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Avid vs FCP
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After reading both the FCP and Avid responses it seems that jeff proved two important points.
1.That his avid might have something wrong with it to make it a little slower than it should be.
2.That those using the Avid forum are way more arrogant and defensive and just rude than those using the FCP forum. Calm down there guys, nobody is trying to attack you.
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Jeff,
[jeff ledellaytner] “2- My main point was that Avid costs almost 40x more than the desktop FCP version. Why does a little desktop program seem to glide around the interface much better than a 40k program? “
This is an unfair analogy. Adrenaline is expense and depending on your POV – maybe overpriced. BUT a $40K machine is a turnkey system with software + BOB + computer + monitors + drives, etc. This is comparable to FCP + G5 + monitors + drives + AJA Io (at minimum). Still cheaper, but not a 40X difference. If you want a direct comparison, then compare Avid Xpress Pro HD (on PC) to Apple FCP. In that case you have 2 very similar feature sets and performance at about the same price point. Xpro on both Macs and PCs is very nimble and certainly outperforms what you showed. Whether or not Adrenaline has problems is a different issue. Delays that annoy you on a well-tweaked machine are just as bad as the nuisances in FCP to another editor.
FYI – since NAB, MC Adrenaline is $23K for software/BOB/DNxHD card. This would equate to FCS/Kona (or BMD). $1300 + $3K (rough). FCP is cheaper, yes, but again, not a 40X difference.
[jeff ledellaytner] “3- Oliver, how do you make Avid make incremental clip names in the digitize window? Can’t find it. Also, the automation tool stinks in Avid. Who wants a million key frames in your timeline? Setting a capture bin and a loggin bin is the same number of steps in each program. “
When you digitize, the tool defaults to the bin name and .01, .02, etc. if no other info is entered. Not sure where it is in the Adrenaline manual, but it’s page 248 in the Xpress Pro HD manual.
Automation tool works about the same as it does in FCP.
Not true on bins. When I open Dig Tool in Avid, it defaults to the bin from which I opened it and then has a pulldown to change that if I like. NO EXTRA KEYSTROKES required to “set the logging bin” in Avid if you go to Capture from an open bin. In FCP you have to specifically assign a logging bin or the captured clip ends up in the open project window outside of the bin. What you seem to misunderstand, is that bins in Avid are an integration part of the software design. Bins in FCP are merely organizing folders, like on the desktop. Pros and cons to each. If you don’t “Set Logging Bin” in FCP and actually have more than one project open, the media can actually be stored in the WRONG project folder under Capture Scratch on your media drives. Bottom line is that FCP is far more open and freeform in that regard than Avid, yet there is nothing about FCP that protects you from making errors if you don’t really understand how the software works.
[jeff ledellaytner] “At least in FCP you don’t have to wait a year for it to open, even in large projects. “
I routinely work on rather large projects in both systems and you simply don’t have it correct. Neither really has an advantage here. Quite frankly because of the way FCP works, I nearly always close all sequences and bins and then the project first before quitting FCP, just so I have the fastest and cleanest open the next time I go back to the app.
Sincerely,
OliverOliver Peters
Post-Production & Interactive Media
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Well put Oliver.
Jeff
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I think we are all missing the point that jeff is trying to convey here:
He has created something (on the company dollar, yeah!)that is hilarious and informative.
I think that FCP/Avid should hire him to make some shtick to jazz up their instructional DVDs and promos. I googled him and he apparently makes a ton of funny quicktimes.He’s got great timing. Keep making quicktimes, Jeff! -
Hey yall. Thanks for all the responses. Here are some final thoughts:
I never should of labeled the video, “Avid vs FCP”
It should have been labeled, “Why do basic functions in Avid seem slower than in FCP”
I probably would have gotten way more contructive criticism.
I failed to mention my Avid is hooked up to a Unity. I’m from the school of thought, that if it costs more, then it should run better. Maybe not.
There are a many ways to compare FCP and Avid, laptops, BOBs, software versions, shared storage etc…
I really don’t care what I edit on, I just want it to be fast. That said, I’m pulling the video. Thanks for the feedback and I’m going to try make my Avid run a little smoother now.later.
Jeff -
You do not have to render everything on FCP before playing to tape. If it’s a dark green bar on the timeline, then that’s full quality RT.
Avid doesn’t have FCP’s ingenious dynamic RT architecture which is a big thumbs up for FCP in my book.
Martin
Digital Heaven, London UK
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AutoMotion – 0-60 graphics in 5.2 seconds – Now Shipping -
i don’t trust that “Full” mode
i;ve seen the quality improve after a render,
(DV media on a Dual2 G5)
so i set “Full” as renderable in “Render All”
nick
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Agreed…it may output those dark green sections realtime, but you have to render them to make sure they’re full quality. It’s not supposed to be that way, but I’ve had enough issues that I play it safe.
Joe Murray
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Interesting. What codec was this with and in what scenarios did you get lower quality in RT vs rendered?
Martin
Digital Heaven, London UK
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AutoMotion – 0-60 graphics in 5.2 seconds – Now Shipping -
it was DV,
i cant remember the shot exactly:
either some text (basic text generator)
or a re-frame, without a blow up.monitoring on an external.
it was noticeably worse – slightly softer – than the surrounding shots before we rendered.
that’s how i noticed.nick
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