Primestream releases latest version of FORK Xchange Suite
Primestream released the latest version of FORK Xchange Suite, the application that gives broadcasters instant Web access to content on their FORK Production servers from any Windows, Mac, or iOS device. FORK Xchange Suite 1.5, an add-on to Primestream’s highly acclaimed FORK software platform for managing and automating broadcast workflows, contains new capabilities for creating subclips and markers, as well as an upload manager, extended metadata functionality, multitrack audio control, and more new features that make it even easier for media enterprises to manage content efficiently among multiple FORK Production sites.
“Content creation and management are no longer centrally located activities. We created Xchange Suite so that producers and editors can tap into their content from anywhere,” said Claudio Lisman, Primestream|B4M president and CEO. “The more efficiently and quickly they can get the job done, the more readily they will profit from their assets. We’re building on that notion with this latest version of Xchange.”
In FORK Xchange Suite 1.5, subclips can now be created directly from the Xchange Suite using the new Assemble module, an interface for creating subclips and markers. Users can review material and select portions of the media to deliver to remote sites. Users can create and submit markers and subclips through Assemble from a desktop PC and/or iPad.
FORK Xchange Suite 1.5 also has an upload manager and monitor, which allows users to upload content in any of the supported formats directly from the user’s browser, and then monitor the upload progress of multiple files. Once the FORK Production Server registers the file, it creates an H.264 proxy file, which is also viewable from anywhere. Users anywhere in the world can also download a proxy or high-res media file of any clip in Xchange.
With the new multitrack audio feature in Xchange Suite 1.5, a video clip can have multiple tracks of audio in different languages. Additionally, a new audio panel facilitates switching between audio tracks and master volume controls. This flexibility enables accurate creation of voice-over text for multilanguage assets.
Xchange Suite 1.5 also has extended metadata capabilities. Required metadata fields ensure that content has valuable information that is later searchable within Xchange and FORK. Read-only metadata fields provide protection for critical information, embedded within the content. The use of predefined values allows for quick tagging of content with commonly used metadata tags. Upon login, groups are presented with their customized form for metadata logging — permitting easy access and user-friendly workflows.
Xchange is hardware-agnostic and also supports multiple frame rates according to both NTSC and PAL standards. Other new features include the ability to color-code media files for easy identification, and the ability to perform simple or advanced searches within smartbins with the click of a button.
Primestream integrates FORK and Adobe Premiere Pro CS6
Primestream announced an enhanced level of integration between its FORK software platform for managing and automating broadcast workflows and Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 software, the acclaimed video editing software for Windows and Mac OS X. The improved integration, which has been well-received in the United States and will be unveiled in Europe at IBC2012, allows users to drag and drop clips directly from FORK into Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and to browse FORK content without leaving the software. As a result, editors and producers at all types of media organizations can get content to air more quickly and easily, whether they are using Windows or Mac platforms.
Through an intuitive new graphical user interface, users are able to search the FORK media asset database quickly from within Adobe Premiere Pro CS6; select clips, bins, or timelines created in the FORK Editor; and simply drag those items into an Adobe Premiere Pro project. When an edited sequence is complete, users can send the project to FORK for playout to air or to fulfill a newsroom system placeholder.
“Choosing a nonlinear editor can be a difficult decision because there are so many factors to consider and there have been so many changes in the NLE landscape lately,” said Warren Arenstein, Primestream|B4M vice president of business development. “But the FORK-CS6 integration can make that decision much easier. After seeing how broadcasters and creative pros received CS6 and FORK at the U.S. Adobe Road Show in June — and how quickly CS6 is being adopted in the United States — I’m confident that our new integration with Adobe Premiere Pro will really help transform the world of nonlinear video editing in Europe and beyond.”
FORK’s enhanced integration with Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 creates a user-friendly, cross-platform solution that gives traditional broadcasters such as CBS Sports, emerging online new media outlets, and global newsgathering organizations such as CNN a more collaborative and efficient workflow.
This European launch comes on the heels of a successful tour to introduce Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 to editors throughout the United States. Dubbed the Adobe Road Show, the free, in-depth traveling seminars educated current and aspiring digital video professionals on the capabilities of CS6, including its complete integration with FORK.
“With Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and FORK, users can produce more substantive content more quickly, which is a clear advantage when it comes to getting good stories to air before the competition,” said Simon Williams, director of strategic relations at Adobe. “With this increased efficiency from this integrated workflow, our customers and broadcasters can deliver video content faster than ever, regardless of platform.”