Software Finds

[Gavin Scott]

I know this alone won't fill a thread, so feel free to post any nifty things you have found on the web.

Ever fancied making your own newscast? Show me the TV Forumer who hasn't.

Serious Magic Visual Communicator

This lets you set up your titles, over-the-shoulder graphics, captions and stings, whilst you read off the autocue. The "studio" version generates a real-time DV output.

Its fun. I've been playing the demo version for a couple of weekends.

Also on that site is some virtual set/chromakey software for the home DV user. Very impressive.

[Adders]

Shame that the trial version is so limited.

[DJF]

As an owner of both Serious Magic Ultra (chromakeying) and DV Rack (live capturing and monitoring whilst filming) I have to say anything that comes out of Serious Magic is bloody great!

[DJGM]

I've downloaded and installed the trial version ... and it doesn't work, or at least it doesn't want to work . . .



It says I should set the color settings on my graphics card to either 32 bit or 16 bit. They're actually already set at 32 bit.
And it says I need updated latest graphics card drivers. They're as up to date as they'll ever be for my particular card.

Good job I haven't bought a copy of this thing, if it's bringing gratuitous error messages like that!

[Chris]

I've downloaded and installed the trial version ... and it doesn't work, or at least it doesn't want to work . . .



It says I should set the color settings on my graphics card to either 32 bit or 16 bit. They're actually already set at 32 bit.
And it says I need updated latest graphics card drivers. They're as up to date as they'll ever be for my particular card.

Good job I haven't bought a copy of this thing, if it's bringing gratuitous error messages like that!

Hmm ... anything to do with the 'modified' copy of Windows Server 2003?

Probably because W2K3 server is just that - a server product, with multimedia usage not desiged in mind.

[DJGM]

Hmm ... anything to do with the 'modified' copy of Windows Server 2003?

Probably because W2K3 server is just that - a server product, with multimedia usage not desiged in mind.

"Modified", or more appropriately, reconfigured as a workstation operating system, with all the multimedia functionality
enabled, and most server functionality disabled. It's very much like Windows XP, with a more up to date codebase.

See this article - How to convert your Windows Server 2003 ... to a Workstation! - for more info on that . . .

And in case anyone is thinking, "Why not just run Windows XP instead of a server OS?" ... I would do if my main PC
didn't have a knacked processor fan, and most of it's parts "cannabalised" into what was originally my "testbed" PC.
That system had XP Pro (legit copy BTW) installed and activated, but now that that PC is a shadow of it's former
self, I can't be arsed going through the rigmarole of asking MS for permission to re-activate XP on this PC!

If anything, running Windows Server 2003 as a workstation OS seems a lot more stable than Windows XP was.

[Gavin Scott]

You should post a question on the "trial user" forums. They do seem to be very helpful there.

I'm currently running Ultrakey (version 1.1) until such time as I get Ultra 2. I'm running the ntsc version (long story) but have had stunning results so far.

Will be getting Ultra 2 once I get a new dual processor pc.

[Salty]

Hmm ... anything to do with the 'modified' copy of Windows Server 2003?

Probably because W2K3 server is just that - a server product, with multimedia usage not desiged in mind.

"Modified", or more appropriately, reconfigured as a workstation operating system, with all the multimedia functionality
enabled, and most server functionality disabled. It's very much like Windows XP, with a more up to date codebase.

See this article - How to convert your Windows Server 2003 ... to a Workstation! - for more info on that . . .

And in case anyone is thinking, "Why not just run Windows XP instead of a server OS?" ... I would do if my main PC
didn't have a knacked processor fan, and most of it's parts "cannabalised" into what was originally my "testbed" PC.
That system had XP Pro (legit copy BTW) installed and activated, but now that that PC is a shadow of it's former
self, I can't be arsed going through the rigmarole of asking MS for permission to re-activate XP on this PC!

If anything, running Windows Server 2003 as a workstation OS seems a lot more stable than Windows XP was.

Why don't you just have one PC, with windows xp, and spend the time you fanny about with things like that OUTSIDE the house!

[Pete]

because it's fun?