[Jack Shepard]

Yeah, that is possibly an option as well.

[Jack Shepard]

Got it! Thanks Floh.

[Jack Shepard]

I am having this same problem with Boris Red getting hung up. But there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for it.

[Jack Shepard]

Hey Marcus,

Thanks for the rundown. You certainly have done your research! I definitely think you have the right idea of seeing where the dust settles.

I am probably going to do one last upgrade of M100. I still love the program and want to use it as long as possible because I could edit on it in my sleep. But I am going to start the transition over to something else this fall/beginning of next year.

Thanks again for the info.

[Jack Shepard]

I agree in a lot of ways Michael. The program works really well and BorisFx did an an incredible job catching up to their competitors while maintaining that awesome interface that I have been using since 1996. For the most part all my computers, cameras, and software are compatible at the moment. When I am working with other people or need to share an XML – I can do so quite seamlessly without it mattering that I am using M100 and they are all using FCP, Avid, or Premiere.

But, if they are no longer developing the program it isn’t going to stay that way forever. Maybe an XML will no longer work with FCP. Perhaps Boris FX doesn’t upgrade M100 to work with 64 bit. Maybe Apple’s new Mac Pro will no longer play friendly with Media 100. Maybe there will be a new Quicktime architecture shortly or Quicktime replacement. I think Boris will, in fact, keep things up to date… for awhile. But, the fact is, and I’m very sad about it, Media 100 is winding down.

If I only cut a consistent type of project perhaps it would remain feasible forever. But, I don’t. Every project I work on is different – with a unique set of technical requirements or kind of footage that needs to be ingested and exported. And there is a different group of people that I need to share material with. I have no choice but to keep up with the rapid changes to technology or I limit what I can work on or dig myself into a technological hole later on.

For me, I think it is going to be a gradual transition. I’m going to use it for the near future but gradually begin moving to something else.

[Jack Shepard]

Thanks for the info Marcus. Quite sad, I have to admit, to hear that M100 is drawing to an end. Tough to compete with Apple (these days I call it Applesoft) and Adobe – but Borisfx had done so well updating the software. It really worked well. For the most part it worked better than the other NLE’s, I always thought. Too bad they never marketed it. Nobody ever knew anything about M100 except that it was a relic from the 1990’s. I always thought they should have renamed the system – heck, call it Boris 100 – too separate it from the awful phases of the company in years past. Anyway, water under the bridge…

To answer your question about which NLE to go to next – I don’t know. I’m torn. I’m about to start a huge project in which the later versions of M100 would be useful because there is a lot of mixed media. But it doesn’t make sense to continue to use something that is discontinued (even if it is only $600 to upgrade). FCP7 is dead and I never liked its interface anyway. FCPX, I think, probably deserves another look even if my first impression wasn’t a good one. I have a feeling that the next iteration of it may be a step forward. I have heard good things about Premiere lately and it is cool how all the Adobe software works together. The whole subscription plan is kind of a major turnoff though. And then there’s Avid – while I hear the company is struggling at least they seem somewhat consistent which you can’t say for Apple or Adobe. But the Avid interface always felt clunky in a FCP7 kind of way.

So hell, I don’t know!

[Jack Shepard]

Marcus – is the “maintenance mode only” an official statement from Borisfx that you have seen? I’m a version back and am still debating whether or not to upgrade.