U&I Software VTrack 2.1

We are proud to announce VTrack 2. This is a major update that supports high-def video and the ArtMatic 4 graphics engine along with numerous other refinements and optimizations. The ArtMatic 4 engine adds over 100 new graphics component to its already amazing library of tools and includes integrated alpha channel support. ArtMatic systems can now supply an alpha channel along with RGB color in the same event which often frees you from needing an extra mask layer/track.

We suggest downloading the demo and trying it for yourself. Upgrade details have been sent to all registered users. If you did not see the announcement, double-check your junk-mail/spam folders and check your registration status here.

New Feature List:

Support for the ArtMatic 4.0 engine. The new ArtMatic engine has been vastly expanded and makes possible motion graphics and special effects possible with no other tool. More than 100 new components have been added in version 4.

Support for ArtMatic alpha channels. Four-output ArtMatic systems provide an alpha channel in the fourth output that is respected by VTrack. So, ArtMatic systems can now provide their own alpha mask which frees up a VTrack track in many situations where a separate mask track used to b e required.

Support for HDV. VTrack is now HDV capable.

Support for larger frame dimensions. To facilitate high-res video the maximum frame size has been increased to 4096 pixels by 4096 pixels.

Direct handling of any video format supported by QuickTime. VTrack can now use any movie that QuickTime can play without conversion.

Montage view zooming now frame-accurate.

Support for alpha channels in input movies. The alpha channel of input movies (and ArtMatic systems) is now respected and used as a mask. The alpha channel can be ignored by turning on the Ignore Input Mask/Alpha option in the event info dialog.

Fit movie option for cropping and Pan & Scan effects. When the Fit Movie option (in the Event Info dialog) is turned off, the input movie is loaded into VTrack without being scaled to the project’s dimensions. This makes it possible to crop input movies and also to pan within them when the input movie has larger dimensions than the project. This capability is very useful for converting movies aspect ratios.

New Inertia options at mixdown. Blend Inertia (called Inertia in earlier versions) blends the current frame with the previous frame to create something like a visual echo. The Light Trace inertia algorithms trace luminous regions and fade out the luminous glow at the specified rate: slow, medium or fast.

24-bit audio and 48K sample rates supported. Support for 24-bit audio has been added. A sample rate preference has been added to the Preferences dialog. VTrack needs all audio to be at the same sample rate. If any input audio has a different sample rate, VTrack will create an aiff file of the appropriate sample rate.

Audio-handling now multi-threaded. VTrack now uses a separate thread for audio playback for better preview performance on multi-core/multi-processor computers.

Updated QuickTime export options. The QuickTime export dialog has been re-designed to allow rendering of only one portion of a movie. This is very handy for dividing up a render between multiple computers or users. On multi-processor machines, use the Fast-User Switching option in the operating system and divide the render between different users to take full-advantage of multi-core/multi-processor computers.

Resizable mini-preview. Click on the mini-preview’s frame to toggle between large and small mini-previews.

Movable mini preview. Option-click and drag the mini-preview frame to slide it left or right.

Expanded List of Picture handling. VTrack handles more naming schemes for lists of pictures used as movies.