Good news for Mac video makers! Flip4Mac series of components">Telestream, makers of the Flip4Mac WMV software come out with the Flip4Mac Profile K2 Component 2.1, another device to help you in the battle against really bad editing.

For those who haven't heard of it yet, K2 is a Quicktime component and Final Cut Pro plug-in that lets users transfer files from Grass Valley Profile and K2 media servers quickly. Video editors can import DV and IMX D-10 video and uncompressed audio from Grass Valley servers for editing in Final Cut Pro using the Flip4Mac Profile|K2 Components. After which, you can import the content to and from the server for editing with a lot less hassle.

Flip4Mac Profile K2 has the following specifications for this version:

Import and Export Format Support

• IMX D-10 MPEG 30, 40, 50 Mbps video
• DV25, DV50 video
• Uncompressed audio

Browser and FTP Support

• Browser interface via AMP provides thumbnail/clipname
• File transfer: open-standard FTP via 10/100/1000 Ethernet

Sound good? The Flip4Mac Profile K2 Component is available for purchase online for US $ 1000. Enjoy!

Flip4Mac WMV, the collection of QuickTime components that allow Mac users to play, import, and export Windows Media files, has just been upgraded to Beta v2.1.0.29. New in the latest release are:

• Universal binary support for Intel Macs
• Playback optimizations for Intel Macs
• Significant export optimizations for PowerPC Macs
• Multi language audio support in player
• Overlay when importing WMV content in trial mode
• Support for web authors to disable "save as" feature in embedded stream

A few improvements and fixes were also squeezed into v2.1.0.29. Support for MMS servers and live streams is one of those improved for this new version. Fixes include DCT blocking issue (progressive deterioration with increasing distance from previous keyframe) and encode errors when the audio bit rate is set higher than the video bit rate.

Since this is not yet the final release, there are still some things that are yet to see its inclusion in the Flip4Mac app. Among them are the updated user guide and the fix for 2-pass VBR green shift issue.

If this app strikes your fancy, feel free to download it below (it's compatible with mac Intel and Power PC OS X v10.3.9, 10.4 or later and QuickTime v6.5, 7.0 or later). After test driving it, help make the final issue better by filling up the feedback form here.

Download: [Flip4Mac WMV Beta v2.1.0.29]

Flip4Mac WMV component has just been released as a universal binary beta. Flip4Mac WMV allows Mac OS X users to play Windows Media Content in the Quicktime player. Flip4Mac WMV v2.1.024 has the following new features and bug fixes:

- Universal binary support for Intel macs added.
- Significant export optimizations for PowerPC Macs are now included.
- Addition of multi-language audio support in player.
- Overlay when importing WMV content in trial mode was incorporated.
- Improved support for MMS servers and live streams.
- DCT Blocking issue (progressive deterioration with increasing distance from previous keyframe) has been fixed.

Expect the following in future beta versions:

- Optimizations for WMV playback on Intel machines.
- 2-pass VBR green shift issue.
- 2-pass VBR keyframe issue.

Although playback of local files works fine on a Mac Mini Core Solo 512 MB or RAM, some users are reporting some problems with playing some streaming content through Safari and Camino.