Brad - The reason that Kalypso had 6 TE's was to allow for up to a 4-channel DPM wipe on the keyers while also doing up to a 2-channel move on the background...all with programmable clean feeds (the move would be done globally in order to allow for any pre-positioned DPM channels to remain in position). You're right in that this WAS part of the original plan for Kalypso Classic, but it was dropped very early in the design phase, as it was deemed by engineering as too difficult to accomplish. On the HD system, I'm told that it was an oversight that the circuitry didn't get put in. In either case, your literature was wrong, and whoever demo'ed the product to you with the understanding that this feature would work was either uninformed or lying to you.

[quote="Bill D"]...but now I think everyone gets the need to not have DVE's always tied to keyers... Bill[/quote] The promotional literature, the M/E | Effects Send menu and the signal flow diagram all indicate that the hardware design for the Kalypso (Classic) was intended to have TEs attachable to background busses. I'm told that the new-style hardware (HD and Duo) did not allow for this capability, although I'm willing to be told otherwise. If the newer design can't do it, I expect that the Classic won't do it either, even though the hardware is capable of it. Things like that really annoy me! brad

Couple years ago I heard GVG was having discussions for a new line of switchers, crazy power and flexibility based on DD software and GV panel, kind of like the Kayak, but better. Wonder if that is going on behind the scenes, and may be the reason why we haven't seen a 4 ME Kayak, as well as winding down the Kalypso software. Forgetting about menus, panels and personal preference I don't think you can compare the hardware differences that the Sony and the Kahuna have over the Kalypso. Especially the DVE's. The Kalypso is limited a little b/c of the hardware differences, at the time the transform engines were great, but now I think everyone gets the need to not have DVE's always tied to keyers. Sorry that nothing to really do with the new software.. Bill

I'd love to see something resembling the Kalypso menu software on the Kayak sidepanel, if only to resolve the glaring differences in user interface between the panel menu and the sidepanel. I'm still not sure I agree with Kayak being pushed over the Kalypso, though. In my experience with both (less with the Kalypso, I'm afraid) I think the Kalypso's a much better high-end product. The Kayak's a good switcher but if money was no object I'd go with a Kalypso. If anything would change my mind, though, it would be Kalypso-style source name displays, and a pricing scheme that doesn't encourage the people controlling the cash to buy the minimum amount of switcher necessary. The ability to TE every single keyer is a huge plus for the Kayak... as long as they actually buy all the TEs, and don't get the .5 M/E model where you can't TE anything on P/P (burning an M/E to do a simple font fly sucks!)

Mike - As I said, I've been away from GV for a few months, but the still store & some minor menu revisions were what WAS slated for v14. Because macros are actually CPL commands that are called up on the frame, I doubt that you'll see macro editing - the engineer who did the macros for Kalypso has long since moved back to working with Kayak (whose macro editing functions are table-based, not real-time based like the SONY). I doubt that you'll see Partial Keyframing or User Wipes any time soon. Of the 3 software guys still working on Kalypso (and don't get me wrong - they're all BRILLIANT!), one has been heavily involved with Menus & the other with things like E-MEMs and Still Store - the 3rd is the software lead & deals with machine control...I assume that they're pretty swamped right now and can't deal with features that not too many people have been clamoring for. Although I agree with you - GVG promised these features...they should deliver on them. Over a year ago, a number of us suggested that the Kalypso software could be ported over to the Kayak with the use of a new, more user-friendly panel- which would help to keep Kalypso alive past v14, and hopefully GV is going to re-visit that idea. On the plus side, that would mean that there's the chance that the Kalypso will continue to be supported. On the down side is that features that WILL work on the Kayak won't always work on Kalypso & vice-versa because of the hardware differences, so things like Partial Keyframing may end up being handled through the DD's style of TimE-MEMo (where you turn individual functions on & off) - not quite as intuitive as traditional Partial Keyframing, but it can work. Plus, if the Kayak is the switcher that they're "pushing", the Kalypso will end up taking a back seat...just like the Zodiak did to Kalypso (and we all know what's happened to Zodiak).

[quote="Bob Ennis"]The original still store was kind of cobbled together.[/quote] Just the still store? :-) Is macro editing something slated for future release? Partial KF? User Wipes?

What I know of it (from 3 months ago) is that it's primarily a major re-write of the still store software. The original still store was kind of cobbled together - this re-write should allow better file management & hopefully less lock-ups.

Does anyone know what if any new features will be released in 14.0?

Tom - I declined the gig, but based on the request, I assume that the late alpha or the preliminary beta is probably going on now - that's the timeframe when they usually used me for testing.

Thanks Bob. Do you know when the beta testing will begin? We took part in the V11 and V12 testing, and would like to see about the next version as well. Thanks Tom

About 2 weeks ago I had received a inquiry about coming in to do beta testing on v14. The beta test cycle typically takes about a month or so - maybe even 6 weeks. Depending on the thoroughness & skill level of the tester(s), the release time could increase or decrease - the more bugs that are found, the longer it takes to get a release. It would really worry me if the release were sooner, as it would mean that the tester(s) probably missed something that we'll end up finding - this has happened frequently in the past.