoring Tools
Suite (and the dongle!), but you'll feel like you're working on a Mac again!
Real Space introduced RealVR(tm), an alternative to QuickTime VR. Seems
to be more web friendly-- it allows scenes to be navigated before completely
downloaded, can have URL hot spots, and files are more highly compressed.
It's a few steps ahead of QuickTime VR in a number of other ways--can have
directional sound, a QuickTime video movie playing in a scene, 3D/VRML objects
in a scene, and more. Currently there are no tools for building VR movies
with some of the more advanced features; there is a QTVR to RealVR converter,
however. Also, RealVR only runs on a PowerMac (no 68K) and only supports
Windows 95 and NT (not Windows 3.1), unlike QuickTime VR. Check out RealSpace's web site for lots
more information.
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