Fast Blu-ray authoring with menus straight from the timeline, with optional hardware support from FireCoder Blu and a really useful new audio normalise function.

EDIUS 5.1 is a free update for EDIUS 5 users which allows editors to output an edited timeline straight to an HD Blu-ray disc using software encoding or the optional Grass Valley FIRECODER Blu H.264/MPEG-2 hardware transcoder board. This means HD project distribution is quick and easy, as well as very cost-effective to perform.

In addition, EDIUS 5.1 can download partial digital clips captured with P2 solid-state or XDCAM optical disc media. This saves time and allows editors working with file-based formats to begin working immediately, without having to ingest the content.

EDIUS 5.1 allow users to gain more control over audio levels with a new audio normalize tool. You can select clips, tracks, or all the audio on a timeline and ‘normalise’ volume levels to automatically increase low levels and reduce high levels.

Other new features include the ability to capture reel names, output finished edits to multiple discs, use multi-cam mode clip reel names, and take advantage of clip markers in the EDIUS marker palette.

New FCP XML import allows EDIUS to open Final Cut Pro Projects, and a Beta Plug-in will be available to let EDIUS use After Effect Filters on the timeline.

Neo 2, the latest version of the popular Grass Valley™ EDIUS? Neo video editing software, brings improved performance, a wider toolset and a full array of powerful Blu-ray high-definition (HD) disc production capabilities.

EDIUS Neo 2 shares the feature set and functionality of the proven EDIUS 5.1 software and can handle SD or HD projects with ease. It includes a fast, flexible user interface, real-time editing and conversion of different aspect ratios (4:3/16:9), and real-time editing and conversion of different frame rates (such as 60i, 50i, and 24p).

The new Neo 2 software package also provides powerful nonlinear editing features common to all EDIUS solutions, such as multi-track, mixed-format HD/SD editing, chroma keying, titling, and DVD authoring.

New options include the Grass Valley FIRECODER Blu board, for accelerated Blu-ray output support and the Grass Valley HDSPARK PCI Express board that offers real-time, HDMI-based video preview with separate audio output for high-quality monitoring.

The latest version of Neo software also features, for the first time, GPUfx, which allow users to leverage the computer’s graphics card to accelerate rendering performance; a new “Layouter” feature that lets users keyframe 2D effects; lots more DVD menu presets; and theability to output projects to AVCHD H.264/Blu-ray disc fordistribution and client approval.

The EDIUS Neo 2 software offers native editing of various formats including AVCHD, HDV, DV, Windows Media, and QuickTime – and a seamless, real-time workflow that supports the mixing of all formats within the same timeline. In addition, the software features the revolutionary Canopus HQ Codec, which delivers the highest image quality and performance available on any HD editing platform. It not only provides superior luma and chroma sampling of HD video, but also features an adjustable bit rate for increased video quality when capturing and encoding on high-performance systems.