Betas: New Silverstack Lab, Resolve for iPad, More

Several recent betas have graduated to full releases but there are a couple of new ones. First, a beta for Pomfort Silverstack Lab 8.4. There is a closed beta of DaVinci Resolve for iPad, which will be out soon, so this is an announcement more for informational purposes than to try. Another new one is Lossless Cut, a cross-platform FFmpeg GUI. Frame.io has a new beta for RED Camera. In addition, check out the new Adobe Photoshop beta. Plus, several updates of products that you may not have known are in beta.

There are also LOTS of updates: Rhino, Pilgway 3DCoat, FumeFX 6 and lots more!

If you want to check them out before release, this is your last chance. Keep scrolling for details.

Chaos Cloud Collaboration

From Kalina Maneva, Chaos product manager: We are launching a new Collaboration service as part of Chaos Cloud which aims to optimize the 3d design review process. It is available for all Chaos users and can be accessed directly on this link or from within the V-Ray Framebuffer.

The service allows you to:

• Upload images (and panoramas) and organize them into projects and folders.
• Add other users as viewers, commenters or editors.
• Share links to invited users only or publicly to anyone.
• Add pins and comments on the designs.

Autodesk USD in 3ds Max

With the 2023.2 Update of 3ds Max, USD in 3ds Max is in a public beta.

Release Date: 28 October 2022
Version: 0.3

The following bullet points are from the Autodesk web page, USD in 3ds Max (public beta)

• USD Stage: 3ds Max can now directly load a USD stage without having to import the data. This allows the display and rendering of native USD in a Max scene. Teams can now use USD as a more efficient form of referencing than Scene XRef in many cases.
• USD Exporter SDK: The Max USD SDK allows developers and TDs to control how our USD Exporter translates data from 3ds Max into USD. This is essential for custom data types specific to different render engines, game engines, and other environments. This SDK provides both C++ and Python APIs and has a signature very similar to the extensibility features in Maya, which will reduce the effort developers spend making USD tools between 3ds Max and Maya.
• Exporter: The exporter has been expanded to support the new USDStageObject. The exporter UI has been updated to expose custom options that plugin developers can provide via the new USD Exporter SDK. This allows artists to get more of their data from Max into USD.
  • USDStageObject nodes will export as a reference in the exported file.
  • Custom Shaders and Chasers can be turned on and off in the Exporter UI.

Adobe Creative Cloud Betas Updated

Below, read about what’s currently in beta. Download these betas in the Adobe Creative Cloud app.

After Effects Updated

One of the big things we’ve heard from AE beta users is that the Properties panel needed text support. Good news: it’s in today’s beta! Give it a try and let us know what you think.https://t.co/tbyzWqnPQi

— Victoria (@FakeGreenDress) January 11, 2023

3D Model Import

Import 3D models into your composition without any additional plugins. Then, composite them with your other After Effects 3D layers. Learn more: 3D Model Import

Properties Panel

This is the one I’ve been waiting for! Properties Panel lets users access the important properties of selected layers in the Timeline Panel without having to twirl open multiple layer hierarchies or a different panel.

The Beta build adds the Properties Panel feature for the Shape layers. Learn more: Properties Panel

OpenColorIO and ACES color management

Manage colors natively in After Effects with OpenColorIO (OCIO). It uses ACES, the industry standard for managing color. ACES is used in major motion pictures and TV for managing color throughout the entire project. More on OpenColorIO and ACES color management

Premiere Pro

Assemble rough cuts from transcripts

You can now create rough-cut edits from selected text passages with options to generate transcripts on import or from the Text panel. Learn more: Assemble rough cuts from transcripts

Photoshop

Introduction to Photoshop on the web beta

Familiarize yourself with Photoshop on the web’s beta interface, collaboration features, and limited editing functionality. Introduction to Photoshop on the web beta

Collaborate with stakeholders

Easily manage feedback and editing permissions for your stakeholders. Share your document for others to make edits, or send a view-only link for comments, contextual pins, and annotations. Collaborate with stakeholders

Limited editing on the web

Make quick edits, retouch, and adjust images with Photoshop on the web beta. Limited editing features include simple layers, selection tools, masking, and others. Limited editing on the web

Adobe Frame.io Camera to Cloud Beta for RED

This beta is for new integration with RED V-RAPTOR and V-RAPTOR XL cameras.

KeenTools GeoTracker for After Effects Updated

GeoTracker, a tool that has been available for Nuke for years, has a beta touting the first 3D tracker for After Effects. The beta works on both Mac and Windows. Watch the video below for fantastic examples.

Match-moving tasks are done with a snap with GeoTracker — what usually requires a team of motion tracking specialists can be done by a VFX artist with no tracking skills and with less time spent. Now this technology is available for users of After Effects, so they can use object tracking to reach the new level of motion graphics and design.

KeenTools

Beta type: Open Beta
Current version: 2022.3.0
Released: 18 Dec 2022

Pilgway 3DCoat Updated

The beta for 3D Coat is ongoing and updated often. 3DCoat allows you to take your 3D idea from a block of digital clay to a production-ready, fully-textured organic or hard surface model. Click the link to Buy 3D Coat for more product information.

Have you tried the latest @3DCoatOfficial 2022.57 Beta? The update includes fixes and improvements across multiple areas of 3DCoat. Full changelog and download here: https://t.co/tXDD0bLFMt#3dcoat #beta #latest #download #3dcoat2022 #fixes

— 3DCoat (@3DCoatOfficial) January 13, 2023

Current beta version: 2022.57
Date released: 11 January 2023

FumeFX 6 Updated

The FumeFX Beta is available to download and use until 3/3/2023 even for commercial use. You need to register at the SitniSati forums to download and use the public beta.

FumeFX 6 is about to become the most exciting FumeFX release ever! This time we have created a completely new, node-based procedural system that includes particle system, rope, rigid body dynamics, cloth, soft body dynamics, voxel grid manipulation, node based access to FumeFX simulation and interaction, extensive integration with the Arnold renderer supporting point rendering, procedural rendering of splines via Arnold curves, geometry instances, volumes and custom channels, ISurf – particle mesher object and much, much more. With over 130 ready to use nodes artists can create amazing visual effects directly inside the FumeFX package more efficiently than ever before.

Sitni Sati

Beta Type: Open to Everyone
Beta serial number (fully commercial license valid until 3/3/2023): FFXKPR3UX4
Current Version: FumeFX 6, Public Beta 12
Release Date: 19 December 2022
Host Support / System Requirements:
Window 10 minimum
3ds max 2019 – 2023
Arnold Renderer 7.1.1.0

Cinematte for Mac

The Mac version of Cinematte is now in the Public Beta phase. You can request access by contacting Cinematte.

CLAP – Audio Format

U-he and Bitwig jointly announced today a co-developed audio plugin standard known as CLAP. Download the public preview and try it out! Click the Learn More button below the video for more information and a download.

Jawset Reactions

Description: Reactions is a toolkit for physically-based animation built for Visual Effects and Motion Graphics artists and technical directors. It is the evolution of TurbulenceFD that advances versatility, performance, and workflows. Reactions includes tools for volumes (like fire, smoke, or clouds), particles, and procedural SDFs. But it allows for substantial extensibility of its framework that also handles polygon meshes and curves. Both built-in and user-created extensions use GPU and CPU hardware. In addition, Reactions includes ready-made, dynamic assets, and allows artists to create their own to re-use and compartmentalize their work.

Host: Standalone app, Cinema 4D R20-R25