HDcinema Pro - Mullen updates again
 

For those of you that purchased the 4HDV when it came out...Mullen has been changing things around. He changed the name again to HDcinema Pro (non-pro looks the same as before), price is now $300, changed from emailing to a CDROM he'll mail you and he's printing out the guides too.

Since I bought his 4HDV for $100 and it never worked, I'm going to have to post a review saying it doesn't work! I only bought the 4HDV a few months ago, so I'm a little upset that there has been some changes and no communications from Steve about free updates.

I still don't know who has the 4HDV and who doesn't...am I the only one who bought it?

HDcinema Pro, Free alternatives.
 

I would like to know what software Steve adapted and if the original authors are aware of what he is doing, some open source licenses prevent the use of the software in commercial packages or require that the source code be included. We should also let people know of the FREE methods for doing basically the same thing that his software does (Diva, project X). If we include the name of his software HDcinema Pro in enough posts people will be directed to these posts by Google rather than his site.

Mr. Mullen adapted a freeware mpeg2 encoder called Mpeg2enc that is often used under a GUI for OSX called ffmpegx. The people that develop ffmpegx told me that many commercial MPEG2 encoders are based on the freely available source code for MPEG2enc, and that they plan to include HD encoding support under Mpeg2enc in the next release of this shareware, though I don't know when that will be. They did give me details of how to do it though, and seemed to indicate that it is a fairly trivial matter for a good programmer to make the necessary changes, how true that is I don't know. My personal opinion is that the rest of Mr. Mullen's package is just not necessary for editing HDV footage on the Mac at all, especially considering that you can edit it uncompressed or with the DC30 lossless codec quite easily on a G5 with a couple of shareware utilities to demux/decompress it

Every update and it becomes MORE expensive? Yikes...

heath

For what it is worth, (and you probably already have heard), ULEAD is coming out with a software solution for the HD10. Windows-only however. Just thought I would mention that for any HD1/ 10 owners who are using a PC.

I would say that you gotta give Steve Mullen credit for putting a Mac HDV solution out there - provided that it actually works of course!

- don

His site says $350 now...

heath

Has anybody had any success using Steve Mullen's software package?

How has it worked for you? It would be helpful to hear some user feedback so that those considering purchasing can make the right decision.

Thank you in advance to any readers who provide input!

- don

No word on HDVCinema (V.2) or HDCinema Pro (V.3).

heath

Here is the skinny - I bought the 4HDV and was later sent email with updated text guides from Mullen. However, the original software (2 files attached to an email that you're suppose to drop into a directory of shareware programs) never worked. It's all explained in his how-to install guide, but like many have said on here...98% of what he's selling is free if you know where to look. I'd suggest we all keep helping each other for free...its much better than paying someone and getting ripped off.

I'm stuck with a lame duck here unless I want to shell out more money. Is there laws against selling defective products, using the money to better your business and then immediately jacking up the price to get new customers?! Is anyone out there aware of such a thing? It can't be legal to do that...I may be wrong?

The business facts are he sold me lame software and isn't sending upgrades to fix it....so, buyers beware.

By the way, for anyone who's interested...I've met both of the Berube brothers a few times. Dan, by taking a Final Cut Pro class and Don recently at the NHFILMEXPO in Derry, NH. They're cool cats.....Don, I worked at WMUR-TV too. I was there from 1996-2000..

Chris

Best advice I can give is to contact your local and the NYC Better Business Bureau.


heath

I'm curious what formats are still being used out there? I use S-VHS, 3/4", DV, DVCAM, BETA SP and now HDV (mini-dv tape)....anyone else care to share?

mpeg2enc is part of MJPEG tools released under the GNU public license. As I understand it, Steve Mullen is able to sell his software provided that he include the license and agrees to provide the source code to anyone who asks.

Paul,

Thanks for the follow-up!

heath

Steve Mullen's 4HDV does work!
 

<<<-- Since I bought his 4HDV for $100 and it never worked, I'm going to have to post a review saying it doesn't work! -->>>

Steve Mullen's 4HDV Guides have worked for me since day one. I only use a subset of what Steve provided, but that is all I need or want.

They have worked on my old G4/400 Yikes, my TiPB/500, and on my new G5/DP2G. They have worked with both Jaguar and Panther.

On a Mac, we are processing HDV data using non-certified software in a "Bleeding Edge" technology.

When we hit a snag, we need to apply some basic trouble shooting skills. Such as isolating the problem.

Exactly which processing steps do not work for you? I use the following:

1) Capture HDV -> .m2t: DVHSCap
2) Demux .m2t -> .m2v,.mp2: MoreMissingTools
3) .mp2 -> .aif: iTunes
4) .m2v -> QT.mov(V): mpeg2decX, MacMpeg2Converter(MM2C), or DiVA (1280x720p) or (1920x1080p)
5) Combine QT.mov(V), .aif -> QT.mov(AV): QuickTime6
6) Drop QT.mov(AV) into FCP3/4
7) Edit: FCP3/4
8) Export as QT.mov(AV): FCP3/4
9) Burn QT.mov(AV) onto 'Data' DVD-R: Roxio Toast Titanium 5.2.1

Good luck,

Steps 2-5 in Maury's process can be replaced using Project X.
I know some people on the board have had problems with it but I have used Project X in 3 projects now without a hitch. It goes from mt2 to .mpv and .wav, both directly importable into FCP. From there I can edit directly or export to a more editable format.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=16679

Chris Hurd made the binary available
www.dvinfo.net/jvc/media/ProjectX.tar.gz

Apparently others on the web have used it for converting Sony microDV formats as well.

I thought Diva could go from mt2 to Quicktime directly?


Dr. Mullen's Pro version says that you can now export to a D-VHS deck, something that only Heuris has offered before on the Mac