UCCTOP Xeno Laptop for Video Editors, People Who Enjoy Knobs
I had a nagging suspicion that the UCCTOP Xeno mixing station laptop did not actually exist outside 3D mockups and busy Flash pages, but ; saw a working prototype at least once. Sadly, I can't find a proper review. It seems a $10,000 all-in-one luggable video workstation from an obscure Korean vendor isn't setting the broadcast world on fire. And though my video production needs can be met by a webcam and any computer with a delete key, I still sort of want to take the Xeno out for a whirl. All those buttons! And sliders! and jog shuttles! That is what the laptop of the future was supposed to look like (if you can ignore its ridiculous width).
In case you actually do have a need for a video workstation and aren't just enticed to drool by shiny control surfaces, the Xeno also has a four-channel video switcher built in (interface unknown!). I don't know much about broadcast television, but I'd expect most of the software and hardware is pretty proprietary stuff, right? Maybe UCCTOP should partner up with one of the bigger software vendors.
Product Page [Eng.ucctop.kr/eng/ via Oh Gizmo]
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I don't think any broadcasters are going to be interested in this. It looks to low-fi for even war correspondence via sat phone. Plus it is not made by Sony, Harris/Thompson/GVG, Avid or Apple.
The website and brochure are still very light on details, and seems to have been written by an excited two year old.
Ronan Says: I KNOW WHAT KNOBS DO.
SWOOOOOORRRDDSS!
From the Flash video demo, it uses composite video input. I'm not really seeing a purpose for it, other than being all in one. A MacBook Pro with a firewire or USB video capture would do better than this and for less than half the price.
But...but...but...knobs!
It looks like a poorly-executed imitation of the Sony Anycast. Fail.
Joel, fear not, for I want one - and it's just for the knobs, too. I was excited until I saw the price. Ouch! It's really cool looking, though. If it was cheaper, it would be awesome to buy just for gaming.
Think you could reprogram those sliders for Pro Tools? Or better still, an actually intuitive interface for a more stable Audacity?
It's GIANT.
I can't link it, because the site is stupid flash, but mouse over "Products" then click UUCTOP Xeno Features, and scroll down to "Portable", where the picture clearly shown how huge it is.
The engrish is cracking me up, too. Again, it's flash, so I can't cut and paste, but go read it.
"All the things are OK in the equipment"
well, that's a relief. :)
Still, it looks sweet.
I've done some projects with a couple of TV and video production companies and they both use final cut pro to edit video and sound, so that means they use macs for the video editing stuff, sony cameras for capture. I think there is a market if you need to do stuff away from the studio or editing suite. I can see broadcasters using this as it's cheaper than hiring suites to edit away from base, but storage capacity may be an issue.
Pretty knobs! Sliders!
I think this might avtually be a better device for running and mixing video on the fly, replacing a larger box of analog video feed equipment.
It's still expensive.
And a studio of second-hand linear analogue video editing equipment might be cheaper these days.
But ... knobs!
Second hand analog linear is dirt cheap and even though I sell this old stuff for a living you are a cretin (nothing personal) if you even consider old cuts or AB roll systems for "My First Video Editor" -or even your tenth. You are most definitely better off buying a Mac and Final Cut.
Video aside though, The demise of knobs and sliders over the past coupla decades has been very sad to see -and not just for the nostalgia factor. Pro video gear, and I'm sure pro controllers in any field, tend to be positively festooned with knobs and sliders (the secret, BTW, to their inherent coolness) because you just need to get at stuff quickly without blowing through menus designed by engineers.
I know that many folks (well me anyway) would like a few knobs and sliders on their laptop and PC keyboard that they can assign functions to (like maybe volume!). I've seen a few USB knobs out there like the Griffen PowerMate, but for 45 bucks -Heywood Jablome.
A simple few knobular controllers and a slidey thing or two on a keyboard -well, I'm surprised they haven't just been there all along. For this I'll give the Xeno an honorable mention even though in the pro video world the poor thing'll soon evaporate like the infamous Sony Vidimagic projector.