Avid Xpress Pro v5.5 Mac Released

Woah. But would you opt for this over FCP? and why?

I think a lot of studios looking for editors would want Avid over FCP, but as an indie filmmaker, it's really up to what's easy/intuitive/robust to use.
 
Does anyone worry about investing in Avid on the Mac whilst FCP is taking so many professionals away from Avid? I know that Avid must be feeling the pinch big time and I wouldn't be suprised to see them dumping Apple updates altogether. With the advent of Intel Macs, this must be another factor. Why would they write updates for Mac when the Mac will run PC software.

Im sure there must be reams of discussion on this somewhere though so maybe I should go there and not hijack anymore threads.
 
Avid is a real good editor, but as the pieces I do involve a bit of fx and cc-ing I stay on the FCP side. I like there interface better than the whole mode chanching bs in avid. But the codec is good and there are still features that show that have been around a loooong time.
One tricky thing though. Watch out with os-updates. The X-presses on mac I know do NOT like updates in os nor QT. Apparently if you update QT to a newer version, X-press won't export Qt-movies anymore. That kinda bugs me aswell. Most other apps take advantage of the built in Quicktime core in OsX. I mean, if you update or install more codecs you gain quality and options in other apps. Not with Avid...
 
OliverM said:
One tricky thing though. Watch out with os-updates. The X-presses on mac I know do NOT like updates in os nor QT. Apparently if you update QT to a newer version, X-press won't export Qt-movies anymore. That kinda bugs me aswell. Most other apps take advantage of the built in Quicktime core in OsX. I mean, if you update or install more codecs you gain quality and options in other apps. Not with Avid...
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Well, in reality - AVID, like every other application on the MAC has to react to the constant changes that Apple continues to make to their OS. These changes make it VERY difficult for any development "partner" and I use the term lightly. Anybody doing this professionally should be aware that if you contantly update your OS to stay on the bleeding edge sooner of later you'll get burned.

Also, AVID right now has the best P2, MXF workflow because it actually directly supports MXF (no need for conversion). PLus it works on Both Mac and PC's so again, the user has choice.
 
Hey, I'm not dissing Avid. Just pointing to a problem for me. I agree that normally you configure a system that works and then never touch it again. However, I've known AE and FCP to act up because the QT version was to old. But never because it was to new! They just work with the tools that are in the QT-engine. If you update, they work with the new engine. I understand Avid is different because they use their own codec and file-system.
But they should be able to work this out. I like working with Avid most of the time though.
 
carlone said:
Anybody doing this professionally should be aware that if you contantly update your OS to stay on the bleeding edge sooner of later you'll get burned.
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Updating to correct bugs is in the normal release schedule for Windows and the MacOS.

It's hardly "constantly."

Tiger was released last year, and Leopard won't be released until next year. That's two years between releases.

In the meantime, AVID has introduced numerous updates to its software as have many other companies.
 
What AVID assumes is that you'll be using your computer solely for AVID editing and not tooting around on the internet or playing games, like we all do :). Because they expect the computer to be offline and used solely as a video editing tool, there's been no reason to support major updates unless you were to format your whole computer for the update process to keep AVID running at 100% optimal speed.

This is what the pros do, or they wait and buy a whole new computer, one or the other. However, I don't know why they haven't done away with this type of thinking for Xpress Pro, a more prosumer application, though an amazingly powerful NLE.

Still, one question that hasn't been answered is whether anyone would be willing to jump for AVID Xpress Pro over Final Cut Pro Studio because of this new update. Personally, I'm not sure if I would, I've been getting by on Premiere 6.5 and iMovie HD '05-version, so FCP Studio would be more suited to my tastes, plus it's much cheaper than the Xpress Pro Studio. Maybe if I was working in a film or top-end HD workflow, I'd use Xpress Pro, but I'm just looking at the RED workflow being the top one for me and HDV and HVX200 being below that, which FCP should be able to handle just fine.
 
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The new Avid releases are mainly aimed at the Avid faithfull. Perhaps the marketing department thinks they will lure Final Cut users but I think what has evolved now is two firmly entrenched camps with each side having excellent tools and a dedicated user base. The SDI Mojo is too little too late for most, however the software only version of Media Composer is a big hit. The new collaboration tool Interplay looks very promising.

Mac Xpress Pro users were finally given feature parity with the PC version. The Mac versions have been at least a year behind the PC versions for years.

When these releases were announced at NAB the Final Cut users yawned but the Avid faithfull cheered. Avid had one of their best NAB's in years.
 
Speaking of Media Composer, where exactly is it? I've tried looking for pricing on the software-only version but I've found nothing and I haven't found it in the AVID store.

I don't mean to hijack the thread or anything, but I figure while we're talking about it I may as well ask.
 
David S. said:
Updating to correct bugs is in the normal release schedule for Windows and the MacOS.

It's hardly "constantly."

Tiger was released last year, and Leopard won't be released until next year. That's two years between releases.

In the meantime, AVID has introduced numerous updates to its software as have many other companies.
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Totally agreed but from a developers point of view:

Video and Audio programs (especially Avid and Pro Tools) dig much deeper into the OS in order to pull out as much performance as possible and since these companies make BOTH Software and Hardware what may seem like small OS changes to many require quite a bit of work. In between OS releases Apple now has an intel computer and a NEW G5 Intel coming maybe (hopefully) before years end. Yep, this will require more code changes and testing.


Not a complaint, I love all the changes, it's what keeps me employeed and paying my mortgage. It also keeps all of us constantly updating, constantly buying this or that and constantly troubleshooting.
 
Jack, I am not sure of all the information yet. Avid doesn't make it easy to glean this info from their website. I know that the software only version of Media Composer is $5000. I heard that there may be an upgrade path from Xpress Pro where they give Xpress Pro owners a $1500 credit towards Media Composer. Don't know that for sure. You can pair the software only version with Mojo. I heard that you can choose to buy the Adrenaline hardware later on and it will work with the software only Media Composer. Unfortunately, they have decided for now to offer no upgrade path from the original Mojo to Mojo SDI.
 
After upgrading to XP 5.5 for Mac, I am unable to import MXF files. I have several hours of DVCPRO 50 and HD material shot on P2 cards and transfered to drives.

I would like to retain the original time code of the clips to facilitate syncing with other (DVCPRO 50) cameras and audio in an Avid Unity environment.

Seems crazy to have to lay the material back onto P2 cards and output through the camera to tape...

Any suggestions?
 
Scott B said:
After upgrading to XP 5.5 for Mac, I am unable to import MXF files. I have several hours of DVCPRO 50 and HD material shot on P2 cards and transfered to drives.
Any suggestions?
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Have you copied all mxf's to separate folders inside the /Avid Mediafiles/MXF/...-folder structure and named the folders using 'dot-notation' for each subfolder? ( eg. .../MXF/1.day1_card01 ). If so, that might be the problem: there are reports that the dot-notation doesn't work anymore with 5.5. Try naming them /1, /2, ..., without a dot followed by a description.
 
Avid still exports QT, and mxf support is incrediable I sometimes edit directly off my p2 cards, I have even shot some longer form projects directly into the avid via firewire cable.
 
Scott B said:
After upgrading to XP 5.5 for Mac, I am unable to import MXF files. I have several hours of DVCPRO 50 and HD material shot on P2 cards and transfered to drives.

I would like to retain the original time code of the clips to facilitate syncing with other (DVCPRO 50) cameras and audio in an Avid Unity environment.

Seems crazy to have to lay the material back onto P2 cards and output through the camera to tape...

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

If you go to the Avid site there is a document that details exactly what P2 formats can be imported directly. Formats that require pulldown (forinstance 24PA) can not be dragged in but have to be captured in to provide the correct pulldown cadence.
 
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