Once again Avid have jumped ahead of Apple with their new updated Media Composer 5. Avid are looking to steal back some FCP editors with their new updated editing software. CS5 Premiere Pro is also tempting FCP users so my advice for Apple is “GET YOU FINGER OUT” !
What’s new
Directly access and edit RED files through AMA, without transcoding (images are scaled to HD frame size)
Work natively with QuickTime video formats, including Apple ProRes and H.264
Edit video and audio by dragging and dropping elements in the timeline
Keep high-end finishing projects in-house and gain great color precision with HD-RGB support (including dual-link I/O support with Nitris DX systems)
Monitor video externally with support for the Matrox MXO2 Mini
Mix and match frame sizes and aspect ratios — in addition to formats, frame rates, and resolutions — in the same timeline
Take a break during long renders and have your system email you when the job’s done
Import AVCHD files directly from cameras and other devices
Capture to and edit XDCAM HD and DVC PRO HD formats from baseband without additional hardware
Access low-res XDCAM proxies for offline work, with full-quality audio
Import text-based ancillary data and embed it in the video signal with the new “Data Track” and SMPTE 436M support using Nitris DX- and Mojo DX-based systems
View stereo audio tracks as single channels in the timeline for easier handling
Create high-quality sounds and mixes with support for RTAS audio processing plug-ins
Natively access and edit 4:2:2 MPEG-2 media from the new Canon cameras using AMA
Work Directly with RED Using the Newly Improved AMA
With Media Composer 5, AMA (Avid Media Access) has been completely reengineered, so you can work natively with more file-based media formats now and in the future. With the new and improved AMA, you can
speed up RED workflows by directly accessing RED files (.R3D) in Media Composer without having to prepare them through MetaFuze (all footage is scaled to HD frame size). Plus, you have access to its full meta data and color management data too.
Edit QuickTime Formats Natively
Get native access to all popular QuickTime formats, with full access to clip metadata. Thanks to AMA, you can natively access and edit any movie that can be played in Apple’s QuickTime Player (including Apple ProRes and .mov files captured by Canon 5D and 7D cameras) right in Media Composer — no transcoding, rewrapping, or logging and transferring required.
Drag and Drop Video and Audio to Edit
Get comfortable — with Media Composer 5, you can truly edit the way you like. In addition to the standard way of editing, you can also now directly manipulate elements in the timeline to edit video and audio. Drag and
drop clips anywhere you want on the timeline to rearrange sequences. And grab a clip’s in or out point and drag to trim a scene, dialog, or music.
Get Full-Quality HD-RGB Processing
Keep those finishing jobs in house, and deliver the highest quality color and effects work, with support for full-quality 4:4:4 HD-RGB color space processing in Media Composer. With the higher resolution detail, you can perform color correction, keying, and effects work with greater precision and ease. And if you have a Nitris DX-based system, you can digitize, process, monitor, and output projects in HD-RGB, using the two HD SDI connections to handle the high-bandwidth resolutions.” RGB i/o is in all Nitris DX products.
Monitor Video Externally through Matrox MXO2 Mini
If you don’t have a Nitris DX- or Mojo DX-based system, Media Composer 5 opens the door to third-party workflows, enabling you to monitor video externally using the Matrox MXO2 Mini interface, which is available for Mac and Windows systems. When paired with Media Composer software, MXO2 Mini becomes a dedicated, high-quality monitor-only solution for file-based or workgroup production, so you can view your video work in real time without any major expense.
HDW : I just noticed this on XDCAM-USER from Simon Wyndham
“I’m more than a little fed up with FCP of late. The amount of rendering needed for even simple things drives me up the wall. I tried the demo of Premiere CS5 and I liked it. I also tried the demo of Avid Media Composer 5. They have finally moved to the 21st century and now allow dragging and dropping of clips onto the timeline. What Avid doesn’t appear to have fixed though is the absolutely horrendous default multi monitor support and the fact that it keeps crashing every two seconds.
I’ll wait a little longer to see what Apple do.”
One thought on “AVID Media Composer 5”