Pages

Monday, March 20, 2017

Blackmagic Design Web Presenter Used For E! UK Oscar Watch Along Party Stream

"The ATEM Television Studio HD is a brilliant bit of kit. Having full control via the front panel and source buttons means you can do everything on the switcher itself, so if you had no room for an additional laptop, you could still deliver a professional multicam broadcast. The switcher performed flawlessly during the web broadcast while the HyperDeck Studio Mini and Blackmagic Web Presenter proved incredibly straightforward and easy to set up and operate. Simply put, we couldn't have delivered this production without Blackmagic, as it met our budget and space requirements perfectly."

For more on Pettitt's use of Blackmagic products see the press release below. For more on all things Blackmagic, visit BlackmagicDesing.com

Manchester, United Kingdom – March 16, 2017 – Blackmagic Design today announced that prolific web broadcaster Alex Pettitt delivered a Facebook Live Stream for broadcaster E! UK's Oscars Watch Along Party using a compact live production workflow consisting of the ATEM Television Studio HD, HyperDeck Studio Mini and Blackmagic Web Presenter.

E! hosts Watch Along parties for many high profile award ceremonies, in which celebrities are invited to a luxury hotel to give their instant reactions to all of the red carpet action. The contents are then streamed out live to the broadcaster's social media feeds, to interact with fans and encourage them to join the conversation.

Alex's brief for the Oscars was to deliver a slick and entertaining live web broadcast that would help drive viewers to the channel's linear coverage of the event and continue watching. Given the hotel suite location, E! UK made it clear that space would be at a premium, but that Alex couldn't compromise on production quality.

"The production area was just big enough to squeeze in a trestle table for myself and a colleague to work from, so I knew that Blackmagic's new web broadcasting kit would be the perfect solution," explains Alex. "At first, I think the E! team were worried that I'd arrived with just a small suitcase, which not only had the live streaming kit inside but also my clothes for the next day! But that quickly turned to amazement once everything was unpacked and ready to go in just a few minutes, and they got to see the amazing quality that the kit delivered."

Three camera sources were fed into the ATEM Television Studio HD, which was controlled by both software and from its front panel buttons. To save further space, Alex made use of the 7" Blackmagic Video Assist 4K as his multiview monitor during the production. "It was the perfect size to see all of the inputs and the preview/program screens, and as a bonus, we fed the audio from the unit into a mini speaker so the production team could hear the live studio audio."

The ATEM's program out was fed into a Blackmagic Web Presenter to convert the live broadcast to 720p, where it was output over USB to a Mac running OBS for distribution via E!'s Facebook page. A clean camera feed from the AUX out was also recorded in ProRes to SD cards using the HyperDeck Studio Mini allowing Alex to produce additional social media clips and teasers as the night unfolded.

"The ATEM Television Studio HD is a brilliant bit of kit. Having full control via the front panel and source buttons means you can do everything on the switcher itself, so if you had no room for an additional laptop, you could still deliver a professional multicam broadcast," concludes Alex.

"The switcher performed flawlessly during the web broadcast while the HyperDeck Studio Mini and Blackmagic Web Presenter proved incredibly straightforward and easy to set up and operate. Simply put, we couldn't have delivered this production without Blackmagic, as it met our budget and space requirements perfectly."

Press Photography

Product photos of ATEM Television Studio HD, HyperDeck Studio Mini, Blackmagic Web Presenter and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world's highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design's DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company's Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.


Source: Blackmagic Design Web Presenter Used For E! UK Oscar Watch Along Party Stream

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Discover the many benefits and advantages of using Calgary web design firms

Calgary web design firms can provide you with a crucial means of taking your brand deep into the public sphere. With the right design, software, and advice you can energize and invigorate your company by reaching into new markets and riding the wave of new consumer trends.

The various combinations of web-based tools will enable you to develop new business opportunities that you may have not even expected. Using the right web-based tools can open your company to a world of new possibilities. The extensive network of arrangements that constitutes the web allows your brand and your products to be propagates and circulated in many kinds of ways and through many different channels.

However, it is important to be diligent in selecting the web design firm that you work with. You want to work with a firm that is able to deliver world-class service for rates that are reasonable. But finding such a firm need not be too burdensome. Companies rely increasingly on the web to both market t heir brand and establish relationships with customers. It is important to have a website that is flexible and that possesses the reach and power to solidify your links with potential consumers.

The right web design can put you in front of your target market. It will enable you to locate the people most likely to purchase your product and give them an easy way to access your site. This can only redound to your benefit and ensure that you are given the best chance possible to connect with new customers.

Web design is not a job to be left to amateurs. You want to work with people who have kept up with the latest developments in web design--people who are reliable and competent design professionals.

You want a web that maximizes the power of search engine optimization. Indeed, SEO is the ultimate front in trying to gain notoriety and publicity in the virtual medium of the worldwide web. Search engine optimization can help put your company or product in the top listings for individual searches. However, this can only be accomplished through a careful analysis of the algorithms used by the SEO forums.

Google and other search engines are making constant upgrades to their systems which can make it difficult to keep maintain or advance the ranking of your site. Indeed, Google updates require change to SEO methods regularly. In order to keep up with the latest updates you will need to work with a Vancouver Internet marketing firm with in-depth knowledge and expertise. If you have SEO experts on your side, you can stay ahead of the game. Such professionals can keep you very much in the vanguard of being found.

Nowadays, few companies can afford not to incorporate the web in their overall marketing strategy. Knowing the best ways of achieving search engine optimization is vital in executing such plans and attracting online users to your site. The most important thing for a company, in regard to its web presence, is to be found before its comp etitors are.


Source: Discover the many benefits and advantages of using Calgary web design firms

Friday, March 17, 2017

The 7 Best Free Website Builders for Anyone on a Budget

Website builders make the internet accessible. Because of website building software, anyone can build a professional looking site without any coding knowledge. While choice is always good, how do you find the best website builders when there are so many? Also, if this is your first website, you may be overwhelmed by the whole process.

In this post, we'll learn if you're ready and able to build a site on your own with a website builder. We'll also cover the best free website builders to fit into a tight budget. Finally, we'll profile 10 popular builders so you can learn all about alternatives to expensive web designers.

Prepare to upskill.

What Is a Website Builder?

Before we profile different apps, let's start with the basics.

A website builder is software that acts like a website building wizard. It filters the information in a way that is easier for most people to understand. Without a website builder, creating something online that resembles the websites you're used to requires coding knowledge.

That's where a web designer comes in. Designers use mock-ups called wireframes and a number of other industry design tools to create a template for your site. Once you approve it, the designer develops it themselves or passes it along to someone to code the site into being.

While that is a wonderful option, starting a business is an expensive venture. Profits often don't come instantly rolling in. If you're pinching your pennies, a website builder is much more economical. It also may be all you need.

How Do Website Builders Work?

Every website builder is a bit different, but they follow the same basic formula. They look like layered forms that you fill out as you go. Many let you preview your changes in real time. This makes it easy to implement design changes even if you're not familiar with what each part of the site is called.

In fact, because of the real-time updating, website builders end up teaching you more about web building as well as creating your site.

You can always go back into your dashboard to change things later. You can also add features, sliders, opt-in forms, and a number of other tools to your site as you grow.

Benefits to Website Builders

While a designer will custom create your website for you, a website builder is cheaper and gives you total control at your skill level. There's no awkward conversations with your designer where you try to explain what you envision.

The best website builders can set up eCommerce systems or links to third party systems like Shopify. They are also optimized in design which means a team of experts set up the program to create visually appealing websites with very little trial and error.

Furthermore, website builders guarantee a user-friendly experience for your customers or visitors. There isn't any guesswork on your side. Remember, design isn't only about how something looks. It is also about how it functions.

As you can see, website builders deliver functionality and flair.

When You Need a Designer

You probably need a web designer instead of a website builder if you have unique requirements or a special vision for your website. If you want your site to stand out as different from anything anyone has ever seen before, or need many specialized features that relate to your business.

You might also need a designer if your website is very technical, such as cyber security firms who need their clients to be able to transmit files to them securely via a web portal.

You may also decide to go with a web designer instead of a website builder

Are Website Builders Free?

Many website builders come as part of the package of service you receive when you purchase a domain name. In this case, they are technically free or more accurately, you paid for them along with your domain.

Still other website builders are completely free, such as the WordPress.com platform's sites. Blogger and Google Sites are also free, blog style websites that have web builders.

Some of the website builders on our list of the best website builders do charge for their service. Some of these charges are monthly while some are a one-time fee. A detailed summary of the cost of each of the best website builders is included in their respective sections below.

In general, a new or small business can utilize a website builder to create a functional, well-designed website for a mere fraction of the cost of a designer.

7 Of The Best Website Builders 1. Bold Grid for WordPress– Free with Hosting

Bold Grid has drag and drop functionality and works seamlessly with WordPress. Simply pick an 'inspiration' and edit it from the font to the number of menus. Bold Grid works like an addition to the WordPress website builder, so you get the best of both worlds.

Bold Grid creates professional looking results so you can easily build a website you're proud of. Tack on any plug-ins you need for additional functional features like ways to build your email list, quizzes and forms, and even list management.

To sign up to use Bold Grid, you must supply a Connect Key related to your hosting package.

boldgrid website builder for wordpress

2. WordPress – Free with Hosting

WordPress has two separate entities in the online space: their .com and their .org. Free WordPress sites reside in the .com area and are great for simple sites, but have limited functionality professionally.

In order to monetize your website with ads or link it to eCommerce platforms, you'll need to pay for a WordPress.org site. If you deal directly with WordPress, you'll pay slightly more for hosting, but save time.

No matter which WordPress system you use, there is a free website builder included. WordPress offers an endless number of Themes to choose from which are essentially design templates. You can manipulate many individual aspects of the site design after selecting your initial theme. Many themes are free, while some vary in price.

There are a massive number of plug-ins that work with WordPress to enhance your marketing and your visitors' experience. Choose any that appear to you though WordPress itself and activate them to start using them. Examples of popular plug-ins include Pay with A Tweet or MailChimp.

To clarify for beginners, WordPress has their own web building system which you can use, detailed above. There are also additional third-party website builders that integrate to WordPress like Bold Grid or Elementor.

wordpress platform - create a beautiful website, blog, or app.

3. Elementor For WordPress- Free

Elementor particularly addresses some of the common complaints designers have with website builders, such as slow responsiveness, more customization, and code output that looks like conventional hard-coded methods. Before Elementor, the code of sites built with website builders was odd and clunky. This could be hard for designers and developers to work with later if they needed to hard code changes.

Consequently, Elementor delivers instant drag and drop, DIY website design for small business and bloggers. The code output is clean so developers can manipulate it later and it plays nicely with the WordPress codebase and any plug-ins you've chosen.

Download Elementor for free to see it in action.

free Live Page Builder For WordPress

4. MotoPress For WordPress- Free to Try, Premium Starts at $29.00

MotoPress makes building a robust website using easy drag and drop interface. There are so many potential features to this site we need a list to sufficiently illustrate them.

Let's just list the main features for you to easier pick up the benefits:

  • Frontend editing means you can see the page in real time with all changes you make. If you like it, just publish and now the world can see it too.
  • There are several pre-designed layout templates to pick from. You can add more custom content thereafter.
  • The Style Builder allows you to change styles of any element with a user-friendly toolkit that keeps things simple.
  • Choose from several Google fonts for branded, easy to read content.
  • See how your site will look on a desktop, mobile phone, or tablet right from your design dashboard.
  • WooCommerce integration for your eCommerce presence. Customize even further with the same front end editing on your store pages as the rest of your site.
  • Add-ons to bring additional features to you and your visitors.
  • Drag & Drop Page Builder for WordPress

    5. Wix, Free

    Wix is well known in the website builder space for easily creating high-tech looking pages with little effort. The templates are varied and highly customizable allowing for a lot of your personal creativity.

    With easy drag and drop functions and templates created by expert designers, Wix makes stunning galleries, SEO friendly online spaces completely optimized for mobile viewing.

    Wix websites are beautiful and the price tag of free is always affordable.

    Easy Drag and Drop page builder

    6. Weebly, Free for Basic, Advanced Features Start at $8/Month

    Weebly is a great way to build an eCommerce site on a budget. The Starter package also allows Google Ads as a way to make extra money on web traffic. Like the other best website builders we're including, Weebly is easy to use with drag and drop customization.

    No tech experience is necessary to create a beautiful website, blog, or storefront.

    Weebly Drag and Drop Website Builder

    7. Squarespace, $12-18/Month

    Squarespace has big brand recognition among website builders because the service is solid and the design templates and features are robust. It's easy to build a site without coding and a free custom domain comes with your monthly cost.

    The builder supports eCommerce, is SSL secured, and you have access to the analytics you need to grow your online authority.

    squarespace platform

    Ready to Build?

    Any of these best free website builders will suit the needs of a variety of businesses, but MotoPress has the most diverse and easy to use functionality and design options. It does cost a small fee, however.

    If your budget is too tight for MotoPress, Build Grid is an excellent runner up in the best website builders.

    Play around with your design! If you make a mistake, it's easy to change everything back. You'll soon have a website you are proud of that you designed yourself.

    Want more ?Get Notified of Latest Trends

    Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.

    Thank you for subscribing.

    Something went wrong.


    Source: The 7 Best Free Website Builders for Anyone on a Budget

    Thursday, March 16, 2017

    New Designer-Centric Website Creation Platform Launches as SXSW 2017

    18916-HDL17_Social-Media-Images_500x60-321

    SXSW 2017 has begun, celebrating film, interactivity and music as creative from a vast array of media converge on Austin, TX. One particular feature of this year's festivities arrives in the form of the Brandcast Design Lounge, where creative can stop by to "relax, recharge and get inspired" with fireside chats on interactive design and more. Brandcast, a design-centric company that specialized in creating designer-friendly web design software, is celebrating the launch of Design Studio, which brings the options and performance of some of the most popular design tools—think Photoshop—to an in-browser interface.

    brandcast

    Brandcast Chief Product Officer Conor Egan says the goal is to enable designers to build precise and custom-looking websites that would traditionally require code to create, without being locked into the parameters of a typical drag-and-drop template-based web builder. 

    "The idea was to make an end-to-end design platform – from wireframing to production to iteration," Egan says. "It's a collaborative platform, so designers and content editors can come in and work on it together, removing the bottleneck of using code and slowdown and unpredictability. It empowers the designer to build more and iterate based on analytics and performance, to focus on storytelling and brand."

    The Design Studio web design platform is one among swell of new web design and layout tools that are created specifically for designers, but its toolkit and interface are what truly makes it unique. The interface offers a toolset inspired by Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, making it familiar and user-friendly for designers less adept at coding—not to mention TypeKit connection for precise typography control.

    Launched four years ago with software geared toward Etsy store owners and personal websites, Brandcast is no stranger to creating web design software, but new web technologies prompted the company to rewrite its platform from scratch with a more robust set of simple layout tools and new capabilities. "We're using React, the library that Facebook uses, which allows for new interactions and feel like a desktop application," Egan says. "It wouldn't have been possible a year ago."

    For now, it's best suited to design-focused informational sites for agencies and marketing teams, but more CMS features are on the horizon for more complex interactivity and publishing. That's why Brandcast aims to get the software into the hands of every designer it can—so they can explore and expand its capabilities. At SXSW, visitors to the Design Lounge can sign up to beta test a free version of Design Studio. "We want to change the web design paradigm so it's not technical/code but design-led," Egan says.

    Earn a certificate in UX Design from HOW Design University

    jawwriexhps8whpdn37k


    Source: New Designer-Centric Website Creation Platform Launches as SXSW 2017

    Wednesday, March 15, 2017

    30 Useful Websites for BIM Design Software Users

    30 Useful Websites for BIM Design Software Users

    Today, every one knows BIM! And we all could have noticed that BIM advantages affected all AEC disciplines, and architecture might be the most beneficial one. We at Arch2O, tried to build up a list of resources that we found useful for BIM users. There is an overwhelming amount of information out there on BIM, however, we have taken the time to search through the best-known BIM blogs, publications, and tools. Here we go!

    See also :

    Blogs

    BIM 360 Blog: A blog by Autodesk that keeps you up to date with the latest Autodesk BIM 360 feature news, expert tips, and insider resources.

    Shoegnome: For beginners level, Jared Banks' website aims to showcase innovation within the building industry and offer insights into BIM technology. The website features a variety of YouTube tutorials and articles.

    AEC DevBlog:  AEC Devblog is a good resource for managers and developers using Revit, Navisworks, and other Autodesk AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) and BIM. The blog is run by Autodesk's Developer Technical Services (DevTech) team.

    Beyond Design : aims to showcase innovation within the building industry and offer insights into BIM technology since 2009. It's run byAutodesk's Navisworks team and covers a variety of tips and tricks, best practices, and insider knowledge to make the most out of BIM software and management.

    BIM Fix Blog :  Australia's BIM community could get the most recent BIM updates through this blog. BIM Fix Blog may only update once a month, but it posts very useful BIM tips and tricks, every article is worth it!

    Revit Add-ons : Tim Grimm covers Revit add-ons and plugins, many of which are free.

    The Revit Kid: Good blog for tutorials and tips ! offering a combination of video and text based instruction for novices and seasoned veterans. It also has numerous pages of relevant content, and supplemental material such as a newsletter, and (paid) ebooks and videos.

    Bond-Bryan BIM Blog: Good all round ! BIM site by Bond Bryan's Rob Jackson that offers lighthearted industry stories. They also cover BIM initiatives, tips and tricks, and promote relevant conferences and industry awards.

    HOK BIM Solutions – HOK are one of the leaders in BIM. David Light @davewlight looks after BIM in London and is a regular on the BIM event circuit.

    Revit Everything Technology by David Light 

    The Case for BIM – Casey Rutland is an Architect and Associate Director at Arup Associates, specialising in BIM project design, delivery and management.

    Construction Code runs by Stephen Hamil, who offers BIM advice while also cataloging his own professional life.

    Epic BIM – multiple contributors whose philosophy is Keep It Simple Stupid !

    Publications

    AECbytes Magazine AECbytes is offering a quarterly print magazine for $49 a year. They also keep an updated blog.

    Automation in Construction This international, research-oriented journal focuses on information technologies in construction. They particularly focus on computer-aided design. Readers can order a year's worth of print articles for $99.

    Cadalyst Cadalyst's quarterly print magazine provides software and hardware reviews, illuminates technology trends, and delivers expert advice to help CAD and BIM managers stay up-to-date. Each issue is $9.95 and $2.25 for shipping and handling.

    AECMagazine AECMagazine is a free online UK magazine that publishes bi-monthly. It keeps readers up-to-date on the latest technology solutions in architecture engineering, and construction.

    Constructech This magazine zeroes in on the intersection of construction and technology (for example, the latest issue features an entire app catalog that's sorted by how relevant it is to certain professions). It is published every other month.

    AUGIWorld AUGIWorld is Autodesk User Group International's official magazine which is published once every two months. This in-depth publication provides specialized insight into topics like CAD management, AutoCAD add-ons, and management advice. AUGIWorld is reserved for AUGI subscribers only.

    BIM Free Object Libraries

    ARCAT

    For CAD and BIM resources, ARCAT is a one-stop-shop. Their free, no registration system has everything from concrete to pollution control system.

    Autodesk Seek A large library of mostly non-generic multi-disciplinary components by Autodesk. Users can quickly find product specifications for over 66,000 commercial and residential building products.

    The National BIM Library The National Bim Library offers a collection of free to download generic BIM components that are compatible with the major BIM products. NBS are better know for their specifications but have taken a strong interest in BIM recently. The library is still a little sparse but the basics are in place for a very useful resource.

    RevitComponents  Some useful free components especially strong on furniture and interiors.

    Revit City  This site has been going a while and there are 1000's of components to download. You need to register in order to be able to download components.

    TurboSquid This site offers components which you pay for but there are a small amount of free items. TurboSquid have a Revit certification system that ensures the components meet minimum standards. Compare the prices to the time you might spend modeling the items.

    Bimstore The Bimestore offers a library of BIM content by manufacturers in Revit, Microstation and ArchiCAD format. The content is free to download. You will need to register on the site first. They have an excellent guide to content creation.

    CAD Notes Very useful website maintained by Edwin Prakoso on everything related to AutoCAD, Microstation and Revit.

    Polantis Polantis is a free-to-use BIM library that is fantastically organized and simple to use. While its library is a little smaller than others on this list, it's easy to find exactly what you're looking for.

    SmartBim SmartBim offers product models from over 40,000 families types in 10,000 Revit objects. Need a sprinkler? It's an entire category. An ice maker? They got 'em. A hospital bed? They've got four!

    …..


    Source: 30 Useful Websites for BIM Design Software Users