Oakmozart
Forum Replies Created
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A simple mask will allow you to do this too. Stack your 2 video layers on top of each other, then apply a mask to separate the 2 layers, hiding half of each one. In Media Composer, you can do this with Animatte. In XPro, you’ll need Avid FX, Boris Red, Boris FX, or you’ll have to enlist the help of After Effects, Combustion, etc.
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All you will lose by going with Mojo SDI from Adrenaline (on a Media Composer system, of course) is some i/o connectors, no HD support (Mojo SDI is SD-only), and less horsepower for driving your effects/composites, etc. Otherwise, you will notice no difference.
Mojo SDI with Media Composer Soft is a great “low-end” system for companies who are running Adrenaline and Symphony Nitris systems. Many use it for logging, offlines, etc. It’s a great setup. VERY overpriced, but still great. It should fit your needs well.
Take care.
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Ebay, baby! Ebay! Get yourself a new/lightly used HP xw8200 workstation. It’s gonna cost you some bread, but nothing like it would have 6 months ago. Other computers to look for are the Dell Precision 670, HP xw4300, etc. Look up all the certified systems on Avid’s page, then find one for a deal. You won’t regret it, I promise. If you try and “cheat” and save yourself some money by building your own, or buying a different box, you WILL run into problems. Granted, they might be problems you can solve (lots of people build their own Avid boxes), but do you want to troubleshoot software problems all day, or do you want to sit down and edit? If it’s the latter, get the certified system.
Take care.
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WHO-A!!
First of all, welcome aboard! Moo!
Second, I doubt many of us on these forums have much user experience with Ulead Media Studio Pro. I’ve dabbled with it, but that was back in the Media Studio 5 days. I’ve heard it’s come a long ways, but I hated it then…I figure my feelings would be the same now. Not to diss it, just giving you warning that it’s not real heavily used, so forgive us if a hundred of us don’t jump in with expert opinions and advice on “what’s up” with MS 8, etc.
Third, I haven’t used Edius, so I can’t advise you on it. This is an AVID board, you know! 🙂 I’ve heard great things about it, but never had the chance to “drive” it.
Fourth, your request on what NLE couldn’t possibly be more vague! What kind of projects are you going to be working with? What formats? For professional use (aka, “Make money”) or for home (personal) use? What kind of money are you looking to spend on it?
Honestly, the best way to get the answers to your question of “What NLE do I buy?” is to go out an download demo’s of the products you’re interested in, or, in the case of Avid, anyway, find your nearest reseller (dealer) and arrange a demo. You seem as though you might be a bit on the new side–if you’re not, my apologies–so if you go with Avid, Avid Liquid or Xpress Pro will probably be the products you will want to go with. Dealers can be found here: https://www.avid.com/forms/locator.asp
Information on Avid’s NLE products can be found here (I recommend starting out with the Xpress and Liquid Family pages): https://www.avid.com/products/video/editing-finishing.asp
Information on Ulead’s Media Studio Pro 8 can be found here: https://www.ulead.com/msp/runme.htm
New features for MS Pro 8 can be found here (though I didn’t see anything about Multicam): https://www.ulead.com/msp/new.htm
Info on Edius can be found here: https://www.canopus.com/products/nlesystems.php
There…I got you a bunch of links to get you started on research. I’m done holding your hand…it’s up to you to get going on your homework and see what system is best for you! 🙂
Good luck.
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Nitris works like all of Avid’s other DNA products. In a nutshell, and this is strictly from my understanding, so I could possibly be somewhat wrong here, your CPU runs your OS (operating system, aka “Windows”), and your software (Symphony, DS, etc.). The Nitris DNA Hardware handles all the rest of the video tasks, including playback of your footage, effects, titles, graphics, etc. It provides the power to your software to allow it to work in as much RT as is possible, allowing your host CPU to function on simply running your software. In a software-only configuration (XPro sans Mojo, for example), your host CPU has to run not only Windows and XPro, but also handle the playback of your footage, run your effects, display your titles, transitions, graphics, etc. Needless to say, when you go software-only, you’re taxing the CPU more than if you have DNA hardware acceleration, which gives you decreased performance, and far less RT capabilities than with DNA.
Make sense? Oh, and in case your French is a little rusty, “sans” means “Without.” 🙂
Take care.
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It most likely is…Symphony Nitris should chew through LAYERS of DV25-411 with NO problems. Symphony Nitris (as well as DS Nitris) are guaranteed to provide 2 layers of uncompressed HD or 8 layers of uncompressed SD 601 video in Real-Time (including a title, color-correction, DVE/Blur with transitions between clips). Most of the folks I know who are running Symphony Nitris with a current CPU are reporting RT uncompressed SD video streams of around 13 or better. The new dual-core CPU workstations are going to elevate the number of RT streams immensely, I think.
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The Media Composer Adrenaline system is for cutting programs. The DS Nitris system is more of an effects/compositing box than an editor…though it can edit.
Heavily-“effected” promo’s are (from my understanding) EXACTLY what the DS Nitris is designed for. Lots of power (courtesy of the Nitris DNA), support for more HD resolutions (and truly uncompressed RT HD), lots more effects/features than Adrenaline, etc. The bad news: Total Conform isn’t real good with it coming from lower-end Avid’s. Oh, and it’s $150K. I think I’d rather buy a house, thank you very much. I’ve also heard that lots of folks in the market for a DS have been going with Discreet flame systems instead…the very product Avid was supposedly trying to compete with, but don’t seem to have been as much as they used to. One good thing to mention about the price (if you can call it “good”): DS Nitris comes complete with software, Nitris DNA, graphics tablet, computer and (computer) monitors, graphics tablet, storage, etc. It also features a “free” copy of Symphony Nitris installed on your computer in a dual-boot configuration. (Symphony Nitris = Media Composer on STEROIDS!!)
Media Composer Adrenaline: “cheap” (compared to a DS-Nitris), used everywhere, nice array of i/o and format options, basic effects/compositing features, EXCELLENT built-in keyer (Spectramatte), tracking/stabilization (the same tracker/stabilizer as in Symphony Nitris–which is built on technology from DS Nitris), the full Film Composer toolset, full support of Total Conform, etc. Bad: not as powerful or format-robust as DS, not natively 64-bit like DS Nitris 8 is, doesn’t have the effects/compositing/color-correction abilities of DS, etc.
Media Composer is a NLE with basic effects features (expandable via Avid FX), while DS Nitris is more of an effects/compositing system with more basic editing features (or so I’ve been told).
Hope that helps a LITTLE bit.
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MAN, Grinner just gave some of the best advice I think anyone could get!
To sum up what’s already been said, you learn to edit by studying. I watch TV to simply watch commercials. I also really study movie trailers. Sure, I watch TV shows, movies, and other long-form programming, but I think commercials are where it’s at for learning: you have to tell a complete story in 15-30 seconds. Master the art of cutting commercials and I think you can pretty much cut anything.
Read books, sure, but I think watching is more important.
Then, the next most important step: you edit yourself! Get hands on with it. The more you do it, the better you’re going to get, especially as you pick up tricks you’ve learned from watching other people’s work.
Lastly, you have to realize that talent is a huge part of editing, too. Some people are just better editors than others. Some people just “have it” when it comes to editing. Does that mean the lesser-talented editors suck? Not at all! But talent plays a big part in editing, too…in the same way that it does with music, dance, singing, etc.
Study. Read, watch, and edit on your own. Give it lots of time, and put in lots of time. You WILL get better eventually!
Good luck.
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I know…I feel the same way. 🙂
Still, $18K is a heck of a lot better than the $35K it would have cost you in March!
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That $18K would get you the MC software, Adrenaline, DNxcel card, and all manuals/cables/3rd-party software that comes with an Adrenaline system. The computer will set you back another $5-$7K (depending on which computer you get, an HP xw8200 BETTER NOT cost you more than $3K, especially since HP’s phasing it out now for the uber-spendy xw8400–which is NOT a certified system yet). For storage, that will set you back more money (LOTS more if you get an Avid storage array). Finally, computer monitors, broadcast monitor, decks, scopes, etc. will all cost you additional money, too.
Make sure the dealer throws in a $100 Avid Media Composer Keyboard for free with your purchase. I’d lay heat on them for a hat and nice winter jacket, too. 🙂
The $18K is NOT a set-in-stone price. The final price you pay for an Adrenaline HD system (DNxcel) will depend upon your haggling skills, and how much of a profit your dealer wants to make. You might not be able to do any better than $21K, hard to say. My dealer quoted me $18,500. Make sure you get a complete package price from your dealer for the complete system–Adrenaline, computer, storage, monitors, etc. Buying in package-form can save you lots of money over buying individual pieces.
Another thing: get quotes from a couple of different dealers. Then get them in a bidding war. Tell them the lowest price wins. You might get some more wiggle-room on the final price if they know they’re in competition with another dealer. You don’t have to give names, but just let them know that there’s another dealer competing for your money. You might save a few extra bucks that way, too.
What’d you think of the demo?