NewTek revealed LightWave 10.1, the latest version of its Emmy Award-winning 3D software for Windows and Mac OS X, at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas. LightWave 10.1 delivers new capabilities for 3D artists, such as a new off-axis stereoscopic camera rig option, an improved Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR), more powerful import and export capabilities with FBX, MDD, and integrated Autodesk Geometry Cache support, a new Skin material node, and more. LightWave 10.1 is expected to be available to registered users of LightWave 10 in Q2 2011. For a limited time, the upgrade price from LightWave v9 to LightWave 10.1 is US $495 US; a full license for LightWave 10.1 is US $895 US. If you are new to LightWave, you can try the software free for 30 days... [source]

Avid announced that content creators can use Avid Artist Color (formerly Euphonix MC Color) to control the color grading features of Assimilate Scratch, Image Systems Nucoda (formerly Digital Vision), and Pomfort Silverstack SET Edition via native support for EUCON protocol (Avid's open, high-speed Ethernet control protocol that allows Artist Color and other Avid Artist Series control surfaces to connect to a variety of third party creative audio and video software solutions). Avid is also previewing EuControl version 2.6 at NAB, delivering Windows functionality for Artist Color. [source]

Matrox Video Products Group announced updates to its Matrox MXO2 line of video I/O devices containing support for Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium software (more); support for Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder (more); and new Matrox MXO2 devices featuring the all-new Thunderbolt technology developed by Intel (more). Thunderbolt technology is a high-speed I/O technology running at 10 gigabits per second that brings together high-speed data transfer and high-definition display on to a single cable, currently available on the Apple MacBook Pro line. The full range of Thunderbolt technology-enabled Matrox MXO2 devices will be available worldwide in July 2011, Matrox Thunderbolt adapters for all MXO2 devices will also be available as an add-on at $299 US. Matrox MXO2 support for Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium and Flash Media Live Encoder software will be available to registered users as a free download from the Matrox website in June 2011. [source]

Starting Monday, April 11th, visual effects plug-in developer GenArts are offering three promotions: a 50% sale on Monsters GT through April 30, 2011; free particleIllusion AE copy if you buy Sapphire for After Effects through April 30, 2011; and 10% off all products on the NAB show floor (offer available only at NAB). [source]

Video hardware maker Blackmagic Design introduced new video capture and playback devices at the 2011 NAB Show. Among the new products are: DeckLink Quad (a new SDI capture card that's 4 separate DeckLink capture cards with independent bypass relays and watchdog timers, all designed into a single PCB that plugs into a single PCIe slot designed for media play-out server developers and OEMs; more); DeckLink 4K (new 3 Gb/s Quad Link SDI capture card that supports SD, HD, 3 Gb/s HD, 2K and 4K capture and playback using a single PCI Express slot for only $595 US; more); Media Express 3 (new software update for advanced capture and playback using DeckLink, Multibridge, Intensity and UltraStudio Pro products that supports Windows 7, Mac OS X and Linux platforms; more); UltraStudio SDI (small and affordable SDI capture and playback solution with HDMI monitoring for USB 3.0 computers for $395 US; more); UltraStudio 3D (a compact and portable capture and playback device based on the all-new Thunderbolt technology by Intel, with full resolution dual stream 3D support, 12-bit hardware architecture, dual-link 3 Gb/s SDI, support for up to 1080p60 in SDI and component analog and HDMI 1.4a connections and more); HyperDeck Studio (a new uncompressed 10-bit broadcast recorder for Solid State Disks that features dual slots; more); and HyperDeck Shuttle (new disk recorder that captures uncompressed 10-bit SDI or HDMI video onto SSDs; more). Blackmagic Design also announced support for the newly unveiled Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium, a unique dual rack monitor SmartView Duo (more), and new ATEM Production Switchers model lineup (more). [source]

Blackmagic Design announced DaVinci Resolve 8, a major new update to the company's advanced color correction tool for Linux and Mac OS X; and DaVinci Resolve Lite, a new reduced-feature version of DaVinci Resolve that includes many powerful color correction features in a downloadable software package available free of charge. New features in DaVinci Resolve 8 include multi layer timeline support with editing, XML import and export with Apple Final Cut Pro, OpenCL processing to allow use on Apple iMac and MacBook Pro computers, advanced processing tools for real time noise reduction, curve grading, advanced multi-point stabilization as well as automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment. DaVinci Resolve 8 also supports the Avid Artist Color control panel and offers ALE export to relink graded DNxHD files back into Avid editors. DaVinci Resolve 8 will be available in June starting at $995 US from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide, current customers will be able to download this update free of charge. DaVinci Resolve Lite will be available in July. [source]

Adobe announced new Creative Suite 5.5 product line with advances to HTML5, Flash authoring, digital publishing and video tools as well as new capabilities that kick-start the integration of tablets into creative workflows. The new Adobe Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit enables developers to build tablet applications that interact with Photoshop from Android, BlackBerry PlayBook and iOS devices. Adobe also announced three new iPad applications that demonstrate the creative possibilities of using tablets to drive common Photoshop workflows. Premiere Pro CS5.5 offers new Merge Clips command, new trimming and editing tools, and enhanced support for RED and other tapeless cameras, while the new 64-bit Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5 comes with background video encoding, and new format support (AVC-Intra and DPX). After Effects CS5.5 introduces new features such as the Warp Stabilizer, Camera Lens Blur and Light Falloff to enable users to enhance footage in post-production. The new version of a DAW software Adobe Audition - for both Mac and Windows platforms - comes with completely re-written audio engine; web developers will enjoy new tooling and framework support in Flash Builder 4.5 designed for developing, testing and deploying mobile applications on Android, BlackBerry Tablet OS and iOS platforms.

This launch also marks a major change to Adobe's product release strategy for Creative Suite. Adobe now plans to have milestone Creative Suite product introductions at 24-month intervals and - starting with Creative Suite 5.5 - significant mid-cycle releases. Adobe also debuted a subscription-based pricing plan with new Subscription Editions. Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 editions are scheduled to ship within 30 days with availability through Adobe Authorized Resellers, the Adobe Store and Adobe Direct Sales. [source]

The latest versions of Autodesk's high-end video editing, finishing, and effects systems Smoke 2012 for Mac OS X, Flame 2012, Flare and Flame Premium 2012 are now shipping (more). An Autodesk Smoke 2012 for Mac OS X license is available at a suggested retail price of $14,995 US, Subscription is available for purchase simultaneously with the product license for $1,995 US MSRP per year. Smoke 2012 is also available for a free 30-day trial download. [source]

Sound Devices, experts in portable hard-disk recording for audio, introduced their newest line of video products at the 2011 NAB Show - the new PIX recorders. The new PIX 220 and PIX 240 can be connected to cameras with HDMI and can record directly to QuickTime using Apple's ProRes or optionally, Avid's DNxHD codec. Files recorded in the field can be used directly in post-production, making the workflow simple and fast. The PIX 240 adds even more flexibility, with its HD-SDI input and simultaneous HD-SDI and HDMI outputs. The audio circuitry is based on Sound Devices' award-winning 7-Series digital audio recorders. The low-noise (-128 dBu EIN), high headroom, high-bandwidth inputs are mic/line switchable and include limiters, high-pass filters and phantom power. PIX 240 also includes a built-in Ambient Clockit time code generator/reader with Genlock output for multi-camera and double-system sound applications. Both products include five-inch, 800x480 pixel LCD displays, are built with a metalized, molded carbon-fiber chassis and are powered by external 10-18 VDC or two removable Sony L-battery mount batteries. [source]

Red Giant Software, creators of plug-ins for video post-production and non-linear editing applications, announced several new and updated products at this year's NAB Show. Announced were two new free color correction tools Magic Bullet Colorista Free and LUT Buddy, an updated version 1.5 of Magic Buller Grinder for DSLR/HDSLR video conversion duties (stand-alone app for Mac OS is coming soon), new Guru Preset Packs, and two new iPhone/iPad apps - movie effects Magic Bullet Movie Looks, and cinematic B&W photo filter Noir Photo. Red Giants are also running a 20% sale on all products through Sunday, April 11, 2011 until 11:59 PM PST. [source]