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Blackmagic Design announced the Blackmagic eGPU Pro, an external graphics processor featuring the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor. Designed to accelerate pro creative software such as DaVinci Resolve, 3D games and VR, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro delivers nearly twice the performance of the original Blackmagic eGPU model and up to 22x faster performance than the built-in graphics on a 13-inch MacBook Pro. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro features a built-in AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a new DisplayPort for connecting 5K displays, HDMI 2.0, 85W of charging power and four USB 3.1 connections. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro features 8GB of HBM2 RAM, a massive 2048-bit memory interface with 410 gigabyte per second bandwidth, and 56 discreet compute units for up to 10.5 teraflops of processing power. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 can fill 94 billion textured pixels per second. In addition, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro supports Metal graphics technology from Apple, which provides near-direct access to the GPU for maximizing graphics and compute performance with games and applications.

Designed in collaboration with Apple, the integrated design brings cutting-edge workstation-class graphics processing and computational acceleration to customers working in professional video, playing 3D games or using the latest virtual reality software. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro will be available in November for US$1,199 from apple.com.

Chaos Group released V-Ray Next for Maya, a new version of its Academy Award-winning renderer that brings the power of scene intelligence, faster production rendering, and streamlined Maya workflows to high-end VFX and animation projects.  V-Ray Next for Maya's overall rendering performance is now 25 percent faster on average. As artists work, they’ll find even more speed improvements through scene intelligence, which analyzes and optimizes render calculations automatically with no added input. Scene intelligence has been integrated with new features like the Adaptive Dome Light, helping users render content an additional 2-7x faster depending on the scene.

V-Ray Next features a dramatically improved IPR that runs directly from the Maya viewport or the V-Ray Frame Buffer, ensuring faster interactive speeds and workflows. In addition to reducing time to first pixel, improved interactive rendering allows for continuous updates while editing or even scrubbing through animations. It’s also now possible to render V-Ray-quality playblasts for animation previz.

For faster look development, V-Ray Next for Maya adds a new Debug shading mode that allows artists to isolate selected materials, textures, objects and lights to quickly analyze and easily fine-tune specific aspects of their scene. And with the new GPU-accelerated AI Denoiser, noise-free updates are now possible at interactive speeds, providing instant insights into lighting setups. In addition to faster IPR, V-Ray Next for Maya brings a production-ready GPU renderer to professional studios. Built on a new GPU rendering architecture, V-Ray GPU is now 2x faster on average, compared to the previous version. V-Ray GPU Next adds support for fast rendering of volumetric effects such as smoke, fire and fog. And the addition of GPU bucket rendering adds support for faster distributed rendering as well as Cryptomatte output for better control in compositing.

 Chaos Group released V-Ray Next for Maya, a new version of its Academy Award-winning renderer that brings the power of scene intelligence, faster production rendering, and streamlined Maya workflows to high-end VFX and animation projects.

 V-Ray Next for Maya's overall rendering performance is now 25 percent faster on average. As artists work, they’ll find even more speed improvements through scene intelligence, which analyzes and optimizes render calculations automatically with no added input. Scene intelligence has been integrated with new features like the Adaptive Dome Light, helping users render content an additional 2-7x faster depending on the scene.

 V-Ray Next features a dramatically improved IPR that runs directly from the Maya viewport or the V-Ray Frame Buffer, ensuring faster interactive speeds and workflows. In addition to reducing time to first pixel, improved interactive rendering allows for continuous updates while editing or even scrubbing through animations. It’s also now possible to render V-Ray-quality playblasts for animation previz.

 For faster look development, V-Ray Next for Maya adds a new Debug shading mode that allows artists to isolate selected materials, textures, objects and lights to quickly analyze and easily fine-tune specific aspects of their scene. And with the new GPU-accelerated AI Denoiser, noise-free updates are now possible at interactive speeds, providing instant insights into lighting setups.

 In addition to faster IPR, V-Ray Next for Maya brings a production-ready GPU renderer to professional studios. Built on a new GPU rendering architecture, V-Ray GPU is now 2x faster on average, compared to the previous version. V-Ray GPU Next adds support for fast rendering of volumetric effects such as smoke, fire and fog. And the addition of GPU bucket rendering adds support for faster distributed rendering as well as Cryptomatte output for better control in compositing.

Fremont Studios, the largest privately owned and operated studio and event facility in the Pacific Northwest, wanted to outfit an all-new, compact 22-foot, battery-powered mobile production unit that would double as an additional control room for its studios. They invested in four VariCam LT 4K cinema camcorders with CineLive for diverse mobile and studio projects.

Offering an upgraded shading mode, as well as tally and return video management, the VariCam LT with CineLive is set up for live and “near live” multi-cam use for events, television shows, corporate productions and concerts. Full control of the cameras is facilitated by Panasonic’s AK-HRP1000 remote control panel.

 “The LT fulfills our need to utilize cinema lenses with the operation of a typical broadcast B4-mount live production camera,” said Fremont Studios’ President Scott Jonas. “We chose the LT knowing Panasonic’s experience in building well thought-out cameras and in seeing how the new 35mm VariCam line is proving itself against all the competition.”

 “Not all of our customers will be using the cameras for live broadcast,” he continued. “Historically many of our projects are switched live for timing and ISO recorded for finishing in post. The VariCam LT is designed well for that, allowing both in-camera 4K recording and 3G progressive capture in the mobile unit.”

 Shortly after taking delivery, Fremont Studios deployed the VariCam LTs for an eSports broadcast of the World Championship Xbox Forza Race. “Early in that two-day live event, an event producer told me they were seeing hits upwards of 8,000,000 worldwide,” Jonas said.

This software update improves support for Core Media and Core Audio on Mac, resulting in better capture and AV synchronization in all formats. In addition, Desktop Video 10.11.4 update improves audio output for DeckLink 8K Pro when used with Adobe Premiere Pro CC, and provides better audio compatibility between some cameras and DeckLink Mini and Micro Recorders. This update also includes general performance and stability improvements for all DeckLink, UltraStudio and Intensity models.

What's new in Desktop Video 10.11.4

• Fix audio output issue when using the DeckLink 8K Pro with Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
• Fix intermittent failure to initiate capture and playback on DeckLink SDI Micro.
• Improve audio compatibility between some cameras and DeckLink Mini/Micro Recorders.
• Improve support for Core Media and Core Audio based applications on macOS.
• Ensure drivers build on CentOS 6 using recent kernels.
• General performance and stability improvements for all models.