Raylight Cutter Bug Release

Raylight Cutter (Windows version) bug release is today. The new version is 1.0 Build C.

Release Notes:

1. Audio editing and Transitions

Many bugs were fixed in the audio fades and audio editing in transition mode. The length of an audio fade can now be controlled by dragging a crank handle off the audio scissors. The audio rolls are shown correctly now when you click on a transition in the pie chart: the top rolls show the sound for the tail of the previous cut, the bottom rolls are for the head of the next cut. By clicking on the top or bottom video rolls you can highlight the corresponding audio rolls. If a roll is selected, any cuts made are applied only to that roll.

2. Secondary Monitor

The size and quality of the 2nd monitor is now controlled using a temporary solution. This will eventually be done with an icon in the settings screen, but for now, the file monitor.txt (in the Documents/RaylightCutter folder) can be edited with NotePad to set the scale and frame size. For example

scale     2

width    1280

height    900

scale = 1 is for full resolution, 2 for half resolution, etc.

the height and width must be supported by the monitor. To see a list of supported sizes, look at the file DirectDraw.txt in the same folder, after the program has run at least once with the 2nd monitor connected.

Also the "2" icon on the viewer must be enabled (lit up) for the 2nd monitor to operate.

3. Deinterlacing

Deinterlacing preview has been improved. High-quality deinterlacing is turned off when you scrub through footage or playback in real time. Deinterlacing is turned on when the video roll is 60i or 50i format and the project settings are progressive, and you are stepping through the video frame-by-frame using the page down key, or when rendering. The upper field/lower field first icon now works, and has the correct effect on 60i to 24p conversion. The frame rate interpretation (60i/30p/24p) is now saved when you change it and has the correct effect on deinterlacing. 3:2 and 2:3:3:2 pulldown removal is working now when you either render or step through footage frame-by-frame.

4. Stability

Some improvements have been made to prevent the program from crashing due to a video frame buffer overrun.

5. Audio Box

The audio box has been modified to make the local and global icons bigger.

6. Flicking Clips

The "flick a clip" feature has been implemented. You can drag your finger (or mouse) from the center of a clip in the folder view towards the project reel and it will assemble into the project after the last cut. We will put up a video this week to demonstrate this.

What's Next

Looking ahead the next release will support the HEVC (H.265) codec using the Main Concept decoder in demo mode, and will have further improvements to the user interface.

A bug release is coming soon with some of the above changes (1,3,4,5,6), and more, for the Mac OSX version.

Cryptowall 3.0 Attacks! (with solutions)

Ugh! DVFilm was hit by the "Cryptowall 3.0" ransomware last night. Only one of our workstations was affected. The malicious software encrypts Word documents and Jpegs (among other type files) with unbreakable encryption and then demands ransom in bitcoin to give you the key to unlock them.

It took us 2 hours of research to find a program to help recover the files. In this case it was for a computer running Windows Vista, so after stopping the virus (which we did manually by running MSConfig in Safe Mode and deleting the suspicious files in the startup folder) we had to download Shadow Explorer and run it to recover the Word documents and other files from saved older versions.

I've read that Cryptowall can also be stopped with the latest antivirus programs and the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool here:

https://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/malware-removal.aspx

Windows 7 can be protected if you have an up-to-date version of Microsoft Security Essentials or for Windows 8.1, Windows Defender, We had Windows Defender running on Vista but it was useless for this particular attack.

Other helpful links:

Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download

Shadow Explorer (works with Vista only): http://www.shadowexplorer.com/downloads.html

More info: https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/threat/encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Win32/Crowti

Update for DVFilm Maker and Atlantis for Windows

DVFilm Maker and Atlantis have been updated with new

installation programs. There are no major functional changes to

the programs themselves, however the new installer makes

installation and activation easier.

Play back and decoding of MXF files is quicker now and compatible

with systems having more than 8 cpus.

Maker and Atlantis now handle DVCPRO50 MXF files correctly

and use the Raylight codec to decode them.

A bug was fixed in batch processing of VOB or MPEG-2 files.

Installation now works with systems using Windows 7 and UAC

(User Account Control).

The new version of Maker is 2.4.5 and Atlantis is 2.1.9.

The updates are available at dvfilm.com/update

Lion OSX 7 Quicktime 10 & Raylight for Mac

The .mxf.mov reference link files created by Raylight for Mac 3 on Lion OSX 7, do not play correctly in Quicktime X (10) . This does not affect using the Raylight for Mac link files with Final Cut Pro 7 or earlier.

Please use Quicktime 7 for viewing the .mxf.mov files. If you need to download QT7 for Lion, go here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3678

Atlantis for Mac 2.2 Released with HD features

Atlantis for Mac now has many new conversion modes available now in Release 2.2.

It is now possible to convert 1080i50 or 1080p25 to 1080i60 or 1080p24, and vice-versa. Also 720p25 can be converted to 720p24 and vice-versa.

If the compression format is DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 or DVCPROHD, Atlantis automatically selects the corresponding 50Hz or 60Hz compression format as appropriate (provided the Apple DVCPROHD codecs are installed).

A table listing all the possible modes is here.

This is a free update to all existing Atlantis users. To get the update, go to the DVFilm Update page.

Raylight Ultra 1.3 Released

The new Raylight Ultra adds direct P2 MXF export, with smart rendering, of the most popular P2 formats: DVCPROHD and DVCPRO50. All frame rates for 50Hz and 60Hz systems are supported. Ultra 1.3 is a free update.

Also you can now get two upgrades of interest to AVC-Intra users: Power Pack I with 3X faster AVC-Intra playback compared with the standard Raylight Ultra, and Power Pack II with faster playback and also direct export, with smart rendering, of AVC-Intra formats to P2 MXF files.

The AVC-Intra format uses 50 or 100Mbps H.264 I-frame compression for higher quality and more resolution compared with DVCPROHD. Example P2 cameras with AVC-Intra are the Panasonic HPX3000 and the HPX300.

To update to Ultra 1.3 go to our update page. You must be a registered user to get the free update.

How Many Times Can I Activate?

DVFilm puts limits on the number of times you can activate our software. The limits are to prevent software piracy. However if you are a purchaser, you can always get more activations, if needed, as long as you follow the terms of the license agreement.

Preserving Activations

If you write down the activation code for each computer, or save the activation code emails from our server, you can reduce the number of activations you need from us. The activation code can be used over and over again as long as the computer motherboard is not changed. Installing or rebuilding the operating system or other software does not force you to use a new activation code.

Getting More Activations

If you have only one license, the automatic activation page at dvfilm.com/activate, or the activation dialog in your DVFilm software, will still allow you to request up to 6 activations if you have only one license. It does warn you that you cannot install the software on more than 2 computers, but it will still give you a new code up to 6 times. If you go over six, then you will have to contact DVFilm Support at http://dvfilm.com/support.htm

What to Expect if You Have to Get Activations from DVFilm Support

When customers request more activations from us, we look at the activation history that is logged to our server. If it looks like you are activating the software on multiple computers within a short period of time, we may ask that you purchase more licenses. Sometimes we can provide those extra licenses at a discount. Or if the extra activations were done on the same computer, we will reset your activation count and let you know. Generally, though, we will reset the count no more than once per year.

If You Own Multiple Licenses

If you own multiple licenses from us, we can either provide multiple serial numbers or raise the number of activations allowed per serial number. Contact DVFilm Support if you need that done.

Can I "De-Activate" Software?

No. There is no way to do that right now. Use another activation as required to move the software from one computer to another.

Raylight Encoder Pro and Raylight Decoder Updates

Raylight Encoder Pro has been updated to version 1.4.
Raylight Decoder has been updated to version 3.4.

Both releases have these changes in common:

1. Torn screen bug on QT low-quality mode has been fixed.
2. Uses new Raylight codec for faster playback in high-quality mode
3. Green, Yellow and Red modes no longer supported since high quality mode is fast.
4. Crash on more than 8 cpus fixed, now supports up to 32.
5. Problems with Windows Vista, Windows 7, 32/64 bit OS fixed.
6. Trial versions now have 30-day limit
7. Activation now required on Decoder as well as Encoder
8. Easier activation process, automatically requests codes
9. Matrox codec no longer required for DVCPRO50 support
10. Alpha channel set to 255 when decoding to 32-bit RGBA
11. Other minor fixes

Users may update free at dvfilm.com/update

DVFilm Epic I for Mac

DVFilm Epic I for Mac is released!

Epic Mac allows direct and real-time editing of DSLR Quicktimes in Final Cut Pro 6 and 7.

Detailed information is on our product page, dvfilm.com/epic/mac

The initial release version was 1.01, but in the last few days has been updated and is now at version 1.0.3.

A discussion board for Epic Mac has been added at dvfilm.com/talk

The changes between 1.0.1 and 1.0.3 were as follows:

• in version 1.0.2 support was added for 720-line 60p format
• in version 1.0.3 a bug was fixed with long pathnames (>80 chars). The new limit is 256 chars, and the clip scanning program now warns you if your pathnames are over 240 chars.
• in version 1.0.3 an alternative DVFilmEpic.component file is provided. This allows Epic to override the AVCIntra 100Mbs 1080/24p format, instead of ProRes 422. This alternative component works with FCP 7 and 1080-line DSLR formats (at any frame rate). The application help and online help at dvfilm.com/epic/mac/help.htm have more details.

Epic I Version 1.1.1 Released

Epic I Version 1.1.1 has been released.
Get your update at dvfilm.com/update

This version fixes permissions issues when not running as administrator.
This version also includes an update to the installer to integrate with Vegas 10.0 if installed.

Raylight Ultra 1.2.3 Released

Raylight Ultra 1.2.3 has been released.
Get it at dvfilm.com/update.

This version fixes some permissions issues when not running as administrator.
It includes an update to the installer for integration with Vegas 10.0

Epic I Version 1.1 Released

Release 1.1 of DVFilm Epic I, the 64-bit plugin for Sony Vegas 9 is now available.

Go to dvfilm.com/update to get the download for release 1.1.

This release is substantially the same as the 1.1 Beta which has been available for several weeks, except that some minor bugs were fixed with handling memory usage with large numbers of files and with UAC (User Account Control).

New features/differences in Epic 1.1:

1. Plug-in now works with Vegas 9 64-bit as well as 32.
2. New user interface with tabs and "Info" button
3. The proxy burn-in feature has been combined with the "Mark Frame Red" feature.
4. The folder with the real-time files is now called "EPIC" by default.
5. New "computer RGB" option: high-contrast video for online content.
6. Manual/Automatic control of Epic Red mode is now selectable

Note that the proxy subfolders are now called EPIC however it is not neccessary to rename your PROXY subfolders to EPIC, Epic 1.1 will look in both folders if required for backward compatibility.

Also this version now works with Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10, without the installer workaround that was previously required.

Raylight Ultra 1.2.2 Patch Released

A patch for Ultra 1.2.2 has been released. Version 1.2.2 introduced a bug that would prevent Raylight AVI's from being imported into Vegas 9 (32 bit) under Windows XP, or would prevent
the Raylight Ultra format from being selected if you tried to export a Microsoft AVI with Vegas 9 and Windows XP. The patched version (1.2.2 A) corrects this problem.

The new download is available at dvfilm.com/update

Raylight Ultra 1.2.2 Released

Raylight Ultra version 1.2.2 has been released. Get it at dvfilm.com/update

New to this release:

1. Fixed a bug where more than 8 processors would cause the decoder to crash.
2. Fixed a bug where AVI's made with RayMaker would have a scrambled image.
3. Improved playback performance with AVC-Intra and more than 2 processors.

Epic I 64-bit Beta Released (Version 1.1)

For registered purchasers of DVFilm Epic I, the 64-bit plugin for Sony Vegas 9 is now available. Go to

dvfilm.com/update/betaEpic.htm

to get the download for release 1.1.

New features/differences in Epic 1.1:

1. Plug-in now works with Vegas 9 64-bit as well as 32.
2. New user interface with tabs and "Info" button
3. The proxy burn-in feature has been combined with the "Mark Frame Red" feature
4. The folder with the real-time files is now called "EPIC" by default.
5. New "computer RGB" option: high-contrast video for online content
6. Manual/Automatic control of Epic Red mode is now selectable

Note that the proxy subfolders are now called EPIC however it is not neccessary to rename your PROXY subfolders to EPIC, Epic 1.1 will look in both folders if required for backward compatibility.

Raylight Mac 3.0

Raylight Mac version 3.0 has been released.
Get the update here

What's new in 3.0:

AVC-Intra Support
Direct Import into Final Cut Pro
Metadata in the Final Cut Pro Bin

Full details can be found here

DVFilm Epic I version 1.0.3 released

A bug update has been released for Version 1.0.3 and it's available at dvfilm.com/update

Release 1.0.3 makes the following changes:

• Fixes a problem with 60p and 50p DSLR quicktime
• Warns you when UAC (User Account Control) prevents Epic from writing files or changing the configuration
• Warns you if Quicktime 7.6.6 is installed which has broken H.264 support; note we recommend 7.6 which can be found here: QuickTime 7.6 for Windows
• Enables the Epic plugin automatically as part of the installation
• Disables the Epic plugin when the Uninstaller is run

DVFilm Epic I version 1.0.2 Released

DVFilm Epic has been released and you can read about it here: dvfilm.com/epic

Epic is a plugin that permits real-time editing of DSLR Quicktimes
in Sony Vegas 9.0. Right now only Vegas 9 32-bit version is supported
but in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7.

A bug update has been released as well: Version 1.0.2 and it's available at dvfilm.com/update

Release 1.0.2 fixed the following problems:

1. Not updating Vegas 32 config files when running on 64-bit windows
2. Not starting Epic control on 64-bit windows
3. Messages to build proxy conflicted with Raylight Ultra
4. No YUV-10 burn-in on full quality quicktimes
5. YUV mode proxy image scrambled up with 1/4-size and 1/2-size proxies

Raylight MXFX 2.0.2 for Windows released

This new update has the following changes:

- Added 64g & Unlimited Card Size choices
- Fixed bug that caused crashes on large number of files
- Updated AVC-Intra decoder for better memory usage

Existing customers can update their 2.0 version here: http://dvfilm.com/update

Raylight Ultra 1.2.1 Released

This maintenance release addresses a few bugs including:

• Bug regarding some AVC-Intra 50Hz formats that would cause the decoder to error out
• Bug that would cause an error when more than 350 clips were opened

Registered users can get Ultra 1.2.1 at dvfilm.com/update

New users can purchase at dvfilmstore.com