Apple Releases Pro Applications Update for Final Cut, Logic, Shake

Apple Inc. released Tuesday Pro Applications Update 2008-01 1.0, an update for Final Cut Studio, the newly released Final Cut Server, Logic Studio, and Shake. There are several issues addressed for Final Cut Pro, which is updated to version 6.0.3, as well as an update for Compressor to version 3.0.3 that is included with Logic Studio and Shake.

Final Cut Pro 6.0.3 now supports Sony XDCAM HD422, a video format used by Sony in its HD camcorder line. Several bug fixes and other stability improvements were also included.

Compressor 3.03 has an added option tailored for Apple TV output. According to the release notes, "Compressor now includes options to create media files for Apple TV with anamorphic (non-square) pixel aspect ratios. The pixels are scaled by Apple TV to fit the intended aspect ratio during playback. In Compressor 3.0.3, an additional item appears in the Device pop-up menu of the H.264 for Apple Devices Encoder pane: Apple TV SD (Anamorphic)."

Apple TV output also has a new option to include Dolby Digital Professional (AC-3) tracks (with 5.1-channel surround sound) in output media files intended for Apple TV playback. Apple also added support for 4.2:2 in the Apple HDV Codec.

Lastly, Apple updated PluginManager 1.7.3 to fix a backward-compatibility issue in which 1.7.x breaks temporal FxPlug plug-ins in Final Cut Pro 5.1.4.

You can read up on this release in more detail in the online release notes Apple has posted on its Support site. The download for Pro Applications Update 2008-01 1.0 is a 23.9MB download.