Shall I wait for the Mac version to come out?
- Thread starter zhx
- Start date
Barry_Green
Moderator
The "Parity" Mac version should be out in a few months. But Avid ships both versions in the same box, so...
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
at HD Expo this week i was told by the Avid people that Xpress Pro HD v5 for Mac might be announced at NAB.
Joe_Digital
Well-known member
Probably announced but not released. Beta testing for the Mac beta release is slated for three weeks after the Windows version. No word about particular software improvements either. My concern -as an owner of 3 Avid's- is how to get the most out of Avid in the hardware department without having to spend huge amounts of money to be able to do uncompressed HD I/O when FCP can enable you to do it utilizing a Mac with some very high end and economical solutions.
It is curious to note what Avid may do going forward. The Mojo is not a great piece of hardware for those of us who do high end work, and if Avid is serious about challenging FCP (or at least slow the bleeding) then the Mac version -at the very least- should step up and offer HD-SDI I/O. You can have a phenomenal setup with Blackmagic Multibridge Extreme to be able to handle up to 4:4:4. Then you could get something like Final Touch HD (software available on on a Mac) with a JL Cooper and have the ability to manipulate your films at the highest digital resolution -for the time being. But you can only use this type of solution with a Mac and have to have FCP to do it. Why not Avid?
I see Bluefish444 and their HD I/O is certified by Avid for Nitris…so it works with the high end solutions but the lower end solutions such as Studio HD do not, yet the program is available on PC and Mac. This decision –has it been made by upper management to keep the price point of the more expensive systems relevant/necessary to achieve this type of work? I see the workflow is based on the EDL generated, but the actual files are sent to a separate system, then outputted to the SRW machine for mastering…kind of a weired way to do it, but it is a solution.
I also see it is available on a low end software platform like Adobe. Does Avid fear offering such functionality will cannibalize the Nitris & Symphony HD sales? Probably, but they will have to soon acknowledge the world is changing, and therefore hardware and software will not give them the profit margins they've enjoyed historically.
Also interesting to note is that they now own the Pinnacle hardware and software, so one would think, 'hey, why not use that hardware with existing Avid software?' Avid owns it, so why not make it available and expand the feature set?
A few pennies for thought.
It is curious to note what Avid may do going forward. The Mojo is not a great piece of hardware for those of us who do high end work, and if Avid is serious about challenging FCP (or at least slow the bleeding) then the Mac version -at the very least- should step up and offer HD-SDI I/O. You can have a phenomenal setup with Blackmagic Multibridge Extreme to be able to handle up to 4:4:4. Then you could get something like Final Touch HD (software available on on a Mac) with a JL Cooper and have the ability to manipulate your films at the highest digital resolution -for the time being. But you can only use this type of solution with a Mac and have to have FCP to do it. Why not Avid?
I see Bluefish444 and their HD I/O is certified by Avid for Nitris…so it works with the high end solutions but the lower end solutions such as Studio HD do not, yet the program is available on PC and Mac. This decision –has it been made by upper management to keep the price point of the more expensive systems relevant/necessary to achieve this type of work? I see the workflow is based on the EDL generated, but the actual files are sent to a separate system, then outputted to the SRW machine for mastering…kind of a weired way to do it, but it is a solution.
I also see it is available on a low end software platform like Adobe. Does Avid fear offering such functionality will cannibalize the Nitris & Symphony HD sales? Probably, but they will have to soon acknowledge the world is changing, and therefore hardware and software will not give them the profit margins they've enjoyed historically.
Also interesting to note is that they now own the Pinnacle hardware and software, so one would think, 'hey, why not use that hardware with existing Avid software?' Avid owns it, so why not make it available and expand the feature set?
A few pennies for thought.
Joe_Digital
Well-known member
if you check out the Avid forums, you will see there are a lot of users who really want Avid to kick it, but it's the upper management that fails to listen to its most important asset -it's people. Sounds like the typical snake will eat itself school of business...but as long as we continue to purchase overpriced hardware then ultimately it's our own fault.
I noticed a major change in the way Avid did business once FCP came along. I welcomed it as one of the many who spent a ton on hardware and software that was 'industry standard' but inferior for editing. I learned on Discreet Edit and I maintain even to this day I can edit twice as fast as I could on a Discreet system. Now, real time functionality has helped Avid, but they've got a ways to go. I believe Apple is a good thing for Avid, but they have to embrace the 'smarter way' of doing things.
I noticed a major change in the way Avid did business once FCP came along. I welcomed it as one of the many who spent a ton on hardware and software that was 'industry standard' but inferior for editing. I learned on Discreet Edit and I maintain even to this day I can edit twice as fast as I could on a Discreet system. Now, real time functionality has helped Avid, but they've got a ways to go. I believe Apple is a good thing for Avid, but they have to embrace the 'smarter way' of doing things.
As someone who has learned to handle Avid pretty well (after a 5 month, self-taught, intensive education in the software) I have to say that FCP seems to be the only software indie filmmakers and small prod co's are using. Staying with Avid seems to be increasingly futile. Still...it's the software I know now. And it does a great job for the most part.
krestofre
Knight of the Holy Order
Well, there's some interesting speculation. I for one think that the whole debate is a bit pointless. Avid and FCP are just tool. I like Avid a lot, but if it fails, then editing will still go on.
I recently ordered Final Cut Studio to add to my toolset. It can coexist in the same world as Avid. There are some things that it does better (integration between apps is a dream!), but there are some things that Avid has in spades that FCP needs (media management anyone? how about open timeline?).
Now, some people are probably thinking that it's attitudes like mine that allow Avid to continue to slide backwards. Not quite. Avid needs to innovate in order to keep their place in the industry. I, for one, believe that they will. Have they been slow to respond? In my opinion, no, but to each his own.
I recently ordered Final Cut Studio to add to my toolset. It can coexist in the same world as Avid. There are some things that it does better (integration between apps is a dream!), but there are some things that Avid has in spades that FCP needs (media management anyone? how about open timeline?).
Now, some people are probably thinking that it's attitudes like mine that allow Avid to continue to slide backwards. Not quite. Avid needs to innovate in order to keep their place in the industry. I, for one, believe that they will. Have they been slow to respond? In my opinion, no, but to each his own.
KingsReign
Well-known member
Right now I am having some problems with my Avid 4 on the Mac. Whenever I close it, it says it needs to do something with the external hard drive and then never closes. Does anyone know what to do in this case?
KingsReign
Well-known member
I am going to do that now, thanks.
I think I take back my previous comment: staying with Avid is NOT FUTILE after all... After spending the past week editing on Final Cut at a production company, I am missing my Avid Xpress greatly. There just seems to be soooo much more control and attention to detail with Avid. I feel a bit like I'm beating things with a sledgehammer with Final Cut. Granted, I know Avid much better...but I have a feeling I will always prefer the Avid interface and control--once you learn it, it seems to be much more sophisticated than Final Cut.