The GPU-based rendering tool V-Ray RT GPU by Chaos Group is now in public beta. The GPU version of the interactive rendering engine V-Ray RT for 3ds Max allows up to 30 times faster rendering times and real-time interaction with the virtual environment within the 3ds Max. After the beta period, the V-Ray RT GPU will become part of V-Ray 2.0 to deliver a complete and powerful rendering solution for the demanding requirements of every production pipeline. The public beta is open for all current users of V-Ray RT; if you are one of them, apply here. [source]

Adobe updated its video editing software Premiere Pro for Windows and Mac OS X systems. Version CS5 5.0.2 enhances the Mercury Playback Engine's support for Windows-based NVIDIA GPU cards, adds XD-CAM HD export, Broadcast WAV support, and improves RED workflow with support for the RED Rocket card and latest Color Science. Updates: Premiere Pro CS5 5.0.2 update for retail DVD - Windows / Mac OS X; Premiere Pro CS5 5.0.2 update for electronic downloads - Windows / Mac OS X. [source]

UK-based visual effects software developer The Foundry unveiled two now After Effects tools, CAMERATRACKER, and KRONOS 5.0. CAMERATRACKER uses technology previously only available in NukeX, The Foundry's high-end film compositing tool, and is designed to analyze source sequences to extract the original camera's lens and motion parameters, allowing users to composite 2D or 3D correctly with reference to the camera used to film the shot. KRONOS 5.0 is a new accelerated retimer and motion blur plug-in set based on The Foundry's Academy Award Winning Furnace algorithms. KRONOS 5.0 produces brand new frames using optical flow algorithms to avoid poor quality output. KRONOS 5.0 is also the first product to be accelerated by The Foundry's new 'Blink' technology, dramatically speeding up render times thanks to combined CPU and NVIDIA CUDA GPU acceleration. Blink supports the same hardware as Adobe Premiere Pro's Mercury Playback Engine, including the GeForce GTX285 and the Quadro FX4800 cards. Both plug-ins run on 64-bit Windows and Mac OS X platforms, can be freely evaluated for a period of 15 days, and cost 70 GBP (KRONOS) and 170 GBP ex. VAT (CAMERATRACKER), respectively. [source]

GenArts announced the availability of GenArts Monsters GT for users of Adobe After Effects on Macintosh computers. Monsters GT for AE on the Mac is fully CS5 compatible and features stylize effects such as CCTV, NightVision, and Brush; warps and distort effects such as HeatHaze, Puddle and Ripple; particle and fluid dynamics effects such as Fire, Rain, Puddles and Smoke; and a series of smooth, particulate and stop-motion trails effects. It also features a completely revamped user interface, 64-as well as 64-bit, GPU and floating point optimizations, enabling real-time interactivity at HD resolutions, faster render speeds, and the highest image quality and dynamic range available. GenArts Monsters GT for AE on the Mac is available immediately (Windows version shipped in June), priced at $999 US for either node-locked or floating licenses. GenArts Sapphire/Monsters bundle will be offered at $2,299. [source]

E-on software previewed key new technologies of its upcoming Vue 9 products for professionals: Vue 9 xStream and Vue 9 Infinite (scheduled for release Q4 2010), at this year's SIGGRAPH. E-on software also performed product demonstrations of Carbon Scatter (instancing plug-in for 3ds Max, CINEMA 4D, LightWave 3D, Maya, and Softimage; scheduled for release later this year; more information), as well as LumenRT, a new product dedicated to high fidelity real-time visualization of architectural projects. [source]

The Foundry released MARI 1.0, the first iteration of their new 3D texture painting application. MARI is a brand new creative 3D texture painting product, originally developed at Weta Digital to handle the exceedingly detailed look development and texture work demanded by Avatar. MARI copes easily with an obsessive level of detail - literally tens of thousands of textures - quickly and elegantly (more on features; videos). MARI is currently available on Linux 64, Windows build will be released later this year. For more information, take a look at MARI on The Foundry's YouTube Channel. You can also download a fully functional 15-day demo license here and have a play for yourself, or buy the application for an MSRP of 600 GBP / 900 USD / 720 EUR ex. VAT, including 1 year of maintenance. In addition, The Foundry announced an exclusive deal with Walt Disney Animation Studios providing access to their Paint 3D technology. Find out more about what this means for MARI here. [source]

cebas VISUAL TECHNOLOGY Inc. announced a major new version of its finalRender SE rendering solutions for 3ds Max, Maya and CINEMA 4D applications. Due to be released in Q1 of 2011, new finalRender will feature fully integrated, hardware accelerated global illumination rendering, incorporating enhanced CUDA GPU acceleration as well as full OpenCL support, without restricting the feature set and functionality of finalRender for 3ds Max. GPU-accelerated version of finalRender R4 SE will support Render Elements and Render Passes; soft shadows; IES lights; displacement; Sub-surface Scattering; all compatible 3ds Max Materials; volume light effects; and more. The prototype will premiere at this years SIGGRAPH 2010 in Los Angeles, CA, July 27th to 29th. [source]

Boris FX, developer of visual effects software for video and film industries, announced that Boris Continuum Complete 7 FxPlug (BCC 7 FxPlug) is now available. BCC 7 FxPlug brings over 210 filters to Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Final Cut Express. The new release features a 3-way color grade filter with built-in keying and masking tools, a video noise reduction tool, an OpenGL particle engine, and real-time title flare and luma glow effects. Boris Continuum Complete 7 FxPlug is available for an MSRP of $995 US, owners of previous versions may upgrade for an MSRP of $295 US. Customers who purchased Boris Continuum Complete 6 FxPlug as of April 12, 2010 are eligible to receive a free upgrade. [source]

Eyeon Software released the latest version of Fusion, company's high-end compositing software for Linux and Windows. Fusion 6.1's extensive supercomputing approach utilizes the powerful, low-cost GPU to create assets and layers in real-time, including scene import from 3D animation packages, and support for technologies such as RenderMan and RED Camera MYSTERIUM X. OpenCL supercomputing is a fresh and innovative use of today's massively parallel GPUs. By speeding up computationally intensive operations such as Defocus, Fusion 6.1 allows the artist to instantly visualize sophisticated mathematical operations that compile code on-the-fly for use by the new generation graphics cards. Fusion 6.1 also offers particle system and geometry enhancements, incl. particle caching; relighting enhancements; stereo camera import; FBX multi level materials support from all major 3D applications; Film Grain tool ; Hue Curves and Colour Suppression tool; and more. To see Fusion 6.1 in action, visit this link. If you have a subscription license, download the upgrade here. [source]

Following the launch of Shaderlight for 3ds Max in December 2009, rendering solutions provider ArtVPS are pleased to announce the latest release of their interactive rendering software. Shaderlight is a physically based, progressive ray-tracer that enables interactive changes to be made to an image at any stage within the rendering process. Materials, environments, lighting and textures can all be updated and the results seen in real-time without any compromise on image quality or having to restart the rendering. The improved performance (up to 50%) of this latest release will enable users to render much larger images as well as experience greater interactivity when making MELT changes. To make this release of Shaderlight accessible to even more 3ds Max users, ArtVPS are offering the software at a revised price of just $450 US. Users can also try the software free of charge for 30 days. [source]