Digital Heaven (http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk) has announced DH_Counter 2.0, an upgrade to the on-screen counter plug-in for Final Cut. It offers a way to create an animated counting display over your footage.

The new version has been completely rewritten and adds new features including the ability to set a custom start or end time and multiple counting modes. The company has also added two more free plug-ins DH_Fade and DH_FieldTrans to its freeware range.

DH_Fade offers a way to create consistent fade in/outs on clips with different durations. DH_FieldTrans is designed for those needing to apply effects to pre-edited footage containing cuts on field 2.

The Digital Heaven products require Final Cut Express (version 2 and later) or Final Cut Pro (version 4 and later). DH_Counter 2.0 is available for immediate purchase from the Digital Heaven online store for US$29. A watermarked trial version can be downloaded from the Digital Heaven web site. Customers who purchased DH_Counter on or after Oct. 1 are eligible for a free upgrade. Digital Heaven freeware can also be downloaded from the Digital Heaven web site.