Quick Tips and Tricks

"The Media Composer Advantage
Why make the move up from Avid Xpress Pro?

Avid Media Composer is Avid’s flagship editorial software product. While Avid Xpress® Pro offers tremendous value in features and functionality, Avid Media Composer offers the most complete toolset available from Avid with richer editorial, effects and workflow capabilities. Avid Xpress Pro customers can now upgrade to Avid Media Composer for just $495 USMSRP.

Avid Media Composer Advantages

Acquisition

File-based formats like Sony’s XDCAM and Panasonic P2 are taking off in production due to their benefits in cost, quality and immediacy. Media Composer has distinct functionality advantages beyond that of Avid Xpress Pro for customers with a need to work with these formats.

Sony XDCAM

• MPEG-4 Proxy Support
• IMX 30, 40 and 50

Sony XDCAM HD

• 18 and 35Mb Data Rates (Avid Xpress Pro will support XDCAM
• HD at 25Mb as it is - basically HDV)

Panasonic P2 Support

• Connect P2 card directly to systems for immediate editing or high-speed file transfer
• Edit directly from P2 cards
• Quick and efficient capture of media into edit system
• No need to shuttle through tape looking for a shot

Effects

Edit faster with higher quality results. No other application offers the features and functionality of the Media Composer software toolset.

Blend Effects

• Real-time 3D warp with 23 customizable parameters
• Blur effect for deep defocus of images and keys with alphas

Image Effects

• Intraframe painting featuring cloning, blurring and mosaic modes
• Scratch Removal – remove unwanted imperfections in your footage

Title & Graphics

• Boris Continuum complete AVX – A powerful add-on package with more than 160 filters, including: Lens Flare, Glint, Match Grain, DeInterlace, Optical Flow, Motion Blur, Wire Remover, and Witness Protection effects.

Motion Effects

• Fully customizable TimeWarp effects
• FluidFilm™ and FluidMotion™ - Create incredibly smooth slow-motion effects and “fit-to-fill” video using patented FluidMotion pixel morphing technology while you control speed and position using intuitive curve-based key framing. Apply the look of 24 fps progressive frame rates to 30 fps interlaced sources with the exclusive FluidFilm feature which offers more creative adjustments than Avid Xpress Pro

Motion Tracking and Stabilization

• 8-point tracker system for advanced tracking operations including offset tracks, applicable to most real-time and non-real-time effect operators
• Patented SteadyGlide™ technology to remove image shakiness while preserving desirable camera motion like pans and tilts.
• Results in big savings in time and money by saving seemingly unusable footage by not having to do re-shoots and tedious compositing work

Keying [video]

• Real-time 16-bit SpectraMatte™ keying featuring SpectraGraph™ viewer, Chroma keying is a fundamental element in compositing and everybody needs it. Media Composer comes integrated with a 16-bit chroma key toolset that not only delivers crisp keys, but does it with an efficiency that can only be found in Avid SpectraGraph technology – a visual display of image color map superimposed over the foreground elements being keyed out. This helps users understand the changes they are making and eliminates guesswork by showing them how those changes will help them achieve the perfect key
• AniMatte™ toolset for fast matte key creation within the editor

Editorial and Architecture

• Handle film and video sources with confidence
• The industry's most powerful and precise 24p technology lets you handle film and video projects with equal ease and efficiency.

Multiple streams of uncompressed SD
(Avid Xpress Pro limited to 1)

10-bit SD and HD [video]
(Avid Xpress Pro limited to 8-bit)

More resolution support than Avid Xpress Pro

Supports all legacy and current Avid resolutions and formats including ABVB and Meridien projects, bins, sequences, and media.

• Play and render Avid Meridien JFIF, ABVB AVR (play/render only), DV25, DV50, IMX 30/40/50

Film and Digital Intermediate Workflows

• 24, 25 and 30fps time code tracking
• Multiple metadata display in the time code window for all sources
• DI data tracking for DPX file names, UNC paths and LUT’s
• LTC output of sequence time codes

Archive to Tape

Allows a user to store the source media associated with sequences, master clips, sub clips, and group clips to video tape. Users can use this to dramatically reduce the amount of tapes necessary to restore a project as well as transfer to a more robust format that is less susceptible to dropout.

Capture to Timeline
Write media directly to a predetermined segment of the timeline. Rather than go through the process of logging, capturing, marking and editing, the editor can replace the necessary material in the timeline with a single keystroke

Multicamera Editing [video]

• 9 Streams SD (Avid Xpress Pro limited to 4)
• Multigroup capability for grouping multiple “banks” of camera angles allows for more efficient editing selections
• Multicam is available at any Avid resolution from single field to uncompressed

Collaboration and Interoperability

With direct integration into Avid Interplay™ and support for Avid’s independent workgroup services (MediaManager, TransferManager), Media Composer is the ideal editorial solution for collaborative environments

Workgroup Services

• Direct connect to Avid Interplay from within the editor (currently PC only)
• Support for Avid’s legacy workgroup services (MediaManager, TransferManager, ProLog Player)
• Compatibility with Avid Unity Productivity tools
  • Avid MediaManager
  • Avid MediaManager Select
  • Avid TransferManager
  • Avid DMS
  • Avid Nearchive™
  • Avid Media Browse™
  • Avid Interplay
• Frame Chase™ Editing provides editors in workgroup environments that incorporate TransferManager the ability to begin editing material seconds after it starts being ingested into the network. This reduces the overall amount of time to complete a project by allowing creative work to begin before capture process is completed

SuperBin Secrets Revealed

The SuperBin is a misunderstood and often maligned Avid feature. It is invaluable when you have only one monitor available and a great organization tool when you have two monitors. With two monitors, I usually have several bins open using the SuperBin as well as a few others open outside of the SuperBin. If you hate a cluttered sceen, then give the SuperBin feature a try.

http://edu.moviola.com/avid_superbin_tutorial

Submitted by: Benjamin Hershleder

Troubleshooting

Exception: DecompStream::GetAndLoadThreadedFrame RetrieveThreadFrame failed

This error message can occur during the following circumstances:

• Render
• Consolidation
• Export

In most occurrences this error can be corrected through the process of divide and conquer. Through the process of elimination, this workflow successfully locates corrupt media within the timeline so that it may be deleted and recaptured/reimported/recreated.

To read more about the divide and conquer process click here

Compression Error 0x8003001e in Sorenson 4.0 - 4.5

Why do I get a Compression Error in when I squeeze something I exported?

If you are using Sorenson Squeeze 4.0 through 4.5 and have QuickTime 7.2 or later on your system, you will get a compression error 0x8003001e when you try to squeeze a file exported with more than 2 audio tracks. This is a known issue between QuickTime and Sorenson, more information can be found on Sorenson's Knowledge Base. They suggest using QuickTime 7.1.6, however this is unsupported for Avid editors versions x.7.4 and later.

The solution is to perform an Audio Mixdown and export only the mixed down tracks

1. Select your audio tracks in the timeline
2. Under the Special menu, select Audio Mixdown. Choose mono or stereo, and a destination track. Click Ok.
3. Deselect the original audio tracks in the timeline, and select the new mixed audio tracks and your video tracks.
4. Export your sequence, changing your export options to Use Selected Tracks in the Options window

Your file will now be able to be compressed in Sorenson Squeeze

What versions of ProTools are supported with Avid Xpress Studio?

Components of Xpress Studio are not able to be upgraded individually; you must upgrade them as a whole. In any case, here are the correct versions to have of ProTools and Xpress Studio

CPR releases are patches and require original versions to be installed. All versions of ProTools LE EXCEPT 7.3.1 are Avid-branded, while 7.3.1 is DigiDesign branded (Avid ProTools vs. DigiDesign ProTools)

HPxw8400 workstation locking up with ATTO UL4D SCSI board

Several customers worldwide have reported that their HPxw8400 workstation will randomly lock up during a capture session, a play back or an output to tape.

Avid Technology, Inc. engineering has reproduced the problem and is currently investigating the root cause and its solution.

The current available solution is to download from ATTO Technology the latest driver update for the UL4D SCSI board. Many customers already performed this driver update and they confirmed to Avid Support Services that they no longer experience operating system lock ups. If you are facing similar problems with your HPxw8400 and the ATTO UL4D SCSI board, we suggest that you consider this option.

The official and Avid qualified solution will be available on The Avid Knowledge Base section when approved.

Can I download the Latest Updates and Hot fixes for Microsoft Windows on my Avid system?

Click the link below for Avid's latest supported Microsoft Service Packs and Hot fixes.

Microsoft Service Pack and Security Bulletin Support Addendum

Current Avid Software Releases

Below is a list of Avid software downloads currently available with their release dates:

Please note that software downloads are typically available for customers with an active Avid Assurance contract or customers who have purchased an upgrade. There are some free upgrade downloads available for certain Avid products (Click link below). Customers on Unity products should check release notes for all storage and attached client systems before upgrading any software.

Access the Avid Download Center