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Which Avid system is best for me?
I posted a question a few days ago trying get some comparisons between and Avid system and the Matrox Axio system running Premiere Pro. I didn’t get any bites on that thread, so let me re-approach my question in a more general way…
I haven’t edited on Avid in many years, so basically I’m a newcomer. I do mostly corporate videos, TV commercials, infomercials and pilots. I also edit short “films” from time to time. Most of the projects I produce fall in the $10K to $30K range. My business is growing and I would like to make the transition to HD for the majority of my work. The first step I’m taking is buying a couple Panasonic HVX200s, so most of my source material will be from the P2 cards.
With that information, can you tell me what kind of editing system I should be looking at? Is a Media Composer too much, is Xpress not enough? I’m having trouble comparing all the different versions on Avid’s website so I thought this would be the place to ask. I was planning to spend less than $20K on a new system, but if something more expensive than that is going to be a better fit and last me longer, I’d be willing to spend a little more.
Thanks for reading this, I appreciate any input.
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8 Replies
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We’ve been running Xpress Pro HD, (software only), with our HVX200’s for a little while and I’m perfectly happy with it. My understanding, and someone please help me out here, is that Media Composer buys you 10-bit uncompressed HD, something you’re not getting out of an HVX200. But the good news is Composer is a strait upgrade from Xpress pro, and it allows you to add an Adrenaline, which I have never used, but I understand it buys you a LOT more speed. For my money, with composer being offered as an upgrade, I would start with Xpress pro and move up if or when you need to. So far it’s been just fine for us.
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Thanks for the info! I have two more questions…
Can you use Adrenaline hardware with Xpress?
Where does Liquid Chrome fall into the hierarchy?
Thanks!
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I use xpress pro and the mc adrenaline. In my experience, xpress pro is good for the corporate-type stuff, or to offline something. But the adrenaline seems like more of a “real” editing system to me (I’m not sure if I can articulate that any better). Xpress pro has its limitations in terms of effects/color correction, and I find the mojo to freeze up a lot, and not give much back in the way of speed. The adrenaline is much more stable, and more flexible with resolutions. My version of xpress only has 2 or 3 resolution choices, while the mc adrenaline has the gamut of rez choices.
Of course, the adrenaline is more expensive than xpress. But you get a lot for your money in my humble opinion.
Dan
PrEditors.net
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You really need to go talk to a knowledgeable reseller of both systems. Usually an higher end Avid Gold reseller will have all the answers, and questions you haven’t even thought of. Example, what are you going to be using for mastering?…HD quality verses hard drive subsystem (capacity and speed)? You really do need guidance from one of the experts, not just some editors on a forum.
FYI, DNxHD image quality is awesome! DVCProHD as a codec for compositing and graphics is not good. Also, an Adrenaline does not speed up a Media Composer system as far as rendering is concerned. -
The only Avid system that does “uncompressed 10 bit HD” is the Nitris line, including both DS and Symphony variants. The Adrenaline, the MC software version, and the XPress Pro HD systems only do DNxHD and DVCProHD. Both are compressed formats. Of these, the only system that can digitize from an HD deck other than a DVCProHD deck is the Adrenaline, although you must have the DNxHD board to allow this. The media, once digitized, can be used by any of the systems mentioned above, but output options are limited.
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Thank you Mike, that’s a lot of great information!
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As an aside, and probably not an immediate solution would be to consider the software-only version of AvidMC on Mac with a MojoSDI for I/O. On the same box you can even run FCP and maybe put in a cheap card for I/O or Multibridge Extreme for HD uncompressed as well as higher.
And if you wait a bit and get the new MacPro, you can even have a Windows partition and boot to WinXP and run Liquid or Chrome or even Vegas. All are software and not too costly at that so you can really have the best of all worlds.
Neil
FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL. -
Hey Neil,
Is it safe to run FCP and Media Composer on the same system? I suppose if you did a dual boot you could without a problem but that would require a restart everytime you wanted to switch editors. I know that if you install Premiere Pro and Avid software on the same system they fight and don’t work properly. Just wondering if anyone has tried this (without having to run a dual boot config) and run into any problems.Mike.
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