APPLE RELEASES FINAL CUT EXPRESS HD 3.5
Issue: Editing - June 2006

APPLE RELEASES FINAL CUT EXPRESS HD 3.5

CUPERTINO, CA - Apple (www.apple.com) has released Final Cut Express HD 3.5, which runs natively on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs. New in Version 3.5 is Dynamic RT for realtime playback of multi-stream effects, Soundtrack 1.5 with a suite of professional audio production tools, and LiveType 2.1 with more animated text and titles.


Final Cut Express HD 3.5 provides a complete set of editing tools for DV and HDV video formats, with support for multiple video layers, realtime special effects and transitions, and color correction and matting filters. Dynamic RT enables users to view multi-layered HDV video in realtime by eliminating the need to render and re-render clips. In addition, all effects, transitions and motion parameters can now be keyframed, providing creative control over special effects that can be saved as favorites for use in other projects.


The new version of Soundtrack includes over 4,000 royalty-free instrument loops and sound effects that can be mixed and matched to create custom scores. The tool includes improved multitrack audio editing and recording tools with tracks, busses, outputs and realtime effects processing.
And the new version of LiveType lets users add dynamic animated text and hundreds royalty-free backgrounds and animated textures to projects. LiveType 2.1 includes 70 new animated objects, 15 new textures and 60 new customizable preset effects.


Final Cut Express HD 3.5 is available through the Apple Store for $299. Owners of previous versions of Final Cut Express can upgrade to Final Cut Express HD 3.5 for $99.

In related news, Final Cut Express HD 3.5 can now be used with the 13-inch MacBook consumer notebook that was unveiled in May.