Xpress Pro or Composer Educational?

[im.thatoneguy]

I'm either getting Xpress Pro HD or Composer for my workstation, but I was until my boss gave me a list of options, unaware that there is a composer educational option. (I work through a college, so we're eligible for their educational software).

I don't know anything about Composer. How does it compare to Xpress Pro HD? I know the Composer Adreneline HD is in a whole new class, but the Xpress pro and Avid Composer are the same price.

 

[krestofre]

Here's my understanding from the press releases. As the Avid employees get back from NAB, I'm expecting more detailed information to come out.

The Media Composer software is the very same software that drives Adenaline. You're just not getting the Adrenaline hardware with the MC software only package. You can latter add a Mojo, Mojo SDI, or Adrenaline to your MC Software if you need the boost.

Media Composer software differs from Xpress Pro first of all in the interface. While basically the same, Media Composer offers more buttons in the interface, timeline tracks that can be moved, little things like that. You get more effects with MC. Fully keyframeable timewarp, spectramatte, etc. MC can work at uncompresses SD resolutions without additional hardware (Xpress Pro requires a Mojo to get uncompressed). The way I read the stuff at avid.com it sounds like MC's uncompressed streams aren't capped, rather it will playback as much as your computer can handle.

I think the big advantage here (esspecially for students, or educators) is the ability to teach on an MC. Avid still holds the lion's share of high-end editing jobs, and if that's the kind of work the students are wanting to be able to graduate and say "I was taught on MC." is hugh.

MC's required hardware specs are more stringent than Xpress Pro's, so that might be information you need.