This version of Media Composer also signals the end of line for the existing Avid Adrenaline hardware line, as well as for the Xpress Pro and Xpress DV product lines: Avid’s tech support for these products ends this year. Freed from the hardware restrictions of previous Media Composer versions (and their industrial pricetag), this should result in a rise in alternate use from the existing customer base. With its software-only version, Avid has reopened the prospect of more pros and prosumers working with the suite. The software-only version I tested allowed seamless integration and transfer of my project and files in and out of large workgroup environments using both Avid’s Unity and an Avid-approved EditShare storage network. prosumerĪvid’s tools are geared toward the large, multiuser post-production environments found in broadcast, episodic television, or commercial production. In spite of that, Avid wisely hid an Automator script in the Goodies folder on the main installer disk that does an admirable job of preparing your Media Composer project for disc creation in DVD Studio Pro. While Avid DVD is included with support for Blu-ray discs, it is somewhat limited even as a Windows-only install. One sticking point for Mac users is the lack of DVD software for Mac. Users will note that the application retains its legacy Boris RED interface and look, right down to the soccer ball and brick background images in the timeline on launch. The previously stand-alone version of Avid FX, an application for titling, onscreen graphics, and effects, is also now included, and it’s for the most part seamlessly integrated as a supplementary editing mode within the Media Composer software. Included in the over 20 applications that ship with the Mac Version of Media Composer 3 are: Avid MediaLog for logging video information and metadata Avid LogExchange, which handles information for film-to-videotape transfers Avid FilmScribe, to handle change and cut lists required when finishing to a celluloid master Avid EDL Master, used to transfer or translate edit data into varying industry types and formats and Avid MetaSync Manager, a new tool designed for interactive object programming and metadata content creation on a Mac. Many of the third-party apps included are the best of their kind in the marketplace, while often some are Windows only. At times, it can be the additional tools included that can make or break an application suite. The world of pro video, like any other specialty, requires a vast array of tools. Avid’s attention to the needs of professionals is exemplified by the new Sequence and Clip Summary, as output of individual clip and track specifics, timecode, color corrections and EFX information can now be saved as a simple text file. Called open captioning because the content always remains visible to the viewer, it allows specifically for Avid DS and EBU N-19 standard caption file formats, greatly simplifying the process of creating and viewing alternative languages, translations, or graphics on screen. The SubCap Generator, a new AVX plug-in in this version, allows for the dynamic compositing of text and the coordinated graphics onscreen. Media Composer 3 brings the power of native MXF editing, plus Avid’s robust color correction tools, up to date. ![]() Yet this makes it an incredibly effective tool for visually watermarking your client preview and offline versions. The last is not quite as helpful as it sounds for day-to-day use, as the timecode data remains on screen for the entire duration of the playback of your clip or track, and is not editable. The Timecode Generator plug-in allows up to three simultaneous fields of on-screen data that can include timecode, edgecode, source name, and sequence name, and even an onscreen notation field. Avid has responded to the need for simultaneous viewing, monitoring, and output of multiple timecode tracks. ![]() In this case, it is Avid’s superior timecode support and on-screen display with the new AVX version of the Timecode Generator plug-in. Geared to the needs of editing pros, Media Composer always reminds me of the elements missing inįinal Cut Pro ( ). Included are enhanced controls for content dragged or dropped into a timeline, enhanced keyframing controls in the effects editor, and the ability to copy, paste, and even remove redundant keyframes from content already in your timeline. ![]() This release doesn’t just offer native access to the majority of camera formats there are also a number of adjustments that users will welcome.
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