Additionally the bounce process is normally not as comfortable and fast as it could be.

Here is where BounceUs starts!
BounceUs makes it possible first time to transport all BWF or SD2 metadata into Final Cut Pro 4.1 through Final Cut Pro's XML import.

The current version of BounceUs can mix down up to ten mono tracks into on one stereo track in a batch process - single file processing allows any number of channels.
BounceUs has the option to use panoramic sliders to fine tune the channel settings - if needed.
Once a setting is done you can use this setting to bounce hundreds of files within a batch process without any further interaction. BounceUs will find all files which belong to the individual recording and bounce them into a single stereo file.
This will make audio offline editing much easier - it is just a snip of fingers.
BounceUs saves a lot of money and man power.
The new XML export makes it really easy for Final Cut Pro (or Avid) editors to get all metadata of a BWF file into their project.

Screenshots:


The application will open like above. You can select the output framerate, the format and the sampling rate for the output. You can click the '+' on the upper right to expand the window to full size. (Click here to view)

If drag a BWF or SD2 file onto the applications icon, you will get a window that looks like above. (You may change the 'Open with..' settings in the file info for a BWF and or SD2. So a double click on those files will show the below window.)
If you bounce/export to BWF you will be warned that only timecode will be saved to the exported file.

Since BounceUs searches the whole directory (the choosen file resides in) for other tracks of the recording, it knows if there are any files missing within the 123456_1.ext ... 123456_x.ext sequence of files. You will be notified in case that this happens. However - BounceUs cannot find out whether tracks at the end are missing.
To change metadata, move the mouse over the value you want to change, click and edit - hit return to save the entry or move away the mouse to revert.

Clicking the dark grey triangle on the left will hide the info. Using the channel popup you can listen to the individual channels of this recording.

If you want to edit a days production (or more) you can open a folder to edit the data of the files in a more convenient way.

To see why editing scene/take could be more convenient click here.

After you done with editing and have bounced your files double click on a BounceUsII XML file will activate or open Final Cut Pro. FCP will ask you whether to add the data to a current project or to create a new one.
How does it look in FCP

How does BounceUs work?
The current version of BounceUs uses some of the nice features of Apple's 10.3.x operating system with QuickTime 6.4 and higher to join the audio tracks and make a mixdown for the editing. All BWF metadata can be saved in an XML file for Final Cut Pro

If you are using SD2 files the current version BounceUs needs Satimage OSAX which is provided thanks to Satimage as a free software.
The Satimge OSAX allows BounceUs to read timecodes, sample rate, bit depth, channels and creator origin.
The biggest advantage of the Satimage OSAX is, that SD2 files directly can be copied from non HFS+ volumes to a Macintosh HFS+ volume. Recource forks will be joined automatically by BounceUs.
BounceUsII also supports the conversion from SD2 to BWF so a library of SD2 file can be converted into BWF to minimize future trouble with the handling of the resource forks.

The action left to the user is to select a destination where the bounced files will be saved and then hit the bounce button.
A double click on the generated XML file will open all audio files in Final Cut Pro, or add it to a currently open project.How does it look in FCP

Also single files can be edited. So the user can listen to a recording, edit the scene, take, note and other settings and save it to all files which belong to the recording. Those files can also be exported to single file XML.

Working with BWF and SD2 mono files is comfortable - now.
Just drag the folders with BWF/SD2 files onto the batch list field and hit 'Bounce'. BounceUs will extract all information out of the 'BWF' and will convert the files to a QuickTime movie with the correct timecode or into a BWF-Stereo with all the info you need.

For each folder that is processed a new folder with the same name will be created in the destination directory.

The output files created by BounceUs will have the same base name as the original files, but will be extended with '==SSSSSSSS TTTTTT==NC.ext' , 'S' contains the scene, 'T' the take, C the count of channels of the original file The extension will conform to the output format.

The naming is important - this way you can convert an audio EDL to include the original files for the final audio editing.
Reel names are generated from the first three characters of the source file.

What's about the quality?
Our intention is to produce a perfect and effective pre-poduction tool, so the result cannot compare with a high end digital audio workstation, but the mix down result never will produce an audio which will be more than ± .5 db above the perfect mix down ( at 1 kHz).
Sampling rate conversion as well as down conversion to 16 bit are also handled by BounceUs. Files up to 96 bit (above that rate Quicktime won't work with those files yet) are automatically converted to 16 bit, the sample rate can be chosen by the user.


So who needs BounceUs?
BounceUs addresses especially the environment of cost effective professional editing with Apple's FinalCut Pro or other editing systems on Apple's OS X platform, but BounceUs will be a big helper in audio environments too.
The production of dailies will be a lot more efficient with BounceUs.


Since your files could be on a write protected drive, BounceUs has the option to copy the file to a local drive and save those changes with the file copy.