News

Telestream Flip4Mac Brings Sony MXF Digital Ingest to Final Cut Pro 5 (10/6/2005)

Flip4Mac MXF Import Component converts XDCAM files to native MPEG IMX for editing

Telestream, the world's leading provider of universal media encoding solutions for the media and entertainment industry, today announced availability of its Flip4Mac MXF Import Component for Apple's Mac OS X platform. The Flip4Mac MXF Import Component is the first file-based solution to enable broadcasters to ingest MXF content directly from Sony XDCAM Professional Disc production systems into Apple's Final Cut Pro 5 editing application for native IMX editing. The MXF product is the second in a series of new Flip4Mac digital media tools for the Mac to be offered by Telestream for immediate worldwide purchase at www.flip4mac.com.

"Until now, Mac users have lacked an efficient way to get the popular Sony XDCAM digital content into their systems for editing," said David Heppe, Telestream's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Apple Final Cut Pro users represent an important segment of the broadcast industry, and we're pleased to support their needs with our digital media access technology."

Telestream's Flip4Mac MXF solution solves an important need for broadcasters worldwide. For the first time, the Flip4Mac MXF Import Component provides a faster, more convenient all-digital workflow for transferring media files directly from Sony digital acquisition devices into broadcasters' Final Cut Pro editing environments. This file-based solution eliminates the need to return to baseband video to accomplish the same task.

"We're thrilled to see Telestream bringing their powerful media access products to the Mac," commented Mr. Menno Helmus, Executive Producer at Evangelische Omreop (EO), a leading Dutch Broadcaster. "In particular, we've been looking forward to the IMX ingest solution which will enable us to edit content from a Sony eVTR and XDCAM natively with the new Final Cut Pro 5, and then export IMX back into our broadcast environment."

The Flip4Mac MXF Import Component allows Mac users to browse and import MXF content from Sony XDCAM systems for quick, easy access to either DV or MPEG IMX media. Sony systems supported include the XDCAM Camcorder, PDW-1500 Compact Deck, and eVTR IMX MPEG video tape recorder. Content is automatically transferred to the Mac, then re-wrapped to a .mov file for Final Cut Pro editing.

Since its launch, Sony's XDCAM has enjoyed tremendous success and worldwide adoption. Sony recognizes the key strategic importance of third-party interoperability with equipment and systems developed by other manufacturers. Telestream's Flip4Mac provides an important link to the large base of Final Cut Pro users in the Apple nonlinear production market.

"This is very good news for XDCAM customers," said Olivier Bovis, Senior Marketing Manager, Sony Professional Europe. "The ability to access the file world of XDCAM in both DV and IMX and move media to the Macintosh platform greatly enhances the flexibility and the efficiency of the combined systems. We are delighted to see the Flip4Mac software becoming available for the Apple user community."

www.flip4mac.com