~The NAB Chronicles~

John's take on Avid at NAB | Steve's take on Avid at NAB | Pictures from NAB

This Ain't Your Dad's Avid...

Posted: 4/14/08

As reported by John Zdechlik

Avid:
-------
Please keep in mind that this info is based on just a 2 hr dealer meeting on Sat.  I tried to take accurate notes, but the info was 
flying fast.

This Ain't Your Dad's Avid...
Before getting into products and features, I have to say that this is a radically different Avid: they gutted their senior management team.  I don't think there was one familiar face there, in the upper management. They were all new, and some are new to the industry. The senior tech people were mostly the same, which I think is important. The significant problems in the past with Avid certainly haven't been technical.

They say they are a different company and I'm actually starting to believe them!  They are really reaching out to their customer and dealer base and asking how they should be doing this - and they are listening.  Check out their website for some cool videos about this new focus, not just the same old 'razzle dazzle' demo melds...

And now, onto the products and technology:

Avid's New DX Technology:
The big news this year are the midrange editors: new architecture, amazing performance, much more realistic price points, and a true embracement of file based workflows- not just a half- hearted input tool or plug-in.

Avid has a new fundamental architecture they are calling 'DX'.  There are two new hardware platforms: Mojo DX, and Nitris DX, that share these common tech features:

A. PCie host connection technology - no more FireWire 400 pipe to the external io breakout box/ processor.  This is 10 megabits per second, which is 20 x faster than the FireWire 400.  This means much more realtime capability (5 streams of full RES hd with dnxhd 145 - the Adrenaline can only do that in 1/4 RES 'draft' mode).

It also means buttery smooth timeline scrolling, no overshooting, and no delay when tapping the space bar to start playing.

B. Leopard (yeah!) and Vista (who cares) support.

C. HDMI outputs for eady HD video monitoring.

D. Native 'thin raster' support.  A new term to me, but a great way to acknowledge that most of the middle and low range HD formats are not true 1920 x 1080, and so the editors in the past really get bogged down when trying to edit in their native format. Now, they have dedicated hardware that handles all of that in realtime. If this really works, that will mean that for the first time, people may really be able to use a file-based workflow efficiently, and not have to resort to the more expensive method of using HD-SDI and RS-422 deck control and time code.

E.  'Domain Negotiation' - a very strangely mis-named term, but a very cool concept which essentially load balances processing and rendering tasks between the three processing resources in the system:

1.  The host computer's processor cores.
2.  The GPU (I. E. Videocard).
3.  The Avid DX hardware's processing.

New Editing System Pricepoints:
Of course, Avid can't make their product offerings simple, so to understand what they are doing, make a chart on your head with their hardware products: Mojo SDI, Mojo DX, and Nitris DX on one axis and theirbsoftware products: Media Composer and Symphony, on the other.  

Here is the rundown from cheapest to most expensive:

1.  MC Soft - $2,495
2.  MC Soft w/ Mojo SDI - $4,995
3.  MC Soft w/ Mojo DX - $9,995
4.  MC Soft w/ Nitris DX - $14,995
5.  Symphony Nitris DX - $35,995 - includes the computer, either Mac or PC - yes, Symphony Mac is back!!!
6.  DS Nitris - $99,995 (lower price point, but will still use the older non-DX hardware).

Gotta go - checkout www.avid.com for more details.

Avid Resellers Meeting Leaves Us Optimistic

Posted: 4/14/08

As reported by Wolfie Browender

Avid said all the right things at their annual pre-NAB meeting for resellers in Las Vegas.  Here are the highlights and what they mean for you.

• Renewed focus on customer needs
• Quality-a revamped, more intuitive product line
• Performance-Windows ( Vista) and Mac (OS X 10.5 Leopard!)  And there is more.
• Workflow-Solid state (P2 and SxS) and Avids easier to work with.
• Value-lower pricing and improved features on all products.

With new executives in many key roles, it seems as though Avid is serious about putting to rest complaints about taking customers for granted.  Avid has held several focus groups for customers and resellers and asked them for honest thoughts about the company and is promising to do more.  We have already made a pitch to include Z Systems and some of you in a Twin Cities focus group.

In product-related news, as previously announced, Avid has discontinued Xpress Pro and the Media “Composer Soft price has been cut to $2,495.  The Xpress Pro to MC Soft upgrade is only $495 and will give you a bunch of new and improved features.

If you want to do SD or HD editing in the field, the Mojo DX and Media Composer Soft, MSRP $9,995, will do the trick.  The Mojo DX I/O is portable and offers HD-SD/SDI with embedded audio and balanced audio ins and outs.  Although late to the game with this one, it looks like Avid has finally gotten its Mojo box right.  The Mojo DX will ship in June and work with both Windows and Mac Leopard OS. 

Media Composer Nitris DX - Avid’s new editor replacing the Adrenaline.  Arguably the best news about this system is that the connection between the Nitris DX hardware and the computer is now through the PCI-express slot.  Avid claims that the pipe between the Nitris and Mojo DX will move 10GB/sec of data-that’s 20X the speed of via the firewire connection.  We don’t know about those numbers yet, but we do know it will significantly improve data transfer speed which means increased productivity for you.  Avid claims you’ll be able to play 6 streams of full rez HD in real time and 11 streams in draft mode.  Other additions of note:

• Real time playback of all HD codecs through the video outs.
• I/o on the Media Composer Nitris DX has everything you need-HD or SD- HD/SDI, AES, analog audio, component and composite SD video.
• Native support of most solid state codecs including XDCam HD, EX, P2 , AVC-I, HDV and DNxHD 36-220X.
• New subtitle tool, an AVX plug in, allows you to import closed or open caption files.
• MSRP for the Media Composer Nitris DX hardware is $14,995.
• Available in June.

Symphony Nitris DX-An update of the Symphony Nitris, this is now Avid’s on-line finishing system.  At a much more affordable $35,995 for software, hardware and CPU, the Symphony Nitris will be worth considering for those of you who need to do on-line quality.

There is much more to tell about the changes with Avid and its product lines but I’ve already gone on too long.  I’ll have much more to tell when I return later this week.

Steve “Wolfie” Browender

Welcome Colin Threinen!

Posted:4/10/08

Lower Price for Avid Media Composer Soft; XpressPro to be Discontinued

Posted:3/29/08

Avid has made several important announcements regarding their software-based editing platforms. 

• Avid will merge Xpress Pro software into the Media Composer product line, with new lower pricing.  Media Composer Soft cost has been cut in half to $2,995 USMSRP.
• Existing Avid Xpress Pro customers may upgrade to Media Composer software for only $495;
• Avid will continue to offer support Xpress Pro through March 17, 2013. However, Avid will no longer sell support contracts or offer any further software upgrades for Avid Xpress Pro.
• New student pricing for Media Composer software enables any student at an accredited college or university with a valid student I.D. to purchase Media Composer software for $295 USMSRP.

This is an excellent time to get into Media Composer, whether you are upgrading from Xpress Pro or purchasing new.  Call your Z Systems’ account manager for help with your purchase of Media Composer Soft or the Xpress Pro to Media Composer Soft upgrade. 

Free Software download from Panasonic

Click here for an interesting free download on some software from Panasonic that sounds kind of cool…

Key features of this download:

• This is an application program that ingests P2 contents by using PC and manages them in PC.
• P2 viewer is built in and able to view P2 contents easily like the P2 Viewer.
• Contents can be speedily retrieved by automatically constructing the data base by using the metadata of P2 contents at the time of ingestion.
• Able to add, change and delete metadata registered in P2 contents and the data base by the simple method.
• Able to handout and keep them as back ups by copying P2 contents onto HDD and Optical media.

New Release of Avid Editor Software

Posted: 2/18/08

Now Available-Panasonic's New Addition to the P2 Family,the AG-HPG10.