Articles from: September 2009

Avid Introduces New Versions for Media Composer and Symphony

AMCAvid has just announced the launch of version 4 for Media Composer and Symphony to the masses.  This new upgrade of Media Composer and Symphony offer improved stereoscopic 3D editing, enabling customers to view 3D material side by side in addition to over/under — ensuring greater accuracy of editing decisions and a wider choice of cost-effective monitors for stereoscopic viewing.  Mix and Match is a new function which provides customers with the flexibility to use media sources of different frame rates and resolutions (SD and HD) in the same timeline – eliminating external transcoding and time-consuming frame-rate conversions.  Users can monitor HD and SD cross-and-down converted formats from 1080p24 masters. This enables customers using Mojo DX or Nitris DX hardware to view HD material on a less-expensive SD monitor.  

Avid has also added support for Panasonic AVC-I and Ikegami GFCAM 100MBps formats.  The Production Suite versions have been updated to include new versions of Boris Continuum Complete, Sorenson Squeeze and SmartSound SonicFire Pro.  On a side note Avid has also introduced new versions of its NewsCutter editor for news broadcasters and Interplay production asset management system.

Interplay 2.0 was upgraded as well which lets broadcasters and post facilities work remotely. Lower bandwidth streaming proxies let Interplay workgroup members work with media anytime from anywhere, using a Mac or PC.  Of the numerous added feature of Interplay one which stands out for me is the feature of Final Cut Pro workflow support that offers check-in and check-out of FCP media with project links as well as media and metadata conversion of FCP-to-Avid and Avid-to-FCP projects.

Since FCS 3.0 was recently released, curious minds were wondering when Avid would respond to the Apple’s well received upgrade and they certainly have seemed too.  Media Composer and Symphony will be available on September 30.  I’ll give a full review when its public. 

Credit to the Digital Arts Staff for the specifics of the release.