Silverado and Paramore

Silverado's RED ONE #21 used on Paramore's recent video "Brick by Boring Brick"

Silverado Ultrascope-powered ColoRig in action with SCRATCH

Rack based Blackmagic UltraScope...

The picture below was correctly identified as a rack based Blackmagic UltraScope by Paul Conigliaro.

BMD created a gorgeous full featured product in the UltraScope. And they tried to make it as inexpensive as possible by making it a card you can drop into a spare system laying around.

However, most people who have a spare system like this don't realize the specs required. You need at least two PCIe slots--one of which needs to be a x16 PCIe slot for the graphics card. Spare systems might be an older system laying around from a previous system--and they may be PCI-X, not PCIe.

And there are few graphics cards that are officially supported, so now you are having to run out and but a new card to replace in that spare system.

AND...this would be very beneficial to all editors--Mac users included--since the system requires HD-SDI, but otherwise doesn't care about the type of platform where its coming from. However, many Mac users (not all of you...no flames please) wouldn't have a spare system like this laying around, nor would they know how to build one from the ground up (again...I know you people are smart...so no flames please...I am talking about those OTHER Mac-based editors...)

One more thing--who wants another tower on the ground? This system is in a low profile compact 2U rack which can be put on a shelf nearby, or away from the main editing system altogether in another room with a long SDI run.

So...we decided to build a companion product for the UltraScope. It will be a ready-to-use product--just rack it up, plug in a monitor, turn it on, and boot up the software. Aside from that, you don't have to tinker, install, configure or do anything else.

We've already tested it with the 24" Apple Cinema LED display. Its gorgeous. I'll post a picture later on REDuser and on this blog.

We'll have it up on the site for ordering with pricing tomorrow. The engineering is done--the product works fine, but we are recasing them since aesthetically the current 2U system looks...um...generic.

If you have a monitor that supports 1920 x 1200, you can buy it without a monitor. We'll also bundle it with a 24" display and the Gefen adapter for those who want that, too.

We still need a name for it. I was thinking about ColoRig, but I am open to suggestions. I don't think "The Mullet" will make the final list.

TL

What is this?

We're building up a new piece of technology at Silverado and we're giving you the chance to guess what it is...

If you are observant, you'll be able to get it pretty quick.

Post your guesses as comments below.

Free Blu-ray Authoring Classes at Silverado

UPDATE: Larry now has a sign-up form active on the page below.

Larry Applegate of Rivergate Software will teach an all-day Blu-ray Authoring Class at Silverado Systems, the premiere Apple VAR in Northern California, on Nov. 16, 2009.

In this class Larry will cover the three options for a Macintosh-only workflow for creating Blu-ray recordable media for playback, and how you can distribute or publish your work by duplication and replication.

Much of the material for these classes is taken from the book Fast Path to Blu-ray for Mac with the blessing of its author Bruce Nazarian, who is also President of the IDMA (International Digital Media Alliance). Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the classes.

Here is the class schedule:

10 a.m. Making Blu-ray in Final Cut Pro 7
11 a.m. Blu-ray Video with Toast 10.4
12 a.m. Lunch offsite nearby
1 p.m. Making Blu-ray in Adobe Encore CS4
2 p.m. Publishing Blu-ray with BluStreak Premaster
3 p.m. Wrap up and general discussion

More info:

http://blustreak.dvdafteredit.com/blu-ray-authoring-classes

Raising money in 2009: SacStarts

Going to check-out the SacStarts group on Sunday night:

"SacStarts dinners are informal get-togethers where the best and brightest technologists and entrepreneurs connect. Grab a seat and some food and meet other locals involved in Sacramento’s technology community."

http://sacstarts.com/events/2009/11/01/november-dinner-jacks-urban-eats

Raising money in 2009: Strike One--Tri Counties Bank

I got a call yesterday from a rep at Tri Counties Bank. He had recently come in the week before and sat down with me regarding our needs. I sent him back with a full set of financials and an outline of our expansion plans. At the time, he seemed very positive on the outlook and indicated he would talk to his underwriting department as soon as possible.

I wasn't surprised when he called yesterday without positive news.

He said that the underwriter reviewed our information and that our expansion wasn't in line with "historical growth needs" but rather based on "accelerated needs" which the bank wasn't comfortable with. He indicated that our new opportunity for expansion was great for our business, but something that otherwise scares a lending institution because of the rapid and dramatic rise in the need for capital.

Rather than being open to $750-$850k in financing, he said the bank couldn't approach anything beyond $250k and that would have to be fully secured with collateral. He indicated even this would be a stretch for them. This was different than what he originally wrote in his email:

"We are often much more flexible than our larger counterparts. When we need outside guarantees we can turn to the SBA 504 program, or California Capital (like an SBA for the state of California)."

When I asked about these guarantees, none were volunteered or offered.

To be fair--he was very nice the entire time and I appreciated him coming to the office and sitting down with us the week prior.

I talked with an associate and she said she didn't think the story would be different with any of the other banks. "In this economy, you almost have to prove you don't need the money to actually get the money..."

We'll see...

Raising money in 2009: Are banks lending to small business?

I am going to start a new topic here on the blog along the lines of small business development and funding.

Its always hard to run a small business. Right now, it can be really hard. But that doesn't stop owners from still trying to take on new challenges, establish new markets, and continue the pursuit of growth for their companies.

We're an example of that. I've run Silverado since 2003 as a fairly organic organization--we've generally bootstrapped most of what we do from the very beginning. We do a number of very high-profile things--and we do them very well.

First, we design high-definition editing systems for film, media, broadcast, and independent editors using Apple and Assimilate technology. One of our largest projects included redesigning the TV editing facility at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center around Apple technology.

Another project includes high-end film finishing software. If you are planning to see Disney's "A Christmas Carol" in 3D later this year, that movie was finished on our editing systems using a product called SCRATCH from Assimilate.

Secondly, we've been at the forefront of helping to transform cinema production with the acquisition of two of the first RED ONE cameras in the world. The RED ONE can shoot in a format called 4K--which is akin to 35mm film grade material created digitally. It is actually a very green process since there is no film development, no chemicals, no processing, and no transporting material back and forth to labs.

We work on this 4K material in our new 5000 sq. foot Silverado Studios facility in Folsom which currently has one fully operational digital cinema editing suite along with two more edit suites and an advanced 4K digital cinema theater in development.

Did you see Lois Wolk's iPhone style-ad during the last election? Shot on our RED cameras and edited at Silverado.

Did you see Cathleen Galgiani's bullet train spots? Shot on our RED's and edited by Silverado personnel.

Our cameras and personnel have shot three full-length feature films including acting personnel such as Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jamie Kennedy, Robert Picardo, and Cybill Shepherd. Our studios also hosted the editorial of the critically acclaimed Timothy Hutton feature film "Broken Hill."

For better--and worse--we've worked pretty much with the existing cash flow of the business instead of taking venture capital, angel funding, or SBA loans. We've used our own resources plus those of a few family and friends along with a local bank for a small credit line which is no longer available.

Because of that, we've been restricted in growth to what we could accommodate on our own. In spite of those restrictions, we've been awarded the following accolades along the way:

2007 "100 Fastest Growing Companies in Sacramento" - Sacramento Business Journal
2008 "100 Fastest Growing Companies in Sacramento" - Sacramento Business Journal
2009 "100 Fastest Growing Companies in Sacramento" - Sacramento Business Journal

2008 "Top 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America" - Inc. Magazine
2009 "Top 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America" - Inc. Magazine

Presently, we're poised to take on a new project in the immediate future which will require outside funding for the first year. The details are under wraps right now (my competitors like to read my blog) but will come out fairly soon. The crux of the matter is that this project will take $850,000 in excess of what we currently have. This new operation will allow Silverado to become a $10M company in about 18 months.

With that in mind, I need a loan. But are banks lending?

My position is that they are not lending. But rather than hem-and-haw about the situation, I intend to determine for myself if banks aren't lending to small business.

The following banks will get a loan application from Silverado Systems, Inc. in the next two weeks:

Sierra Vista Bank

Folsom Lake Bank

First Northern Bank

IronStone Bank

Bank of America ($25,000,000,000 in TARP funding)

Wells Fargo Bank ($25,000,000,000 in TARP funding)

Five Star Bank

Umpqua Bank ($214,181,000 in TARP funding)

River City Bank

California Bank & Trust

California Federal Bank

Imperial Bank

Sacramento Commerce Bank

Sonoma National Bank

Western Sierra Bank

Mechanics Bank

Comerica Bank ($2,250,000,000 in TARP funding)

Tri Counties Bank

Stockmans Bank

American River Bank

Bridge Bank

First US Community Credit Union

Our criteria is the following:

1. We need a loan of $850,000 for a business expansion project that will significantly increase Silverado sales on a national basis.

2. We will move all deposit accounts to the loaning institution.

3. If such service is offered, we will move our credit card processing over to the loaning institution.

We will report the results from every single bank right here on this blog. Either "yay" or "nay."

This isn't designed to be antagonistic, but other business owners are in the same shoes as we are right now--trying to expand their business, but not having much luck getting funding. Plus, a lot of people want to know what is being done with their taxes. When a bank gets a bailout, are they loaning back to the community?

If there are any banks not listed that you think should get an app, please let me know. Our criteria for applying to a bank is whether they have a strong business loan track record.

Note--while this might be a noble experiment conducted for the benefit of ourselves and other Sacramento area small businesses, I am a businessman first. If a private investor walked in the door with $850,000, we'd proceed with our business project immediately. If you're in that position, I can always be reached at torrey@silverado.cc

However, private capital being in the condition that it is today--I don't know if that is plausible. So, we are proceeding with the traditional loan process.

If you are a lending institution that would like to be considered for an application, please contact us at (916) 760-0032.

Further--we'd love to accommodate a tour of our facility. Please call us and schedule a time to visit. We would love to show you around the studio and we can talk about our expansion plans in greater detail.

Stay tuned to this blog for the results.

Starting from SCRATCH: Building 4K editing & finishing systems how-to PDF

I get a lot of questions about how SCRATCH systems are configured, why some things are spec'd, and general costs of these items.

I thought I would answer all the questions in one doc. Its 28 pages long and I am pretty sure it covers everything--including equipping your system for 3D stereoscopic.

You can download it here:

http://bit.ly/2FEYkm

This is a 1.0 doc, so if you have suggestions I am happy to incorporate them into the next revision.

Silverado extending AppleCare to 5 years

In an industry first, Silverado will be extending AppleCare coverage to 5 years.

Effective on all sales after 1/1/09, Silverado is extending AppleCare benefits from three years to five years on the following professional Apple equipment:

Apple Mac Pro

Apple MacBook Pro

Apple Cinema Display

Apple Xserve

When purchased with an appropriate AppleCare plan, Silverado will extend coverage on these items from three years to five years.

During the first three years, customers will obtain service from Apple as normally specified in their AppleCare agreement. In years 4-5, clients needing service can contact Silverado at (916) 760-0032 for service coverage.

At its discretion, Silverado will do the following:

• Replace items that have worn out due to normal use and repair items that no longer function such as ports, logic boards, and cables.
• Alternatively, if a repair is not available then Silverado can opt to replace the system with a brand new equivalent system.

All AppleCare exclusions will apply. Systems cannot be repaired or replaced if systems are not functioning due to abuse, accidents, and non-standard usage (i.e. using a system outside normal operating parameters such as extreme temperatures, etc...)

AJA first to support Final Cut Pro 7

New info from AJA on their support for Final Cut Pro 7:

New Features

• Closed captioning support for Final Cut Pro 7, MacCaption, VTR Xchange, and AJA TV via QuickTime Closed Captioning Tracks - The QuickTime Closed Captioning Track is Apple's defined standard for closed captioning support (all supported KONAs).

• Full VANC data capture and playback support on a per-frame basis for all Apple ProRes formats

• Support for new Apple ProRes formats (requires Final Cut Pro 7):
- All KONAs support new Apple ProRes 422 (LT), Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy), and Apple ProRes 4444
- In addition, KONA 3 supports 10bit RGB/Dual Link capture and playback path using Apple ProRes 4444

• Expanded KONA LHi support:
- Display of timecode in the Control Panel (near the LTC input icon)
- HDMI/DVI detection of colorspace/protocol
- Downstream Keyer added (DSK)
- LTC input implemented
- Analog audio output monitoring selection implemented
- HDMI audio input channel selection
- HDMI input/output auto-detection
- 8 Channel HDMI audio output

• Support for Avid DNxHD QuickTime file playback and video output (KONA 3, LHi and LHe)

• Support for AVC-Intra QuickTime file playback and video output (KONA 3, LHi and LHe)

• Support for Cineform 3D QuickTime file playback and video output (KONA 3)

PDF File on Apple's revised ProRes codec

Apple just posted up a new link to the ProRes codec revision in Final Cut Studio 3:

2009 Apple ProRes White Paper

No more b.stock R-Series Sony Projectors...

For those interested, Sony is now completely OUT of the b.stock R-Series SXRD projectors...

Going forward, all projectors from Sony are the new T-Series T105 and T110 models.

Leasing a Sony 4K projector?

We got a lot of questions after the last edition about purchasing Sony 4K projection systems - one was "Can I lease them?"

The answer is yes. So what do those rates look like?

Here are example rates from a B-stock R-Series projector with lens, input boards, replacement lamp, and installation cage:

24 months - $4445

36 months - $3049

48 months - $2369

60 months - $1969

For comparison, here is a similar set of rates on the new T-Series projector.

24 months - $6668

36 months - $4583

48 months - $3574

60 months - $2963

Silverado Travel Reimbursement for Major Systems and Equipment/Facility Rental

Folks like to get out to NAB to see demos by major manufacturers before making purchasing decisions. Shows like this are a great way to check out gear prior to investing a lot of money in new workflows.

However, sometimes a shoot or edit session will come up and prior travel arrangements get tossed in deference to a job at hand.

We're going to solve this challenge once-and-for-all on high-end systems and rentals with the Silverado Demo Travel Program. Fly or drive to Silverado to see a demo on your own time and on your own schedule--and when you purchase or rent one of the following systems or services you'll receive a 100% reimbursement of your flight or fuel:

SYSTEMS:

Assimilate SCRATCH Systems

Silverado Blackpowder DI Systems

Cine-Tal Color Correction Displays

Sony 4K Projectors

RED Rocket-based Mac Pro Systems

Facilis Terrablock

RENTALS:

Edit Suite Rentals (multi-day)

4K theater rentals (multi-day)

RED ONE camera rentals (multi-day)

Essentially, just let us know what kind of system or rental you want and we'll provide a quote ahead of your trip. After you've made the trip out here to review for yourself, you'll be reimbursed 100% of your flight or fuel upon purchase of the quoted system or rental.

We want to make an investment in any of these systems or rentals as painless as possible--and for some folks getting to a demo like NAB is just not do-able sometimes. With the new reimbursement program, we're trying to take some of the uncertainty out of making these decisions.

There are a few guidelines we need to follow (no first class flights!) so for information on travel reimbursement contact us at info@silverado.cc for more details.

RED Rocket starts shipping...

Jim Jannard mentioned that the RED Rockets started to ship today. Jarred added that the initial batch are in green, while future card PCB will be red.

First picture of the RED Rocket...

Deanan just posted this up over at REDuser...

Adobe CS4 Updates for May 2009

Just got this post from Adobe:

The new CS4 video updates will be available late tonight/Friday morning . These updates contain several new updates and several critical fixes for After Effects.

Some of the new features are:

Major Speed improvements for Media Encoder (new support for RED)
New RED R3D workflow & Raw setting panel
Avid Import & Export (We are currently testing FCP Export)
DVD/VOB support (edit directly off the DVD !)
Faster/smooth AVCHD playback
Faster project loading
New Frame Export
And more......

We also showed several things at NAB 2009 that we have cooking in the Adobe Labs and we are planning to beta test a few of these new features this summer. The plan is to make these available on the http://labs.adobe.com site:

AVCIntra
XDCAM Export
Finalcut Pro Export

You can catch a new video here which shows all of the new CS4 updates and features in action on Adobe TV.

http://tv.adobe.com/#vi+f1510v1005

The 3 updates are:
After Effects 9.02 
Premiere Pro 4.1
Media Encoder 4.1

Blackpowder Digital Cinema Systems released...

Our new digital cinema CPU's are up on the site:

Blackpowder Digital Cinema Systems [LINK]

We are very proud to have worked with Globalstor Data Corporation on these. In our opinion, they are among the best RED and DI systems in the world.

One already deployed to Korea and another to Walt Disney Company...

Want to optimize your DIT work on a RED shoot?

This just came via email: 

"Things have really ran quicker, smoother, better here than any show I've been on in the last year and a half and I've done well over fifty unique RED shows.  The gear you sent me out here with totally kicks ass and makes the process of data management, dailies creation a lot faster and tranparent allowing me to put more concentration on the creative editorial process and ultimately offering more to a production."

Want to know more? info@silverado.cc