Avid XPress vs. the new Media Composer

[Jason Wood]

They only started Media Composer Software only version a week ago or so. Infact you would be hard pressed to find a site selling it and a price besides MSRP:Call for Price which is never a good sign for the pocketbook. I am not sure if you have used Avid before, but they have a hard time getting bugs out of there systems. I like Avid Xpress Pro HD but am unhappy with the fact that Avid has no immediate plan for 64bit that being said if you aren’t tied into Avid for any reason now you should consider FCP. I have just begun to make the move myself and I hope for the best, but if all of my other software will ustilize 24gb of Ram its a shame that Avid doesn’t want to. By the way and others please correct me if I am wrong, Avid doesn’t seem to update or care as much about the Mac side of things.

If life were a movie, you’d find mine in with the dropped frames.

[Jon Zanone]

9 vs. 4 views in multicam.
Animatte.

Isn’t that enough?

There’s more, but the coffee hasn’t kicked in…

Jon

“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess. But He’s pretty sure you’re F%$#*D!”

[Alex Alexzander]

Avid announced Both Xpress Pro HD 5.5 and Media Composer 2.5, both of which are in parity between Mac and PC. They are completely caught up with these two new releases.

My comment regarding everyone should switch to FCP is simple. Most want to switch almost entirely for two reasons.

1. Everyone else is doing it.
2. You can add a Kona card.

The big feature you miss if you switch is Avid’s Media Management, which is far and away the best out there. Perhaps it’s not as sexy as a Kona card, but it’s quickly the first feature you are likely to miss, and miss the most.

FCP has a lot of bang for the buck. I give it that. No question there. But Avid is still a great editor. I would love it if it could attach to those low cost cards. No question about that. But I wouldn’t trade that new Media Composer for an FCP setup. You pay a little more, true enough. But if I had to figure out why my FCP sequence got corrupted, or my cuts got shifted, I’d throw the computer through a Window.

I am not saying Avid doesn’t have bugs. But in my humble opinion, I have seen less timeline issues with Avid than with FCP.

Just one person’s point of view, but since you just switched to FCP, see what you really think after a few years. I used it since 1999.

-Alex Alexzander

[Moody Glasgow]

Since this thread has already been Hijacked into a FCP vs. Avid, I’d like to ask those with knowledge about both systems a few questions. But first, a little about what my company does. We are a small post house (3 Avid Meridians and 1 Smoke), and are looking to upgrade are Avid’s and are considering the switch to FCP. (about 75% chance of switching at this point). The bulk of our work (90%) is :30 TV commercials. This means we work with clients breathing down are neck. Speed and stability (and a little bit of shine) are the most important factor.
That being said, If we make the switch, what are we going Love? miss? (I know the owner loves the price difference!)

moody glasgow
smoke artist

[Dave Schweitzer]

Full access to the Timewarp Effects and speed effect editor is a big one, also one-key clip slip using m,./ is a huge timesaver over the Xpress – has been for years.
I’m assuming you get the full MC effect palette, including Paint, and 3DWarp – the new Spectramatte keyer is supposed to be great as well.

[Paul Harb]

for short form and flashy editing FCP runs circles around Avid…..period……try doing and kind of complicated compositing in Avid, using keyframes….transfer modes….oh wait, no such thing in Avid unless you want to use a third party plug in that isnt even made any more….and any kind of “segment mode” is just archaic at this point I think….editors are not only expected to be “offline” editors, but to do effects and text treatments…ect…..I know I will get the same response from people that consider themselves “Avid”editors and not just editors…..that they like the interface and how much better it is…..but go take a look at every other editor, compostior….even look at Avid’s higher end DS……when I was at NAB and asked the guy showing the Media Composer I asked if he ever saw a day when they would make ALL effects “advanced keyframable” and his response…..was……Older editors get freaked out and overwhelmed when they see all thos keyframes…..!!!!! I just had to laugh……I think my actual response was something more crude….but you get the idea….so this is Avid’s mentallity…..they dont want to make a better interface and keep up with the rest of the industry… from fear of scaring older editors……get a clue…….its just a tool, the interface is falling behind everyone else…..and they are in this weird place where they dont want to redo their prcing structure….so if I were to invest my money into a system….it would be FCP all the way….no question…….

Paul

[Neil Sadwelkar]

I was merely asking about the differences between MC and AXP. Not FCP vs Avid.

I’ve used Avid MC from 1995 till 2001 regularly and not too much since then. And FCP from 2000 till now. So the FCP vs Avid is not a debate I was interested. Besides its been done to death.

Anyway, I’ll probably post this in a month when people have laid their hands on both.

But generally, (I was there at NAB and saw this new MC and Mojo SDI) before last week’s NAB announcements what was the difference between Avid XP and MC?

No more FCP please. I use it, I like it, but its not the question.

Neil

[Wes Plate]

I’m looking forward to FF and REW buttons that act like they should, I’m looking forward to using Extend again, JKL trim, access to all (or at least most) of the compressions…

— Wes Plate
Automatic Duck

[Carlitos]

1. Everyone else is doing it.

.-And Everyone that believed FCP was a great system is switching back to Avid, once they get to know the truth about FCP ( Slow, clumsy, offensive Media management (Is there one?), inacceptable Titlers and ridiculously cumbersome ways to do the simplest things)

Premiere Pro 2.0 is a lot better.

I work in a company that tried to switch to FCP. they bought two top notch FCP suites with Xserve, Xraid, AJA IO and all the toys you can imagine. Three months later they bought 5 Adrenalines with a Unity System.

Now, They use the FCP suites for minor projects with long deadlines.

I prefer to pay more for an Avid, even to switch to Premiere Pro, is a better deal.

2. You can add a Kona card.

.- You can also sell it.

[Kenton Vannatten]

Extend Edit and JKL Trim are already part of XpressPro.

Kenton VanNatten
Avid Editor (for hire)