Avid Xpress Pro v5.5 Mac Released

David S. said:
http://avid.com/products/xpresspro/featurelist.html#partners

No word from what I can see on direct support for p2 cards and/or MXF.
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What do you mean direct support for P2 cards? Why do I keep hearing this myth that Avid doesn't support MXF or P2 and FCP is somehow better? Avid 5.0 and above supports both MXF and P2's very easily. You simply put the MXF files into the Avid Media Files folder and then import them in Avid with the media tool. That's it. Very easy. Know what's even cooler. I was playing with some footage I shot and I ended up plugging the HVX200 into my computer while Avid was running. All of a sudden Avid autimatically updates the libraries and detects the footage that's on the camera before I've moved it to the harddrive. I was able to edit and export a whole sequence using this footage while never having it leave the camera and thus not clogging my hard drive with another 4 gigs of crap. Now that's direct P2 support for you! This is certainly a lot better than FCP where you have to get another program to convert the MXFs to AVIs. Honestly, people need to do their research.
 
Over the past 12 months, I've been amazed at how many very experienced Avid editors are coming to my FCP classes to switch. Most of them are working editors in local film service shops that are migrating to FCP, or lost their old Avid job when their shop closed after Katrina, and now have a new job as an FCP editor. I also have a LOT of STUDENTS in local films schools needing to know FCP for potential jobs they are up for, but the schools use Avid edit bays.

I'm here in the New Orleans (I'm a native) area, and the film industry was in fact the first to come back and get into full swing after Katrina. Seems Hollywood South here is migrating to FCP systems and leaving the more expensive, proprietary Avid systems behind.

I get this same phenomenon in my classes all over the country, but not nearly as intense as here in south Louisiana.

Just my personal observation...
 
BenB said:
Seems Hollywood South here is migrating to FCP systems and leaving the more expensive, proprietary Avid systems behind.
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I'm just wondering what you mean by "proprietary"...
Avid runs on Both Macs and PCs, FCP only on Macs
Avid will work with the native MXF files that the HVX creates, FCP has to convert them into their own format.

So on FCP you have to use Apple's proprietary hardware and file formats, and on Avid you don't.

I think describing Avid as a proprietary system is incorrect these days, and a hold over from a few years ago when you did need special Avid hardware to make the system work. These days though Xpress Pro is just software, and you don't need Avid's hardware to edit DVCPRO HD from an HVX. The Mojo doesn't even help, since you can't monitor HD through it.
 
Thanks for your input, Eleventy and Carlone. I ended up reloading the P2 cards with the 720 24pn media and outputting via composite into a DVCPRO 50 deck. This gives us DVCPRO 50 tapes as masters. Not an ideal workflow—both because of the analog transition and because it does not retain original clip timecode (much of this material was slowmo anyway). However, it gets it into the Avid Unity system so that our editors can work with it. I spent too much time already trying to work it out. Trying to make cutting (bleeding) edge technology backwardly compatible with older gear is a pain.

thanks again!
 
Glad it worked out Scott B

Why would FCP need you to convert the MXFs to AVIs? It converts MXF to QT itself quite nicely...
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Just the fact tht FCP needs to "convert" MXF to Quicktime is a waste of time and disk space (duplicate large files). MXF has been adopted as the interchange file format so hopefully Apple will jump on board and allow NATIVE MXF support.

Over the past 12 months, I've been amazed at how many very experienced Avid editors are coming to my FCP classes to switch.
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I'm just glad you're getting work out there. Of course, New Orleans was never known as the Media Capitol and it only makes sense that FCP would be the choice for post production there. The cost is cheap and the need to work in large workgroups is not a requirement. Any smaller one off productions houses or startup's would be crazy to not adopt FCP as their format.

But just to be clear - Avid is STILL 80% of the market (news and feature film).
PC's are still 90% of the market. Apple is great at giving the impression that they are bigger than what the numbers show. The Apple stragegy is very clear. GET THE HOME USERS (Ipod's, Imac's, Iphoto) and if they can sell G5's by giving away FCP they'll do it. Most of the FCP users I know did not pay for it because all you need is a serial number.
 
Yes Avid is still the champ, but that is not to say the FCP hasn't made any progress. It is cutting into the Limelight that only Avid held, but only a little at the current time.

Now that Macs run windows, I have a feeling they will be taking up more market space.
 
I know Avid is still industry leader, wich makes sense. They have years of experience any other manufacturer can only dream of. But I don't have the $ to throw their way, and I like the FCP-concept. One inexpensive app that is scalable by hardware. Fast and relatively cheap. Plus I like the FCP interface better. But hey, that's just my flavour. Good thing Avid finally put the mac platform on par with the windows again though.
As for the whole 'get the home user'-thing. Avid isn't going anywhere, that's for sure. But FCP is making it's way up. Into post houses, broadcasting stations. I mean, you can't call the BBC a low budget thingie can you. Of course it's not going to wipe anything out. Avid stil has the edge in the high-end and will coexist with FCP as they gain reputation and field for many years to come.
Frankly, that's a good thing. Because good competition should mean getting better tools in the years to come. Regardless of whet app you're on.
Oh, and it's not just apple saying stuff.
example: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/prism/be-june2006/index.php?startpage=36

Best,
Oliver
 
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