I originally reviewed the Newsbyte-50 for B-Roll. Here are a few amendments I'd like to make to the original since Panasonic has released a new version of the software:
- Trimming on the timeline has become much easier. Before the new version of the software, trimming on the timeline would lead to problems with audio when taking the package out to tape. It's now evvery easy and it works very well.
- The audio features have improved drastically. When the original software came out, the audio was very difficult to use accurately, but the improvements to the software have made it very useful. It's possible to raise levels by as much as 40 db if needed!!! However, it doesn't convert to analog very well (we still archive on Beta-SP).
- It also has a white balance feature in the video rendering menu that allows the user to tweak the color temp of his or her video. It's also useful for correcting video that is improperly white balanced to a degree, but if you shoot in broad daylight on filter 1, you're SOL.
The poster who criticized the support was correct in doing so to an extent. I'm in the southeast region, and I've found the guys at the Panasoinic office in Atlanta to be very helpful and dilligent whenever I've had issues with the machine. However, since ther are so few Newsbyte-50's in service, parts for them are very expensive, and it takes a long time to get them repaired.
If you have any questions about the Newsbyte-50, please feel free to e-mail me at
dstewart@wis-tv.com. Please write
NEWSBYTE-50 in the subject line. We get a lot of spam, and I often erase e-mails from people whose names I don't immediately recognize.
Drew Stewart
WIS-TV