Apple updates Final Cut Pro, Compressor, Color, and Shake

Apple this week released Pro Applications Update 2008-04, a recommended update for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server, and Logic Studio. The release addresses general performance issues, improves overall stability, and includes new versions of Final Cut Pro, Compressor, Color, and Shake.

Final Cut Pro 6.0.5

Among the enhancements delivered as part of Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 are:

• Improved High-Precision Rendering: If you render sequences using the high-precision video processing setting, make sure to update to Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 for improved reliability when rendering still images and footage in high-resolution formats.
• Extended Metadata Support for the Panasonic AG-HMC150 Camcorder: Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 captures the additional metadata for footage recorded with the Panasonic AG-HMC150 professional AVCHD camcorder.
• Improved Support for the Panasonic HDC-SD9 Camcorder: Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 provides enhanced precision and reliability when ingesting files from the Panasonic HDC-SD9 camcorder.
• Improved Support for Metadata Imported from P2 Cards: Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 provides support for extended metadata that is captured on P2 cards.

Compressor 3.0.5 and Apple Qmaster 3.0.5

Compressor 3.0.5 and Apple Qmaster 3.0.5 will see the following fix:

• Using QuickClusters and Back to My Mac on the Same Computer: The QuickCluster feature of the Apple Qmaster distributed processing system is a simple and automated alternative to creating and configuring clusters manually. In previous versions of Compressor, enabling the Back to My Mac feature in Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard would remove any existing QuickClusters. This issue has been resolved. For more information about QuickClusters, see the Distributed Processing Setup guide.

Color 1.0.3

Color 1.0.3 requires QuickTime 7.5.5 and either Mac OS X v10.5.5 or Mac OS X v10.4.11. The new version offers:

• Improved Format Support: Color 1.0.3 provides support for XDCAM 422 media and for the RED plug-ins for Final Cut Studio. The RED plug-in and accompanying documentation can be downloaded at http://www.red.com. For workflow suggestions and more information about this format, see HD and Broadcast Formats, available from the Final Cut Pro Help menu.
• Improved Application Reliability: Overall application reliability has been improved, including in the following areas:
• Using trackers in the Geometry room
• Using the Reconform command
• Adjusting the Minimum and Maximum nodes in the Color FX room
• Improved EDL Handling: Accuracy and reliability during EDL import have been improved.
• Application of Display LUT Now Indicated Consistently: Color 1.0.3 consistently indicates when a display LUT has been applied to a project in the Project Settings tab of the Setup room.
• Improved Handling of DPX Image Sequences: Color 1.0.3 provides improved reliability when reading and outputting the header information of DPX image sequences, including timecode, frame size, aspect ratio, and transfer code.
• The Fix Headers Button Now Works Properly: The Fix Headers button, which appears in the clip bin of the Setup room when you select an image sequence, now correctly alters the header information of DPX image sequences.
• Improved Handling of Interlaced Media: Interlaced clips with Pan & Scan adjustments in the Geometry room correctly render the exact range of clip media.
• Tangent Control Surface Mappings Are Improved: The HSL qualifier and reset control surface mappings for the Tangent CP100 control surface have been fixed.

Shake 4.1.1

Shake 4.1.1 addresses compatibility issues for QuickTime codecs greater than 8 bits.

• Installing Shake 4.1.1: This version of Shake is an update to Shake 4.1 and must be installed on a computer on which Shake 4.1 has already been installed.

As of press time, the Pro Applications Update 2008-04 update was only available via Software Update.