DaVinci Resolve 18 Public Beta 2 released

BlackMagic Design after just 2 weeks has already updated the Beta of DaVinci Resolve 18 to beta 2.

This software update adds new object mask capability in magic mask, improvements to Dolby Atmos immersive mixing, support for Dolby Atmos production for Linux and Apple silicon as well as support for rendering Dolby Vision compatible H.265 clips. In addition, this update improves collaboration workflows when working with restrictive firewalls, adds better proxy indicator status and improved performance for sizing presets.

You can download the regular or studio versions at their support page.

What is the best ergonomic Keyboard for Mac?

I have been a video editor for over 20 years now, and so I spend way too many hours in front of a computer, and have had horrible carpal tunnel as a result. An Aeron chair helped as did putting 5 rubber bands around my fingers and stretching out in sets of 100. And using guitar finger strengthener, but the biggest help was an ergonomic keyboard.

For years I have used Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboards, one at home and one I carried to offices. Of course they break. Unfortunately the new Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard has damn emoticon keys in the 3 function keys, and you can’t remap them on Mac. It would be fine if I could remap them, but I can’t.

Left Keys on Microsoft KeyBoard the menu key is non-functional on Mac.
Right Keys on Microsoft KeyBoard the emoticon key is non-functional on Mac.

It doesn’t look like the Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop gas those keys, but I don’t need wireless, and I like Keyboard keys clacky and not laptop like.

And the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Desktop seems not separated enough for my comfort.

The Logitech Ergo K860 looks like Laptop keys which again I am not a fan of, but at least it is a normal keyboard.

I have tried x-bows, and am not sold as of yet. It is bowed, but flat, and the key placement is weird. And it us nice that the software is online so it works Mac or PC, but it is not easy to use. And with no upgrades since moving to online software, it feels like the company is stagnating a bit. And I am not sure about the separate keypad even if it does magnetically attach. I really need a full keyboard.

The Kinesis Advantage is is big and expensive and I have heard people complain about the all the keys for your thumbs.

Split keyboards look interesting for placement, but are just flat where they are. I guess I would have to try one, and you can still tilt them. and get a separate Keypad.

Kinesis has Mac ones, but the pros have Cherry MX keys which are the best.

The ascent for Kinesis split looks interesting, though at $229 on top of the keyboard is not cheap.

The Dygma looks more solid with it’s metal body, but it’s lack of function keys makes it useless for me.

The GoldTouch V2 for PC and Mac looks interesting, but again no keypad and the keys on teh sides are moved around so more learning curve.

The Matias Ergo Pro Keyboard for Mac looks plasticy and need a keypad again, but has full size keys, but says it is there own keys, not Cherry MX,

Perixx has some inexpensive solutions, that have full size keys and split or full keyboard.

I would really love to try this Cloud 9 Ergo Keyboard, because it is split and as full keyboard (and have Cherry MX Keys), but it’s software is Windows only, which means zero mac control and a useless nob, and function buttons on the left.

Am I missing any? Honestly I just wish I could find the old Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, but they don’t make it anymore, and it selling for $399 at Amazon! Have I missed any? Does anyone have any ideas?

I guess I could try the wireless Microsoft, but I like clacky keys, but at least I know I like the setup.

Of course what I really want is something like the Nemeio but ergonomic, so the keys can change based on the program, but who knows if the Nemeio will ever even come out, especially since it is kickstarter and an Indigogo.

Phil Rhodes at PVC on the idea that Filmmakers don’t want film, they want what people think film is

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Phil Rhodes has an intriguing article about how Film has become this holy grail, but in fact it isn’t modern film, which is very good, but circa 1985 film with damage and not low grain.

Honestly I never even heard of VidoVillage’s FilmBox which is $5000 to simulate film.

I find the film craze now nuts, as digital has gotten so good and is so easy. And things like the new Dune, which shot on digital, then printed to film and scanned to digital, literally insane.

Not that I think film should completely go away, but as this article shows it is more of an affectation now.

Adobe has changed default paste behavior to paste to same track in Premiere Pro’s Beta

Adobe has updated the default paste behavior in Premiere Pro beta, and added 4 new functions that can be added to keyboard shortcuts.

Paste To Same Track is the new default, which is the behavior that I want 90% of the time. I love this because I place things in specific tracks, having a very organized timeline, so I usually wants things to just go where they were in a different place in the timeline.

Old Behavior
New Behavior

And you can also Paste Insert, as well as Paste to Target Track and Paste Insert to Target Track which can also be added to keyboard shortcuts.

Frame.io for Creative Cloud

i just signed up for creative cloud’s frame.io from within Premiere. I didn’t know what level of service it is, but Frame had posted a page about it.

It allows:

  • 2 Frame.io Users
  • 5 Projects
  • 100 GB Storage
  • Camera to Cloud (though doubtful you could do it with that storage)

So I can use it for any client that doesn’t have their own solution for review. Very cool!

They should offer a discount if you upgrade though.

Red Giant Updates for NAB 2022

Red Giant has updated Universe to version 6.

VFX Suite 3

Magic Bullet Suite 16.

And a new tool Real Lens Flares.

In past Red Giant has also released in depth videos showing off how to use the new features, but unfortunately it looks like they haven’t done that this year. Hopefully this isn’t how things will always be with the now Maxon owned company, bug I have the feeling it is. I guess will just have to play around.

The video for Real Lens Flares looks good, but will have to see if it is better than optical flares from Video Copilot.

Apple Cheated on it’s graph comparison between M1 Ultra GPU and the NVIDIA RTX 3090

I have been seeing this in video reviews of the Mac Studio and here at 9to5 Mac by Ben Lovejoy. Basically this is true for these power levels, but the NVIDIA card they are comparing too can go much higher on wattage, and thus is much more powerful, and the new 2090 Ti can up to 450 watts of power, so Apple has cut the top of this graph, so it is really only showing till the top of the M1 Performance, but the other video card goes much higher.

I had seen a few videos fix the graph, and found this post from iPhone Hacks that has a fixed version of the graph from MKBHD.

This adds the power curve of the NVIDIA 3900 and the Ti should go further than this.

So yes the Mac Studio may use less power, but it gets whipped by the top of the line NVIDIA card.

It may be the most powerful Mac Graphics card, but not the most powerful graphics card that is for sure.

PVC on the Apple Studio Display being limited to a single frame rate

Allan Tépper at the Pro Video Coalition has an article on how the Apple Studio Display is locked into one frame rate 60 FPS making it unsuitable for many video formats.

I am not going to get a Studio Display, it is way too much for what it is, and I would rather have 4K than 5K anyway, but saying that the 60 FPS doesn’t bother me at all as for any video I use an external monitor through a Black Magic UltraStudio 4K. I don’t have a studio monitor, but a Samsung that I have corrected to the best of my ability, but in some ways that is better. As a perfect display leeds to correction like the last season of Game Of Thrones, so dark it is hard to even see.